HOSCHILD'S LAMENT
To the Editors, New York Review of Books:
I have a few minor points to make about Adam Hochschild's interesting and valuable account of the big Congo exhibition in Belgium (In the Heart of Darkness, NYRB, 6 October 2005).
He describes how: "Again and again, both the Royal Museum's exhibit and its catalogue pass glancingly over the darker side of an aspect of the Congo's history, and then stress its benign side." This is so recognisable, as the way revisionists everywhere are emboldened these days to recast African colonial history -- let alone ignore the existence of post-independence neo-colonialism and its relentless savaging of some African leaders of real quality and courage in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Africa is once again some dark generalised landmass. The only difference is that these days, you feel sorry for it. With the cry "Make Poverty History" goes the impoverishment of History.
Two or three carpings: why no mention of Roger Casement's Report on the Congo when he was British consul there, which followed the campaign of the journalist E. D. Morel, whom he does refer to? Why no mention of Flemish as a Belgian language? You may call it Dutch-Flemish or Flemish-Dutch perhaps, but not just "Dutch" surely. As someone familiar with if not fluent in Afrikaans, I know how different Flemish is, and much closer to Afrikaans, than Dutch is.
And fiinally, the fact of evidence that a CIA agent was practically on the spot for the disposing of Lumumba's corpse was worth a mention, alongside Eisenhower's approval of the aim to assassinate him.
Tony Hall
Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Patrice Lumumba, assassinated by the CIA and Eisenhower, photo by .....
To the Editors, New York Review of Books:
I have a few minor points to make about Adam Hochschild's interesting and valuable account of the big Congo exhibition in Belgium (In the Heart of Darkness, NYRB, 6 October 2005).
He describes how: "Again and again, both the Royal Museum's exhibit and its catalogue pass glancingly over the darker side of an aspect of the Congo's history, and then stress its benign side." This is so recognisable, as the way revisionists everywhere are emboldened these days to recast African colonial history -- let alone ignore the existence of post-independence neo-colonialism and its relentless savaging of some African leaders of real quality and courage in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Africa is once again some dark generalised landmass. The only difference is that these days, you feel sorry for it. With the cry "Make Poverty History" goes the impoverishment of History.
Two or three carpings: why no mention of Roger Casement's Report on the Congo when he was British consul there, which followed the campaign of the journalist E. D. Morel, whom he does refer to? Why no mention of Flemish as a Belgian language? You may call it Dutch-Flemish or Flemish-Dutch perhaps, but not just "Dutch" surely. As someone familiar with if not fluent in Afrikaans, I know how different Flemish is, and much closer to Afrikaans, than Dutch is.
And fiinally, the fact of evidence that a CIA agent was practically on the spot for the disposing of Lumumba's corpse was worth a mention, alongside Eisenhower's approval of the aim to assassinate him.
Tony Hall
Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Comments
Post a Comment