The Eminent Prophet and King Omowale Malcolm X said of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first prime minister, which he led to independence on June 30th 1960, “the greatest black man who ever walked the African continent.” (1)
Now days before the country’s 62nd anniversary it, as well as he, is back in the news after colonial oppressor Belgium finally returned back to his family the last remains of the leader they conspired to depose, murder, dismember and mutilate – his tooth. (2)
During the handing over ceremony, the slain leader’s daughter, Juliana, remarked:
“Father, our hearts bled for 61 years. We, your children, your grandchildren and your great grandchildren — but also Congo, Africa and the world — we mourned your death without an eulogy… We have got a common history, on both sides. This is an occasion for a moment of hope, and not only regret. It is a moment of hope for Belgium and Congo to live together in harmony.” (3)
Unfortunately, the past and current behaviour of the Belgian government may seriously undermine any sense of “hope.” The item was in the possession of the family of one of his killers Belgian police officer Gérard Soete until 2016, when it was seized by Belgian authorities, a decade and a half after he boasted publicly about his “hunting trophy” (said to include another tooth and a piece of finger). (4)
Observers remain unconvinced that the move is part of Belgium’s effort to “smooth relations with its former colony.” There has been no apology, just “acknowledgement” and “regret.” Moreover, although accepting ‘moral responsibility’ and treating the killing as a ‘war crime’ they have been accused of dragging their feet in the investigation until all incriminated die so they could close the case without any further action. (5)
According to the United Nations, the main pillars of reparations, includes: restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition. (6) So far Belgium has agreed to discuss the return of 84,000 artifacts and its Congo commission’s 700-page report is exploring the possibility of reparations for atrocities in Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda but is seeking more time to examine the latter two as well as the role of the Catholic Church. Not surprisingly, Belgian lawmakers rejected the report’s calls for compensation. (7)
Reparations claims against former colonisers have a chequered history. In 2008, Italy agreed to pay Libya $5 billion in compensation for its 32-year occupation. (8) Five years later the UK government made a “full and final settlement” of £9.9 million with 5,228 Kenyan elders, working out at around £1,800 per person. (9) Last year, Germany’s offer of $1.22 billion to Namibia over 30 years was dismissed as “not enough” by the government. (10)
Yet in an interesting twist earlier this year, the International Court of Justice has ordered Congo’s neighbour Uganda to pay it “$325 million in reparations for its role in conflicts in Congo’s resource-rich Ituri province… far below the more than $11 billion Congo had sought” (11) Within the context of the neo-colonial dominance of the continent this could set a potentially troubling precedent.
(1) Omowale Malcolm X (28/06/64) Malcolm X’s Speech At The Founding Rally Of The Organization Of Afro-American Unity. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/speeches-african-american-history/1964-malcolm-x-s-speech-founding-rally-organization-afro-american-unity/
(2) Nanjala Nyabola (25/06/22) Lumumba’s tooth returned, racist logic of colonisation endures. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/6/25/lumumbas-tooth-returned-racist-logic-of-colonisation-endures
(3) Samuel Petrequin (20/06/22) Belgium returns Congo independence hero’s tooth to family. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/belgium-returns-congo-independence-heros-tooth-family-85503573; Camille Gijs (20/06/22) Belgium hands over Lumumba’s tooth to his family, 60 years after his murder. https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-hands-over-lumumba-tooth-family-60-years-after-murder/
(4) Camille Gijs and Stephan Faris (02/06/22) ‘Lumumba’s tooth: Belgium’s unfinished reckoning with its colonial past. https://www.politico.eu/article/lumumba-tooth-belgium-unfinished-reckoning-colonial-past/; Faith Karimi (07/06/13) UK to compensate more than 5,000 Kenyans over colonial-era torture. https://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/06/world/africa/uk-colonial-compensation/index.html
(5) Gijs and Faris. Op. cit.
(6) United Nations (16/12/05) General Assembly resolution 60/147: Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/basic-principles-and-guidelines-right-remedy-and-reparation
(7) Colin Clapson (23/11/21) Belgium to pay reparations for colonial past? https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2021/11/23/belgium-to-pay-reparations-for-colonial-past/; Gijs and Faris. Op. cit.
(8) The Associated Press (30/08/08) Italy Agrees to $5 Billion Libya Reparations. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/world/africa/31libya.html
(9) Press Association (06/06/13) UK to compensate Kenya’s Mau Mau torture victims. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/uk-compensate-kenya-mau-mau-torture#:~:text=Britain%20is%20to%20pay%20out,%2C%20William%20Hague%2C%20has%20said.
(10) Reuters (05/06/21) Germany colonial-era genocide reparations offer not enough – Namibia vice president. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/germany-colonial-era-genocide-reparations-offer-not-enough-namibia-vice-2021-06-04/; Samantha Granville (07/08/21) ‘We want trillions to heal our wounds’. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-57961151
(11) Elias Biryabarema (10/02/22) Uganda says ICJ ruling awarding DR Congo reparations is unfair. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-says-icj-ruling-awarding-dr-congo-325-mln-reparations-unfair-wrong-2022-02-10/
we ask the question:
Why must Belgium pay? Part 2
1) Why are Patrice Lumumba’s remains being returned now?
2) Should those implicated in his killing (alive or dead) be pursued/prosecuted?
3) How well have Afrikan governments pursued reparations from former colonisers?
4) What could/should they do differently?
5) Should Afrikan countries be seeking reparations from each other?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Sis. Francine Mukwaya Sodi: started her activism ten years ago. She is the founder of Kitunga Ya Mboka, a Lingala phrase meaning, ‘basket of the country, a grass roots, community centred organisation that provides basic level of assistance in the areas of youth education as well as providing emergency health care for those citizens in greatest need. Kitunga Ya Mboka works with hospitals, orphanages and support centres providing what they can when and where they can. They also support gifted young people and adults with empowerment projects through targeted, focused and closely monitored entrepreneurship training.