 The conventional narrative of Lumumba's premiership and downfall—that he was an uncompromising radical who provoked his own murder by angering domestic separatists—was severely challenged by De Witte's 2001 work, "The Assassination of Patrice Lumumba", which provided evidence that the Belgian government—with the complicity of the United States and the UN—was largely responsible for his death.Media discussion of Lumumba, spurred by the release of the book as well as a feature film in 2000, "Lumumba", became significantly more positive afterwards.A new narrative subsequently emerged, holding Western espionage at fault for Lumumba's death, and emphasising the threat his charismatic appeal posed to Western interests.