Historical Security Council Study Guide - World Model United Nations

evolutionary phase of the national independence
movement, and the Belgians reevaluated the entire
independence claim by the Congo. 129
The Belgians were jolted by the violence in the
Congo. Prompted by the clear demands of the
population, the lack of political will in Belgium to
engage in an Algerian-like civil war, and the norm
of decolonialization
internationally, two
separate policy
statements released
by the Belgian king
and government on 13
January 1959 explicitly
supported the idea of
independence, 130 the
most rapid and radical
decolonization plan
seen on the African
continent up to this
point. 131 the Belgian
government was
also coming to the
realization that much
of the country was
simply ungovernable;
the Lower Congo and
Bandundu regions
at this point refused
to recognize the
authority of the
colonial government
and were only
willing to recognize
domestic political
parties as their rightful
rulers. 132 Combine
these circumstances
with a series of
wars and revolts in
Kasai and Kisangani,
and the Belgian
military resources were severely strained and
unable to maintain order, thus promoting the view
that independence should be granted. 133 While
independence was certainly the focus of the Belgian
government’s actions, they also specified that it
would still be under their prerogative to transfer the
responsibilities to “maintain a sound administration”
when “new Congolese institutions” have proven
they “are capable of maintaining order and respect
for public and private obligations, and the protection
of persons and
property.” 134
The December 1959
preliminary elections
for local government
councils were not
a positive event for
country unity. the
some 120 political
parties also proved to
destabilize the country.
Organized by tribal
unity most of the time
and openly hostile with
other parties, there
was not a universal
agreement over the
path that the Congo
should take. 135 these
elections also faced
widespread distrust,
given the Belgian
government’s aid to the
PNP party (an off-shoot
of the Lumumba’s
MNC party). 136 the
Belgians, even though
sensing that immediate
independence would
lead to a deteriorating
situation in terms of
law and order, agreed
to the popular demand
for “immediate
independence,” and
made a decision 20 February 1960 for total and
unconditional independence on 30 June 1960. 137
The independence struggle in Congo was in large part a reaction to the
historical mistreatment of the Congolese people. Here several people,
from children to the elderly, are photographed without hands which was
punishment in early colonial Belgium for misbehavior.
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