NEW THREAT OF TERRORISM OVERSHADOWS ANTWERP

Meir, one of the busiest commercial centers in the city of Antwerp

Following the Brussels’ Zaventem airport and Metro station attacks by terrorists,  which claimed lives and caused injuries, a group of terrorists claiming to be ISIS posted a message on Facebook that: “Antwerp will never have a good sleep,” since then the Antwerp police have increased security to bring comfort to ‘Antwerpners’ amidst fear.

In today’s (8/4/2016) edition of Gazette Van Antwerpen, one of Belgium’s newspapers, reports that extra security is now in force, with heavily armed police, protecting citizens, after a mother warns the Antwerp police that her son has joined the Syrian fighters.

According to the woman, the intention of her son is to join other terrorists to target the famous commercial center Meir, City festival centers, and cinemas, to kill and destroy. Antwerp’s police boss Wouter Bruyns has confirmed the story.

The police have therefore issued a warning to everyone to keep away from Meir, one of the busiest shopping centers in Antwerp, and entertainment spots to avoid any bloodshed. 

Even though the mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever, is working hand in hand with the police, to provide extra security throughout the city, many people are still afraid, because of the violent and unpredictable nature of the terrorists.

Already, the Belgian government has lost millions of revenue, following the closure of the Zaventem airport for a number of days, to restore the badly affected halls at the airport. 

Now that activities at Meir, one of the busiest commercial centers in the city has been halted, no one can predict  how bad it’s going to affect Belgium’s economy or the Province of Antwerp.

SFINKS FESTIVAL (2011) : CRISS-CROSS RHYTHM THAT EXPLODES WITH HAPPINESS

The best of the Sfinks festival


Sfinks Festival is one of the numerous summer festivals in Belgium, yearly hosted in Boechout, a community on the outskirts of Antwerp. The festival has been running continuously for over three decades.

What has made the festival famous is the idea of pulling musicians from different countries all over the world to bring them under one roof in Antwerp to entertain the people, hence the term "Mixed Sfinks Festival".

Sfinks festival is a wonderful place to have fun during the summer holidays. With different melodies and a criss-cross rhythm, which explodes with happiness, the festival has been one of the best summer festivals in Belgium.

This year's festival (2011), as usual, is made up of musicians from all walks of life. But one musician who is not a stranger to this festival, and keeps on appearing many times, is the Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy and The Solar System. It's like history repeating itself. Alpha plays again this year.

The program for this year's Mixed Sfinks Festival is as follows. The festival opens on July 29 and closes on July 31, 2011.

Vrijdag 29 Juli
Cabaña
19.30: Muzika Agresija
Clubterrein
18.00: Awza
Concerttent
17.00: Robert Soko
19.30: Stereo Partizan
21.00: Emir Kusturica & The no smoking Orchestra
23.00: Robert Soko

Open Air
19.00, 21.00: Fasocirque

Zaterdag 30 Juli
Cabaña
15.00: Soulshakers
15.00: Bugalu Sound

Clubtent
14.00: Awza
16.00: Ayarkhaan
18.00: Sooeun Kwak
20.00: Ghalia Benali - Romeo & Leila
22.30: Les Etoiles du Ballet Royal du Cambodge

Clubterrein
19.00: Awza
Concerttent
13.00: Maguaré
15.00: Ayfer Düzdas
17.00: Lëk Sèn
19.00: Rubén Blades
21.00: Alpha Blondy
23.30: Systema Solar
o1.00: Rebel Up!
o2.30: DJ Munchi & VJ M

Kidz
14.00: Les Gotipuas
Open Air
12.30, 15.30, 18.00: Dhols of Jaipur
14.30, 16.30, 20.30: Fasocirque
18.30: Les Gotipuas

Zondag 31 Juli

Cabaña
15.00: DJ MPS Pilot
15:00: DJ Polyesta
Clubtent
14.00: Trio Windstreken & Kamal Hors
16.00: Mamer
18.00: Dikanda
20.00: Faiz Ali Faiz
Clubterrein
12.30, 17.00: Awza
Concerttent
13.00: Joaquin Diaz
15.00: Khaira Arby
17.00: Bomba Estéreo
19.00: Hindi Zahra
21.00: AfroCubism
Kidz
14.00: Les Gotipuas
Open Air
12.00, 14.30, 20.30: Fasocirque
16.30: Awza
18.30: Les Gotipuas

MOSQUES BUILDING IN EUROPE AND AMERICA MUST COME TO AN END

The mosque: a place of prayer, and where all evil plans are hatched



“When you go to Rome, you do what the Romans do.” This statement doesn’t mean any discrimination or racism in any way. It simply means that the country belongs to the Romans. 


In this case, they make their laws and rules, so every abiding citizen, including foreigners, must obey these laws. As easy for Christians to understand this law, some religious sect takes it as discriminatory and racist.

I do agree with the leader of the “Vlaams Belang Party”, Philip De Winter, in Belgium, when protesting against the building of a central mosque in Antwerp. 

The reason is simple and logical. First of all, “Belgium is a country that belongs to the Belgians; therefore, they have to make their own rules and laws, not foreigners. These rules and laws must be obeyed, including foreigners.

Point number two, an investigation has revealed that most of the terrorism plans are hatched in mosques. It would be recalled in the political history of Ghana that when J. J. Rawlings came to power as a Flight-Lieutenant, the first thing he did was to demolish the mosque in central Accra, because that was the center of all evil activities by so-called Islamic worshippers. The place is now a central car parking place.

Point number three, if any Belgian living in an Arab land requests permission to build a cathedral or church in that country, the permit is not only going to be denied but also, but he may also serve a prison sentence for speaking about Christianity in an Arab land. 

So why should the West or America always permit the building of mosques in their countries? Are they afraid of Muslims? I can’t simply understand.

Once I was walking along Pothoekstraat in Antwerp and saw a Belgian driving. He stopped and called a Moroccan and requested the direction of a street he was looking for. I was shocked at what I saw. 

Instead of the Moroccan telling him that I don’t know the street or here is the street, he went closer to the driver and spat on his face. With saliva full on his face, the Belgian drove his car away. What is the sense in this?

Being strict and implementing laws and rules against foreigners doesn’t give room for one to be called a racist, but it is one of the measures to reduce crime and theft in a society. 

Belgians must wake up, else one day they will see themselves burning in a fire they did not start. Problems are solved diplomatically. There is no room for violence anywhere in this world as a means of solving a problem.

CONINCKPLEIN IN ANTWERP, STILL DRUG PEDDLING NEIGHBORHOOD

The new library, 'Permerke,', 'Permerke,' has transformed Coninckplein in Antwerp.Antwerp.


Coninckplein, a neighborhood within the municipal zone of 2060 in Antwerp, has been a center of all notorious and nefarious activities in the past. 


Just an hour's investigation and survey of the area on Saturday, November 20, 2010, revealed that the place has increased in its criminal activities more than ever.

Drug peddlers, criminals, scavengers, alcoholics, and thieves have chosen Coninckplein as their haven or paradise. 

Unfortunately, the modern library built a few years ago to transform the place is not yielding any good results for the continually terrorized neighborhood.

Junkies, alcoholics, the homeless, homeless, and criminals in possession of stolen items and fake jewels interrupt decent people and pedestrians with their fake ornaments, ornaments, forcing them to buy. 

People who are not interested in buying stolen items and fake ornaments can't even secure their freedom easily. It can take them minutes to break free from the frustrated criminals.

Coninckplein has been a center of concern for every administration of the past and present of elected mayors of Antwerp. Unfortunately, nothing has been achieved so far. 

One thing I have observed so far is that any time the police in Antwerp set up a "Police Mobile Office" at the place, the activities of the criminals and drug peddling dwindle or subside. They only resurface when the police move away.

As a matter of fact, another issue causing more problems within the vicinity is the sale of alcohol by many cafes and alcohol shops in the area. 

Coninckplein is under such a state that the mayor of Antwerp, Patrick Janssens, should realize that he has a big responsibility to make the place safe, hanging on his shoulders.

Antwerp needs citizen action for neighborhood safety. A community strategy must be enforced to improve the quality of life. Coninckplein really needs a facelift. Facelift. 

If necessary, necessary, all the alcohol and cafes brewing crime and drug peddling in the area must be permanently shut down.