In 1885, Leopold II, king of the Belgians, obtained European recognition of his sovereignty over the so-called Congo Free State. He then proceeded to institute forced labour of the country's indigenous peoples. Mercilessly exploited, millions of people perished from overwork or malnutrition, or else in the punitive military raids staged whenever any group showed signs of resistance.
A Belgian lieutenant by the name of Leon Fievez described what happened when local people failed to deliver supplies to his post: "I go to war with them. One example will suffice: 100 heads cut off, and suddenly there is no shortage of supplies. My goal is humanitarian. A hundred people die, but 500 lives are saved."
一八八五年，比利時國王利奧波德二世獲歐洲協議，承認其為所謂剛果自由國的君主。他隨即實施強迫勞動制度，役使當地土著。數以百萬計人遭殘酷剝削至死，或死於工作過勞，或死於飢餓，或死於軍事突擊：當地任何團體，一有抗命迹象，就會受到武力膺懲。
一個名叫萊昂．菲耶韋的比利時陸軍中尉有一段記述，談到當地人不貢獻補給到其軍營的結果：「我會跟他們開戰。一個例子足以說明一切：斬了一百個人頭，補給突然就不缺了。我這樣做，無非出於人道：殺死一百個人，卻救回五百條性命。」