Planned Demolition Of King Leopold II In Belgium For His Past Sins

King Leopold II Statue (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The anti-racism movement has spread to all corners of the world. After protesters in Bristol England tore down a statue of the 17th century slave trader, Edward Colston, now it is the turn of the statue of Belgian King Leopold II to be targeted.

Reported by Reuters, this idea came from a member of parliament in Brussels. Leopold II, he said, had past sins. He is known as the mastermind of colonialism in the Republic of Congo and is said to have killed and injured millions of people in Congo.

On that basis, lawmakers are pushing for a debate on what actions are appropriate for the statue. Not long ago, a reply came from the Belgian State Secretary, Pascal Smet. He gave the view that discussions could take place. However, the discussion must be completed next year and it is mandatory to bring together experts as well as people from African backgrounds.

"We support the BLM movement, and we have contributed to Congo's 60 years of independence. And we are in a different time frame now, "he said.

Smet also revealed that he would comply with the results of the discussion, including if the conclusion was to knock down the statue. Even so, there are other options that can make them keep the statue, that the statue is a reminder of the past of Belgian colonialism.

"We need time. But not too long because there is always a danger with debates like that, that you start talking and you never stop talking," he added.

History reveals that Congo, which is today sovereign, was once the personal power of King Leopold. This control made Congo a source of wealth for Belgium from 1885-1908. Not to mention, while in power, as Adam Hochschild, author of the best-selling book King Leopold's Ghost, has revealed, half the Congolese population was wiped out under Leopold's rule.