The fair city of Ghent is going to place special explanatory signs next to four statues, one building and two street names that refer to Belgium's colonial history. Forced labour, racism and exploitation caused a great deal of suffering in Congo, a former Belgian colony, and mandated territories in Africa including Rwanda. Ghent city council wants to draw extra attention to this by placing the new special signs.
Ghent adds explanatory signs to statues and places that refer to Belgium’s colonial history
Colin Clapson
Published:
All signs will read: ‘In honour of the victims of Belgian colonialism, we are placing the colonial legacy shown here in context.’
Each sign will also have a QR code that can be scanned. This will lead to a website with detailed information.
For example, a sign is planned at Stropkaai 8 with information about the “Colonial Rubber plc” Building. The text on the sign will read: ‘Colonial Rubber plc was a rubber factory founded by Pol De Schamphelaere in Ghent. Raw materials came from Congo, where rubber extraction was characterised by extreme exploitation, mutilation and violence.’
Why was Leopold II's statue removed?
Additional information will also be provided at the statue of Paul de Smet de Naeyer: ‘Here stands a bronze bust of Paul de Smet de Naeyer, a Ghent cotton magnate and former Catholic Prime Minister of Belgium. He defended colonial policy as an economic and civilising project.’
Other locations where signs will be placed include the bronze statue of Sakala in the Citadel Park, the location where the statue of King Leopold II in the Zuidpark was removed, King Boudewijn’s statue in the Citadel Park, but also on the Floraliënlaan street name (formerly called King Leopold II-Avenue).
‘By providing information about traces of colonialism, we are acknowledging the suffering that was caused and are creating space for dialogue and awareness,’ says alderwoman Hafsa El-Bazioui (ecologist Groen). ‘Ghent wants to be a city that learns from the past in order to build a just future.’