Non-justice in Belgium - The terrorist trial

This morning. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that Flemish victims need to pay for the translation of their documents so that they are receptive. After nearly 200 years of existence as a bilingual country, Belgium still doesn't know how to deal with it, and thus to justify its continued existence.


Situation

In 2016, terrorist attacks at the airport and a metro station in Brussels killed 32 victims (while also three perpetrators died) and wounded hundreds of people, both Flemish, Walloons and foreigners. Now the trial started in the bilingual city Brussels. Still, the Court decided to choose the language French as the working language. And thus, while Walloons can submit documents in their own language, Flemish, but probably also foreigners, must also submit in French all their documents, such as reports by doctors who they consulted most likely in their own language to treat their injuries, and the victims need to pay expensive legally approved translators, or the documents are not accepted and thus people are denied justice. Why should victims suffer twice? At the end of the trial, they may be repaid by those who are guilty, although this is unlikely as those guilty probably will have insufficient finances, and thus society will pay after many more years of discussions who should pay these bills. 


Possible solution

A much cheaper and fairer solution: it should be possible that people submit documents in their own language whereby the justice administration can assess them. This way it is similar with companies that submit Belgian dossiers in Belgian government departments in their own language, not the language of the administrator. This way, victims don't have the headache to find money to pay the translations but instead can concentrate on the trial where they hope to get answers to questions such as why those individuals decided to kill so many innocent people. 



Further, there should be simultaneous translations at the trial into French and Dutch so people can express themselves in their own language, something to be expected in bilingual Brussels while also the judges and jury can follow the questioning and answers. As foreigners were also victims, I think also simultaneous translation into English should be expected. People can sit in different rooms or wear headphones to hear the translation. It seems that, as each morning the reason for the naked searches of the suspects need to be given, and when this is done in Dutch, even this reason needs to be translated into French. And we wonder why there are quite often judicial errors in Belgium.


And then we are surprised a large section of the Flemish are fed-up with this. If it was the mirror situation, the Walloons would complain they are treated wrongly. But those who are fed-up with it are considered to be fascists so many Flemish remain silent, until a next election when they voice their frustration in the ballots. 


When I lived in London, I remember that translators at trials needed to be present to help people who don't understand English. In the EU Parliament translators are present so every member of each country will be able to understand discussions. EU documents are translated in each European language so every inhabitant of the EU can understand EU decisions. It is possible, non-multilingual countries show how it can be done. Time for Belgium to change procedures to justify its continued existence. Time for Walloons to support the Flemish in this, or next time they may face a similar situation. 

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