Proposition 51K2384

Projet de loi créant un conseil consultatif dénommé "Pôle historique de la défense".

General information ¶

Authors

LE Jean-Jacques Viseur, Brigitte Wiaux
MR Philippe Monfils
Open Vld Hilde Vautmans
PS | SP Talbia Belhouari
Vooruit David Geerts

Submission date

March 30, 2006

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

heritage protection cultural heritage historic site armed forces monument

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

May 4, 2006 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief. The chairman of our Defence Committee and the chief promoter of this bill is a visionary man. I have to admire him. If I were Minister of Defense, I would be concerned about the influence that the chairman of the committee has. At the time the committee discussed, voted and approved this, the announcement of the historical pool of Defense appeared on page 1 of Vox. I find this visionary and admirable. I would say that if I were Minister of Defense, I would be worried about the influence of colleague Monfils.

That was not in your report.

That was not in my report. For the rest, I refer to the written report for which I thank the services.

I already suspected it.

I will be brief. First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Philippe Monfils, at the origin of the drafting of this bill that creates a consultative council called "Historical Defence Pole", and for us having associated with it.

This historical pole of defence is one of the ways — there are ⁇ others — of fulfilling a duty of memory, for us but especially for future generations. Indeed, we believe that the military historical heritage deserves to be valued, enhanced and that, in order to do this, it is important to ensure its preservation and conservation. This is done through a comprehensive and structured management that offers sustainable solutions to the problems encountered in order to ensure their sustainability.

That is the whole meaning of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, after the excellent report of Mr. Muls, I would like to say something about the content. Their

The VLD is absolutely convinced that young people should be given the opportunity to get to know the past and learn from it. It is crucial that the war past is well preserved and that we make young people aware of this past. This is increasingly the case, and not only at the federal level; the Prime Minister of Flanders is also in favour of this. He advocates for young people to visit the concentration camps of Dachau and Krakow. That is a good initiative, but I think we should not go so far. Visiting a concentration camp is an extraordinary experience. See what horrors come up there bring something to happen. I had the honor of visiting a concentration camp together with Minister Flahaut and I know how small one feels to me the return. Also in our country there are many monuments and museums where the memory of both world wars is kept alive. Many of the organizations responsible for the preservation of this heritage organize actions. Unfortunately, there is currently little coordination between these different organizations. With the approval of this bill on the Historical Pool of Defense, this can change. This can inform the population and especially the young people about our war past and raise awareness of the wealth of information that can be discovered at the various locations. Of course, the Advisory Board will also be responsible for the maintenance or restoration of the patrimony. The establishment of this body with a fixed structure, a team and financial resources is necessary for this purpose. The VLD will therefore heartily support this bill, because it is an excellent initiative.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. and Mr. Ministers, dear colleagues, for the Socialist Group, the creation of a historic defence pole is an initiative that holds us ⁇ at heart, for two main reasons. by

First, in general, it gives the duty of memory a tool that allows it to develop further. Never enough will be emphasized the importance of the duty of memory, the duty of never forgetting certain painful episodes of the past.

Secondly, this bill has the merit of offering a response to the many citizens’ initiatives that are sometimes difficult to realize. Many individuals, alone or grouped within the framework of associations, wish to set up projects whose purpose is to testify to the history of resistance or deportation, to make the young and the least young understand the reason for the events and to make them become aware of the sacrifice of our elders and the suffering experienced.

It is important that these citizens’ initiatives are encouraged and supported. Indeed, as the expression indicates, the duty of memory is a duty, and it is a duty of all of us.

For the reasons I have just mentioned, I call on all my colleagues to vote in favour of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, colleagues, I think that the establishment of the historical pool is ⁇ and firmly justified, because it gives structure to the various initiatives that have already been taken. I think keeping history alive is not only desirable, but also necessary. The future of tomorrow must learn from the past of yesterday.

Therefore, I find it appropriate that at various levels and from all sentiments, various initiatives are taken to confront the youth with the atrocities of the Second World War, with the consequences of Dachau or closer to home, Breendonk and others, with the consequences of intolerance, hatred and envy. Therefore, we support the establishment of the historical pool, which we believe should play a coordinating role for the various initiatives.

First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Speaker. Mults of his written report and his sharp spirit who found that even before the commission positively debates the problem, the “Moniteur de la Défense” had already published an article on the “Historical Defence Pole”. This is probably what is called the proactive character of the army.

That being said, like all the colleagues who have preceded me, I would like to tell you that it is reassuring to find that at a time when many cry to the loss of values and landmarks, commemorations of the great historical events are also of interest to young people. by

Like others, I realized this during the visit to the camps, for the 60th anniversary of the liberation of these sinister places: the Defense organized numerous displacements of young people. I was fortunately surprised at this occasion by the serious and dignified attitude of these young men and girls of the generation "Hitler, know not!" but who, in the frozen plains of Auschwitz, almost physically felt the horror of a concentrationary system. by

It is therefore not unnecessary to remind present and future generations of the history of the past and to illustrate it by safeguarding and arranging the places, buildings, remnants of events related to Defence. by

Some, even in the committee, have indeed said that it serves nothing. In fact, the mission of the pole is already assumed, as we have seen, but how and by whom? Simply by the ministerial will to help financially this type of operation and by the will of a man, retired General Hardy, who takes care of it and ensures for himself the coordination, preparation and execution of the actions. This means, therefore, that, from day to day, in the event of a ministerial change, on the one hand, or in the case of the departure of the interested party, on the other, this historical pole would risk to no longer exist. by

The proposed law is precisely the answer to this type of risk. It gives a legal status to this initiative and perpetuates the mission currently assumed by the Historical Defense Pole. by

The system is simple, flexible and respectful of other partners. by

It is simple because it is a advisory council, on the model of the Supreme Council of Justice created by law, as you know.

It is flexible because its mission is itself. It shall issue opinions either on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister. It will carry out an inventory of the entire heritage and, above all, it will develop contacts with public and private persons who are interested in the historical heritage of the Defense.

He is respectful of other partners because he does not replace them. Furthermore, the other partners are members of the Advisory Board.

The operation will depend on the funds allocated by the Minister of Defense to this initiative. I am also convinced that, from the vote on the proposal, we will see appear in the 2007 budget or ⁇ even in the adjusted 2006 budget the necessary budgetary inscriptions allowing the person currently working on this task to have reasonable resources in material and personnel.

I would add that Parliament will have the opportunity to discuss this as a report will be drawn up annually on the activities of the Advisory Board. I think things will be very clear.

I would like to end by thanking all my colleagues who have approved this proposal and who also share it with me. I wish the Historical Defense Pole full success in its very important work of enhancing the heritage of Defense.

I welcome this excellent proposal from the majority.

“Vox populi, vox dei.”

That was already in the vote.

“Vox Populi, Vox Dei” – “I don’t want to target you, of course!”

Mr. Speaker, I have listened to the several speakers and I would like to ask again the Chairman of our committee, Mr. Monfils, what exactly the intention is. The committee clearly stated, including by the minister, that the emphasis was on the management of the historical heritage.

From the words of the previous speakers, I make more clear that it will be an additional task of Defense to do to influence and form the opinion of citizens. I think that was not the intention. I asked this in the committee and this was denied.

I hear from the various speakers here that it will be something very different. It is now about "among other things, the management of the patrimony". This was clearly not the case in the committee.

I wonder what the purpose of this bill is. I had doubts about this during the discussion. You know that, Mr. Speaker of the Commission. I essentially had no problem with it at the first reading, but now that I hear the different speakers, I still have objections. I think I will change my voting behavior.

The synthesis is for me. This was drawn up by the services and not by any of the authors. I find it a good idea to have a summary of the bill and the text of the bill. Legislative proposals are voted here. That is all we do.

Mr. Speaker, if Mr. Sevenhans wants me to answer, I refer to Article 3 which indicates the missions of the Historical Defence Pole. There is no ambiguity in this regard.

That said, I don’t see why the Historical Defense Pole could not develop an audiovisual system to recall the major events of the war 40-45 or 14-18. All this seems to me quite logical. There is no need to rewrite history. If this is your concern, I invite you to go to the Senate where proposals have been submitted on this subject and which are extremely critical. It is about taking care of the historical heritage of Defence. So, for example, in some places, tombstones, etc. They should be restored by defence care. This has been said in the committee. by

Everyone here knows very well what this historical pole will serve: it will serve to perpetuate a system developed – it must be said – with the collaboration of the minister, but which is never but a system of fact that obviously has the volatility of such a system. From now on, there will be a legal structure that will be ⁇ ined regardless of the ministerial, governmental or people who take care of it, which I think is fundamental.

I listened carefully to the President. If it is intended to maintain the system, I must inform you that I am not elected to maintain the system. I am here to look at the system. If it is not good, it may disappear for my part. I hear strange things happening today.

Every year, Mr. Sevenhans, if you are still here, we will have the opportunity to read the assessment report of the Historical Defense Pole and see if there is no deviation from the provisions of the law. Meet in a year, after the 2007 parliamentary elections, where a report will be proposed, as clearly stated in the provisions of the law.