The letter – to the DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi – has been described as historic in the Belgian media, as it is the first time a Belgian king has expressed regret for the country’s colonial past, although it stops short of an apology. Without naming Léopold II, King Philippe writes: “During the time of the Congo Free State [1885-1908] acts of violence and brutality were committed, which weigh still on our collective memory. Lumumba was assassinated in 1961 by Congolese rebels and Belgian army officers on the orders of the CIA, with the tacit support of the Belgian government. Belgian commentators have been struck with the contrast with King Philippe’s predecessors, who ignored colonial violence. Belgian anti-racism campaigners had set 30 June as a deadline to remove all statutes of Léopold II.

Source: The Guardian June 30, 2020 10:19 UTC