Belgium must return Lumumba’s tooth as a trophy of its rule over the Congo – Even after Europe’s colonisers had to grant independence to African states, they and the USA continued to murder unwilling politicians
Article Neue Züricher Zeitung: „The return of Lumumba’s tooth
After a long tug-of-war, Brussels is finally releasing the tooth of Patrice Lumumba. It is the only thing left of the Congolese freedom fighter who was assassinated in 1961 with the help of Belgium and the American secret service CIA“.
Lumumba was the country’s first prime minister after independence from Belgium on 30 June 1960, but he was released in September and on 1 December he was arrested by soldiers of the new ruler Mobutu, with the help of the CIA and Belgium. He was murdered on 17 January 1961. A Belgian gendarme sawed up the body and dissolved it in acid. He kept only one tooth, which he later bequeathed to his daughter. „
Congo-Kinshasa would probably have taken a better path with Lumumba. But Mobutu, who ruled and exploited the country until 1997, already enjoyed the support of the West during his coup. Moreover, he already attracted the wrath of the present Belgian King Baudouin during his inaugural speech because he dared to enumerate the horrors of colonialism to him instead of thanking him for independence.“
(translated by Initiative Black&White)
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