Belgium’s King Philippe reaffirmed his deepest regrets on Wednesday for the exploitation, racism and acts of violence during his country’sPhilippe became the first Belgian official two years ago to express, and some Congolese hoped he would issue a formal apology during his first visit to Congo since taking the throne in 2013.
“It led to violent acts and humiliations. On the occasion of my first trip to Congo, right here, in front of the Congolese people and those who still suffer today, I wish to reaffirm my deepest regrets for those wounds of the past.” “I salute the speech by the Belgian king. However, in the face of the crimes committed by Belgium, regrets are not enough,” Congolese opposition Senator Francine Muyumba Nkanga wrote on Twitter.
Philippe arrived on Tuesday with his wife, Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo for a week-long visit. “We have not dwelled on the past, which is the past and which is not to be reconsidered, but we need to look to the future,” Tshisekedi said. Belgium has traditionally said little about colonialism, and the subject has not been extensively taught in Belgian schools.
Nothing to apologize for. All you can really say is '...yeah [they] were pricks back then, huh?'; '...that must've sucked for your ancestors...'