Explaining the Assassination of Patrice Lumumba: Cold War and Decolonization Contexts

Like the Portuguese, the Belgians had never really considered preparing Africans in the huge Congo for self-government, much less for independence. As a Congolese nationalist movement emerged after World War II, however, the Belgian government agreed that it should prepare the colony for self-government. Believing that the Congolese had not developed the institutions or acquired the experience needed to manage a modern state, Belgians supported a 30-year timetable to prepare them for independence. Distrusting the Belgians, African nationalists demanded immediate self-government. Consequently, in 1960 Belgium suddenly announced that it would withdraw completely within a year.

With little preparation, many political parties representing different ethnic groups, geographical regions and political beliefs participated in the first elections ever held in the new Democratic Republic of the Congo. Former postal clerk Patrice Lumumba became prime minister, while his rival and political enemy Joseph Kasavubu became president. Lumumba remained opposed to European influence. Angered by his stance, Belgian technicians and experts left the Congo in droves. This proved to be a major blow to the new country’s economy.

Soon, the army mutinied and the copper-rich province of Katanga seceded. The country was plunged into a crisis. An assassin killed Lumumba in 1961, and Kasavubu assumed full power. The chaos and violence continued.

The Congo celebrated its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, with a ceremony including speeches by the King of Belgium and the new president of the Congo, Joseph Kasavubu. Lumumba was not scheduled to speak at the ceremony, but he took the podium after listening to Kasavubu and gave the following speech.

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. We are deeply proud of our struggle, because it was just and noble and indispensable in putting an end to the humiliating bondage forced upon us.

We have experienced forced labor in exchange for pay that did not allow us to satisfy our hunger, to clothe ourselves, to have decent lodgings or to bring up our children as dearly loved ones. Morning, noon and night we were subjected to jeers, insults and blows because we were "Negroes." ... We have not forgotten that the law was never the same for the white and the black, that it was lenient to the ones, and cruel and inhuman to the others. We have not forgotten that in the cities the mansions were for the whites and the tumbledown huts for the blacks. ...

All that, my brothers, brought us untold suffering. But ... we tell you that henceforth all that is finished with. The Republic of the Congo has been proclaimed and our beloved country's future is now in the hands of its own people.

The American Central Intelligence Agency issued the following statement on June 27, 1960, as part of a daily briefing about countries in “the Communist Bloc.” The document was classified as Top Secret.

Lumumba Moves to Consolidate Power in the Congo: The government formed by Congo Premier-designate Patrice Lumumba is “weak” and has a “strong leftist tinge” according to the consulate general in Leopoldville. Members of opposition parties named to the cabinet are described as little known and likely to be dominated by Lumumba. Lumumba allocated to himself the key post of defense minister, which carries with it control over the Congo’s 24,000-man security force, whose Belgian officers are expected to remain after the Congo’s independence on 30 June.

Among ten secretaries of state, however, five—including secretary for economic coordination and planning—are Communist inclined. Anti-Lumumba leaders continue to emphasize Lumumba’s Communist contacts, and in conversation with US officials have deplored the failure of the United States to check “Communist forces” in the Congo. Available evidence suggests that Lumumba is a leftist-oriented “neutralist” who has accepted financial aid from Communist sources.

On July 11, 1960, the state of Katanga declared its independence from the newly independent Congo. Katanga is rich in copper, gold, and uranium and had Belgium’s support. Lumumba knew that losing Katanga would be a huge blow to the Congo, and he asked the U.N. to intervene. The U.N. told Belgium to remove its army from Katanga and sent U.N. troops to the Congo, but it didn’t let the troops help Lumumba attack Katangese and Belgian forces. This article appeared in the New York Times on August 6, 1960.

Premier Patrice Lumumba of the Congo telegraphed Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld today. ... Mr. Lumumba accused the Belgian government of “provoking” the secession of Katanga and maintaining troops there “to consolidate” this action. He said the moves of the dissident premier of Katanga, Moise Tshombe, were “dictated” by his Belgian military advisers.

After disclosing the text of the telegram to Mr. Hammarskjöld, Mr. Lumumba added that he firmly approved of his Government’s decision to force the Belgian Ambassador to leave the Congo by Monday. He said his Government had taken the decision to break off all relations with Belgium on July 14. He said the decision ... was taken after Belgium’s “flagrant violation of the friendship treaty by instigation of the secession of Katanga.”

A committee to investigate the possible involvement of Belgium in the assassination of Lumumba was formed in 1999. The committee produced a 20-page report in 2001 and concluded that Belgium was “morally responsible for the circumstances leading to the death of Lumumba.”

The different speeches of 30 June 1960 confirmed the mutual distrust between Lumumba and the Belgian government, which undoubtedly influenced their reactions to the subsequent events. From the beginning of the crisis, it was clear that it led to a fundamental split between Lumumba and the Belgian government and that gradually, not only the Belgian government, but also many other governments and many layers of Belgian and Congolese society were campaigning ... to bring about Lumumba’s downfall politically.

As indicated, the Belgian government found itself pressured by public opinion which was very harshly opposed to the events in the Congo after independence. ... It was hard for the government to justify a laissez-faire attitude regarding the tens of thousands of Europeans in the Congo and it was also worried about the financial and economic losses the Congo crisis could cause. The stakes were high for the Belgian financial groups in the Congo. Repeatedly, this was brought to the attention of the government.