We spoke to Julien Bobineau, who has researched the narratives around Belgium’s history with the Congo, about the visit. And if it could lead to a new partnership between the two countries.Between 1884 and 1885, there were a series of negotiations between European powers to formalise claims to territory in Africa. It culminated in the Berlin Conference. African stakeholders were not involved in the negotiations.
After slavery was officially abolished in 1910, Congolese workers received a wage for their work in the mines and on the plantations. However, this was much less than the payment Europeans received for the same work. After only two months in power, Lumumba was deposed in September 1960. He was assassinated by his political opponents in Katanga in January 1961 with the help of Belgian and US secret services.
The second shift happened much later. In 2020, the AfricanMuseum changed its guidelines in dealing with objects from colonial contexts. The goal was to make negotiations on restitution possible. The third shift is King Philippe’s letter to President Felix Tshisekedi on 30 June 2020, the anniversary of Congolese independence. In the letter, the king expressed his deep regret for the colonial injustices committed in the Congo. This was against the backdrop of the global Black Lives Matter movement in which protests against racism and the neglect of colonial history grew within the Belgian population.
When are they paying reparations to the Congolese for the atrocities commited by Leopold.
Oh .. the Bloodlines 🤮