The mixed-race people of the Belgian Congo: a crime against humanity? During their childhood, five women were forcibly torn from their Congolese mothers and separated from their Belgian fathers. Victims of colonial violence that penetrated to the very heart of their lives, they were placed in religious institutions as “children of sin” and subjected to widespread abuse. They received apologies for these colonial crimes, but no compensation. It is now estimated that around 15,000 people of mixed race suffered the same fate. Today, these five women are seeking justice and compensation from the Belgian State for crimes against humanity. The proceedings are now under appeal.