Posted on Jan 25, 2022
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Some historical background. On the news, in 1961, Patrice Lumumba's assassination was a big deal. Not yet paying much attention to politics, I knew little about the political environment in which it occurred. Apparently, it spooked our nation that he was elected - at least partly because of his support of Pan Africanism. Brief excerpt:
"Lumumba was considered a danger for several reasons. One, he was a nationalist and a pan-Africanist. And as he articulated in his June 30, 1960, inaugural speech, he wanted the resources of the Congo to benefit the Congolese people. Anyone familiar with the creation of the Congo—it was created by European nations, it was created as an outpost for the extraction of natural resources to benefit Europe and the West. And Lumumba represented an end to that system. So that’s one reason.
Secondly, he was uncompromising in his critique of the colonial history in the Congo, and really contemporary imperialism. He was an anti-colonial fighter. So that also represented a problem."
"Lumumba was considered a danger for several reasons. One, he was a nationalist and a pan-Africanist. And as he articulated in his June 30, 1960, inaugural speech, he wanted the resources of the Congo to benefit the Congolese people. Anyone familiar with the creation of the Congo—it was created by European nations, it was created as an outpost for the extraction of natural resources to benefit Europe and the West. And Lumumba represented an end to that system. So that’s one reason.
Secondly, he was uncompromising in his critique of the colonial history in the Congo, and really contemporary imperialism. He was an anti-colonial fighter. So that also represented a problem."
'The Assassination of Patrice Lumumba Is One of the Most Important Assassinations of the 20th...
Posted from fair.org
World History
Posted >1 y ago
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Great post. Lumumba's story is fascinating and full of all the usual mis-steps in post colonial Africa. Belgium, afraid of totally losing access to the Congo's natural resources, especially in Katanga, as well as having to absorb Belgian refugees from the Congo labeled him a Communist as well as anti-western. A view also shared by many in the CIA. Hindsight leans towards him being primarily a nationalist who turned to the Soviet Union for help when Belgium impeded his efforts to get assistance from the US (who he went to first) and the UN. There is obviously much more and what I've written is, at best, a very truncated non-specific brief. He was assassinated with full Belgian complicity for which Belgium later apologized.
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I knew of the assassination of Stephen Biko but I didn't know about Beatrice. Thanks for posting!
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Steve-Biko
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Steve-Biko
Steve Biko | Biography, Education, Death, & Facts
Steve Biko, founder of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. His death from injuries suffered while in police custody made him an international martyr for South African Black nationalism. Learn more about Biko’s life and achievements in this article.
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