King Leopold of Belgium often gets conveniently forgotten by historians as the man responsible for - by some estimates - the deaths 20-million Congolese. The Congo was ‘given’ to him at the Berlin Conference and he regarded its people as his property - to do with as he liked. The atrocities carried out under his misrule include the mass-maiming of Congolese. He also opened human zoos in Belgium and put Africans on display. Yet, for some reason, his brutal campaign of slavery and genocide is hardly discussed by Eurocentric academia, politicians and media. It’s something that angers motivational speaker Joshua Maponga. He asks why Hitler, who also killed millions, is rightly regraded as a monster - but Leopold not. To be clear in his numbers are off as Hitler Killed a lot more than 2 million white people during the Second World War but still not as many as King Leopold II. Of course, comparing one people’s suffering with another’s is, of course, crass. But comparing how differently the villains who inflicted that suffering are treated is, perhaps, revelatory. Watch and let us know what you think about Maponga’s points. #KingLeopold #Belgium #History #Death #Congolese #Atrocity #Genocide #Politicians #Media #Villian #Evil
