Final answer:
The statement about the Congo transitioning from the private ownership of King Leopold II to Belgian colonial control is true. King Leopold II's brutal private exploitation led to international pressure that resulted in the Belgian government taking control in 1908.
Step-by-step explanation:
The shift from private ownership in the Congo by King Leopold II to the Belgian government is indeed a historical fact. Initially, the Congo Basin was under the personal control of King Leopold II, who had created the Congo Free State as his private possession. This arrangement allowed him to exploit the region's resources, such as ivory and rubber, through brutal means. His activities and the plight of the Congolese under his rule became infamous for their cruelty. However, international pressure and the revelation of the atrocities committed in the Congo Free State led to the Belgian government taking control of the colony from Leopold II in 1908, thus transitioning it from a private possession to a Belgian colonial possession. Therefore, the statement regarding the shift from private ownership by King Leopold II to colonial control by the Belgian government is true.