SLAVES OF THE CONGO

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1929, Page 6

SLAVES OF THE CONGO

TRAPPED BY FAMINE. The teeming population of the Baliuti, a slave race in the Belgian Congo is in a desperate plight from famine brought about by drought and inefficient cultivation of the land. 'Thousands already have perished from hunger and disease which follows in its wake. Under a long-standing feudal system the Baliutis are subjects of the Batusi or ruling people. The dominant Batusis who own herds 01. cows, care little for the welfare of their slaves. The Baliutis now are vitually without food either purchaseahle or grown The situation had steadily grown worse since the drought of August, 1927, and there has been little rain since. SEEK FOOD IN UGANDA. Belgian food distributing ('(-litres at Rukira, Gatsilm and Kingall and three other places have been unable* to cope with the relief problem on account of difficulties in transportation by porterage and lack of roads. . Emacia’ted and hungry, the serfs since November have been growing more and more desperate. Forced to choose between a long trek in search of food or a slow death, they began migrating into the Uganda territory which is under British control. In December the Uganda Government. pleading necessity to conserve its own supplies, prohibited sale or passage of food to the famine area. Thus the foodless natives are shut in the trap of starvation, with little hope of salvation. The ravenous population is hemmed by the Tagera River in the north and east, and barred by Uganda on the north. Food imported from the west is almost all bought up by the Belgian Government and the mines. ATTACKED BY LIONS. It is estimated that some 50,000 desperate Baliutis passed through Alba vara, in the Uganda region, the route of the trek being littered with corpes. Women and children lie helpless in the roads at night, and sometimes fall victim to hyenas or lions, which are more prevalent, ns though attracted by the abundance of helpless people. Another crying need is medical attention. Belgian authorities are improving roads find have purchased motor trucks in order to organise transportation ,of food supplies, hut there are not enough qualified physiciiaiis to fight diseases, including smallpox which are destroying the starving race.