IJerwake 2022: "an Independent Flanders is the only viable option"

 

More than 3,000 people gathered there on August 28 under the slogan 'Ons volk, ons recht' (our people, our right). Many people passed by the 'IJzerwakedorp', a collection of sales stands. A big tent, lots of tables and benches, food and drinks and lots of meetings. It's like a big family celebration. The public that had gathered received - as it could not be otherwise - the traditional vigil of the Yser, which began quite suddenly after the Eucharist with a floral tribute to the Flemish dead in the First World War after receiving orders in French from Belgian officers.

The city of Ypres withdrew the license of the music festival Frontnacht to prevent a greater number of attendees. According to IJzerwake president Wim De Wit, he had a big impact on this decision in his speech on Sunday. "We will contest this decision before the Council of State to recover the expenses incurred by the city government."

IJerwake's guest speaker, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry Alexander-Karel Evrard, at 98, made headlines three years ago when he joined the youth climate protest at 95. "It may surprise some of you that at my age I still dare to speak here," he said in Ypres yesterday. "But as one of the last of my generation, I want to bring here a short testimony to young people to take the torch of the Flemish movement."

The message from the president of IJzerwake, Wim De Wit, was clear: "If you see how Belgium is falling into the abyss today due to the lack of government and the threat of dragging Flanders down with it, you can only see that an Independent Flanders is the only viable option." "The increase in public debt is a ticking time bomb under the prosperity of our children and grandchildren. Belgium no longer has the financial space to deal with a new crisis. And we all know that there will be more crises. Stop this unproductive infighting. Together we have a great goal and it is our independence in a Flemish republic". The president does not believe in a seventh state reform, nor in confederalism as a solution to these problems. Flanders must take the law into its own hands and take unilateral measures. The logical consequence of this is a call to the parties in favor of Flemish independence (N-VA and Vlaams Belang) to achieve this together. We weaken ourselves by going to war in a series of scattered battles. This way it really can't go any further and my national Flemish heart bleeds when I see this.

The conclusion is unequivocal: 'The need for a free and independent Flemish republic, which finally secures its future in Europe, and which embarks on the path of reunification with the Northern Netherlands! Now more than ever, Flanders must be able to determine its own future. Without Belgium, because there is no other way! Against Belgium because it has to be!'