The Congolese
The Congolese
Embedded Files
A line of Congolese prisoners in Basoko joined by large neck chains, 1899, Wikipedia
Some Congolese tried to resist the Force Publique (Leopold’s agents) from seizing their villages and taking over land by attacking. An example of local resistance was by a group led by a local chief named Nzansu who was unhappy about the Belgian invasion of his land. A notorious Belgian agent named Eugene Rommel built a station around the lower Congo rapids to procure porters for the three week trek from Matadi to Stanley Pool. There were a lot of men needed, so under Leopold’s order, Rommel used forced labor. Nzansu retaliated by killing Rommel on December 5, 1893. Additionally, Nzansu and his men burned the station and killed two Force Publique agents. A Swedish missionary named Karl Teodor Andersson witnessed everything, but Nzansu didn’t kill him. Instead he gave some supplies that were abandoned on the trail. The resistance to the Force Publique alarmed Belgian officials because the caravan route to Stanley Pool was damaged, disrupting transportation of valuable resources. Nzansu and his men fought against the Force Publique for six years. Finally, Nzanzu and his troops were defeated by the Force Publique.
Some Congolese tried to resist the Force Publique (Leopold’s agents) from seizing their villages and taking over land by attacking. An example of local resistance was by a group led by a local chief named Nzansu who was unhappy about the Belgian invasion of his land. A notorious Belgian agent named Eugene Rommel built a station around the lower Congo rapids to procure porters for the three week trek from Matadi to Stanley Pool. There were a lot of men needed, so under Leopold’s order, Rommel used forced labor. Nzansu retaliated by killing Rommel on December 5, 1893. Additionally, Nzansu and his men burned the station and killed two Force Publique agents. A Swedish missionary named Karl Teodor Andersson witnessed everything, but Nzansu didn’t kill him. Instead he gave some supplies that were abandoned on the trail. The resistance to the Force Publique alarmed Belgian officials because the caravan route to Stanley Pool was damaged, disrupting transportation of valuable resources. Nzansu and his men fought against the Force Publique for six years. Finally, Nzanzu and his troops were defeated by the Force Publique.
Evidence
Evidence
A Swedish missionary named Karl Teodor Andersson was on a caravan route and met local Congo chief named Nazanzu and wrote to church members in Sweden that,
A Swedish missionary named Karl Teodor Andersson was on a caravan route and met local Congo chief named Nazanzu and wrote to church members in Sweden that,
“If our friends of the Mission at home are worried for our safety here as a results of letters and newspaper reports about the unrest in these parts, I wish to reassure them…The leader of the rebels, Chief Nzansu of Kasi, has let us know that he does not wish harm to any one of us as we have always shown that we are friend of the black people. But to the men of the State he has sworn death. And anyone who knows of the conditions out here cannot feel surprised.”
“If our friends of the Mission at home are worried for our safety here as a results of letters and newspaper reports about the unrest in these parts, I wish to reassure them…The leader of the rebels, Chief Nzansu of Kasi, has let us know that he does not wish harm to any one of us as we have always shown that we are friend of the black people. But to the men of the State he has sworn death. And anyone who knows of the conditions out here cannot feel surprised.”
The significance of this quote is that the local leader had no interest in attacking European missionaries but his determination to kill the Force Publique is clear. He knew who they wanted to kill, the Congolese weren’t trying to attack every foreigner they saw.
The significance of this quote is that the local leader had no interest in attacking European missionaries but his determination to kill the Force Publique is clear. He knew who they wanted to kill, the Congolese weren’t trying to attack every foreigner they saw.
Letter from Karl Teodor Anderson, 1893, King Leopold’s Ghost: The Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
Letter from Karl Teodor Anderson, 1893, King Leopold’s Ghost: The Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
Page updated
Report abuse