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Gouverneur-Generaal Th. Wahis En De Anti-Kongolese Campagne

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Gouverneur-Generaal Th. Wahis En De Anti-Kongolese Campagne Gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis en de anti-Kongolese campagne De rol van gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis ten tijde van de woelingen in Kongo Vrijstaat (1885-1908) Fien Coopman Vakgroep Nieuwste Geschiedenis Universiteit Gent Academiejaar 2006-2007 Scriptie ingediend tot het behalen van de graad licentiaat in de geschiedenis Promotor: Prof. dr. L. François Co-promotor: Prof. dr. D. Vangroenweghe Commissaris: Drs. P. Vervust Inhoudsopgave Inhoudsopgave ........................................................................................................................... 2 0.1 Dankwoord .................................................................................................................... 7 0.2 Probleemstelling ........................................................................................................... 8 0.3 Methodologische nota ................................................................................................. 11 0.3.1 Verkennende literatuurstudie ........................................................................... 11 0.3.2 Oorspronkelijke opbouw van de scriptie .......................................................... 13 0.3.3 Archiefonderzoek: ‘de bronnen’ ...................................................................... 14 0.3.3.1 Archieven van het Museum voor Midden-Afrika. Dep. Geschiedenis: Papiers Wahis ................................................................................................................ 14 0.3.3.2 Archieven van het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Brussel:Afrika-archief 15 0.3.3.3 Algemeen Rijksarchief: Documenten Van Eetvelde ......................................... 16 0.3.4 Vastgestelde problemen bij het verwerken van de bronnen ............................. 16 0.4 Structuur ..................................................................................................................... 18 Hoofdstuk 1 België behoeft een kolonie ........................... 20 1.1 Inleiding ....................................................................................................................... 20 1.2 Van de Internationale Aardrijkskundige Conferentie tot het Congres van Berlijn .................................................................................................................................. 21 1.3 De uitbouw van Kongo Vrijstaat ............................................................................... 23 1.3.1 De financiële druk en de zoektocht naar desbetreffende oplossingen ............. 23 1.3.2 De uitbouw van het Régime Domanial ............................................................ 24 1.3.3 Het exploitatiesysteem ..................................................................................... 26 1.3.4 De Force Publique ............................................................................................ 28 1.4 De uitbouw van de administratie .............................................................................. 30 1.4.1 De uitbouw van de centrale administratie ........................................................ 30 1.4.2 De uitbouw van de lokale administratie in Kongo Vrijstaat ............................ 30 1.5 De militarisering liet zich voelen in de lokale administratie ................................... 31 1.5.1 Van Camille Janssen tot Théophile Théodore Wahis ...................................... 31 1.5.2 Biografie van Théophile Théodore Wahis ....................................................... 32 1.5.2.1 Th. Wahis verdient zijn strepen in Mexico onder keizerin Charlotte ............... 33 1.5.2.2 Th. Wahis en zijn Kongolees avontuur ............................................................. 34 1.6 Besluit .......................................................................................................................... 37 2 Hoofdstuk 2 De Eerste anti-Kongolese campagne (1893- 1897) ....................................................................... 38 2.1 Inleiding ....................................................................................................................... 38 2.2 Zendelingen als bevoorrechte getuigen .................................................................... 39 2.3 De klachten na de invoering van het Régime Domaniale in het Evenaarsdistrict .... .................................................................................................................................. 40 2.3.1 De vestiging van de domaniale politiek in het Evenaarsdistrict ...................... 40 2.3.2 De zendelingen in het Evenaarsdistrict ............................................................ 42 2.3.3 De eerste klachten betreffende het Evenaarsdistrict in de Engelse pers .......... 43 2.4 La Commission pour la Protection des Indigènes ................................................... 45 2.5 De positie van gouverneur–generaal Th. Wahis in de zaak Stokes ....................... 47 2.5.1 Situering Hubert Lothaire ................................................................................. 48 2.5.2 Situering van Charles Stokes ............................................................................ 49 2.5.3 De terechtstelling van Stokes en de internationale commotie .......................... 50 2.5.4 Van het proces in Boma tot Lothaires vrijspraak en diens weigering in Kongo te blijven ........................................................................................................... 52 2.5.4.1 Een groot conflict tussen gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis en Lothaire ........... 53 2.5.5 De afloop van de zaak Stokes-Lothaire ............................................................ 56 2.6 De inspectietocht van gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis in Boven-Kongo ............. 56 2.7 De terugkeer van gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis naar België ............................. 62 2.8 De Aborigines Protection Society en Sjöblom tegen Kongo Vrijstaat ................... 63 2.9 Gebekvecht in de pers tussen zendelingen en gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis ... 64 2.9.1 De zaak Ebira ................................................................................................... 64 2.9.2 De Mandaka Vajigo -affaire ............................................................................. 66 2.10 Resultaat op nationaal en internationaal vlak op het einde van de eerste anti- Kongolese campagne .................................................................................................. 69 2.11 Besluit .......................................................................................................................... 70 Hoofdstuk 3 Overgangsfase naar de tweede anti- Kongolese campagne (1898-1902) ...................................... 72 3.1 Inleiding ....................................................................................................................... 72 3.2 Th. Wahis verdween even van het Kongolese toneel (maart 1897-1900) .............. 73 3.2.1 Emile Wangermée en Félix Fuchs namen even de fakkel over ....................... 73 3 3.3 Commotie in Groot-Brittannië en België ................................................................. 74 3.3.1 Roering in Groot-Brittannië ............................................................................. 74 3.3.2 Roering in België ............................................................................................. 76 3.4 Th. Wahis in Kongo Vrijstaat na drie jaar afwezigheid ......................................... 77 3.5 Het verlenen van politionele macht aan concessiemaatschappijen ........................ 78 3.5.1 De Société Anversoise du Commerce au Congo: de Anversoise ...................... 78 3.5.1.1 De ontstaansgeschiedenis van de Anversoise ................................................... 78 3.5.1.2 De politionele rechten van de Anversoise ........................................................ 80 3.6 Het gijzelingssysteem rond de eeuwwisseling .......................................................... 84 3.6.1 Situatieschets .................................................................................................... 84 3.6.2 Gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis en het gijzelingssysteem .............................. 86 3.6.2.1 Casus: Gijzelingen in het Mongala-bekken ................................................. 86 3.6.2.2 Casus: Gijzelingen in het district van Stanley Pool ......................................... 89 3.6.2.3 Casus: Gijzelingen in het district Leopold II-meer .......................................... 90 3.6.2.4 Casus: Gijzelingen in het district Bangala ....................................................... 91 3.6.2.5 Casus: Gijzelingen in het district Kwango ....................................................... 92 3.6.3 Conclusie gijzelingssysteem ............................................................................ 94 3.7 Gouverneur-generaal Th. Wahis en de opvoering van de rubberoogst ................ 95 3.8 De bevrijding nabij? ................................................................................................... 98 3.9 Besluit .......................................................................................................................... 99 Hoofdstuk 4 De tweede anti-Kongolese campagne op volle toeren (1902/3-1906) ......................................................... 101 4.1 Inleiding ..................................................................................................................... 101 4.2 Twee belangrijke figuren verschijnen aan het anti-Kongolese firmament
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