From 17th century onwards, the world saw many human civilisations going extinct due to Europeans. Eurocentric thought process, which developed during these centuries, still persists. Many of us truly believe in the benevolence of Europeans in bringing the world out of darkness and into modernisation. This awe that people generally feel is a proof of that fact that history is written by the conquerors and the real story is shockingly different. It is also the proof of their successful propaganda of self-image building, which turned them from perpetrators to benefactors.
I had a chance of reading “King Leopold’s Ghost” by Adam Hochschild. Honestly speaking, reading this book was the most painful literary activity of my life. Not that I have not seen movies or read the books depicting barbaric side of human nature, but nothing prepared me for this planned ethnic cleaning of a whole continent with such savagery. Even more aggravatingly painful was to realise that this practice of colonisation was also faced by our people at sub-continent. Rather, these Europeans were actually searching for the riches of India, when they accidentally landed in Africa. Human mind is such that when it comes across any atrocity, denial of deliberation is the first feeling. Reading this book shocked me at multiple levels. Despite being aware of damages to our civilisation in the sub-continent and value systems faced at the hands of our conquerors (The British), it was really hard for me to digest the intentional and planned destruction of one human civilisation at the hands of others. This destruction of other human civilisations by the Europeans was not done by only Belgians, Spanish, Portuguese or British but almost all Europe was morally responsible in one way or the other. Presenting a false picture to the rest of the world is one thing but convincing the victims of being their benefactors is another. Killing, rapes or mutilations may be accounted for but the destruction of civilisations via destroying core values, belief systems and cultural linkages cannot. This was the most appalling realisation after reading this book. How Europeans were able to destroy whole civilisations and yet made their animosity look like a blessing to the very subjugated. For centuries they have maintained and even tightened the grip on human minds.
The lust and greed were transferred to the innocent people by the very preachers who had come to spread Christianity and the word of God but their desire turned them into slave trading merchants, rapists and killers.
This book is a rare piece of literature which serves as a window into the truth of King Leopold’s so-called Philanthropic efforts in Congo. In this heart moving and soul touching book, Adam Hochschild describes how greed and hedonism of a powerful and manipulative king sitting almost 4000 miles away resulted in one of the major human killings, rapes and mutilations in Congo. According to estimates, eight to 10 million Congolese lost their lives in the course of two decades. When the world was hailing him as the most philanthropic man of his times, King Leopold was establishing a ‘one-man-owned’ colony for the very first time in human history. Most painful the is the fact that his position power, money and deceitful cunning propaganda created such veil to truth that while he was at his terror and greed, European newspapers were praising him as a philanthropic god who was investing his personal wealth for public works in Africa. Surprising is the fact that not then and even not now many were aware of the truth. Very few still mention millions of tons of ivory and rubber extraction under cruelest slavery regime ever just for the sake of profits. This cover up was so effective that even today many don’t know about the truth and extent of Economic rape much so that Hochschild in opening chapter of the book expresses his astonishment on being totally unaware of such Holocaust scale human killings in recent past even when he was involved with human rights work and himself had visited Congo and stayed in the city named after the king Leopold himself.
Corruption was a gift that these Europeans left in the colonies. Especially with Congo, Europeans brought along corruption so rampant and deep rooted that an entire country was depopulated. Human killings, trade and trafficking became a norm. Not even nobles were spared. Thus a peaceful and well-established civilisation was completely wiped out. “Greed” and “Love for Luxury” became new gods in town. Alfonso the King of Congo in 1561 wrote to the Portuguese King asking for pharmacists, doctors and teachers instead of traders as he informed that the lust of luxuries and Portuguese merchandise had corrupted his people so much so that they were ready to sell their family members in exchange. This lust and greed was transferred to the innocent people by the very preachers who came to spread Christianity and the word of God but their desire turned them into slave trading merchants, rapists and killers. Alfonso was the last king of Africa who had accepted Christianity. He kept asking for help from his fellow brethren and even Pope at Rome but that help never came. After the death of Alfonso, Congo lost her sovereignty, Portuguese won the battle and 1665 is marked in history as the year Congo turned into European colony in parts. Till 1800s whole kingdom was divided into European colonies.
Before the arrival of Europeans, Congo was a very sophisticated Kingdom, ruled by a king (ManiKongo) with the help of governors of more than half a dozen provinces. They had elaborate civil service with specialised positions like judge (mani vangu vangu). They forged copper into jewelry, iron into weapons (ironwork being profession of nobles), wove clothes from fiber, cultivated fruits and vegetables, measured distance by marching days and time by lunar month (having four days in a week), king collected taxes, currency was cowrie shells collected from coastal areas (currency supply was controlled by royal authority). After the arrival of Europeans, Congolese were considered only slaves and nothing else. They were sold, killed, raped and mutilated by the alleged civilised Europeans to Brazil, Belgium, United Kingdom and even as far as Americas. Europeans are the ancestors of Modern America. CIA played a very crucial role in destroying political strengthening of Lumumba’s regime by assassinating him in 1960s. Most corrupt, incompetent men looking for easy fame or recognition from Europe became the ruthless leaders in colony of King Leopold. America totally supported this political uprooting of a Congo Friendly regime for their ulterior motives.
When I compare todays political scene in Pakistan to that of Hochschild’s description of Congo, similarities are shocking. Imran Khan may need time to reverse political, economic and social damages done by the previous regimes. He may have taken some decisions that general public cannot yet understand or which may need improvements. Pakistani people know one thing for sure, even his political opponents, that he is dead honest, absolutely fearless and totally sincere to Pakistan. His political decisions may be criticised but the self-respect he has given back to the people of Pakistan at global front is remarkable. May Allah keep him safe. Ameen.
The writer holds a PhD in Economics and is Assistant Professor at GSCWU, Bahawalpur.