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<tomedwin@mail.rw> We agree with what Ken Harrow, Ibra Sene and others have written about slavery, forced labor, and colonial rule. It seems, however, that there is another side to the matter. Regardless of what intellectuals may think or say, colonialism was slavery in the minds of the Congolese population. In Sankuru (Tetela country) people sang in 1960: Lumumba ambutshungula Congo umalu lohombo. Eko kandji mete dia mena waku wakatunaka Dipanda. Wakatunaka Lumumba. Lumumba, Lumumba, Congo aya Dipanda. (Lumumba frees the Congo from slavery. It is truly a shame that some people oppose independence. That they oppose Lumumba. Lumumba, Lumumba, the Congo is independent.) In Kivu today, people say in Swahili: wabelegi -- The Belgians kibelegi -- Force people to work (travail forcé) walimupiga kicongoni -- He was beaten like in the Belgian era Tom Turner Irene Safi
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