BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 21. The Democratic
Republic of the Congo is demanding the return of the remains of its
national heroes that were removed from the country, the full
restoration of historical truth, and Belgium’s official
acknowledgment of the crimes committed during the colonial period,
Trend’s correspondent
reports from the event.


This was stated to reporters by Francis Tshibalabala Mukunay, a
member of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, at an international conference in Baku on “Belgium’s
colonial injustice and 101-year

“We want the remains of our heroes and ancestors returned to us
so that we can bury them with dignity,” Francis Tshibalabala
Mukunay said.


According to him, although the current generation did not
directly experience colonialism, its consequences continue to be
felt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.


“We ourselves did not experience colonialism, but our ancestors
and heroes did. Today we continue to feel its consequences, as
colonialism fundamentally changed life in the DRC,” he noted.







Mukunay emphasized that during the period of Belgian colonial
rule, the people of the Congo were subjected to cruel and degrading
treatment, and the country’s natural resources were exploited for
Belgium’s benefit. “Our mineral resources were exploited for
Belgium’s benefit. Works of art and archives were taken away, which
affected the collective memory of the Congolese people,” the
lawmaker stated.


He also noted that the remains of some people who fought against
colonialism are still in Belgium. “We want the repatriation of the
remains of our heroes and ancestors to continue,” Mukunay said.


According to him, the history of Belgian colonization must be
taught in its entirety, without omissions or falsifications. “An
official apology and acknowledgment of everything the Belgians did
in the DRC are also necessary,” he emphasized.


Furthermore, Mukunay noted the importance of the international
conference in Baku and thanked its organizers for bringing the
issue of the consequences of Belgian colonialism to the
international stage.