Similarly, most Belgians were convinced that Belgium was in Congo for the sole purpose of educating and uplifting the benighted natives.

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Last week, Belgium called for the DR Congo government to arrest Mr Ntaganda, who is also known as "The Terminator".

BBC: Bosco Ntaganda: Congo's 'Terminator' troops defect

Symbolically the last flight came from Africa, where Sabena pioneered commercial air travel in the 1930s to Belgium's then colony, Congo.

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They were joined by senior ministers and Government officials from the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

UN: Security Council

For example, when the Belgian government said it would resume aid to Congo, the opposition parties joined forces for once, and accused Belgium of wanting the division of the country and undermining the Lusaka accords.

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Belgium apologised, for the first time, for the 1961 murder of Patrice Lumumba , Congo's independence leader and first prime minister.

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