The Spirit of Lumumba Lives On

The Spirit of Lumumba Lives On

(Adapted from a short article by Ahmed Azad, “Africa Notes and Comment: The Spirit of Lumumba Lives On”, The African Communist, No. 105, Second Quarter, 1986, pp. 65 – 66).

On 20 January 1961, Patrice Lumumba was brutally murdered by agents of Belgian and United States imperialism. Lumumba, a son of peasants, remains one of the most outstanding leaders produced on our continent. He helped to found the Congolese National Movement (MNC) which was the only organisation in the Belgian Congo to transcend tribal and ethnic divisions. The anti-colonial struggle led by the MNC compelled Belgium to grant independence in 1960. The Belgian government only wanted to transfer the trappings of power to the people, and expected the MNC to be a willing tool of imperialism. But due to the racist attitudes the Belgians could not understand that in Lumumba they were dealing with a genuine revolutionary and patriot.

On independence day Lumumba made a blistering attack on colonialism and imperialism which infuriated Belgium and the USA. From then on imperialism stepped up its destabilisation plans, culminating in the murder of Lumumba. As with UNITA, MNR and other counter-revolutionary groups of the present time, the imperialists created a Tshombe and armed and financed Mobutu’s cutthroats in the Force Publique, a force raised and trained in Belgium.

The murder of Lumumba angered millions upon million of people throughout the world. In South Africa demonstrations were held in support of Lumumba and against neo-colonial and imperialist aggression and treachery. In an editorial ‘The African Communist’ (No. 6, July 1961) sharply criticised the role play the so-called UN Peace-Keeping Force and by the then UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. The editorial thundered that the UN force had been invited by Lumumba, but they sided with his opponents, and that Lumumba was done to death by the “real live monster of colonialism, the actual agents of the imperialist powers, including Hammarskjold himself”.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of Lumumba’s death. In paying tribute to his memory, we note that whilst the name Tshombe has become synonymous with traitor and quisling, the name Lumumba is associated with heroism, courage and anti-imperialism.

The monstrous murder of Lumumba should always serve as a salutary warning to us. To defeat the conspiracies and aggression of imperialism we must be permanently vigilant and combat ready. The life and death of Lumumba are further proof that whilst revolutionary leaders and activists grow in stature, traitors, puppets and sell-outs are reviled and consigned to oblivion.

– Ahmed Azad –

Source:
Ahmed Azad, “Africa Notes and Comment: The Spirit of Lumumba Lives On”, The African Communist, No. 105, Second Quarter, 1986, pp. 65 – 66.

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