(Photo by Entnazifizierung via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)
Belgium’s colonial control over Congo began in 1908 and lasted 52 years, based on exploitation and racial discrimination. One of the period’s most inhumane aspects was the systematic kidnapping of mixed-race children, or Métis, born to an African mother and a European father. Colonial authorities forcibly took these children and placed them in religious institutions, aimed to erase their African identity by cutting all ties with their family and culture.
After the Belgian Congo, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), became independent in 1960, these kidnapped children—turned adults—fought for justice, asking that the Belgian government take responsibility for their suffering.
On December 2, 2024, a Belgian court condemned the government to pay financial reparations to five women who were victims of these abductions. Monique Bitu Bingi, Léa Tavares Mujinga, Noëlle Verbeken, Simone Ngalula, and Marie-José Loshi began their legal battle in 2021, asking for 50,000 euros each and access to colonial archives. In this landmark decision, the court recognized the Belgian state’s responsibility for “crimes against humanity” committed during the colonial era.
While the case focuses on one specific crime, it raises broader questions about Belgium’s colonial past. Could this decision open the door to further claims for reparations and justice, and a broader recognition of colonial abuse?
The Struggle of Mixed-Race People in Colonial Congo
The colonial rule in Congo was marked by racial segregation and the denial of rights to Black Congolese. Métis children were seen as “a threat to the ideology of white supremacy” in the colony, as racist societal norms did not accept those who did not fit into rigid racial categories. In response, the authorities started to systematically take children from their families to place them in religious institutions to remodel their identity.
The kidnappings of Métis children led to profound trauma. Now adults, survivors have spoken out about the abuse and mistreatment they experienced during this period: “[some] ‘went through hell’ — children who suffered slavery, rape and were denied education.” The forced separation from the family resulted in a loss of identity, a sense of exclusion, and a disconnect from their cultural roots. The December 2, 2024 ruling marks a turning point, as a Belgian court officially recognized these kidnappings as a crime against humanity.
Exclusion of Survivors Post-Independence
After the DRC gained independence, many Métis became stateless. Under Belgian law at the time, nationality passed only through the father, but often, they refused to recognize their mixed-race children, leaving them without Belgian citizenship. As a result, many could not obtain birth certificates and passports and, hence, access to basic rights. Métis children in the DRC experienced discrimination and exclusion, where locals saw them as products of the colonial system.
In 2019, the Belgian government opened its colonial archives to victims, enabling them to search for their ancestral origins. However, this process has been criticized, with missing or incomplete records. Without a comprehensive registry, the exact number of kidnapped children remains unknown. The Belgian government has not released an official figure.
Insufficient Attempts at Reparations
Since 1960, Belgium has avoided taking full accountability for its colonial past. A growing global movement for racial justice has forced a change. In 2018, Belgium reopened the modernized AfricaMuseum after “years of criticism for its pro-colonial propaganda.” IBrussels renamed a public square after Patrice Lumumba, a DRC former prime minister and independence leader, that the Belgian government ordered to assassinate in the same year.
In 2019, the Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, officially apologized to kidnapped mixed-race people on behalf of the government. In 2020, King Phillippe of Belgium wrote to the Congolese president to express his “deepest regrets” for colonial abuses and acknowledged the “suffering and humiliation” felt by the Congolese people.
These symbolic declarations did not go as far as admitting full state responsibility for colonial crimes or offering financial compensation for victims. These statements neglect various economic and social consequences of colonial oppression, ignoring victims of forced labour, state violence, and racial segregation. True reparations must go beyond words and include structural change, financial compensation for damages suffered, and historical accountability.
Education’s Role in Confronting the Colonial Legacies
In recent years, activists and the Congolese diaspora have played a crucial role in demanding accountability from Belgium, pushing for both reparations and educational reform. They have also called for a more honest recognition of the ongoing consequences of colonization. In the DRC, the impact of Belgian rule has remained visible because of the violent resource extraction and the lack of investment in local governance.
Despite a wealth of natural resources, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. Profits from extracting industries continue to benefit Western companies more than the local population.
Activists claim that without comprehensive educational reform in Belgium, historical wrongs will continue to be overlooked. Until recently, Belgian schools mainly taught the country’s colonial past from a Eurocentric point of view, leaving many unaware of the abuses committed. Mandatory curriculum changes should include Congolese voices and a critical view of the Belgian role in African exploitation. Incorporating colonial history into education is essential to ensure accountability for its past and ongoing impact. Without reform, reparations will be more symbolic than truly transformative and realistic.
How Does Belgium Compare to Other Colonial Powers?
Despite the 2024 judicial decision, the Belgian approach to reparations has lacked overall accountability. The government has yet to recognize its overall colonial rule as a crime against humanity beyond limited court decisions. Comparatively, Germany recognized the genocide of the Herero and Nama people during its colonial rule in present-day Namibia and pledged €1.1 billion in development aid. France has also selectively recognized its colonial abuses by providing financial compensation for specific crimes in Algeria. To date, Belgium’s approach has focused on avoiding legal and financial commitments.
But, the Belgian response appears too marginal, as the reparations only applied to five victims. It ignores the broader colonial sufferings, including forced labour, mass killings, and economic exploitation. Unlike Germany, which engaged directly with the Namibian government, Belgium has not formally discussed reparations with the DRC.
Without a full state apology, governmental financial commitments, or educational reforms, the country remains one of the most reluctant former colonial powers in addressing past offences.
Belgium Reached One Milestone—What’s Next?
Although incomplete, the Belgian 2024 ruling is an important step toward confronting the atrocities of colonial history. But does financial compensation alone amount to justice?
For many victims of colonial violence, reparations should be more than money. Restitution should incorporate the recognition of historical crimes, educational reform, accountability, and structural change. The Belgian judicial decision raises questions about whether reparations should go beyond individual compensation to state-led reconciliation efforts.
This recent development questions the relevance of justice for atrocities committed over a century ago. The reparations could set a precedent that other former colonial empires may follow. Besides, the long-term effects of colonial violence still shape economic inequalities and systemic racism today and need to be confronted.
If states do not recognize colonial-era victims, it may mean that the world is still not ready to confront its imperial past. Belgium’s case may be a milestone, but it is far from the final chapter in the fight for global justice against colonial abuse.
Edited by Emma Webb
