30/05/2017
Here we go, the legislation allowing to deport foreigners who were born in Belgium enters into force, and it is with Yassine that the governement will ‘inaugurate’ it, in the name of alleged ‘security measures’.
Born in Belgium 36 years ago, Yassine spent all his life in this country. Unfortunately, he went to prison. Without work, he was forced to steal. But, no matter the reasons, imprisonment will never be a solution.
They tried to deport him a first time on the 19th of May. Is it necessary to precise that once again the police were seriously violent? Yassine has been traumatised by this ‘super close’ contact with the police, but mainly, he doesn’t understand a thing: he belongs to Belgian society, he was born and grew up here. What is he going to do in Morocco?
And to our politicans who would see any relevance in arguing on the ‘criminal’ or ‘security’ aspect; we all know too well that prison as a punition does not function.
As regards deportations; repel in order to get rid of ones’ responsibilities? We are missing something. Yassine served his sentence. Deport him to Morocco equals to a life sentence.
He is currently being retained at the closed centre in Merksplas. In a state of panic due to the coming deportation, he cut himself with pieces of glass. He cries everytime we call him. A story that sadly reminds us of the events in Vottem several weeks ago, and all the other suicides or suicide attempts in the closed centres.
Yassine is in a confinement cell and he is psychologically extremely fragile. To the psychological violence of his retention one may add physical violence. His state will not allow him to resist another deportation.
From the bottom of his cell, he is telling us: ‘they saw my cuts, they saw, they entered, they beat me again, they handcuffed me again. I can not feel my fingers anymore, mum… My country, what are they doing to me? They have absolutely no mercy. I served my sentence mum!’
Exclusion, repression and deportation: this is how our government plans its security policy. It just confirmed that when announcing the building of 3 new closed centres. To what cost? Sacrificing our values. At the expense of humanity. At risk to our rights.
More than ever, we should show the government that we refuse and will resist to these repressive and inhuman policies, before one can say ‘if we had known’. Let us not mix what is legal and what is fair. This new legislation is deeply unfair.
