Belgian authorities returned the tooth of murdered Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba to his children, in a new move to recognition of atrocities that accompanied the brutal exploitation of the country of in former the colony.
relic that’s all remains of lumumba, first prime minister of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under its former name Republic of Congo and icon of in struggle against colonialism in Africa, who was killed by separatists and Belgian mercenaries in 1961. His killers disbanded him remains in acid, although some left his teeth as a keepsake.
The gold-plated tooth was handed over in a light blue case for group of family members at Egmont Palace in Brussels on Monday morning. He was placed in coffin to be taken to the embassy of DRC like first step before repatriation.
Lumumba son Roland said last week what a return of tooth meant him family will be able “finish their mourning.
By returning a tooth, Belgium hopes to draw a line under one of the most cruel and shameful episodes in bloody exploitation of the country of Central Africa.
Alexandre de Croo, Belgian prime minister recognized his “moral responsibility” for Lumumba killing. “It’s painful and unpleasant truthbut must be spoken,” De Croo said. “A man was killed for his political convictions, his words, his ideals.”
Earlier this month king of Belgium made his first visit to the DRC, although he stopped of made a formal apology. King Philip expressed his “deepest regret” for wounds of in past”, describing the “mode …. of unequal relationship, unjustified in itself marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism” which “led to violent acts and humiliation”.
Charismatic but volatile pan-Africanist who played key part in in fight for independence Lumumba became first democratically elected leader of his country in 1960. During the year he became a victim of cold war politics and internal power struggling as order collapsed in in new state and rebel groups in the mineral-rich province of Katanga sought to secede.
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Western officials feared that Lumumba would favor the Soviet Union as a protector and allow Moscow access strategically critical resources such as uranium.
After military coup, Lumumba was imprisoned, tortured and shot dead hastily assembled firing detachment. 40 years later, Belgium admits it has a ‘moral responsibility’ for his death. the CIA was also drawn up plans to kill 35-year- an old politician.
However, this took decades for in truth about circumstances of Lumumba murder to appear.
In 2000, Belgian police commissioner Gerard Souté admitted to having dismembered Lumumba’s body. body and dismissed remains in acid. In the documentary shown on On German television, Soete showed two teeth that he said belonged to Lumumba.
In 2016, Belgian scientist Ludo de Witte filed a complaint against Soete daughter after she showed a gold tooth that she said belonged to Lumumba during an interview with newspaper. The tooth was then removed by the Belgian authorities.
Lumumba remains for a lot of in Democratic Republic of Congo symbol of what the country could become after gaining independence. Instead he got confused in decades of dictatorship and conflicts that depleted its vast mineral wealth.
Turned 60 two years ago. of The independence of the Congo prompted new calls to “rest the soul” of Lumumba. Protesters gathered outside Embassy of Belgium in Kinshasa seeks restitution of his remains together with cultural artifacts taken to the colonial rule.
in Belgium, international protests against racism that followed death of George Floyd in USA gave new momentum to activists fighting for monuments to King Leopold II removed.
government of DRC announced three days of official mourning before official burial of tooth in Kinshasa at the end of this month.
Belgium has only recently begun to tackle the legacy issue of its operation of Rubber, ivory and wood of the Congo. As many as 10 million people died of starvation and disease during first 23 years old of Belgium rule since 1885, when King Leopold II ruled the Congo Free State as his fiefdom. Others were killed or deliberately maimed to encourage others work harder to meet unreachable quotas of profitable resources.
