Boycott of black wedding registrar shocks Belgium

BRUSSELS, Feb 3 (Reuters) News that three couples in Belgium's northern region of Flanders cancelled weddings to be overseen by a black registrar because of the colour of his skin has caused a nationwide outcry.

''They called off their weddings due around about now because they objected to a black man being in charge,'' an official at the town hall of Sint-Niklaas said yesterday.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt told reporters he was horrified by the cancellations, which Belgian media said pointed to a racist undercurrent in Dutch-speaking Flanders.

''Our society does not tolerate racist behaviour as stupid as this,'' Verhofstadt said at his weekly news conference.

Wouter Van Bellingen won a seat on the town council last October and was appointed registrar at the start of this year.

All those marrying in Sint-Niklaas must appear at the town hall for civil ceremonies, at which he now officiates.

Voters in Flanders frequently show their support for nationalism and the far-right, anti-immigrant party Vlaams Belang has 11 of the 39 seats in Sint-Niklaas's council.

''Racism is not just a problem here,'' Van Bellingen told Reuters by telephone. ''It runs from west to east Europe.'' He said he had been disappointed by the incident but pleasantly astounded by the subsequent reaction, including flowers sent to his home and a deluge of supportive e-mails.

''I understand we are now overwhelmed with requests from couples who want to get married here,'' he said. ''I hear there is even one couple from the Netherlands.'' REUTERS MQA ND038