NKRUMAH CALLS FOR NONVIOLENT AFRICAN LIBERATION

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28765, 10 December 1958, Page 27

NKRUMAH CALLS FOR NONVIOLENT AFRICAN LIBERATION

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

ACCRA, December 8. The Prime Minister of Ghana (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah) today supported the use of every form of non-violent action to bring about the total liberation of Africa from imperialism and colonialism. Opening the All-African Peoples’ Conference in Accra before 200 delegates from 25 countries, Dr. Nkrumah repeated the call of the conference’s preparatory committee: ‘‘Peoples of Africa unite —we have nothing to lose but our chains.” Dr. Nkrumah said: ‘‘My pri<je overflows at the sight of so large a number of African comrades in arms who. imbued with the fervent desire to see Africa free, unfettered and united, have gathered here together on African soil for the first time in the history of our continent. ‘‘This conference marks the beginning of an epoch.” The hall was festooned with placards and banners reading ‘‘Hands Off Africa.” A flaming torch superimposed on a map of Africa hung behind the rostrum. Dr. Nkrumah, who was attending as chairman of the Convention People’s Party rather than as Prime Minister of Ghana, was greeted by the | enya African leader, Mr Tom Mboya, who is conference chairman. Dr. Nkrumah said there had been five Pan-African congresses before, but all of these had been held outside Africa, and under much difficulty. Never before, he said, had it been possible for so representative a gathering of freedom fighters to assemble in a free independent African state for the purpose of planning for a final assault upon imperialism and colonialism.

Dr. Nkrumah said it was the burning desire among all the peoples of Africa to establish a community of their own to give expression to the African personality. He said he hoped the GuineaGhana nucleus of a united West Africa would gain the adherence of other independent States and eventually evolve into a union of African States. Dr. Nkrumah ended with a word of warning: “Do not let us also forget that colonialism and imperialism may come to us yet in a different guise—not necessarily from Europe.’’ The British United Press said there had been some conflict bei tween the delegations of Ghana and Egypt. Reports circulating in Ghana said that the Ghana Minister of External Affairs (Mr Ko jo Botsio», in an angry private exchange with the Egyptian Government party delegates, accused Cairo of trying to “pack” the conference. Taking advantage of the fact that there was one vote a delegation, Cairo sent six delegations of various organisations. On Mr Botsio’s insistence, the conference decided to seat only three delegations from Cairo, and to consider the others as observers.