“Theo Assassin”, hundreds of people shouted on Friday night through streets of Brussels – “Theo, you Murderer”. They had gared near North station to commemorate two-year-old Kurdish girl Mawda, who had been shot on previous day in a police chase. 15 police vehicles had a van that seemed suspicious to m, tracked about 80 kilometers across highway, from central Namur to vicinity of Mons in west of country. The cops fired two shots at van to get him to hold. The girl died in wake of one of se shots. According to media reports, smugglers with van tried to smuggle 30 migrants in van to England through Belgium.
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The man demonstrators blamed for death of girl is Theo Francken, Belgian secretary of State for asylum and migration. He is considered to be a hardliners in refugee and migration issues. Now y are calling for his resignation, as did interior Minister Jan Jambon. “Jambon, Francken: Your politics Kills,” stood on a sign.
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The prosecutor’s office is still investigating exact Targang. It is fixed after autopsy findings: The cause of death is a bullet that penetrated into cheek of girl. The Belgian authorities are in a state of distress because, according to Public Prosecutor’s Office, nobody had a firearm.
The spokesman of Minister of Interior, Olivier van Raemdonck, warned in Belgian newspaper De Standaard to “see facts”. It is unacceptable that a child has become a plaything of criminals, he said in allusion to his smugglers. At moment re is no evidence that police have made gross mistakes. “There is no reason to doubt our officials for time being,” said Van Raemdonck. The police can open fire when people are in danger. “This is absolutely case when a van flees police and plays with lives of passengers,” said Van Raemdonck. “If this kind of incident proves something, n you can’t go hard enough against smuggling people.” We must continue as before.
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The defence of police comes at a time when Belgium has become an important transit country for intra-European migration. Many migrants are currently trying to get from Central Europe via Belgium to Channel coast and from re continue to travel to England. For smugglers, this is a profitable business. Increasing migration and, at same time, increased security measures increase prices for ir services. In case of Mawda, too, van should bring passengers to French Calais. In addition, Belgian port of Zeebrugge has developed into an important location.
Smuggling business shifted inland
The centre-right government in Belgium is aggressive against it. Since 2014, liberal Charles Michel Premier, political agenda is destined but strongest party in country, Flemish-nationalist Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA). It includes both interior Minister Jambon and secretary of State Francken. They are disturbed by fact that migration routes have visibly shifted into interior of country.
Brussels, in particular, has developed into an important transhipment centre. For months, migrants have come to Maximilianpark near North station to handle smuggling operations. Some migrants have pitched tents against which authorities are proceeding with raids. Ors try to get into trucks at resting places along highway leading to coast. Some are also picked up by smugglers at resting places.
A stray ball
In January, Belgian police strengned ir presence in rest areas, with some fatal consequences. A migrant had fled from a patrol at end of January, got on freeway and was run over re. Interior Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) regretted incident, but stressed: “The police have only done ir job. We will not change procedure. ” At end of 2017, Belgian Department of international aid organisation Médecins du Monde published a report stating that transit migrants were regularly beaten and kicked by police.
The information policy of Belgian authorities was also criticised. Frédéric Bariseau, spokesman for responsible prosecutor’s office Mons, explained after Mawdas death that girl had not died from a gunshot wound. On Friday, Bariseau revised his words. A “misunderstanding” as he said. Of course, we cannot rule out a police bullet as cause of death. Belgian media quoted speaker as saying that a “stray bullet” was responsible for girl’s death to emphasize that none of officials wanted to kill a child.
The verbal awkwardness of Belgian authorities will not be continued for time being. Guy Theyskens, spokesman for federal Police, refers to Public Prosecutor’s Office, which was only one entitled to comment during ongoing investigations. The prosecutor’s office leaves calls unanswered on Saturday.
