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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  • Frank [he/him, he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    I don’t know how to explain to libs that, 1.) Civilians die in war, all wars, and are killed by all sides in all wars and 2.) The people who are being genocided do have the right to undertake military actions knowing that those military actions will kill civilians, and this is not morally, legally, or ethically equivalent to the genocidal aggressor saturation bombing urban areas to deliberately cause civilian deaths. and 3.) Even if some evil anti-semitic guy did show up and behead a bunch of babies the other 2 million Palestinians are still allowed to fight back against extermination and do not have to meekly and passively submit to be murdered by zionists.