As you may know, Belgium is divided into two main parts, Flanders and Wallonia (there is of course the small German part, but who cares about that). Now the political situation in Belgium is well known: Many Flemish people want Flanders to be an independent country.<\p>
On 13th December, 2006, 8.21 pm the RTBF (radio et télévision belges francophones = radio and television of French speaking Belgians) released a news report which declared that Flanders had just become independent. The Belgian king could be seen fleeing the country. Still protesting Flemish people were seen in front of the Belgian palace. And several interviews and heated discussions with Belgian politicians were shown on the screen.<\p>
When the Walloon people saw this interview it was said that hundreds of Walloon houses at the sea coast of Flanders were put on sale within minutes. And apparently many members of the European parliament sought the quickest way out of the country. Prince Filip (Philip), at that time on vacation in Bulgaria, was said to have nearly fainted.<\p>
Now important… (please excuse my sarcasm, I’m writing from a Flemish perspective, about… ahem, Walloons. If you catch my drift)<\p>
It was all a fake! Now I found this extremely hilarious. But, apparently, many Walloon people didn’t share my sense of humour. For some reason, a lot of Walloons got a little freaked out. If they don’t like it, fine, I’ve no problem with that. But that’s no reason to go hysterical. Thousands of telephone calls were made to the RTBF, their website was overcrowded that night. Also, tram and train traffic vanished for the night. And, as I typed earlier, many crazy Walloons sold their houses.<\p>
Of course all this has brought a series of consequences. Political debate has started once more on the independence of Flanders but, by creating this fake news report, independence has become ever more unlikely. Now Walloon politicians will angrily reply when discussing the subject, “Well! Now you see what will happen if Flanders becomes an independent country. Walloon people will go crazy!”
Then a discreet cough from a Flemish politician with a serious and urgent whisper to one of his Flemish colleagues, “He seriously thinks they’re not crazy already? They can get worse?!”
My point being:<\p>
And by the way: May we expect the TV show, in which the Cardinals of the Rome Catholic Church are ridiculing the pope, any time soon?<\p>
I know that this example must sound very weird to you (probably makes you wonder if I myself am a Walloon)
I’m just saying this to clarify the following (since it follows the same principles and is just as strange):
Many “famous” Belgian people who strive for the independence of Flanders have helped create this fake report. Which is, for reasons I have described above, incredibly strange. No one really understands why they actually helped these reporters. It would certainly (whichever way you look at it) be of no real interest to them.On the contrary, it (if they stopped to think that is) couldn't possibly serve them any benefit. Except of course tease the walloons a bit (which, I admit, looks like a lot of fun).
As I have already said to clarify, it would be just as if the Cardinals of the Rome Catholic Church are working together in TV show in which they ridicule the pope.
Very strange and quite disturbing.<\p>