BAMRO

Prepared by: MANAR BAFFOU from Brussels.

  Near MAXINILLIAAN PARK, and in the framework of its humanitarian activities, BAMRO’s team organized a visit to the refugees’ camp in the center of Brussels to have a look at the conditions of refugees. The team was accompanied by a delegate from the camp, Dr. (Nasiman Musli), who is an Iraqi refugee who volunteered to serve the rest of the refugees . The team of BAMRO also visited the tents, the kitchen and the health section as well as the playground devoted to children, the team listened to the most prominent suffering of the refugees, which was mostly about overcrowding. In fact, the number of refugees who get permission everyday is about 200 people, and they are served by members of The Belgian Department for Refugee Services from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

And the number currently available in the camp is 1,200 people and it is in continuous increase due to overcrowding.

        As for the nationalities of refugees, they vary among Iraqis, Syrians, Somalis and Palestinians, but the majority are from Iraq. As part of the hearing to the sufferings of refugees, we listened to a large section of Iraqis who recounted stories of death on their way to the Kingdom of Belgium. We also met Dr. Imad, who is a doctor from Gaza and is currently working in the medical department in the camp. Imad recounted his story to the team BAMRO; in fact, he had exited a tunnel toward Egypt and from there, he travelled to the Belgian Kingdom.

          The team also noted the unquestionable hospitality and support of the Belgian people who came out with all their might to receive the refugees and provide aid and sympathy. We also met Belgian doctors who brought medical equipment and medicines to support refugees despite drops of rain and the degree of cold, which began to rise gradually in the Belgian Kingdom.

     The team also met other former immigrants who came with food and clothes to support the Refugees. Thus, for the better management of the large quantities of food, clothing and medicines, and all types of popular support provided for the camp of refugees by the Belgian people and various organizations, an account on the networking site :Facebook has been established to facilitate communication:

(PLATEFORME CITOYENNE DE SOUTIEN AUX REFUGIES BRUXELLES)

 The aim behind setting this account is to identify the requirements of the camp and determine the times of visits in order to avoid overcrowding that results from the love of everybody to support and empathy with the refugees.

Children and women:

  Children have a big place in the camp. There is a large space allocated to children's playground and to a private clinic because most of them suffer a lot of medical and psychological problems due to the hurdles they have suffered from through the path of death until they reached the Belgian Kingdom.

    Because the cold intensified, and the camp is becoming narrow due to the increasing number of new comers, the government opted for an urgent solution for children and women by devoting 500 beds for them in Foreign Office Building.

Recommendations:

           In an urgent appeal written to Mr Theo Franken in the evening of(09/09/2015), BAMRO called for greater efforts to raise the number of refugees from 205 per day to 500 refugees to avoid overcrowding  which may lead to a big disaster, especially that the cold winter is drawing near, and we all hope that Mr. Minister will respond positively to this humanitarian appeal.