Devastating Division
by Emily Willig
February 28, 1885
After much negotiation, the Berlin Conference finally came to a conclusion yesterday . Beginning on November 15, 1884, the conference consisted of 14 countries, including Britain, Portugal, France, Germany, Holland and Demark, who were gathered together to negotiate a way to divide up Africa in a way that soley benefited them. No Africans were invited to this conference.
These countries came into Africa, following Rudyard Kipling's advice.
"Take up the White Man's burden-
Send for the best ye breed-
On fluttered flok and wind-
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child" (1)
These countries have assumed the right to lead our people, which they have not earned in any way. They feel that it is their duty to control us, but we really dont need them. All they have done is create more problems for us.It started with King Leopold, who wanted to take over control of the Congo, and German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who wanted a part of Africa in order to keep up with the rest of the world. By aiding the creation of the Berlin Conference, he is the one who really tore Africa apart.
Most of the ethnic groups in Africa had been able to coexist in autonomous peace, that is, until the Europeans came in and tried to take everything and everyone over. With their greed and yearning for more power, people, and land, the Europeans have ruined what was once ours. (2)
In the boundaries carelessly drawn by the Europeans, pictured to the right, many ethnic groups were divided, with no regard to the possible ramifications of this action, and the main lines of communications were cut and destroyed. (3) Without the old culture and means of communication, Africa the way it was will be nearly impossible to restore. All of the culture that has been built over centuries of tribal rituals and meetings will now be forever changed with the new presence of the Europeans. 
What the Westerners may not realize is the tension that pooling different groups together will likely cause, and the way that these groups will react and fight with one and other. With no regard for the groups’ histories with one another, the random division has grouped together two tribes that are at war, or who don’t get along, which could end up being devastating for future generations. Thus, it is seemingly inevitable that the Berlin Conference will mark the beginning of much civil violence among disagreeing people in the new nations of Africa.
Some may say that the Europeans are doing this to benefit the Africans, but there is no way that this will help at all. They promise to end slave trade, bring in Christianity, and begin the “civilization” of this continent. (4) We do not ned them to help us with our troubles. Although we have in some way brought this stituation upon ourselves, we can get out of this rut ourselves, without the help of the "righteous" Europeans, and up until now we have been doing a fine job with generally keeping the peace among tribes and still progressing amongst ourselves.
They see us as a way to improve their economy, by making us producers and consumers of their products, as well as to better their global image. Other countries will now look at them and think “oh, how lovely that those European countries are branching out and helping the poor, weak Africans,” when we do not really need any help. They will be the ones benefitting from our wealth and goods. They will take away everything that we make and use it for their own benefit, not to improve our situation out here.
“I think it’s just wrong; we been living her amongst ourselves for years ‘n’ years now, so who are they to tell us we hafta conform to whatever it is that they might want?” Complained Motambo Yufengue, a very upset African citizen.
The Berlin Conference is a selfish way for the Europeans to gain even more money, power, and land, and will in the end be very destructive to Africa and the culture that has come to be here. By taking away all of our resources, we will be left with nothing.The new borders will create such tension that Africa will break out into Civil war, which will be devistating both economically and morally. With no right or reason, the Westerners came into our native Africa and told us how to live our lives, which is totally and completely unacceptable. This new structure for Africa will not end up benefiting anyone, even the Europeans, once all of Africa crumbles and the once bright and cultural continent turns to shambles.
Footnotes
1. Paul Halsall, Modern History Sourcebook: Rudyard Kipling, The White Man's Burden, 1899 (1997). Available from: <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Kipling.html> (accessed 9 December 2005).
2. Tata Simon Ngene, Ethnicity, Violence and Multi-party Democracy in Africa since 1989 (1999). Available fromg : < HYPERLINK "http://www.ethonet-africa.org/pubs/p95ngenge.htm" http://www.ethonet-africa.org/pubs/p95ngenge.htm > (accessed 4 December 2005)
3. Dennis Wepman, Africa: The Struggle for Independence (New York: 1993)
4. Toyin Falola, Key Events in African History: a Reference Guide (Westport, CT: 2002), 178.
Images:
1. H. J. de Blij, Peter O. Muller "Africa After the Berlin Conference" (image), Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to Divide Africa <http://www.homestead.com/wysinger/berlinconference.html > (Accessed 8 December 2005)
2. Rebecca Tortello "Illustration of Africans being captured and led to the ships for their long journey across the Middle Passage" (image), Jamaica Gleaner: Pieces of the Past:The Arrival of the Africans <http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0059.htm>