Belgium apologizes for murder of Patrice Lumumba

According to the reports of De Volkskrant Dutch newspaper, on Tuesday, February 5, the Belgian government made official apologies for the role of the country in the murder of Congo’s Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in January’1961. The apologies were addressed to the people of Congo and the family of Lumumba.

The apologies followed a parliamentary investigation, after which several ministers of that time have been declared “morally responsible” for the events that entailed the murder of the Congo’s Prime Minister.

Patrice Lumumba was murdered on January 17, 1961 in Katanga, several hours after his extradition to the new authorities of Congo with Belgium’s support.

The parliamentary report also criticizes the conduct of Roi Baudouin, who “has been constantly exceeding his authorities”.

Foreign Minister Michel made his apologies to Lumumba’s sons, Francois and Roland, for the apathy and indifference of the Belgian authorities. According to the report, the authorities did not care a pin for Lumumba’s fate.

But, probably, the problem was quite different. The authorities were really apprehensive of the fact that Congo would be independent of Belgium and prefer a socialist development line.

Irina Malenko PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/07/36710.html