Belgium–Democratic Republic of the Congo relations King Philippe of Belgium, in a speech to the Congolese parliament in Kinshasa, formally condemns the atrocities that occurred when the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared the personal property of his ancestor, Leopold II of Belgium, saying that the colonial government "was one of unequal relations, unjustifiable in itself, marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism". Belgian royals in DR Congo: King Philippe laments racism of colonial past © BBC News Sources: BBC News