Fifty years on, Belgium struggles with ex-colony Congo

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Five decades after it ended its reign as a feared ruler in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium is still coming to terms with its shady past and cannot quite decide whether to embrace or lecture its old colony.

In the run-up to the 50th anniversary of Congo's independence on June 30, Belgium spent weeks debating how far it should go in celebrating the event or showing support for President Joseph Kabila, particularly after the mysterious death this month of Congo's top human rights activist.

It decided in the end to send its king, queen and acting prime minister to the ceremonies, but its troops will not participate and King Albert will not make a speech.

The first visit to Congo by a Belgian monarch in 25 years marks an easing of tensions. Two years ago, Congo withdrew its ambassador to Belgium after Belgium's then foreign minister criticised Kinshasa over corruption and human rights.

But the run-up to the visit has served as a reminder of crimes and indiscretions that Belgium has yet to put to rest.

A week ago, a son of Congo's first democratically elected leader, Patrice Lumumba, said he would seek the prosecution for war crimes of 12 Belgian officials suspected of aiding his father's assassination in 1961.

Meanwhile, a Congo-born student is arguing in a Brussels court that the Belgian cartoon album "Tintin in the Congo" is racist and should be banned. The English-language version of the 1930s cartoon, about a globe-trotting boy reporter, now includes a warning that readers should take it in context.

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