On this day in 1959, Congolese residents of Stanleyville rebelled against Belgian colonizers, demanding independence after a speech by Patrice Lumumba. Police suppressed the riot, killing ~70, imposing martial law, and arresting Lumumba.

The day prior, Lumumba called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience in a speech to the MNC congress, also ordering Congolese people to not collaborate with the Belgian colonial government and announcing that the party would not take part in the upcoming December elections.

The rebellion began on October 30th when the police arrived at the suburb of Mangoba to arrest Lumumba. The uprising was suppressed with military force, including two companies of infantry.

In total, approximately 70 people were killed in the fighting, and up to 200 were wounded. Lumumba himself was arrested by police as the government imposed martial law and banned gatherings of more than five people.

Congo would achieve independence from Belgium on June 30th, 1960, with Lumumba serving as its first Prime Minister. He was assassinated by Belgian forces and their collaborators on January 17th, 1961.

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  • Goblinmancer [any]
    ·
    8 months ago

    Why its almost always white people who say "human natute is to be selfish and suck?" Like they try to wash away atrocities as "ehh everyone fight and steal lands anyway"

    • dumpster_dove [he/him]
      ·
      8 months ago

      Because they want their ill-gotten privileges without having to feel bad about it

    • Teekeeus [comrade/them]
      ·
      8 months ago

      They believe their own culture and society is universal, so they think that everyone's as savage and uncivilized as them

    • Saoirse [she/her, comrade/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      We do this to absolve ourselves of the responsibility to learn the lessons of history and to think critically about our own governments and how we are complicit in what they do in our name. It is moral and intellectual cowardice.

    • blight [any]
      ·
      8 months ago

      god willing i will make reverse racism a real thing and these accursed yakubian devils will be [REDACTED]