King Leopold II King of Belgium - King of the Congo

The Congo Reform Association exposed gross and rampant abuses of labor and by public servants in King Leopold II of Belgium's Congo Free State, leading to the annexation of Congo by Belgium in 1908. In March 1904 Dr. Henry Grattan Guinness (1861-1915), Edmund Dene Morel and Roger Casement founded the Congo Reform Association. The movement was formed to aid the exploited and impoverished workforce of the Congo by drawing attention to their plight.

In the background, a Swedish missionary Mr. Sjoblom and Revd. J. Murphy of the American Baptist Mission had reported on the abuses to Dr Guinness in 1895, and they sent out the 'Congo and Balolo Mission' to assist and gather information and photographs. Of 35 missionaries, by 1900 only six had survived the climate.

Casement, as British consul, was ordered in 1903 to prepare the Casement Report, and was honoured with a CMG decoration for it. Morel (a journalist) reported weekly in the West Africa Mail, and Guinness (a missionary doctor) gave lectures around Britain before mentioning the realities to President Theodore Roosevelt of the USA in 1907. Branches of the association were established as far away as the United States. Its aim was accomplished by 1912 and it dissolved itself. In 1924 Morel was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in large part for his work with the association.

The association gained the support of several famous writers such as Joseph Conrad, Anatole France, Arthur Conan Doyle and Mark Twain who contributed with their literary production to the cause. The novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was inspired by his journey as a ship's captain on the Congo River. Mark Twain wrote a political satire named "King Leopold's Soliloquy", and Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the "The Crime of the Congo".

Dreaming for a better future

Rwanda Genocide victim

Also, visit this link.

End the silence

BBC Radio program on DRCongo on this link.

Burundi National Anthem

Prince Louis Rwagasore, Member of the Burundian Royal Family, paved the way for Burundi to be free, before he was assassinated, he left a legacy of a dream to unite and serve his People, he will remain a respected Leader for Generations to come.

For the restoration of Burundian values, their dignity, it is important that we re-define the destiny of the Nation.

Burundi

(Beloved Burundi)



Original Kirundi Words

Burundi Bwacu, Burundi buhire,

Shinga icumu mu mashinga,

Gaba intahe y'ubugabo ku bugingo.

Warapfunywe ntiwapfuye,


Warahabishijwe ntiwahababuka,

Uhagurukana, uhagurukana, uhagurukana, ubugabo urikukira.

Komerwamashyi n'amakungu,

Habwa impundu nabawe,

Isamirane mu mashinga, isamirane mu mashinga,


Burundi bwacu, ragi ry'abasokuru,

Ramutswa intahe n'ibihugu,

Ufatanije ishyaka n'ubuhizi;

Vuza impundu wiganzuye uwakuganza uwakuganza.


Burundi bwacu, nkoramutima kuri twe se,

Tugutuye amaboko, umutima n'ubuzima,

Imana yakuduhaye ikudutungire.

Horana ubumwe n'abagabo n'itekane.

Sagwa n'urweze, sagwa n'amahoro meza.



English Translation

Beloved Burundi, gentle country,

Take your place in the concert of nations,

Acceding to independence with honourable intentions.

Wounded and bruised, you have remained master of yourself.


When the hour came, you arose,

Lifting yourself proudly into the ranks of free peoples.

Receive, then, the congratulations of the nations

And the homage of your sons.

May your name ring out through the universe.


Beloved Burundi, sacred heritage from our forefathers,

Recognized as worthy of self-government,

With your courage you also have a sense of honour.

Sing the glory of liberty conquered again.


Beloved Burundi, worthy of our tenderest love,

We vow to your noble service our hands and hearts and lives.

May God, who gave you to us, keep you for us to venerate,

Under the shield of unity,

In peace, joy and prosperity.

Burundi Genocide survivor

Genocide ideology:Burundi Case study

Frères à la vie, à la mort
Uploaded by peace4all

The wounds of ethnic killings, Genocide, are still fresh in the minds of many Citizens of Burundi, can the Citizens of Burundi reconcile without Justice? Were lessons learnt throughout Burundi's history?

Starting from Burundi Colonial ruler, will there ever be a moral decision from Belgium to pay compensation to its Former Colony for the mess they helped shape?

On 27th April 1997,As Rebels stormed at Buta School of Burundi, separating Students based on their Ethnic tribe (Hutu or Tutsi), Students refused to do so and they were killed as a result.

On 20-21st october 1993, there was a similar attack, Tutsi students were singled out from Kibimba School, they were given choices to be burnt alive or be butchered with machetes, among the first victims was a neighbor of mine, he was handpicked by the Headmaster and ushered to Hutu locals to be killed.


13th August 2004, a Refugee Camp in Gatumba (Burundi) is attaked by Rebels from DRCongo, 160 Refugees including Infants and Women were burnt alive, the perpetrators are now enjoying African Union protection, with Job prospects, while the victims continue to live in fear and trauma of having the same movement be part of the Government and Security forces.

After the introduction of Democracy, Burundi saw a real "Apartheid" seperating Hutu and Tutsi in Communities, it was coupled by intimidation from both sides, they often used Youth to terrorise the other Group.

What is sad is to see "Hate ideology" encouraged, or supported indirectly by Countries, individuals resulting into a Great Lakes of Africa tension.

If Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of Congo, Prince Louis Rwagasore of Burundi, Dr Martin Luther King,Jr were alive, they would be grieved to see how the People of Africa have allowed themselves to be divided on a "Colonialist ideology" that was introduced to divide and rule by Germans (1896-1916) and Belgians (1916-1962), Colonial regimes often switching sides at times through the Years.

It belongs to the Citizens of the Great Lakes of Africa and their fellow African citizens to seek ways to repair the minds and lives of the People, Genocide must be defeated, Hate ideology must be challenged by all means,those who incited others to kill ought to apologize to the Nation.

The Great Lakes of Africa Leaders will need to be firm to prevent crimes against Humanity, Acts of Genocide occuring again,and give a change for a new Generation to learn from History and move on to build their Nations together,regardless of their painful past.