The Bloody History of the Congo and the Leopold II of Belgium

By Ho G Lee-Biachler

 

The Belgian King Leopold II's desire to "do something in Africa" led to the Congo Free State's horrific massacre. Despite his initial claim of working towards peaceful and humanitarian goals, he authorized the killing of countless innocent Congolese people. The Belgians' first kind treatment towards the natives was short-lived, and soon the chiefs were forced to put their mark on the Latin alphabet paper, leading to a bloody massacre. Sadly, Leopold's vicious deeds were soon forgotten due to the prevalent white supremacist thoughts and World War II's devastating effect. As George Santayana's quote says, those who do not remember the past are bound to repeat it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ho Giustino
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223988243

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Introduction of the Congo to the Europeans

Before the age of exploration, most Europeans thought there was a Sea of Darkness wherever the Sahara ended, and beyond that, one-eyed monsters lived. However, a new era began after Diogo Cão, a Portuguese explorer, discovered the African west coast and the Congo river. By the Congo River, there was the Kingdom of Kongo ³ — located in modern-day Congo and Angola — where there were tons of ivories and enslaved people, which were essential for the Portuguese Brazil colony. So many Portuguese merchants bought many enslaved people from the Kongo and forced them to work on a plantation in the Brazilian territory. Even the Kongo Kingdom's King, Affonso I, who was generous in European actions in his country, wrote this message to João III, the Portuguese King, because they brought too many enslaved people to Brazil.

Each day, the traders are kidnapping our people — children of this country, sons of our nobles and vassals, even people of our family... This corruption and depravity are so widespread that our land is entirely depopulated... It is our wish that this kingdom is not a place for the trade or transport of slaves. ⁴

However, the Portuguese King and merchants did not listen but ignored his voice, and soon after, other European countries, from the British and French to the Dutch, started to join this Atlantic slave trade between the Kongo and their American colony, which made the Kongo the center of the Atlantic slave trade. This flow caused terrible damage to the country's population, leading the giant kingdom to break down into pieces under the indigenous rulers after the death of King Affonso I.

Leopold II, the First Step into the Congo

Leopold II of Belgium was born as the son of Leopold I — the first king of the kingdom of Belgium — and Louise d'Orléans in 1835. During school, he was terrible at schoolwork. He had little interest in the subjects except for geography. Also, the relationship between him and his father was very distant. His father communicated with him and discussed something vital about him through secretaries, not directly, and even told him, If you want to meet, go through the process of requesting an audience. ⁵

While he was growing up, he thought that his country, Belgium, was tiny and weak compared to Napoleon's France or the German Empire. So, from an early age, he always wanted colonies for Belgium to enlarge. One day, when he was twenty-six years old, he visited Seville in Spain. Unlike other travelers who went to see the famous cathedrals, mosaics, and Alcázar Palace, he spent full time in the old exchange building of Casa Lonja. There were records, maps, and drawings about the Spanish conquest of the Americas. After various trips, he returned to Belgium and spoke to his officials: Il faut à la Belgique une colonie, ⁶ meaning that Belgium must have a colony.

His interest in the colonies did not stop at thoughts but emerged as his actions. He first asked the Egyptian government for the Nile River to drain the water out and build settlements there, and also requested the Suez Canal Company for the Fiji Islands in the Pacific and the Spanish Kingdom for the Philippines Islands. Later, he asked the Dutch, French, and British for the islands of Southeast Asia. ⁷ However, none of them worked since, just like Leopold II, other European countries wanted more and more colonies due to competition among themselves. Soon, he turned his sights to Africa. At that time, more than 80% of its land was not colonized but ruled by African tribes. So, he decided to send explorers to the center of the African continent or the Congo Basin (the Congo Basin was the starting point of the Congo and Nile Rivers, the two most important rivers on the mainland), where he wanted to colonize. To send explorers and rationalize the colonization, he invited thirteen Belgians, mostly marquises, and barons. In addition to them, he asked twenty-four famous explorers who were almost every notable geographer at that time and opened up a party about African exploration in Brussels. He gave this speech to show the explorers his and Belgium's need to colonize Africa. ⁸

To open to civilization the only part of our globe which it has not yet penetrated, to pierce the darkness which hangs over entire peoples, is, I dare say, a crusade worthy of this century of progress... It seemed to me that Belgium, a centrally located and neutral country, would be a suitable place for such a meeting. Need I say that in bringing you to Brussels, I was guided by no egotism? No, gentlemen, Belgium may be a small country, but she is happy and satisfied with her fate; I have no other ambition than to serve her well. ⁹

This presentation was the first speech for Leopold II to show the rationality of him and his country, Belgium, to colonize Africa, especially the Congo Basin, to the explorers and representatives of many European nations. The goal of the speech was to be hospitable, scientific, pacifying, and peace-making in interior Africa. At that party, he founded the International African Association, which many people and countries welcomed throughout Europe, and many royals, families, and organizations donated to his project to civilize Africa's interior.

Landing in Africa

Although Leopold decided to go for the Congo, he had many things to do before granting his final goal, the Congo colony. He first had to explore the Congo River and establish towns and road networks along the river, which were essential for his territory. So, Leopold seized a Welsh American explorer named Stanley in Paris, France, who was returning from the Congo River. He asked Stanley to help him establish the territory. However, Stanley first refused his offer because Stanley wanted his home country of Britain to have the Congo since Stanley knew the area's importance. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, after he noticed that the British government was more into their colonies of India and Zanzibar than the Congo — at that time, the British government thought that the Congo was nothing but jungles and savannas — he decided to go with Leopold.

On June 10, 1878, Stanley crossed the English Channel and met King Leopold. They talked about the Congo colony's development and detailed the construction progress there. They agreed to set up the first settlement by the river's mouth and construct roads and a railroad around the