Justice for the Forgotten: Belgium's Colonial Reckoning

A Brussels appeals court identified Belgium's colonial actions as a crime against humanity in a case involving five mixed-race women. These women were taken from their mothers during colonial rule in Congo. The recent ruling has ordered the state to provide monetary compensation to the plaintiffs, recognizing the historical injustice.

A Brussels appeals court on Monday declared that the Belgian state committed a crime against humanity concerning five mixed-race women separated from their mothers during Belgium's colonial rule in Congo.

This landmark legal ruling addresses Belgium's colonial history, acknowledging the profound suffering of thousands of mixed-race children, known as 'métis', forcibly taken from their families during the colonial era of 1908 to 1960.

The court's decision orders Belgium to pay damages to the plaintiffs, offering a measure of justice and recognition for the long-overlooked crime. This case comes amidst increasing demands for Belgium to confront its colonial legacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)