COLUMN. Walter Damen on abuses in prisons: “I propose that Vincent Van Quickenborne resigns again” | THIS WEEK BY DAY ALL

Our country is actually a bit sick. We are experiencing a period of economic growth, yet we have the second largest budget deficit in Europe. Our politicians are walking the streets arguing and our army is a disaster due to incessant cuts. The number of doctors per 10,000 inhabitants is falling spectacularly, but fortunately unemployment is also falling. It’s strange that you can’t manage to get a budget on track.

Two more safety disasters occurred last week. One in prison and the other in the army. In the Antwerp prison, a detainee was tortured and raped for three days by his fellow prisoners and a platoon was disbanded in the army due to far-reaching inappropriate behavior. To me that says a lot. These are two sectors that have been underfunded for years and on top of that there is contempt for the prison system: detainees are regarded as persons without value – after all, they are not a voting public – and those prison guards are just saw events.

While it is still unlikely what is happening there. I invite you to fill your bath this evening. When it is full to the brim, turn on the tap and let in a little more than half. Would you like to bet that your house will be flooded and a lot of damage will be caused? Well, that’s pretty much what happens in Antwerp: there is room for 400 people, but it houses 736 detainees, 70 of whom are floor sleepers. Imagine that as a taxi driver you always have to put nine people in your car instead of five, who you then also have to check. That doesn’t work, you can be happy if they don’t kill each other for a better place. And yes, what those prisoners did is a shame and they will be punished for it. And perhaps the guards should have supervised more, I hear you think, but some of the events happened during a strike. A strike that served to highlight the unliveable and unsafe living and working atmosphere.

Quickenborne made justice faster, more humane and more punitive. It became slower, torturous and repressive

Walter Damen

And that’s the problem. The almost conscious rotten strategy of all governments is responsible for this. Then add to that the urge to profile that all punishments must now be carried out and you get this result. Being confronted with shortcomings every day. Little perspective. A bad mentality. If you neglect everything like this, the monsters will emerge. And a government must provide that. Also in the army, but certainly in the prison system. I therefore propose that Vincent Van Quickenborne resigns again. He started to make justice faster, more humane and more punitive, but it became slower, torturous and repressive. I hope Vincent is as hard on himself as he was on his fellow man. Just ask the politicians in Kortrijk.

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