Congo Receives Independence From Belgium (PJW)

June 30, 1960
LEOPOLDVILLE - In a historic moment for all time, the Republic of the Congo officially received independence today from Belgium. However, despite the peaceful transition, tensions remain between the free state and its former master.

The festivities in the capital of the Congo at the Palace of the Nation began with a speech from King Baudouin of Belgium. His speech praised the "genius" of his ancester Leopold II, who had initiated the colonization of the Congo during the late 19th century. With the peaceful transition of power and the ascension of colony to state, King Baudouin announced the freedom of the Congo as the "culmination of the Belgian civilizing mission". This was met by a chorus of disapproval from the thousands of Congolese who were listening to the speech via loudspeakers outside of the Palace. Nevertheless, the King concluded his speech to the loud, if rather uneasy, applause to those inside the Palace.

Up next was President Joseph Kasa-Vubu, who briefly thanked the King for his words and his attendance. The next speech was unplanned; Prime Minister and hero to the nation Patrice Lumumba arrived at the podium. His words immediately made it clear he held a different view of the situation compared to that of the Belgian King:

"Although this independence of the Congo is being proclaimed today by agreement with Belgium, an amicable country, with which we are on equal terms, no Congolese will ever forget that independence was won in struggle, a persevering and inspired struggle carried on from day to day, a struggle, in which we were undaunted by privation or suffering and stinted neither strength nor blood..."

In a fiery speech, the new Prime Minister blasted the colonial administration of Belgium, accusing it of causing the suffering of an untold number of Congolese through forced labor, land seizures, cruel and unusual physical punishments, and systemic racial discrimination, among other crimes. Lumumba then stated that the goal of the new republic would be serve as the "pride of Africa" and a symbol for other states currently waging wars for independence to follow.

The Prime Minister's words were no doubt inflammatory. Many Belgian delegates were said to have left the Palace of the Nation in a rage; the British and French, currently struggling to keep their African colonies under control, issued a condemnation of the speech; Lumumba's talk of "social justice and equality" will no doubt cause President Wayne to see him as a Red and therefore a potential enemy...