In 1904, an investigation commission sent by Leopold II, King of the Belgians came to Baringa to gather evidence of crimes perpetrated by the Congo Free State administration against the local population.
Among the witnesses appearing before the commission was Lontulu, a chief of the village of Bolima.
While his appearance in front of the commission was unplanned, he came with 110 twigs which he showed to the commission.
Upon handing over each twig to the commission, he cited one name representing a villager, man, woman, or child, who was killed by the troops of the Congo Free State.

Thanks to Lontulu's courage, the commission acknowledged the atrocities taking place in the Congo Free State, which eventually obliged the king to bequeath the Congo Free State to Belgium.
Lontulu paid dearly for his witnessing.
Shortly after the commission left Baringa, he was tortured and killed by soldiers of the Congo Free State.
In 1904, an investigation commission sent by Leopold II, King of the Belgians came to Baringa to gather evidence of crimes perpetrated by the Congo Free State administration against the local population. Among the witnesses appearing before the commission was Lontulu, a chief of the village of Bolima. While his appearance in front of the commission was unplanned, he came with 110 twigs which he showed to the commission. Upon handing over each twig to the commission, he cited one name representing a villager, man, woman, or child, who was killed by the troops of the Congo Free State.
Thanks to Lontulu's courage, the commission acknowledged the atrocities taking place in the Congo Free State, which eventually obliged the king to bequeath the Congo Free State to Belgium. Lontulu paid dearly for his witnessing. Shortly after the commission left Baringa, he was tortured and killed by soldiers of the Congo Free State.
Baringa, Democratic Republic of the Congo