Les abus de l'exploitation du caoutcouc. Le cas des chefs Bonkosi et Boyenge de la chefferie de Lingoy au Congo belge

Abstract

Le caoutchouc sylvestre fut une des premieres ressources de l'Etat Independant du Congo. Les victimes ont eu recours a des revoltes sanglantes, rarement a des solutions moderees, comme le firent les Lingoy vers 1908. Les Lingoy envoyerent des emissaires aupres des autorites de l'Etat a Coquilhatville. L'auteur de l'initiative et le chef de la delegation, Bonkosi Itsindela, fut recompense au terme de la mission en heritant de facon non orthodoxe des renes de la chefferie. A sa mort en 1914, son fils Gustave Boyenge lui succeda a la faveur de la popularite de son pere. Il resta en place jusqu'a 1952, lorsqu'il fut contraint d'abandonner definitivement le pouvoir au president du tribunal de Balondo. Woodland rubber was one of the first financial resources of the Congo Independent State. The victims resorted to bloody revolts, seldom to moderated solutions, as did the Lingoy in 1908. They sent an emissary to the authorities of the State in Coquilhatville. The author of the initiative and leader of the delegation, Bonkosi Itsindela, was rewarded at the end of the mission, taking power over the chiefdom in a non-orthodox way. Because of his popularity, his son Gustave Boyenge succeeded him in 1914, and reigned up to 1952. Afterwards, he was constrained to give up his function to the president of the court of Balondo. Keywords : Rubber; Lingoy; revolts; Bonkosi Itsindela; Gustave Boyenge; Balondo; Mongo Annal Aequatoria Vol. 27 2006: pp. 103-126