On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. Leopold privately owned the region. His ownership of the land which was later taken over by Belgium was marked by the widespread atrocities that were carried out on the people of Congo, as a result of which as many as 10 million people died in the Congo Free State later known as Belgian Congo.   See this video for  the history of the crimes committed against the people of Congo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoYcXA-UZ-o

Belgium has never paid reparation for all the atrocities committed. The current King and Queen of Belgium are on a week-long visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo starting today 7th of June. They say they will return some of the artifacts stolen from the country. It is good that they are prepared to return some artifacts, but stolen artifacts are the least of the damage done to the Congolese. The Democratic Republic of Congo has never known peace or prosperity since its independence. Belgium like some other European countries continues to benefit from the chaos in DRC through multinationals who collude with corrupt local leaders.

The King and Queen are in a position to 1) admit publicly the atrocities committed by Belgium and 2) use their positions to ask their country and citizens to commit to reparations for the limbs of people cut off, lives lost, communities destroyed, resources like rubber and numerous mineral materials stolen from the Congo. 

By doing the above The Democratic Republic of Congo will begin a proper process of healing and restoration. Belgium will also be setting a much needed example for other former colonizers.