Evening star., 1903-07-28
CRIMES IN THE CONGO
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF NATIVES
BY BELGIANs AND "FRIENDLIEs."
Violations of the Treaty of Berlin
Tyranny of King Leopold
Slavery.

been missionary of the Presbyterian
church in the Congo Free State for the
past six and a half years. l have been
stationed at Lueho large native settle
Went and trading center at the head of
navigation on the Iulua river. which is
tributary of the kas.ii. and this latter IS In
turn the largest southern tributary of the
great Congo river. Since Luebo is thus In
the interior about twelve hundred miles.
almost due east from the mouth of the
Congo river. l have thus enjoyed excep-
uonal advantages in observing the opera
uons of the state government In the vari-
Gus parts of its vast domain. which is
nearly half that of the United States. and
comprises a native poulation variously es-
tlmated at from fifteen to forty millions.
Kings Monopoly
Not only has the king closed up the
country to the freedom of commerce. which
vas granted under the treaty. but he has
at the same time closed 1t up to the pro-
gress of missions-at least to Protestant
missions. During the first ten or twelve
years OF the states history we were able
TO buy land grants. but within the past
four years we have been unable to buy
land, the state utterly refusing to sell it
under any conditions. l read in a New
York paper few days ago the account OF
reported as saying that the open door
prevails in the Congo State If he really
said such a thing 1t only shows the utter
disre gard he has for the truth. and II
means that he is willing to descend to any
depth In order to keep the world blinded
as to the fact that he has been in these
eighteen years metamorphosed from
philanthropist into a money monger and
taSkmaSter.
Slave Raids.
We shall now consider tho question OF
slavery. which the treaty of Berlin clearly
stipulated that the new state should use
every legitimate effort to suppress Be
tween the years 1855 and 1889 the king
noticed the gradual encroa chment of the
Arabs in the eastern part of his domain.
and during these years he also discovered
the value of the ivory, and especially of
the rubber. which WAS found almost every
where in the forests. Putting these two
ideas together in his mind with the for
uer. however. only publicly expressed h..
called II conference of the powers IN RruS-
sells in lAs? and secured from them the
right TO organize and equip "A native army
for the ostensihle purpose of suppressng
the Arsb slave trade
II" also at the same time got permission
to levy duties for the support of this army
and the necessary governmental machinery.
say her" IN all CanIOr that the collecting
OF this army of natives now numbering
$1,000. cannibals for the most part: the
arming Of them with repeating rifles: the
posting of them throughout the confines OF
the state; the tyranny and bloodsh.I and
reign of terror which II has produced
throughout the confines of the state mark
without doubt one of the darkest and most
shameful pages in modern history-and all
done under the cloak of Yiilanthropy True.
tie Arab slave raiding has been suppressed
Tor the most part, but the Arabs We're
angels of mercy a s compared to the armed
cannihals OF King Leopold and his numer-
Gus "frendlies." who go about ulindering
and burning villages Selling slaves CUTTING,
off hands and committing the most dia-
b"lical crimes when the tribute demanded
by the king is not forthcoming The ma
uEes now have no rights left which the
king deignS to respect. Forced labor and
military laws have been in operation for
some years. I have seen soldiers al Luebo
Who We're caught in the I!angala district.
tar away up the Congo river: on the other
hand. | have seen soldiers in service at
Bona, on the west coast. who were brought
down from the region near Iuebo: | SAW
last August white officer with soldiers
come to Luebo and seize IN the forests
whence they had fled for refuge about a
dozen and half. of men and they We're
taken away under guard with rope around
their necks in true Arab slave-raiding
style.
Loads of Slaves.
Only last March I came down on the
Congo railway from Stanley Pool to
Matadi on the same train with three
trucks loaded with slaves who had
been caught at or near Lusambo,
which is the seat OF the chief white officer
in our district. l gave them some food
and they begged me to tell them where
the state was taking them. / have seen
at least 10000 people hiding for weeks In
the forests without food or shelter. seek
Ing refuge from the white Belgian officers
and their native soldiers When il is
announced at Lueho that soldiers or
state officer are coming many helpless wo-
men and children customarily flee to our
mission premises for refuge. l have deeply
felt for the poor people in their anxiety
and distress and 1 have wondered how
much longer the enlightened civilized
powers of the world would permit this
blasting curse to remain upon Africa as
an open sore on the good name of philan-
thropy and civilization.
Not only does the state its regular
soldiery in the terrorizing of the natives
and in the perpetrating of all sorts of bar
baritieS but the state syStematically-at
least. in my diStrict-makes friends with
some strong chiefs or tribes, and these be
come. If possible, a greater terror than the
regular soldiers An illustration OF this
may be found in the Zappo Zapps. strong,
warlike cannibalistic people who were
brought to Luluaburg. state post near
Luebo, about twelve years ago. Ever
slave raiders and slave dealers of our
region. showing conclusively that the
state not only permits but tacitly instructs
them to make raids from time to time. AS
a result of this slave raiding going on
more or less all the time In some part of
the district. 1 can buy slaves at Luebo al
most any day at from SO to s15 apiece
About three years ago a company of these
Zappo Zapps under instructions. as / be
lieve, from the white state officer at Lulua-
burg. made raid near to one of our mis-
sion stations.
Cannibalisn
This raid was in progress for some weeks
and the whole region was thrown into n
state of terror One of our missionaries,
Rev. w. H. Sheppard F.R.G.S., went to
the stockade where the Zappo Zapps had
intrenched themselves. He was received
kindly by the chief of the expedition: he
saw and counted eighty-one human hands
slowly drying over fire. and the chief
said they were to be taken back to the
white state officer; he saw about forty five
dead bodies piled up in heap outside the
stockade Upon asking why the flesh was
carved off some of the bodies he was told
by the chief that his people had eaten the