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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/12/court-ruling-crimes-against-humanity-belgium-colonial-africa-hailed-turning-point>
"A historic court ruling that found Belgium guilty of crimes against humanity
during its colonial rule of central Africa has been hailed as a turning point
that could pave the way for compensation and other forms of justice.
Belgium’s court of appeal ruled last month that the “systematic kidnapping” of
mixed-race children from their African mothers in Belgian-ruled Congo, Rwanda
and Burundi was a crime against humanity. The case was brought by five women
who were removed from their Congolese mothers as small children between 1948
and 1953, and who now live in Belgium and France. Each was awarded €50,000
(£42,000) in damages.
The colonial-era policy affected thousands more
métis, children of African
mothers and European fathers whom imperial Belgium deemed a threat to the white
supremacist order. Many lost all contact with their mothers after being moved
hundreds of miles away to live in uncaring religious institutions with meagre
rations and inadequate education.
The president of the Association of Métis of Belgium, François Milliex, said
the decision “surely opens the door” to those seeking financial compensation
for forced separation from their parents.
Milliex was moved to Belgium in 1960 aged 14, and was immediately sent to a
children’s home with two of his brothers after being separated from his other
siblings. The family was split although Milliex’s Rwandan mother and Belgian
father were both alive, recognised and wanted to care for their children. He
was stripped of his Belgian nationality the following year, leaving him
stateless and unable to leave the country. As an adult he spent one month of
salary in fees to regain Belgian nationality.
“Most
métis who were moved to Belgium regret that the state never proposed
financial compensation for the suffering, the pain,” he said. “There are people
who continue to suffer today from this separation, this loss of identity, to
understand why they were taken from their mother, why their father did not
recognise them, 70 years later they are still, some of them, asking these
questions. It is real pain that remains in the hearts of all the
métis.”
Michèle Hirsch, the lawyer who represented the five women, said she thought the
court ruling opened the door to reparations for those in a similar situation to
her clients, but cast doubt on the prospect. “I think we are going to have to
fight for it to happen,” she said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics