DR Congo seeks full access to colonial archives, ombudsman says

The Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking full and unhindered access to colonial-era archives, DR Congo Ombudsman Paul Nsapu Mukulu said.

Speaking at an international conference titled “101 Years of Belgian Colonial Injustices and the Struggle for Reparations,” organised by the Baku Initiative Group, Nsapu Mukulu said access to historical records was among the issues Congo was seeking to address.

He noted that August 21 marks the 101st anniversary of a law adopted on August 21, 1925, which established the status of Ruanda-Urundi as a territory administered by Belgium:

“This law was an important milestone in shaping the framework for the administrative governance of Belgian colonies. On the 101st anniversary of the law, we seek to draw attention to the involvement of specialists from former colonial territories in these processes on an equal footing with international experts, as well as to the return of human remains and other historical materials to their countries of origin.”

By Tamilla Hasanova