On this memorable day of June 30, 1960, the Congo celebrates its accession to independence, thus marking the beginning of a new era for this African country. The official ceremony organized at the Palais de la Nation was the scene of speeches and symbolic gestures which shaped the history and future of Congo in unexpected ways.
The day began in a formal manner, with the welcome of guests and the solemn entry of the Prime Minister, the Head of State and the King. The speeches of King Baudouin and President Kasa Vubu were applauded by the assembly, in an atmosphere of jubilation and emotion.
However, it was during Prime Minister Patrice Emery Lumumba’s speech that tensions crystallized. By directly addressing the “Freedom Fighters”, Lumumba raised a wave of fury and indignation in the room, by correcting the Belgian king’s speech and recalling that independence was not a gift but the fruit of a fierce and sacrificial struggle.
The angry reactions of the Belgian king and diplomatic circles marked a turning point in relations between Belgium and the Congo, announcing tumultuous times to come. The symbolic staging of the signing of the act of independence, with the deliberate encroachment of the Belgian Prime Minister’s signature on that of Lumumba, already testified to the underlying tensions.
The events that followed this historic day were marked by political maneuvering and foreign interference aimed at weakening the young Congolese government. The secession of resource-rich provinces, the manipulation of the national army, and ultimately the assassination of Lumumba plunged the country into a dark and unstable period.
More than 60 years after these events, the Congo continues to bear the burden of the struggles and injustices inflicted during the colonial period. Lumumba’s legacy, his ideals of freedom, dignity and justice, still resonate in the collective consciousness of the Congolese people, recalling the need to continue the fight for true independence and just and equitable governance.
The commemoration of this historic day reminds us that independence is not only a date to celebrate, but an ideal to pursue and defend, in order to guarantee a better future for future generations. The Congo, rich in its diversity and its history, deserves a destiny worthy of its aspirations and its sacrifices.
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