The Congo
From A Modern History of Africa (2020)
As the situation in South Africa was stabilizing, trouble was brewing to the north. The decolonization of Africa was in full swing, with the Western powers desperate to ditch their unprofitable and unsightly colonies. Among these was Belgium. At the Berlin Conference, the tiny but influential nation was granted a massive swathe of the Congo Basin. There, they had committed unspeakable atrocites against the Congolese people, overseen by the sadistic and ruthless Leopold II. In administering the territory, however, they needed help. Therefore, an educated class of Congolese known as the 'Evoules' were cultivated to oversee the territory after a Belgian departure was made almost certain. This educated class then began to agitate for Congolese independence, despite resistance from the Belgian government. Once it became clear that the Belgians could not stay forever, the Belgian government then finally agreed, in January of 1960 [1], to begin preparations for independence, after months of protests halted railways and roads across the country.
The Belgian withdrawal meant two things: Freedom for the Congolese and the uncertain future of the territory's vast number of ethnic minorities. The problem was, that the Evoules hailed from largely the urban areas of Leopoldville and Elisabethville, spoke largely French, and were very few in number. This presented a dilemma for the future of the Congo's administration. Either let white administrators keep their positions, while a new congolese educated class was being created, pleasing the Belgians and alienating their fellow Congolese, or stock the administration with educated blacks, pleasing the Congolese and angering the Belgians. It was an impossible choice, one which would have to be made eventually.
Official negotiations with the Congolese began in earnest on the 14th of March, 1961 [1]. The lead negotiator for the Belgian side, Hendrik Cornelis, presented his own plan. It called for a 10 year transition period, with time to evacuate Belgian assets and settlers. To the Congolese negotiators, led by Patrice Lumumba, this was unacceptable. It was their country after all. Eventually, an agreement was made. Belgian assets in the Congo would be evacuated, but in exchange, some civil servants from the colonial regime would stay behind to assist with state-building. The agreement was celebrated across the country, with the country gaining independence on May 6th [2]. For many, it was a step forward. In reality, it was the calm before the storm.
Some footnotes:
[1] The Congo's independence is delayed about a year, preventing the chaotic withdrawal of OTL.
[2] There is not enough time ITTL to sabotage the country like the Belgian did in OTL.
As the situation in South Africa was stabilizing, trouble was brewing to the north. The decolonization of Africa was in full swing, with the Western powers desperate to ditch their unprofitable and unsightly colonies. Among these was Belgium. At the Berlin Conference, the tiny but influential nation was granted a massive swathe of the Congo Basin. There, they had committed unspeakable atrocites against the Congolese people, overseen by the sadistic and ruthless Leopold II. In administering the territory, however, they needed help. Therefore, an educated class of Congolese known as the 'Evoules' were cultivated to oversee the territory after a Belgian departure was made almost certain. This educated class then began to agitate for Congolese independence, despite resistance from the Belgian government. Once it became clear that the Belgians could not stay forever, the Belgian government then finally agreed, in January of 1960 [1], to begin preparations for independence, after months of protests halted railways and roads across the country.
The Belgian withdrawal meant two things: Freedom for the Congolese and the uncertain future of the territory's vast number of ethnic minorities. The problem was, that the Evoules hailed from largely the urban areas of Leopoldville and Elisabethville, spoke largely French, and were very few in number. This presented a dilemma for the future of the Congo's administration. Either let white administrators keep their positions, while a new congolese educated class was being created, pleasing the Belgians and alienating their fellow Congolese, or stock the administration with educated blacks, pleasing the Congolese and angering the Belgians. It was an impossible choice, one which would have to be made eventually.
Official negotiations with the Congolese began in earnest on the 14th of March, 1961 [1]. The lead negotiator for the Belgian side, Hendrik Cornelis, presented his own plan. It called for a 10 year transition period, with time to evacuate Belgian assets and settlers. To the Congolese negotiators, led by Patrice Lumumba, this was unacceptable. It was their country after all. Eventually, an agreement was made. Belgian assets in the Congo would be evacuated, but in exchange, some civil servants from the colonial regime would stay behind to assist with state-building. The agreement was celebrated across the country, with the country gaining independence on May 6th [2]. For many, it was a step forward. In reality, it was the calm before the storm.
Some footnotes:
[1] The Congo's independence is delayed about a year, preventing the chaotic withdrawal of OTL.
[2] There is not enough time ITTL to sabotage the country like the Belgian did in OTL.
