Daniel Vangroenweghe

The 'Leopold II' concession system exported to French Congo with as example the Mpoko Company.

Author(s)

The model of the 'Leopold II' concession system was exported to French Congo. The similarities with the profitable Company Mpoko near Bangui are far greater than originally thought. About half of the shares were in Belgian hands. The Africa director, the Norwegian Schiötz, his first European agents (mostly Scandinavians) and the first thirty natives came from king Leopold's Crown Domain. A comparison is made between the Commission of Enquiry by Brazza and by Leopold and the juridical consequences are discussed.

Casement's Congo Diary, one of the so-called "Black Diaries", was not a forgery.

Author(s)

Daniel Vangroenweghe

Casement's so-called Black Diaries were used by the British Government to prejudice the chances of a reprieve because they gave evidence of homosexual behaviour during at least nine years. A chronology of the Forgery Controversy is listed. Five arguments taken together prove that his Congo Diary of 1903-1904 is genuine: the graphology, the textual analysis, XRay proof, the lack of sources to forge at least 50 entries (a main argument) and a nonpublished autobiography of Harris.