Colonization is not a new topic to me, for Cambodia had been a French protectorate/colony for 90 years from 1863-1953. Nevertheless, I was really surprised to learn that Belgium was also able to colonize another country because education in Cambodia and other English books I had read never mentioned this colonization at all. In addition, I did not even hear of the bomb attack at Brussels airport in 2016 despite the fact that I was working for an airline at Siem Reap airport that year. In short, in my perfect estimation, only a few Cambodians know Belgium and its history.
Talking about colonization, Belgium's colonization of Congo is one of the darkest and most brutal human exploitation colonization has ever given, which caused millions of Congolese lives, and damaged Congolese natural resources. As a result of this colonization and exploitation, numerous artifacts and wild animals have been brought to Belgium from Congo to display in the museum right in the center of Belgium. However, sooner or later those things will be shipped back to where they really belong.
One thing which astonishes and makes me respect Belgium the most is Belgium's admission of their brutal act on the Congolese during their colonization and their willingness to compensate for that brutality via various acts one of which is by inviting some Congolese artists to come to Belgium to express their artwork in the African Museum while the museum was in the renovation.
