Belgium: Roma Travellers evicted from caravan site in Anderlecht neighborhood of Brussels

The Brussels Times reported on 29 June that Romani families, including families with minor children, were eventually forced by Anderlecht municipality to move away from a privately-owned caravan site. News server Romea.cz reported on the impending eviction on 26 June.

The site itself is allegedly polluted. It is owned by the Boghossian Foundation.

Police have previously ordered the Romani Travellers using the site to move on even though they were unable to provide warrants or any other legal basis for their instructions. The Brussels Times reports that those on the site left it quietly during the evening of the 27th and moved elsewhere in Anderlecht, although it could not be ruled out that they would not be allowed to stay in their new location.

The perpetrators of the fire that took place at the site a few days prior to its being vacated were unknown as of 29 June. According to the Brussels Times, the part of the camp that was set on fire had been temporarily occupied by Romani immigrants from Romania, while other Romani halters at the site are Belgian.

The Brussels Times reported that between 15 and 20 families had been using the site. The evicted Roma include Belgian citizens, many of whom reportedly have no identity cards because they lack permanent addresses and whose children do not attend local schools.

Legally-zoned caravan sites with access to electricity and water apparently do not exist in Anderlecht or many other municipalities of the Belgian capital. As news server Romea.cz reported previously, according to the Brussels-based European Roma Grassroots Organisations network (ERGO), the possibility of creating a Travellers site in Brussels with allocated land and facilities has been discussed for years and there is even a special fund from the Brussels Region that could be used for this purpose.