Thread: EU: Illegal immigrants climb cranes in Brussels protest

Illegal immigrants take to cranes in Brussels protest
29 July 2008, 16:38 CET

(BRUSSELS) - Perched on two construction cranes in front of the European Commission, six Moroccans living illegally in Belgium sought Tuesday to make a high profile protest against EU policy on illegal immigrants.

The six were among about 40 illegal immigrants that climbed construction cranes around Brussels early Tuesday in a growing campaign to win residency permits.

"We chose the European quarter to tell Europeans that we are against what Europe has in the works for immigrants," said Rachid Moumni, a young Belgian of Moroccan origin speaking on behalf of the six protestors.

While the Moroccans took to cranes in the heart of Brussels' European quarter, others chose cranes at the construction site of a casino in the city centre. The protestors said they were on a hunger strike and were not drinking liquids either.

"There's a European agreement that says that illegal immigrants must be deported," said Moumni.

EU countries have been cracking down on illegal immigration recently, agreeing tough new rules forcing the 27 member nations to give residency permits or send them home.

"We're humans. Give us residency permits so that we can legally work on the construction sites where we are employed. We don't want to work like slaves," added Moumni.

Some of the six Moroccans, aged between 20 and 30, toil illegally on construction sites as tilers or painters, paid between 20 and 25 euros (31 and 39 dollars) for a day of back-breaking work starting at 5:00 am and ending at 8:00 pm.

With the summer holidays, they found themselves unemployed with only a promise to be hired back when the site gets going again.

Although illegal immigrants and their supporters often demonstrate and hold sit-ins in Brussels, the cranes protest began last week with three Iranians who were already on a hunger strike

One of the three, a young woman, had to come down because of her weak condition on Friday and a day later the other two followed.

Campaign groups that help illegal immigrants estimate that 100,000 foreigners reside illegally in Belgium, which has a population of around 10 million people.

Last year, Belgium deported 9,000 illegal immigrants and helped arrange for 2,500 others to leave the country voluntarily.

The issue of illegal immigration divides Belgium's governing coalition between those in favour of more flexibility and those wanting a harder line.

Until the government takes a position, however, authorities are driving a hard line with the protestors.

"We are not discussing with people who hold actions (protests). There is no dialogue and there will be no dialogue," said the head of the Bureau for Foreigners Freddy Roosemont.

Likewise, Migration and Refugee Minister Annemie Turtelboom's spokesman insisted "we are not negotiating."
http://www.eubusiness.com:80/news-eu/1217341024.7

Shame they aren't on our cranes.......ours tend to fall over quite easily. (Being sarcastic)