The lid on the chest marked ‘forgotten African history’ was pushed open a bit further in June when the government of Belgium returned a tooth belonging to the murdered Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba to his family. It was this tooth that was finally returned to his family members in Belgium. The tooth, as the only surviving part of Lumumba’s body, was finally laid to rest in the DRC on 29 June after a funeral was held in Kinshasa. After decades of denying their role in Lumumba’s death or even acknowledging their horrific history in the Congo, the Belgians showed small signs of recanting. Belgium continues to exert considerable influence over the DRC – and continues to benefit financially and diplomatically from its former colony.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 01, 2022 01:06 UTC