SPLITS IN CONGO

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29228, 11 June 1960, Page 17

SPLITS IN CONGO

Secession Threats

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LEOPOLDVILLE (Belgian Congo), June 8.

A vital Congolese minority group today made a move which threatens to throw the whole country into political anarchy on the eve of independence. The minority Abako Party announced the formation of an independent local government in the Leopoldville area. The move was seen by political observers as a threat designed to block the passage to power of the leader of the Congo National Movement (Mr Patrice Lumumba), who emerged from the recent elections with the biggest single following. A former Post Office clerk, he is a strong candidate for the Prime Ministership after the Congo gets its independence on June 30.

The Abako Party is led by Mr Joseph Kasavubu, who a few months ago was known as the “father of independence” and was favourite for the Prime Ministership until Mr Lumumba took the public favour. The Abako Party is strongly Federalist and favours keeping the maximum amount of power in the hands of the provincial assemblies, whereas Mr Lumumba stands for a strong central government with himself at the helm. Elsewhere in the Congo, two other parties defeated in local elections were threatening to cause political disintegration by setting up rival states in their areas.