Court Rules Against Belgium in Colonial Baby Theft Case

Belgium Held Accountable for Stolen Babies in Former Colonies

“The court orders the Belgian state to compensate the appellants for the...”

A Belgian court has ruled that the country is liable for the theft of babies from their mothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda during the colonial era, a dark chapter in Belgian history.

Court of Appeals in Brussels has overturned a previous decision, paving the way for Belgium to be held accountable for the theft of babies from their mothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda during the colonial era. The appellate judges ruled that despite the 70-year elapsed time since the abductions, these actions constituted crimes against humanity and were therefore not subject to statutes of limitations.

The judgment delivered a scathing indictment of Belgium's past actions, stating that the country had carried on “an inhumane act of persecution.” The court's ruling also acknowledged the profound and lasting impact of these events on the victims, ordering the Belgian state to provide compensation for the moral damage suffered. As the judgment read, “The court orders the Belgian state to compensate the appellants for the moral damage resulting from the loss of their connection to their mother and the damage to their identity and their connection to their environment.”

The plaintiffs at the center of this landmark case are five women: Simone Ngalula, Monique Bitu Bingi, Lea Tavares Mujinga, Noelle Verbeeken, and Marie-Jose Loshi. Born between 1946 and 1950, these women share a common experience of being taken from their families during Belgium's colonial rule in the region. Belgium controlled the territory that is today the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1908 to 1960, and Burundi and Rwanda from 1922 to 1962.

Monique Bitu Bingi, one of the plaintiffs, shared a poignant recollection of her experience with The Guardian. She remembered a white man visiting her birth village in 1953, and her family being instructed to bring her to a Christian mission three days' journey away. Recalling that fateful day, Bitu Bingi said, “I cried and cried, but there was no one.” Her testimony offers a glimpse into the traumatic events that these women endured, and highlights the lasting impact of Belgium's colonial legacy.

The court's ruling that Belgium carried out “an inhumane act of persecution” in Africa marks a significant milestone in the country's history. This case is particularly noteworthy as it sheds light on the fate of children born to one Black parent and one white parent during Belgium's colonization of Africa.

These children, mostly born to African mothers and white fathers, faced severe discrimination and were not allowed to be recognized by their fathers or integrate into white society. Their mothers were forced to place them in orphanages, primarily located in present-day Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This painful legacy is a stark reminder of the injustices perpetrated during Belgium's colonial era.

The five women at the heart of this case recount a traumatic experience of being forcibly taken to Catholic institutions, where they were forced to live until Belgium relinquished its colonial control to independence movements. Abandoned and left to fend for themselves, these women's stories are a testament to the lasting impact of Belgium's colonial legacy.

The true extent of the harm inflicted by these actions is difficult to quantify, as precise records were not kept. However, experts estimate that approximately 15,000 children were affected by this brutal practice. The Court of Appeals condemned these crimes, stating that they constituted “a plan to systematically search for and abduct children born to a Black mother and a white father.” This stark assessment underscores the deliberate and systematic nature of these human rights abuses.