Baku conference calls for reparations over Belgian colonial legacy

The legacy of Belgian colonial rule in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi continues to affect the region, Baku Initiative Group (BIG) Executive Director Abbas Abbasov said on August 21.

Speaking at an international conference in Baku titled “101 Years of Belgian Colonial Injustices and the Struggle for Reparations,” Abbasov said colonial rule had resulted in economic exploitation, mass violence and the destruction of local communities and institutions, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

He said the historical record of colonial abuses had been documented and recognised by researchers, legal experts and international institutions.

“What brings us together today is no longer the question of whether this injustice existed. The key question is how the international community, the relevant states and Belgium itself can take steps toward genuine recognition and concrete reparations. This includes restitution, compensation and guarantees that such cases will not happen again,” Abbasov said.

He expressed hope that reparations would help the peoples of the three countries address the consequences of their colonial past and support efforts to build stronger and more prosperous states.

Abbasov said reparations could help the three countries move forward with dignity, build a better future and achieve greater equality with other nations. He added that conference participants would discuss the final draft of a roadmap for securing colonial reparations, which he said could become one of the event’s key outcomes.

By Sabina Mammadli