By The Berlin Conference: Blueprint For Africa’s Colonial Exploitation
Over 140 years ago, the Berlin Conference marked a pivotal and harrowing moment in African history. During this gathering, European powers formalized the division of Africa, creating a framework for the violent occupation of the continent. These nations systematically seized African land, enslaved its people, and looted its wealth, all to fuel Europe’s prosperity.
Coming on the heels of transatlantic slavery’s abolition, the Berlin Conference became a second war on Africa. Among its most devastating outcomes was the designation of the Congo as a personal colony for King Leopold II of Belgium, under the pretext of humanitarianism to “end slavery.” Leopold dubbed it the “Congo Free State,” but it became a domain of cruelty and greed.
Leopold’s imperial ambitions were summed up in his infamous statement:
“I do not want to miss a good chance of getting us a slice of this magnificent African cake.”
Before Adolf Hitler orchestrated the Holocaust, which claimed 6 million Jewish lives, Leopold II perpetrated a genocide in the Congo, resulting in the deaths of over 10 million Congolese. His administration inflicted unimaginable suffering, including widespread mutilations, where victims’ limbs were severed as punishment for failing to meet rubber collection quotas.
The Congo, rich in ivory and rubber, was reduced to a profit-driven enterprise. Leopold imposed a system of forced labor, requiring indigenous people to work as slaves on their own land. Resistance or inability to meet quotas was met with extreme brutality. The Force Publique, his army of mercenaries, was tasked with enforcing this regime, often by executing resisters and collecting their severed hands as proof of compliance.
Villages that failed to meet rubber quotas were razed, with their inhabitants slaughtered or left destitute. The relentless pursuit of rubber profits led to dangerous labor conditions, with many workers falling to their deaths while harvesting rubber from towering trees.
Leopold’s crimes were not unique. Across the continent, colonial powers carried out similar acts of brutality. In South Africa, the British established concentration camps during the Boer War, while in Kenya, they used camps during the Mau Mau uprising to torture and execute detainees. Methods of interrogation in Kenya included choking detainees with mud and other inhumane practices.
The exploitation of Africa extended beyond human lives to its resources. The Cullinan Diamond, the largest ever discovered, was taken from Africa under the guise of a “gift” during colonial rule. Today, pieces of the diamond are embedded in the British Crown Jewels, a stark symbol of imperial theft.
The Berlin Conference institutionalized the exploitation and oppression of Africa, setting the stage for a century of colonial domination. It legalized the theft of land, the destruction of communities, and the siphoning of resources, leaving profound scars that remain evident today.
Remembering this dark period is essential —not just as a historical record but as a call to confront and address the lingering effects of colonialism that continue to shape global inequalities.
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