Isidore Bakanja: Episode Five
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What is the historical setting and initial conflict of Isidore Bakanja’s trial?
The Belgian Congo, 1909. Beaten and imprisoned to die, Isidore lies silently in the shed, a silent witness to the cruelty inflicted on workers in the rubber colonies. But will anything good come of his sufferings?
The Saints, Adventures of Faith and Courage. Isidore Bikanja, Episode 5, Verdict of the Heart. Listen to all the episodes and discover new shows at thesaintspodcast.com.
State your name for the record. Charles Van Cotter. Your position at the time of these events? Overseer of labor and rubber production, which includes maintaining order and discipline among the workers. Monsieur Van Cotter, did you kill Isidore Bakanja? I did not. Did you intend for him to die? No. What was your intention? To correct a problem. Objection. His answer is too vague. Sustained. The witness will explain. He was disruptive. He prayed constantly. He had men whispering, gathering. Their work slowed. They looked at him like he was above the rules. And the rules matter. Rules are the only thing that keeps a camp from turning savage. You warned him? Many times. You ordered him to remove the scapular. Why? Because it was a symbol of defiance.
It drew the attention of the other workers. I told him to remove it, and he refused.
How does the prosecution establish the overseer’s responsibility for Isidore’s suffering?
And in your experience, what happens when one man is allowed to... to be defiant? Others follow. Order falls apart. Soon defiance is all there is. So you had no choice but to discipline Isidor, to prevent unrest. Yes. And why did you place him in the shed? Because he had to be isolated. So the camp would return to normal. No more questions. Your turn, Monsieur Regnier.
Monsieur Van Cotter, you say Isidore Bakanja was disruptive? He was. Let's be clear. He was well-liked, well-mannered, a hard worker. Is that true? He worked. That's not my question. Was he a hard worker? I suppose. Was he respected? By some. By many? By many. And he was not accused of theft, violence, sabotage, anything of the kind? No. The problem was the scapular he wore that was so important to him. It was just a small piece
of cloth he insisted on wearing around his neck. It symbolized his belief. He
refused to let you take away that belief. I must maintain order. You ordered him to surrender. Surrender his faith. Surrender his devotion.
What testimony does Inuka Bakanja provide about Isidore’s faith and the scapular?
Objection. Sustained. Rephrase the question, Monsieur Regnier. You demanded Isidor remove the scapular. And when he refused, you beat him. I disciplined him. Tell the court, did you strike him? I authorized discipline. Did you strike him? No. So you ordered the beating.
I ordered correction. By whip? Yes. It was my right. I was in charge of the work camp. It was my right to discipline the workers. Order! Proceed, Monsieur Regnier.
After the beating, Isidore was placed in a shed. No doctor, no bed, no care. It was not my responsibility to see that... It was your camp. I had quotas. And Isidore Bartangia was just a body. Now the shed. Monsieur Chiala testified that men visited him quietly at night. Monsieur Iongo testified Isidore spoke of peace, not revolt. I did not know those claims until this trial. Did you check on him? I monitor the entire camp. Did you go to the shed? Yes. What did you see? A man who had been
punished.
How does Isidore’s mother describe the meaning of the scapular and his forgiveness?
Did he beg? Curse you? No. He prayed. He whispered something. What? He whispered words,
things I don't know. Words that unsettled you? No. Still, you needed him quiet. Because the men were listening to him. Listening to what? To
rebellion. Do you know how dangerous one influential man can be in a work camp? Especially when he defies authority?
And you were afraid this weak man was making your workers stronger? Leading them to resist you? They were becoming unmanageable. Monsieur Van Cotter, there was a moment The moment when Isidore sang... I don't remember... You heard him. Ave Maria. He was deliberately trying to provoke... Did you order him to stop? Yes, but he kept on singing. What did that do to you? Nothing. It was insolence. Perhaps it was the sound of a man refusing to be broken, though you tried to break him. He was not some kind of saint. He was a young man. You testified he was a respected worker, a man of faith, and you could not stand that his faith made him free.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the historical setting and initial conflict of Isidore Bakanja’s trial?
0:01–1:44
2
How does the prosecution establish the overseer’s responsibility for Isidore’s suffering?
1:44–3:06
3
What testimony does Inuka Bakanja provide about Isidore’s faith and the scapular?
3:06–4:21
4
How does Isidore’s mother describe the meaning of the scapular and his forgiveness?
4:21–5:47
5
What arguments does the defense use to portray the punishment as lawful discipline?
5:47–7:19
6
How does the prosecution differentiate between discipline and murder in this case?
7:19–9:23
7
What is the jury’s verdict and how is Charles Van Cotter held accountable?
9:23–11:29
8
What lasting legacy does Blessed Isidore Bakanja leave for workers and the faithful?
11:29–14:32