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Statue of King Leopold (Courtesy: Dennis Jarvis/Flickr)
In a letter sent to President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 60th anniversary of its independence, King Philippe of Belgium has expressed his “deepest regrets” for the “acts of violence and cruelty” committed under Belgian occupation, but stopped short of offering a full apology and reparations for colonial rule.
For several decades, King Philippe’s ancestor, King Leopold II, brutally exploited the DRC in his pursuit of rubber and ivory resources. According to historians, millions of Congolese people were killed, mutilated or died of famine and disease under his rule. These acts had a devastating human and financial toll on the country, with their effects still being felt today.
King Philippe’s acknowledgment comes after widespread social inequality spurring a global conversation about continuing issues of racism and discrimination, with the Black Lives Matter movement thrusting these issues into the spotlight. Belgium, in particular, has come under pressure to address its vicious colonial past.
In his letter, King Philippe referred to “painful episodes” between the countries and added that he “will continue to fight all forms of racism and encourages the reflection that has been initiated by parliament".
“During the time of the Congo Free State [1885-1908], acts of violence and brutality were committed that weigh still on our collective memory,” he said. “The colonial period that followed also caused suffering and humiliations. I would like to express my deepest regrets for the wounds of the past, the pain of today, which is rekindled by the discrimination all too present in our society.”
In response, President Tshisekedi says that he “considers it necessary that our common history with Belgium and its people be told to our children.”
Statues of King Leopold II erected in the streets have now been defaced and removed as the country grapples with its past.
While King Philippe’s acknowledgement was commended by some politicians, Black Lives Matter activists in Antwerp said action is needed to match the crimes that were committed, and his letter of regret should not be “a distraction from accountability”.
Martin Fayulu, an opposition politician in the DRC, joined the call for reparations from Belgium. “If they recognise now what they did here, then that’s all to the good, but these can’t just be words because that’s what it’s fashionable to say at the moment,” he said. “It’s what they do now that matters.”
See more from the BBC here, the Guardian here and the New York Times here.
