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Belgium apology for mixed-race kidnappings in colonial era | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has apologised for the kidnapping of thousands of children born to mixed-race couples during colonial rule in Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda. | |
The "métis" children born to Belgian settlers and local women were forcibly taken to Belgium and fostered by Catholic orders and other institutions. | The "métis" children born to Belgian settlers and local women were forcibly taken to Belgium and fostered by Catholic orders and other institutions. |
About 20,000 children are believed to have been affected. | About 20,000 children are believed to have been affected. |
Most fathers refused to acknowledge the paternity of their children. | |
The children were born in the 1940s and 1950s and taken to Belgium from 1959 until the independence of each of the three colonies. | |
Some of the children never received Belgian nationality and remained stateless. | |
Speaking in the Belgian parliament, Mr Michel said the country had breached the children's basic human rights, seeing them as a threat to the colonial system. | Speaking in the Belgian parliament, Mr Michel said the country had breached the children's basic human rights, seeing them as a threat to the colonial system. |
It had, he said, stripped them of their identity, stigmatised them and split up siblings. | It had, he said, stripped them of their identity, stigmatised them and split up siblings. |
"I vow that this solemn moment will represent a further step towards awareness and recognition of this part of our national history," he said in his statement. | "I vow that this solemn moment will represent a further step towards awareness and recognition of this part of our national history," he said in his statement. |
Many of the mixed-race children had gone on to help Belgium become a "more open and tolerant society", the prime minister added. | Many of the mixed-race children had gone on to help Belgium become a "more open and tolerant society", the prime minister added. |
He also expressed Belgian compassion for the "African mothers whose children were snatched from them". | |
Two years ago, the Catholic Church apologised for its role in the scandal. | |
Last year, Belgian MPs called on the government to help the affected children find their biological parents and also gain Belgian nationality. | Last year, Belgian MPs called on the government to help the affected children find their biological parents and also gain Belgian nationality. |
Meanwhile, their mothers have also been searching for their children. | |
The groups miXed2020 and Métis de Belgique say many of the kidnapped children "suffered deeply" as a result of their experience. | |
Many still had no access to birth records and remained unable to find their mothers or their Belgian fathers, who, the groups said, were often well-known figures. | |
Georges Kamanayo, one of the children who were taken to Belgium, said Mr Michel's apology was the "ultimate recognition of an injustice". | Georges Kamanayo, one of the children who were taken to Belgium, said Mr Michel's apology was the "ultimate recognition of an injustice". |
"We have felt like third-rate Belgians for a long time," he told daily newspaper De Standaard. | |
"In the colony we were set apart from the white children. It was pure segregation. We tried to immerse ourselves in Belgium, so we wouldn't stand out." | |
He added: "In Belgium we always react a little slower, other countries have preceded us." | |
Belgium was particularly brutal during the colonial period. An estimated 10-15 million Africans were killed during its rule of Belgian Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. | Belgium was particularly brutal during the colonial period. An estimated 10-15 million Africans were killed during its rule of Belgian Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
Last month, the UN's Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent told Belgium to apologise for atrocities committed during its colonial era. | Last month, the UN's Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent told Belgium to apologise for atrocities committed during its colonial era. |
Racial discrimination was "endemic" in Belgian institutions, the UN experts said in a report. | Racial discrimination was "endemic" in Belgian institutions, the UN experts said in a report. |
"The root causes of present day human rights violations lie in the lack of recognition of the true scope of violence and injustice of colonisation," their report added. | "The root causes of present day human rights violations lie in the lack of recognition of the true scope of violence and injustice of colonisation," their report added. |
Mr Michel did not respond to the UN report, Belgian media reported. | Mr Michel did not respond to the UN report, Belgian media reported. |
However, in parliament he said his apology to the kidnapped mixed-race children must also strengthen efforts to fight all forms of discrimination and racism in the country. | However, in parliament he said his apology to the kidnapped mixed-race children must also strengthen efforts to fight all forms of discrimination and racism in the country. |