Regret for Belgium but No restitution for the Congolese?

The ruthless colonial history of Belgium in the Congo is one of brutality, enslavement, and egregious violations of the human rights of African people. The Belgian King, King Philippe, visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 7th, 2022 through June 13th. During the visit, the king expressed his “deepest regrets” for Belgium’s abuses by Belgium colonial forces in the Congo.

However, King Philippe did not express any remorse for the overall colonization of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Which, under early colonial rule, from 1884-1908, was the private property of King Leopold II, who named the region ‘The Congo Free-State’. In 1908 the region known as the Congo was still colonized, however, it was handed over to the Belgian government after King Leopold II’s atrocities were brought to light. But the lack of remorse in 2022 shown by the King for Belgium’s role in colonizing the Congo left many people in the international community quite perplexed, considering that Belgium led an atrocity that killed an estimated 10 million Congolese people under King Leopold II's direct colonial rule. During the peak of Belgium’s direct colonial rule over the Congo, many European powers were industrializing their countries through the exploitation and expropriation of mineral resources from the African continent. The Congo was rich in its ivory and rubber. King Leopold II saw the Congo as an opportunity for Belgium to advance beyond other European powers and spread their western doctrine throughout his new colony. And so began the brutal exploitation and enslavement of Congolese men, women, and children for ivory, rubber, and other resources King Leopold II felt were needed for industrial development.

With context to Belgium's vicious colonial, exploitative, and racist history in the Congo, the international community is justified in stating ‘regret is not enough’, in response to Phillippe of Belgium’s remarks. A Congolese opposition senator, Francine Muyumba Nkanga, tweeted, “I salute the speech by the Belgian king. However, in the face of the crimes committed by Belgium, regrets are not enough.” She continued, “We expect an apology and a promise of reparations from him. That is the price to definitively turn the page.”

Many people on-the-ground in the Congo have spoken to the fact that the Belgian king’s arrival is a “distraction”, unless he is compensating Congolese people via reparations for the years of colonialism in the Congo by Belgium rule. “Belgium must ask for forgiveness from the Congolese people but also compensate them,” said Francis Kambale, a student living in Goma,

DRC. Kambale went on to say, “Our grandparents were beaten like animals, others were killed. But also, our many minerals and cultural goods were stolen by Belgium. This visit by the Belgian king is a distraction. Congo does not benefit in any way, nor does it improve the economic conditions of the Congolese.” As Francis Kambale mentioned, many of the mineral and cultural goods were stolen by Belgium. During Philippe of Belgium’s visit, he brought back the traditional mask of the Suku people to a Congolese nation museum as an “indefinite loan.” The mask has been held for decades by Belgium.

Black Alliance for Peace’s Netfa Freeman spoke in an interview with PressTV on the issue stating, “they can’t apologize, ‘regrets’ means that they're not acknowledging any responsibility for it, they just feel regret about it.” Freeman continued by saying, “So to acknowledge it, to take responsibility, or to apologize for it comes too close to acknowledging the validity and reparations owed to Africa and to, in this case, the Congo in particular. And actually looking at the conditions of the Congo it would be acknowledging that today’s conditions are the result of Belgium's colonization.”

In condemnation of King Philippe’s supposed “regretful” apology for what happened in the Congo, it is important to note that King Philippe is a descendant of King Leopold II. So, though he may feel regret for the harm inflicted upon Congolese by his ancestors, King Philippe understands that the wealth and development Belgium sees today is a direct result of the colonization, enslavement, and plundering of the Congo. An acknowledgement or passing of legislation to order reparations be paid to Congolese people will thus challenge the legitimacy of the entire western world, forcing the west to come to grips with their own history of how they have accumulated their wealth over the past 500 years. This would be an eye-opening examination that would allow Africa to place the western world on center stage and call for an end to the imperialistic theft and plundering of Africa that continues today. Instead of strictly the Congo receiving reparations, we would be forced to look at all of Africa receiving its rightful restitution. The Belgian government’s failure to acknowledge its colonialism over the Congo is an ongoing struggle that the Congolese people hope to win via reparations from Belgium. Part of that victory would also be ensuring that the Congolese regained all its stolen artifacts from the colonial period, and so much more. If the Congolese people win, so will all of Africa!

Joshua Newman
Senior, Hampton University
Intern, FOTC