The Congo Lion

[peter]

(10-13-2019, 12:32 AM)lionjaguar Wrote:

(10-12-2019, 11:17 PM)BorneanTiger Wrote:

(10-12-2019, 10:08 PM)lionjaguar Wrote:

(09-01-2019, 04:35 PM)chui_ Wrote:

(09-01-2019, 03:24 PM)BorneanTiger Wrote:

(08-31-2019, 11:27 PM)chui_ Wrote:

(11-01-2017, 09:20 PM)Rishi Wrote: This animal was shot somewhere in Northeastern Congo (then Zaire)..

*This image is copyright of its original author

Actually it was the Belgian Congo when that photo was taken in 1912. After independence from Belgium, the dictator Mobutu renamed it Zaire in the 1970s and then when he was overthrown in the late 90s the name was changed to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mobutu (a brutal ruler) was brought into power by the Belgians with the help of the Americans - they conspired against Patrice Lumumba who was on his way to becoming the first leader of this newly independent country and probably would've gone on to be a good leader. But the Americans and their allies would rather have puppet rulers in these countries so they can basically just pay them off and take whatever resources they want. As a result the DR Congo has pretty much been a mess since, both for its people and its wildlife. This was probably one of the most spectacular game rich areas of Africa, right in the heart of the continent, but now its mostly poached out.

Anyway, that photo shows an adult male lion killed in a place called Vankerekhovenville in north eastern DRC (near Garamba NP). This lion measured 286cm in total length and 183cm in head and body length. Its skull measured 375mm in greatest length and 245mm in zygomatic breadth. So a big, good sized lion. Information as well as that photo are from the paper, "Carnivora collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition" 1924 by JA Allen.

The political history of Congo-Kinshasa is more complicated than that. Lumumba as Congolese PM faced a revolt from secessionists from Katanga Province (from where Einar Lönnberg described the Katanga lion or Southwest African lion Panthera leo bleyenberghi  in 1914), so he appealed to the UN & USA for help, but they refused, and since he was a Communist, he then turned to the USA's arch-rival, the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or simply "Soviet Union", a now-defunct federation that included Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine, and was founded on the Communist ideology), and this was opposed not just by the Americans and Belgians, but also then-chief-of-staff Mobutu and President Joseph Kasa-Vubu, and so Mobutu apparently conspired with the Katangans and Belgians to eliminate him, and even then, it's not as simple as that. Lumumba as the Communist PM did have his own failings, and after imposing a state of emergency, a journalist who criticised the government got arrested, and there was a rebellion in South Kasai that he ordered troops under Mobutu to put down, but that led to a massacre of civilians in Luba, from what I see.

I'm sure it was much more complicated than I could summarize in a single paragraph. But the point is the US and the Belgians backed the assassination of the first democratically elected leader of a newly independent DR Congo and backed a corrupt dictator to preserve their business interests. They did not let the people of the Congo have their freedom and choose their future. For this they should be condemned and held responsible (especially since the Americans have done this in numerous countries).

Belgium was much worse. They are whining of Germany for WW2 to make them innocent, but they are like "Oh well, it's the past" whenever they speak about what they did in Congo, caused Rwanda genocide, and made all of conflicts in Congo. There are so many interesting animals in Congo, but it's very dangerous to go and study these days. Belgium don't even feel guilty about it. The relations between central African countries and Belgium are still very bad. It's karma. Belgian need to stop whining.

This link will teach anyone in the Wildfact that Belgium was uncivilized country. The same for France, British, Spain, and Portugal. What can we do? That is just way of this world. Person or country that have power will do anything as they want.

Quote:https://www.google.com/search?q=belgian+...04&bih=944

*This image is copyright of its original author

... In recent years, Belgium been showing remorse for its crimes in what is now D. R. Congo, so apparently the Europeans are accepting responsibility for that they did to their colonies, even if step by step, so what we should now concentrate on is ensuring both the welfare of people in the developed and under-developed worlds, and the environment.

I don't think that's true. The most Europeans don't feel guilty about what they've done in the past. Even Germany almost never care about what they did it to Gaboon, Namibia, and Cameron compared to they are apologizing so much to other Europeans to maintain EU. Even in trade law, the most laws are normally benefits to Europe. What does British feels guilty about it after they caused Isarel vs Palestine? They are blaming everything to the USA for today's problem.I think Japan also don't care about what they did in the past. There is no point of whining since it is the past. We can't lie what Westerners had done caused so many problems in many countries.

I recently saw two interesting series on German and Belgium channels on the colonial past of both countries in Africa. Lots of people were interviewed.

In general, Africans, although some of them thought colonization had resulted in a few improvements here and there, felt quite bitter about the way they had been treated. Those employed by the (Belgian and German) State and the (Roman-Catholic and Protestant) church a long time ago had a different opinion. When confronted with footage of things that would make a stone weep (also referring to the photographs you posted), most of them responded in an evasive way. Only very few acknowledged the colonial structures had resulted in a climate that could only result in misconduct and outright atrocities. I'm afraid it wasn't very different in countries occupied by the British, the Dutch and the French. 

In the 17th and 18th century, European traders roamed the world. Their goal was profit. Some time later, when trading firms had developed into multinationals, national states joined them. They added structure. The structure of exploitation, that is. As executing this policy could result in (emotional) problems at the level of individuals (referring to employees), churches were encouraged to complete these 'joint ventures'. They delivered salvation. Not for victims, of course, but their tormentors. This lethal combination left its mark just about everywhere. Although colonization is a thing of the past, the economic and political situation today isn't very different from back then.   

As to the conduct of colonizers in the Americas, Africa and large parts of Asia. I've read quite a few books, talked to those who know and seen a number of documentaries. I also visited a few countries occupied by multinationals not so long ago. One could conclude it was a bloody shame and be close. 

There's, however, no need to travel or to read to get to knowledge. Personal experience often will do. We could start with religious institutions. In my day, the church was a quite popular institution over here. I started my non-career in this department by knocking on the door of a building where the local church had organized a Christmas Meeting Day for (disprivileged) children. Watch the last three words.

I had serious doubts, but my mom insisted. The man who opened the door (the local priest), sent us home right away, and not in a friendly way. Remember we were children. I can tell you a lot more about the men and women employed by this institution in western Europe in general, but I can keep it short and tell you I wasn't surprised to read about the atrocities committed by those involved in churches in faraway countries a century ago. This is what happens when multinationals, institutions and fundamentalists rule and those they employ can do as they please. Also remember (referring to both history and research) that (most) humans are capable of just about anything, especially when their opponents are disadvantaged in some way.          

When we started this forum, we decided to stay away from politics. Every member should know about that rule. Same for you. My proposal is to continue the debate without politics. This forum is about those making their home in the natural world, not us. Reply