BELGIAN TROOPS LEAVING CONGO

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 13

BELGIAN TROOPS LEAVING CONGO

U.N. Demands Speedy Withdrawal

(NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 pjn.) NEW YORK, July 22. Belgium* announced in the United Nations Security Council today that it had begun withdrawing troops from the troubled Congo and that the operation would be “completed rapidly.”

The statement came from the Belgian Foreign Minister, Mr Pierre Wigny, after the 11-member forum had unanimously approved a demand to Belgium to get out of the Congo “speedily.”

Mr Wigny said the Belgian Government’s will was that its troops would be withdrawn as soon as United Nations forces were able to guarantee life and safety in the republic. The United Nations now has 4000 men in the Congo and the number is expected to rise to 10,000 by Sunday.

Hailing the council’s rare unanimous resolution today, the Congo Government delegate, Mr Thomas Kanza, said he hoped that ■when the Secretary-General (Mr Hammarskjold) ended his visit to the Congo,- which starts today, he would be able to return with a report that peace had been restored. ! The council approved the resolution, sponsored by Ceylon and Tunisia, in preference to a Soviet draft. This would have set a three-day deadline for the withdrawal of Belgian troops, who moved into the Congo after Belgian nationals were attacked by mutinous Congolese soldiers, women were violated, and some persons were killed. The Soviet Deputy-Foreign Minister. Mi Vasily Kuznetsov, withdrew his own resolution after voting for the two-nation draft. At' the same time, he said it was ‘‘inadequate" and that Belgian forces should get out .‘‘immediately.” In any case, only a few days must elapse before the evacuation was completed. The council’s action was the climax to three long sessions over two days and appeared to have sharply decreased tension, which mounted yesterday amid reports of a possible Congolese appeal for Soviet intervention. The Congolese Prime Minister, Mr Patrice Lumumba, announced that he planned to come to New York to address the council on Belgian “aggression," but members decided not to wait for his arrival and to go ahead with their scheduled debate.

It was not known today whether the Congolese leader still would come to New York, but there was speculation that he would postpone any such plan until after Mr Hammarskjold’s visit to Leopoldville. News of the Security Council's call for the speedy withdrawal of Belgian troops reached the Congo capital shortly after reports of fresh violence in the eastern Congo.

Belgian paratroops were reported to be preparing to attack at midday a Congolese Army

stronghold *at Lakondu, eastern Congo, to try to rescue seven European hostages. The Belgian troops had instructions not to fire unless fired upon. Belgian authorities in Leopoldville said they had no information about preparations for an attack on Lakondu. Nor did they know anything about the hostages. In Stanleyville, capital of the Congo’s eastern province, the final stage was prepared for the complete evacuation of Belgians. Streets leading to the airport were chokec with cars abandoned by families fleeing to the airport, where planes yesterday flew out 300 refugees. Soviet aircraft yesterday started landing Ghanian troops in Leopoldville for the United Nations force, as well as a shipment of sugar from Russia. A party of Soviet Foreign Ministry officials was received by Mr Lumumba, who thanked them for the Russian contribution. Massacre Denied A Belgian spokesman in Leopoldville denied Congolese charges that Belgian forces had indulged in “a wanton massacre” during the recent battle in the port of Matadi. Yesterday. Congolese Force Fublique soldiers in Matadi alleged that Belgian soldiers illegally entered Matadi, killed about 20 Congolese and pillaged the town.

They said the Belgians claimed they were only Intervening in the Congo to protect their nationals. “But there were no Belgian nationals in Matadi when the battle took place several days ago,” the Congolese alleged. The Belgian spokesman said: “We intervened in Matadi to preserve our economic patrimony. We acted to save the port Installations. vital to the economy of the entire Congo. “As soon as our soldiers reported that the installations could not be set going again without a ‘bloodbath,’ the Belgian headquarters in Leopoldville gave the order for a cease Are and a withdrawal of all Belgian troops.