(18l) Belgium, king Leopold II and Congo

Leopold II in Congo

Belgium has a terrible human rights track record because of its second king Leopold II (1835 - 1909) during whose reign millions of people in Congo died. People may say he is not personally responsible but the same can be said of Hitler. However, Leopold II could have ruled only Belgium but this he considered too small and thus he lobbied to gain Congo for himself and succeeded on the condition he would treat its people correct, something he refused to do from day one. Therefore, he is responsible as he actively searched for this expansion to enrich himself so he could enlarge his own glory in his kingdom Belgium with neglect of his "subjects" in Congo. And people in those days had already a conscience because the king had to replace the first ambassador who refused to collaborate to expand the king's personal property.

 

To have an impression of the terror Leopold ii allowed in Congo is a picture in this article that shows a black father who looks to the hand and foot of his daughter who was still killed later because the village to which she belonged underperformed to produce material to sell and so gain his huge wealth to build beautiful buildings in Belgium we can still visit today and thus increase Belgium's wealth.

 

To illustrate who he was, even Belgians booed their king during his funeral, suggesting he was a terrible person, disliked in Belgium and Congo.

 

After Leopold II but before Congo's independence

Belgium and its government didn't intervene until the year before the king's death although they knew what happened such as via the in 1899 published book "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad (thus 10 years before the king's death). This intervention was the result of pressure from the international community while Belgium maintained and continued to erect statues to honour who became known as the good "builder king" instead as the "butcher of Congo" while he is remembered in many street names. Therefore, the whitewash campaign allows us to conclude that Belgian politicians and thus, as Belgium is a democracy, by extension all Belgians agreed with the actions of their king. Indeed, it took another 52 years before Congo became independent in 1960. I know little of this period as it is rarely mentioned.

 

After Congo's independence

After Congo's independence, Belgium amongst other countries ordered the assassination of Congo's first PM Lumumba because PM Lumumba wanted that the Congolese also benefited from Congo's richness and thus he was considered to be a communist who may even work with the Soviet Union that needed to be prevented; Belgium could have worked with PM Lumumba for a better Congo but refused with disastrous consequences (see also an earlier article).

 

Instead, Belgium supported dictator Mobutu although with ups and downs who changed his country's name into Zaire while accepted bribes in return to keep Zaire's population quiet so Western countries, including Belgium, via their companies could continue to exploit the country. Mobutu was also allowed to store billions of dollars in Swiss banks and thus the West accepted he impoverished his own country. Throughout this period he had a good relationship with king Baudouin I until that black leader did something the white king didn't like and relations between Zaire and Belgium deteriorated. And thus, near the end of Mobutu's life, Belgium and the West dropped him because he was no longer needed after the Cold War with the fall of the Soviet Union so human rights became important; indeed, the Cold War with communist Stalin and successors forced Western countries to accept dictators.

 

And thus, after Mobutu was ousted, the country's name changed back into Congo while, as the Western powers accepted that Mobutu created an unequal society between the few who have and the rest, Congo today is an impoverished society where politicians and ordinary people are fighting against each other because an elite tries to hold on to its power and wealth and thus the majority suffer. Sounds very similar to medieval Europe.

 

Belgium had a very bad influence on the whole region of the Great Lakes because it exported its policies of divide and rule, resulting not only in chaos in Congo but also in Rwanda and Burundi. These two countries were Trust Territory whereby Belgium introduced strict separation of the population in the Hutu majority without much influence and a much smaller group of Tutsi who were considered to be superior and rule the Hutu's. The result are regular violent clashes between both groups within each country such as in Rwanda in 1994 and rivalry between both countries and with Congo.

 

Sorrow and excuses and more still to be decided

Even when we know about Leopold ii's terror, still, we have people who continue to defend the indefensible and thus would do or at least tolerate similar things today. Indeed, Congo and its people are still exploited today.

 

After George Floyd's death, protests erupted, including in Belgium while statues of Leopold ii were vandalised. The result was that some people say the current Belgian king should apologise, partly because he is Head of State but also because it was someone of his family who was a mass murderer. Others say he shouldn't apologise because the current king is an indirect family member from a man who lived long ago when he ordered the atrocities; however, the Belgian government should apologise, thus Belgians and not the royal family are to blame. The interviewee also said that apologies should not be given too fast (60 years after Congo became independent is expressing apologies too fast???) because we need time to think how to apologise. So, do we wait another 40 years until anyone involved is dead?

 

In the meanwhile, the king's brother Laurent already defended his great uncle, saying Leopold II never visited Africa while he made Belgium beautiful (and thus we should be grateful for the sacrifices he forced upon the Congolese) although the prince said he always apologises for what Europeans did in Africa.

 

Surprise, surprise, for the 60 years of independence of Congo from Belgium celebration, Belgium's King Filip I wrote a letter to Congo's President Tshisekedi, expressing Belgium's regrets over the atrocities done during Leopold ii's reign over Congo during which millions of black people were mutilated and killed but also for Belgium's later actions.

 

It's no excuse but can result in one as now a parliamentary commission will investigate what we already know so it can result in official excuses. Because, as Africans throughout the world become more confident, Western countries have to expect they will one day or another demand compensations. Indeed, a terrible past only stops to hunt you when you sincerely express excuses and accepts the consequences as we still benefit from what Belgians did in the past such as generate income as visitors have to pay to see Africa's stolen art in Belgium museums. In effect, I think Belgium can have exchanges with developing countries whereby art that are kept in the collection or depots can be given on a loan or definitively as a gift, first to its former colonies but later also to other countries. This way, art here can also be visited in developing countries. And yes, old colonies may request that certain stolen art is returned as it was forcefully removed from countries.

 

Thus, Belgium through the king expressed regrets without the need to determine first in parliament whether our colonial period was bad as historians agree it was. The government can also organise a discussion platform on social media what to do with the statues and how to show Belgium's history in Africa and the consequences today. An example is how to show in museums a correct version of our colonial past that should certainly include what we did wrong but can also mention what we did well in the past (if any) or today. Best is that also Congolese are involved so they can inform us about their perspective.

In addition, it can decide that all police officers and other important persons such as teachers should attend a course about racism: how to recognise and deal with it but also recognise it with oneself; "all" should include also non-white persons so people can interact. Further, police, army, teachers, healthcare professionals, civil servants, ... need to reflect diversity in society whereby governments can  set quota for its top positions while actively support campaigns to promote that non-white people (of whom many are born here) choose to join those professions; of course, people in these jobs should not be considered as cheap labour but receive decent wages while promotions should also be possible. I'm not really in favour for quota for further down the hierarchy as that may result in shortages in personnel when a certain group doesn't like a profession while at higher positions non-white leaders can demand the organisation promotes diversity and be sure that everyone is treated correctly; this will also take away there is a bias towards one or another group.

In conclusion, 60 years after Congo's independence and more than 100 years after Congo became a colony of Belgium, it is time Belgium apologises and discusses how to present its past and current treatment of Congo and Zaire. But, I'm also convinced that many white people have non-white friends and colleagues they like. But, it are certain individuals who anger the rest.

Note: These are my personal viewpoints and of course you may differ.