Belgians shoppers in the middle of Place d’Armes, Luxembourg City were witness to the most horrendous sight of a woman caught on fire by her own doing in protest of perceived racism against her. The 44 year old Belgian of Congolese descent is now in Bon Secours hospital in Metz fighting for her life. The Grand Duchess Maria Teresa visited her there.What could have driven this woman to take this desperate act to be heard and seen? Is it that the pain of exclusion, of racial discrimination could be more painful for her that hot fire burning her skin?Maggie Delvaux-Mufu, a mother of three in her forties, and her husband had been facing financial difficulties, alerted several national newspapers late on Tuesday morning last week that she would be burning herself alive on place des Martyrs at 12.45 am, before setting out accompanied by her husband to walk through the centre of town to her macabre rendezvous. The police were alerted and officers were deployed to the Rousegärtchen. But the woman changed her plan when she came across a group of journalists gathered to cover an event organized by the ‘Movement écologique’ on Place d’Armes, opposite the Cercle municipal. She soaked herself in petrol before confronting the members of the press, announcing that she was about to sacrifice her life to protest against racism. Moments later, she struck a match, turning herself into a human torch in front of hundreds of people.The 42-year-old Belgian citizen and her husband had been facing financial difficulties. They had recently indebted themselves by buying a Citroën garage in Oberwampach, before realizing they were missing the documents that would allow them to set up a business. Delvaux-Mufu wrote a letter to Le Jeudi recounting her story of bureaucratic difficulties and economic despair. “I’m against all forms of violence, but day after day, my family and I have to endure moral violence, discrimination, insults and much more from Mr Juncker’s administration”, she said in the letter published last week.
October 20, 2007...2:12 am
Woman Sets Herself on Fire
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6 Comments
October 29, 2007 at 8:45 pm
this is terrible. i always knew black people experienced racism in europe. i hope people used this incident not only to help maggie and her family but also to mobilize against racist oppression. my prayers are with her.
October 30, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Its really pain when you face discrimanation of any kind.
We are all equal and son of one God.
Lests love another.
I pray for you my hero…May God help to get well soon.
Nuff peace and love..
October 31, 2007 at 4:12 am
What will it take for us to get along as a collective human race? When will be learn that our colour is skin deep, that beneath it we are all the same.
Let us do what we can individually to bring unity and peace to the world
November 9, 2007 at 1:17 am
It is very shameful that someone will decide to snuff her life than live in a world of double standards. This is not a lesson just for the Belgians to learn. The message goes to every land where anyone is discriminated against because of his/her skin color. It is a shame that the world hasn’t evolve after the numerous sacrifices and conferences/conventions which have taken place. We really need to find the way forward. Our generation has failed to leave up to it’s expectations. Even the very first explorers who set foot on Black African soil will be ashame of us. Let’s , together, turn the page on racism.
September 3, 2008 at 9:44 pm
HA HA HA SO FUNNY
September 6, 2009 at 10:45 am
Good pictures she should have soaked her whole family in gasoline before she lit the match… would be a grestest protest against something.