For hundreds of hunger-striking migrants in Brussels, the situation is growing dire. And it’s threatening to fracture Belgium’s government.
Their protest launched by migrants hoping to get formal residency after living in Belgium for years is now nearing two months, straining their health. Six strikers have sewn their mouths shut. Five have tried to commit suicide. Some have stopped drinking water. Volunteers count a thousand hospitalizations.
Once a local issue, the strikers are gaining global attention. A U.N. human rights official came to visit them. Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters is one of many famous musicians, artists and filmmakers to sign an open letter lobbying on their behalf. A famous French cultural festival featured pleas for awareness of the migrants’ plight.