BRUSSELS (AP) — A unit of about 30 soldiers belonging to Belgium’s armed forces will be dismantled after serious cases of violence and harassment surfaced, the minister of defense said Thursday.
Ludivine Dedonder said several people were already placed under protection, while suspects were dismissed or transferred to other units.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Defense Chief Adm. Michel Hofman, Dedonder said she was informed of the violence taking place within the Fourth Engineer Battalion when she received an email in November. She was alerted by a relative of one of the soldiers who had been a victim of the alleged violence.
She said investigations were immediately launched, focusing on “serious acts” of violence during hazing sessions featuring “sexism, racism, extremism.”
“Among other things, we are talking about degrading treatment, assault and battery, blackmail, threats between soldiers, pressure exerted by soldiers on their peers, and an obligation of silence about these facts,” the minister said.
Dedonder said the violence lasted for several months and involved officers, non-commissioned officers and less experienced soldiers.
“These behaviors are unacceptable,” Dedonder said, which is why Belgium was taking strong measures, including the disbanding of a platoon within the 4th Battalion in Amay. She said the army will adopt a zero-tolerance policy.
The battalion in the eastern city of Amay was formed in 1913 and took part in the First World War the following year. It has a great reputation within the Belgian army.
“It’s not the whole workforce that’s affected,” Dedonder said. “We are talking about a few dozen people at the moment.”
Hofman and Dedonder said they could not give more details about the identity of people involved because investigations were ongoing.