Belgium found guilty of war crimes against the Congolese

Brussels’ Appeal Court has ruled that Belgium committed serious crimes during the colonial era by abducting mixed-race children from their African mothers. This case was brought forward by five women who were taken from their families in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Belgian Congo) between 1948 and 1953.

The court overturned a 2021 lower court decision that had sided with the state. It ordered Belgium to pay €50,000 to each of the five women as compensation for the trauma they suffered.

These abductions were part of the colonial government’s racial segregation policies, which banned marriages between White and Black people. Between 1948 and 1962, an estimated 15,000 mixed-race children were forcibly taken from their mothers. Many were placed in Catholic orphanages or sent to Belgium for adoption.

These children faced abuse, discrimination, and a loss of identity. Their names were often changed, cutting them off from their roots and culture. This policy was one of many brutal practices under Belgium’s colonial rule in Congo, which lasted from 1885 to 1960.

This ruling is a step toward acknowledging the lasting harm caused by colonialism and giving justice to its victims.