20 August 2017 : It’s been 10 days already that two Congolese women, Clarisse Iseka Mbongo and Fefe Tuluka Mizaku have been on hunger strike at the closed centre in Bruges. Powerless in front of the oppressive system, they are trying to launch a last SOS call to us, after having experienced several deportation attempts. They are starting to feel heavy pains (back , articulations) and feel extremely weak.
The strike is not acknowledged by the closed centre of Bruges which tries to ‘break down the fights’ and to stifle the movment through confinements in isolation cells, transfers and violence. Fefe has been isolated for 4 days at the nursery. They took her mobile phone because it is on the ground that links her to the outside that the prolongation of this form of resistance is happening.
What the retainees are saying:
“I prefer to die here”.
“If they want to kill me, they’d better do it here, in front of everyone”.
“I’d rather die here than being raped etc in my country. It’s become hell over there. At least here my family will have my grave and I will be recognised among my people”.
“I was able to gather a lot of evidence, but Belgium doesn’t care”.
“They say we are the victims of money”. (the staff of the centre say that, reminding to some the era when Mobutu was generously “watering” South Africa for them to send back the political opponents… This was never certified with evidence, and it was too delicate to investigate upon… but “we know it existed”. However, yesterday’s reality seems to have become that of today, with Kabila and some of his allies.”
The acquaintances of the retainees add: “She can see she is being treated as a criminal. Her last deportation attempt was traumatising, she can not recover from it, she was humiliated, brutalised, she doesn’t believe in anything anymore, she stopped feeding herself.”
When we call them, the Bruges centre answer:
“We are getting calls for her”.
“Who are you?” “It is not possible to speak with Mrs FT… but I’ll put you through to the social assistant.”
The social services:
“It is impossible to speak to her now, only this evening after 7 p.m.”
“The doctor and the management decided to oblige her to rest”. “She is rather stressed out, she should avoid constant phone calls, she needs rest, she will be in touch with her lawyer this afternoon.”
Story of Féfé :http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/the-belgian-government-wants-to-deliver-a-congolese-activist-to-the-drc-authorities/
Story of Clarisse: http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/a-new-deportation-attempt-with-police-escort-for-clarisse-mbongo-iseka-is-announced-this-coming-thursday-august-10/
and here http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/another-deportation-prevented-call-fol-rally-against-detention-centres-and-deportations-on-thursday-13-july-at-9am/
We do not speak of HUNGER STRIKE…!!! The tone is courteous but they avoid all dialogue while giving an impression of transparency.
To support them, let’s keep ringing the central of Bruges in mass!
Ring the central of the closed centre au 050.451.040 and ask to speak to one or the other, and ask for news.
Write, ring etc to the services responsible to express your outrage related to these policies.
F.Roosemont
Directeur de l’Office des Etrangers
Bur_Presse@dofi.fgov.be T02 793 80 31 (NL – EN) – 02 79380 30 (FR), Fax 02 274 66 40
Charles Michel
Premier Ministre
Tél: 02 501 02 11 Fax: 02512 69 52 e-mail:charles.michel@premier.fed.be
Jan Jambon
Vice Premier Ministre et Ministre del’Intérieur
tél: 02 504 85 13 Fax:02 504 85 00 email:kabinet.jambon@ibz.fgov.be
Theo Francken
Secrétaire d’Etat à l’Asile etla Migration
Tél: 02 206 14 21– theo.francken@n-va.be kab.francken@ibz.fgov.be
Didier Reynders
Téléphone : 02 501 85 91 E-mailcontact.reynders@diplobel.fed.be
