Recognizing the Swahili-Arab presence east of the Lualaba River, Stanley seems to have convinced King Leopold to leave this area out of their Ostend map of the Congo. He justified his respect for Arab authority by the fact that ‘we have come in presence of a people who might with some justice present [a] counterclaim to the territory, were we to cross the Lualaba’. 33 Moreover, the king, on Stanley’s advice, did collaborate with the Swahili-Arabs, as the latter provided the CFS with ‘freed slaves’ as labourers and soldiers in exchange for money, while the two sides were also united in exploiting rivalries between the major powers. 34 Competition over the control of ivory, and not humanitarian impulse, pushed Leopold to change his Arab policy from collaboration to confrontation. Thus, between 1892 and 1894, the war against Swahili- Arab economic and political power was disguised as a Christian anti- slavery crusade by a colonial state whose brutal regime exceeded the worst horrors of Arab slavery.
Contrary to the free trade provisions of the Berlin Act, King Leopold proceeded to establish an economy controlled by the royal family and a few powerful trusts, including the Société générale de Belgique (SGB) and the Baron Empain banking group. 35 Although his preference was for Belgian capital, the emerging globalization of capitalist exploitation and the king’s own interest in maintaining good relations with the major powers did provide an entry to the vast riches of the Congo for the bourgeoisies of other imperialist countries. Given the time it takes to build railroads, harbours and mining facilities, the economic role of most trusts yielded dividends only in the post-Leopoldian era. During his tenure, the king derived much of his wealth from the collection of rubber and ivory through forced labour.
The invention of the pneumatic or inflatable rubber tyre by the Scottish veterinary surgeon John B. Dunlop in 1887–88 and Edouard Michelin’s patent of the tyre in 1891 resulted in the mass production of bicycles and the much-needed supply of a major component for the motor vehicle. These two developments created a large market for rubber tyres in the world economy. 36 King Leopold sought to capitalize on the abundance of rubber trees in the Congo to reap the rewards of the high demand for rubber on the world market.
Copy of The Congo from Leopold to Kabila - Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja
An excerpt from The Congo from Leopold to Kabila - by Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja #DRC #freeDRC
Some great reads from my local library #books #bookrecs #landback #freepalestine #freesudan #freedrc
Well. I'm all alone, and I really don't like it. I'm going to go watch something and try taking my mind off of it.
If anyone needs/wants me, tag or DM and I should get it right away.
Remember, #FreeDRC
#FreeSudan
And #FreePalestine
#FreeCongo #DRC #FreeDRC
Hi Bluesky friends 🦋
Boosting these beautiful sisters, fleeing harms way in DRC, if you can, please help by donating to their cause and/or sharing the original post from Eyes On Congo below:
"When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist."
Servant of God Hélder Câmara
#communism #socialism #capitalism #freeSudan #freePalestine #freeDRC
a refurbished iPhone 15. #FreeDRC
Red poppy background with overlaid text in green and black fonts, reading “We should all care about Congo, Sudan, Palestine,” conveying awareness and solidarity.
#FreeCongo
#FreeDRC
#DRCisbleeding
#Congoisbleeding
www.theafricareport.com/388706/peace...
I am pro-inclusion. And I will judge you if you are racist, misogynist, and place economy over ecology. I practice the paradox of tolerance.
#AntiRascist #BLM #LBGTQI+ #Pride
I am pro-oppressed. #FreePalestine #FreeDRC #Free(Sudan #FreeUkraine #FreePakistan #FreeMyanmar #FreeUyghurs (China)
'"Early reports show that children make up between 35 to 45 percent of the nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported... in just January and February of this year," he told reporters in Geneva, speaking from Goma.'
#FreeDRC
www.thehindu.com/news/interna...
Une délégation de l'AFC/M23 pour les négociations directes de Luanda/Angola avec le gouvernement Congolais afin de résoudre la crise sécuritaire à l'Est du Congo.
Quel résultat attez-vous de ces négociations ?
#FreeDRC
ON ALL MEDIA OUTLETS
Except independent reporting with no visuals
#FREEPALESTINE
#FREELEBANON
#FREESUDAN
#FREEDRC
#FREOURWORLD
‘Belgium’s King Leopold also sent emissaries to secure recognition of the “International Congo Society”, an association formed to establish his personal control of the Congo Basin.’
& this is the essence of congo’s woes and continues to this day.
#freecongo
#freedrc
#endgenocide
aje.io/ljf6ze
We're at $25, a quarter way to the goal!! Please share and donate if you're able, even $5 donations will add up quickly (and get you an entry into the raffle)!! 🇨🇩💙
#FreeDRC #FreeCongo #Congo #DRC #DRCongo
#urbanplanning #urbanist #chicago #boston #bospoli #amsterdam #lesbian #lgbtq #trains #amtrak #vegan #vegetarian #astrology #scorpio #cancer #leo #virgo #blacksky #freepalestine #freecongo #freedrc #freesudan
#PrayForCongo #congoisbleeding #RwandaIsKilling #FreeCongo #PrayForDRC #FreeDRC #FreeGoma #PrayForGoma #PrayForEasternCongo #FreeKivu #FreeEasternCongo #PrayForKivu
“The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium saying that Apple's supply chain is contaminated with "blood minerals".
Their lawyers argue Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups that control mines.”
Power to the Congo #FreeDRC
this linktree is filled with gofundme & other ways to help out those facing genocide. #freedrc #freedrcongo🇨🇩 #freehaiti #freehaiti🇭🇹 #freesudan #freeyemen #freetigray #freepalestine #freeallthoseoppressed
I know folks are saving money by refusing to feed bigoted relatives and former friends, hehe. I suggest giving a bit to Black and indigenous folks in need! You could also buy ESIMs for Palestinians. #helpsky #BIPOCMA #MAboost #freePalestine #freeHaiti #freeSudan #freeDRC #freeTigray 💸💕 💰🆙 💕💸🍉
U.N. SILENCE: COMPLICITY IN CRIME?
Refugees face rape, molestation & exploitation by @UN peacekeepers.
Silence enables abuse. Demand accountability!
Protect the vulnerable. Justice for survivors.
#UNReform #ProtectRefugees #StopSexualViolence
#FreeDRC
here’s a linktree for DR Congo with links you can donate to #CongoIsBleeding #FreeDRC #FreeCongo #BIPOCMA
linktr.ee/freedrcongo
literally $0 raised on this!!! #FreeDRC #FreeCongo #BIPOCMA
gofund.me/5de06796