It seems rather obvious that Belgium, an enlightened and modern European nation, may take upon itself principles of universal jurisdiction in cases of human atrocities and crimes against humanity. Why not allow the small country of Belgium, highly regarded by its European neighbors and world renown for its fine products such as chocolate and beer, to bring the light of justice to the darkest reigns and most desperate countries?
Indeed, when one looks at the impressive track record of the Belgians regarding human rights one cannot help but being awed: not only did they assist the Jews during the holocaust (by handing them over to German occupation authorities which promptly shipped them off to the death camps), but they also brought civilization, culture and protection to the African Congo.
If youve ever been to Brussels, you cannot help but be amazed at the beauty of the place. Marvelous architecture combines with fine works of art and lovely museums. In the outskirts of this fine city, we may find the Royal Museum for Central Africa (http://www.africamuseum.be/en/indexen.html), a museum established by King Leopold II of Belgium. The museum houses one of worlds most extensive collections of African art and related examples, but even though one may look, you will never find any mention of the dark history of Belgium.
All the way back in the late 19th century, when colonialism was fast becoming an outdated concept, King Leopold II was presented with a rather odd gift: The ironically named Free republic of Congo, 75 times the size of Belgium, was presented to the King as his own personal property, no more and no less.
While the esteemed King never set foot in his African estate, this did not prevent him from exploiting the resource-rich African Congo and its people. Leopolds envoys ruled the people with an Iron fist, essentially becoming tyrants the likes of which the poor Congolese had never seen. The king demanded more Ivory and more Rubber to be transported back to Belgium, and the envoys had to deliver. And when the envoys were pressured for their jobs (and as will soon become apparent, their lives), they made the life of the Congolese impossible. Thousands if not hundreds of thousands died as a result of famine and disease during the enlightened rule of Belgium, and this figure does not even begin to count the amount of Congolese executed for not having fulfilled the insane quotas demanded by the King.
But the Belgians, the ever so enlightened Belgians, cannot be held responsible for killings alone. Rape, corporal punishment and even the amputation of limbs were common-place during the bloodthirsty Kings rule of the Congo (1885-1908).
The atrocities on the Belgian Congo are rumored to be so hideous, so horrible and so inhuman that the British, formidable colonialists themselves, formed a movement to express the public outcry and shock at the appalling treatment of the Congolese by Belgiums King. Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness was written on the horrible atrocities of the Belgian rule of the Congo in 1899. While the books main plot does not circle around how horrible the treatment is, one may get a good idea from the numerous descriptions in it. Yet even despite intense British pressure, King Leopold didnt sell his private property to the Belgian state until 1919, the year which witnessed the birth of the Belgian Congo.
The Belgian Congo held a census in 1919, a census which found the country had half the population it had in 1879. While the full extent will probably never be known, it is estimated by scholars worldwide that no less than 10 million Congolese died from unnatural causes during the Belgian occupation.
When the Belgian nation finally left Congo in 1960, it left behind a shattered country. Out of a population of 13.5 million, only 17 were University Graduates. Even when a leader was found, against all odds, the Belgian King shamelessly spoke of the virtues of King Leopold II, which terrorized and massacred the Congolese for a quarter of a century during the ceremony in which Congolese Independence was declared.
Merely two weeks after he was sworn into the office of Prime Minister of Congo, Patrice Lumumbas leadership was challenged by rebels in the north of Congo. Desperate, Lumumba called for international assistance which was answered in the form of UN Troops which refused to be deployed to the rebellious North, occupied unsurprisingly by Belgian troops.
Lumumba was taken hostage by General Mobutus soldiers, bent on becoming the new tyrant for the battered and downtrodden people of the Congo. Mobutu would rule the Congo with an Iron fist for the next 4 decades, but at the beginning he had to get rid of Lumumba.
Lumumba was taken to the rebellious area of Katanga (on board a national Belgian airline flight), where he was to be tortured for weeks until eventually executed by a firing squad (commanded by a Belgian).
Following disturbing findings such as the ones mentioned above, the Belgian government ordered that a committee be established to investigate Lumumbas murder only 3 years ago. The findings, if youre interested, involved a secret fund established by the Belgian government totaling 6 million Euro (by todays estimates) to fund the rebellion in Katanga and a telegram from the Belgian Minister of African Affairs to the Belgian Ambassador to Congo, demanding the final removal of Lumumba. A Belgian police officer later recalled having driven a car with Lumumbas corpse and dissolving the body in an acid bath, and even claimed to have taken two of Lumumbas teeth as a sickening memoir.
The startling finding of the committee was that Belgium held no responsibility save for moral responsibility regarding Lumumbas assassination, because no premeditation from the Belgian part was found. Amazing as this might be, the Belgian government only settled for establishing a small fund (3 million Euro by todays standards) to honor Lumumbas memory and issuing a formal apology by means of their Foreign Minister.
What is even more infuriating is that the Belgian committee found no reason to bring to criminal court the people involved in Lumumbas murder that still live today.
Apparently Belgian jurisdiction in the terms of crimes against humanity applies only to Ariel Sharon...
Indeed, when one looks at the impressive track record of the Belgians regarding human rights one cannot help but being awed: not only did they assist the Jews during the holocaust (by handing them over to German occupation authorities which promptly shipped them off to the death camps), but they also brought civilization, culture and protection to the African Congo.
If youve ever been to Brussels, you cannot help but be amazed at the beauty of the place. Marvelous architecture combines with fine works of art and lovely museums. In the outskirts of this fine city, we may find the Royal Museum for Central Africa (http://www.africamuseum.be/en/indexen.html), a museum established by King Leopold II of Belgium. The museum houses one of worlds most extensive collections of African art and related examples, but even though one may look, you will never find any mention of the dark history of Belgium.
All the way back in the late 19th century, when colonialism was fast becoming an outdated concept, King Leopold II was presented with a rather odd gift: The ironically named Free republic of Congo, 75 times the size of Belgium, was presented to the King as his own personal property, no more and no less.
While the esteemed King never set foot in his African estate, this did not prevent him from exploiting the resource-rich African Congo and its people. Leopolds envoys ruled the people with an Iron fist, essentially becoming tyrants the likes of which the poor Congolese had never seen. The king demanded more Ivory and more Rubber to be transported back to Belgium, and the envoys had to deliver. And when the envoys were pressured for their jobs (and as will soon become apparent, their lives), they made the life of the Congolese impossible. Thousands if not hundreds of thousands died as a result of famine and disease during the enlightened rule of Belgium, and this figure does not even begin to count the amount of Congolese executed for not having fulfilled the insane quotas demanded by the King.
But the Belgians, the ever so enlightened Belgians, cannot be held responsible for killings alone. Rape, corporal punishment and even the amputation of limbs were common-place during the bloodthirsty Kings rule of the Congo (1885-1908).
The atrocities on the Belgian Congo are rumored to be so hideous, so horrible and so inhuman that the British, formidable colonialists themselves, formed a movement to express the public outcry and shock at the appalling treatment of the Congolese by Belgiums King. Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness was written on the horrible atrocities of the Belgian rule of the Congo in 1899. While the books main plot does not circle around how horrible the treatment is, one may get a good idea from the numerous descriptions in it. Yet even despite intense British pressure, King Leopold didnt sell his private property to the Belgian state until 1919, the year which witnessed the birth of the Belgian Congo.
The Belgian Congo held a census in 1919, a census which found the country had half the population it had in 1879. While the full extent will probably never be known, it is estimated by scholars worldwide that no less than 10 million Congolese died from unnatural causes during the Belgian occupation.
When the Belgian nation finally left Congo in 1960, it left behind a shattered country. Out of a population of 13.5 million, only 17 were University Graduates. Even when a leader was found, against all odds, the Belgian King shamelessly spoke of the virtues of King Leopold II, which terrorized and massacred the Congolese for a quarter of a century during the ceremony in which Congolese Independence was declared.
Merely two weeks after he was sworn into the office of Prime Minister of Congo, Patrice Lumumbas leadership was challenged by rebels in the north of Congo. Desperate, Lumumba called for international assistance which was answered in the form of UN Troops which refused to be deployed to the rebellious North, occupied unsurprisingly by Belgian troops.
Lumumba was taken hostage by General Mobutus soldiers, bent on becoming the new tyrant for the battered and downtrodden people of the Congo. Mobutu would rule the Congo with an Iron fist for the next 4 decades, but at the beginning he had to get rid of Lumumba.
Lumumba was taken to the rebellious area of Katanga (on board a national Belgian airline flight), where he was to be tortured for weeks until eventually executed by a firing squad (commanded by a Belgian).
Following disturbing findings such as the ones mentioned above, the Belgian government ordered that a committee be established to investigate Lumumbas murder only 3 years ago. The findings, if youre interested, involved a secret fund established by the Belgian government totaling 6 million Euro (by todays estimates) to fund the rebellion in Katanga and a telegram from the Belgian Minister of African Affairs to the Belgian Ambassador to Congo, demanding the final removal of Lumumba. A Belgian police officer later recalled having driven a car with Lumumbas corpse and dissolving the body in an acid bath, and even claimed to have taken two of Lumumbas teeth as a sickening memoir.
The startling finding of the committee was that Belgium held no responsibility save for moral responsibility regarding Lumumbas assassination, because no premeditation from the Belgian part was found. Amazing as this might be, the Belgian government only settled for establishing a small fund (3 million Euro by todays standards) to honor Lumumbas memory and issuing a formal apology by means of their Foreign Minister.
What is even more infuriating is that the Belgian committee found no reason to bring to criminal court the people involved in Lumumbas murder that still live today.
Apparently Belgian jurisdiction in the terms of crimes against humanity applies only to Ariel Sharon...
Sorry, but I don't keep up with the news that often.
