David Andrews Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) "Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether they can bring charges against people suspected of taking part in the killing of Congo’s first democratically elected leader, Patrice Lumumba, almost 60 years after his assassination. “ 'There are still two people alive,' [the Belgian Federal Prosecutor] said, referring to two suspects. 'It is symbolically important that the justice system is concerned with this case.' ” https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/jul/01/belgium-mulls-charges-over-1961-assassination-of-congos-first-elected-leader I don't know why I'm kvetching. This is, I suppose, what we all wanted. They tore down a statue and got all Lumumba was ever going to get. Inspirational verse: "Ludo De Witte, the Belgian author of the best book on this crime, qualifies it as 'the most important assassination of the 20th century.' " https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/jan/17/patrice-lumumba-50th-anniversary-assassination Edited July 1, 2020 by David Andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Andrews Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 (edited) In other news: Patrice Lumumba's teeth became mercenaries' souvenirs, and today are being bartered back to the Congolese. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/18/belgium-patrice-lumumba-gold-tooth-return Belgium to return Patrice Lumumba’s gold tooth in bid to atone for colonial crimes Edited June 18, 2022 by David Andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 This is interesting is it not? I wonder why at this time? Was it because of the Hammarskjold inquiry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Andrews Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 11 hours ago, James DiEugenio said: This is interesting is it not? I wonder why at this time? Was it because of the Hammarskjold inquiry. The Belgian royals have been sucking up to their former colony for public relations and trade advantages, in the way Prince William and wife toured the Caribbean islands recently on behalf of the ailing HRH. But a documentary and news interviews are mentioned in the two Guardian stories: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/10/judge-orders-return-of-tooth-said-to-be-from-assassinated-congolese-icon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2022 Share Posted July 9, 2022 (edited) On 6/18/2022 at 7:23 PM, James DiEugenio said: This is interesting is it not? I wonder why at this time? Was it because of the Hammarskjold inquiry. It was planned to be done earlier, Lumumba's daughter had asked for this some +2 years ago in ca. 2019, this after the police confiscated the tooth in circa 2016 (at the house of Gerard Soete's (grand-)children, they got it from him when he died in 2000). Of course there is discussion, people who had actually seen it/them during al these years talked about 2 white teeth, not one golden tooth... Anyway, the teeth/tooth were/was kept by grandfather Gerard Soete. In 1963 Gerard, his brother and 2 helpers had to get rid of Lumumba's body. He was ordered to do that by a Frans Verscheure (police officer in the Congo)) Gerard was working for the Katanga/Belgian Gouvernement (well... for as much as there was a gouvernment, it was all about Katanga, the Province where all the rich mining is. Lumumba was killed jan. 17, 1961 , only 3 days before JFK became president in jan.20, 1961 Hammarskjold killed in sept. 1961 (alledg. a plain crash). The CIA is being mentioned in both cases (as were mercenaries alledg. paid by Belgian "gouvernment" (not official) and Belgian industrials that had a lot to loose if Katanga would stay with Congo. They hired mercenaries to make Katange "indepenant" but they would keep control. The CIA cryptonym for Congo operations = WIPEGASUS ... a little obvious if you ask me... Pegasus was the name of the Belgian paratroopers bataljon that was often send to Congo when there was trouble. This bataljon was stationed in Diest/Belgium and had an airbase in the Congo B.t.w. it has been said the mercenaries were Cuban-exiles provided by the CIA......... the circle is round........... PS : Soete wrote a couple of books on the subject, for a long time he was not taken seriously. He had given interviews on German TV showing some bullets etc. Often said is that he apparently always refused to answer the Belgian authorities (did they really ask him... ?). The teeth were only shown to a few intimici (so it was told). It wasn't until after his death - when his family found some interesting stuff, incl. the tooth - things really got moving. Edited July 9, 2022 by Jean Paul Ceulemans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Schwartz Posted July 10, 2022 Share Posted July 10, 2022 This documet (posted by M . Clark on this website) is relevant to the Lumumba assassinatiodn...https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/157-10005-10297.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2022 Share Posted July 10, 2022 49 minutes ago, Chuck Schwartz said: This documet (posted by M . Clark on this website) is relevant to the Lumumba assassinatiodn...https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/157-10005-10297.pdf Thank you for that, I had not seen it before (I've got a lot of reading to catch up with....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Mellor Posted July 10, 2022 Share Posted July 10, 2022 18 hours ago, Jean Paul Ceulemans said: Hammarskjold killed in sept. 1961 (alledg. a plain crash). Without any doubt Hammarskjold's plane, a DC-6 the Albertina crashed, which the 'official investigation' put down to pilot error on the approach to Ndola airfield in the Congo. Many questions remain. Suspicions of CIA, MI6, South African involvement. Some believe the Albertina was shot down by a 2nd aircraft, or bombed. Witnesses spoke of an explosion in the sky prior to the crash. Most of the crew's bodies were badly burned, but not Hammarskjold's, who a U.N. representative stated his body was not burned, but had a round hole in his forehead. Just some of the very odd anomalies in this case. Didn't the late Desmond Tutu, as part of the S. African 'Truth & Reconciliation Committee' uncover documents incriminating CIA involvement in the plot. British researcher Susan Williams's book 'Who Killed Hammarskjold?' covers this case very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) On 7/9/2022 at 9:06 PM, Jean Paul Ceulemans said: cut (wr.pst) Edited July 22, 2022 by Jean Paul Ceulemans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 I am really glad we got this into the film, the long version especially. I really think it is important, both for what it says about Kennedy, and perhaps Dulles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now