2021 hunger strike of undocumented migrants in Belgium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2021 hunger strike of undocumented migrants in Belgium was a two-month-long hunger strike held by several hundred undocumented migrants in Belgium in protest of the policies of the Belgian government, led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Sammy Mahdi, concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and residency permits.[1][2]

Background[]

There are an estimated 150 000 undocumented migrants in Belgium, many of who work in industries such as restaurants, cleaning, and construction.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, the Belgium government refused to implement policy changes to protect undocumented migrants, unlike several other European governments, such as temporarily extending unemployment benefits or offering temporary residencies. As a result, many undocumented migrants in the country were forced into extremely precarious situations and charities struggled to provide enough help.[3]

Hunger strike[]

Throughout the first few months of 2021, a number of protests was held by undocumented migrants concerning their situation. However, the Belgian government refused to implement any policy changes.

On May 23, 476 undocumented migrants began a hunger strike. They gathered at the church of Saint John the Baptist at the Béguinage and at the Université libre de Bruxelles, setting up mattresses with signs displaying each of their jobs and calling for the Belgian government to grant them temporary residency, support to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the establishment of an independent body to oversee residency requests with clear criteria and in a timely manner. The Red Cross provided some medical support for the strikers.[4]

In support of the strike, the group was founded, launching a petition that gained tens of thousands of signatures.[5][6] In mid-July, the Belgian artists at the Festival d'Avignon read an open letter of solidarity with the strike.[7] The Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 also released an open letter in support of the strikers, with other 100 signatures from high-profile public figures, stating that "over the last 20 years, European states have collectively and drastically reduced the legal migration pathways to Europe."[8]

On 20 July, two United Nations officials called for the Belgian government to grant temporary residence permits, with UN special rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty Olivier De Schutter stating that "the information we have received is alarming and several of the hunger strikers are between life and death."[9] Afterwards, two of the left-wing parties in the governing coalition in Belgium, the Socialist Party and Ecolo threatened to collapse the government if any of the strikers died. The left-wing Vooruit, however, stated that they backed the government's stance.[10]

On 22 July, following further talks with the government, the group ended their hunger strike after two months and the hunger strikers were taken to the hospital. Although it refused to implement any widespread policy changes, the government had promised that the hunger strikers would be able to go to a neutral zone and have their cases for residency evaluated individually.[11] De Croo welcomed the end of the strike, stating that "a government can never accept blackmail."[12]

References[]

  1. ^ "Grève de la faim: les sans-papiers veulent rester à l'église du Béguinage jusqu'au traitement des dossiers". lalibre.be. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  2. ^ "Le cri des sans-papiers du béguinage: "On restera jusqu'à la mort s'il le faut" - Édition digitale de Bruxelles". lacapitale.sudinfo.be. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  3. ^ "Why undocumented migrants went on hunger strike in Belgium | Human Rights". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  4. ^ "Belgium: Hundreds of migrants go on hunger strike - with some stitching their mouths shut | World News | Sky News". news.sky.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  5. ^ ""We are Belgium too" pour soutenir l'appel des sans-papiers | Centrale Générale - FGTB". accg.be. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  6. ^ "Grève de la faim des sans-papiers: manifestation de soutien à Bruxelles". Le Soir. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  7. ^ "Solidarité avec les sans-papiers en direct d'Avignon". lalibre.be. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  8. ^ "'Dying to be regularised': 100+ artists and thinkers sign open letter in support of Brussels' hunger strikers - DiEM25 Communications". diem25.org. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  9. ^ "Alarm grows over migrants' hunger strike in Brussels | Belgium". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  10. ^ "A migrant hunger strike is shaking Belgium's government". POLITICO. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  11. ^ "Belgian govt announces breakthrough in migrant hunger strike". apnews.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  12. ^ "Migrants in Brussels end mass hunger strike for legal status after 60 days | Belgium". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
Retrieved from ""