Review of G. Brausch's book on the Belgian colonial administration of the Congo

Although more moderate than some Belgian colonial administrators, Brausch isn't able to rise above the pervasive sense of paternalism with which Belgian colonials approached Congo. 

Furthermore, he simply isn't honest and straightforward in his analysis of key aspects of the Belgian administration. For example, he claims there wasn't significant official racial discrimination against Africans, but he doesn't discuss the frequent Belgian use of corporal punishment against Africans but not against Europeans in Congo. This hippo-hide whip created severe wounds and quite often resulted in death. Another important aspect of Belgian unequal treatment of Africans are the "parades" carried out by Belgian military during which they detained suspected dissidents and beat them, as a way of discouraging resistance. 

Brausch also isn't honest about features of Belgian political manipulation of Congolese political parties. It was well-known then as now that the very unpopular PNP party was initiated, organized, and funded by Belgians.

His criticisms, also, are not balanced in regard to the races. For example, he lambasts the Balubakat youth party for creating disorder but doesn't mention how the Belgian military organized the Abako youth party to carry out demonstrations against Lumumba for bribes and other emoluments. 

There are inaccuracies in the book: the January 4 demonstrations in then Leopoldville against Belgium were in 1959 not 1960. And, the posthumous book attributed by him to Lumumba was created by Belgian forgers.