After the Congo Free State was formed as a private state under
the control of King Leopold II, he exploited the land’s people
and resources as much as possible, especially rubber.
Workers who failed to meet their rubber collection quotas
were often punished with death.
Their hands were chopped off by forces of Leopold and
shown to superiors to prove punishment had been dealt.
Victims of this torture were either killed before the severing
or simply had their hand chopped off and left to die.
Some of the victims who had been left for dead managed to
survive and share their story.
