LIfe Under Colonial Rule- Congo

Life in Congo under the rule of King Leopold II was gruesome. The villagers in the Congo were not treated as humans, but rather as property.  Rubber and ivory were in high demand, and Leopold forced the villagers to supply all the rubber and ivory that was needed, or suffer punishment. Punishments included, for men, cutting off their hands, and for women, being sold into prostitution. The soldiers in the Belgian army also forced the villagers to supply all the fish, meat, vegetables and fruits they ate, all year round. Most of these goods are only abundant during certain seasons, and the villagers had to travel far in harsh conditions in order to supply what the soldiers needed. If they couldn't, they were forced to sell a son or daughter into slavery. Local laborers of the Congo were forced to wear European clothing to show Belgium's superiority. Disease from malnutrition and lack of sleep also greatly increased during Belgium rule, and populations decreased more than 60 percent between 1890 and 1990. During the Belgian colonization of the Congo, the local Congolese laborers started a temporary mutiny against the Belgian officers. The Congolese people's goal was to humiliate the officers, not kill them. However, a few dozen Belgian officials were killed over the course of the colonization period. Evidently, both sides (Congolese and Belgian) had something to worry about, making the experience problematic for both the Belgian and Congolese people. Surely overall, the experience devastated the Congolese population far more, leaving permanent effects on this territory and all of Africa.