Belgians Must Quit Congo, Says Premier

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 13

Belgians Must Quit Congo, Says Premier

(Rec. 10 p.m.)

NEW YORK, June 29.

The Congo Prime Minister, Mr Patrice Lumumba, said today that Belgium still wished to exercise trusteeship over the Congo even though it was now a sovereign country. There was no problem there except the withdrawal of Belgian troops.

"The situation in the Congo might erupt into another world war,” he told a press conference in New York. “If Belgian troops were withdrawn, peace could be established among us within five minutes.

“What I want is thousands of troops immediately, perhaps American, so that the Belgian troops can be evacuated at once from the Congo,” Mr Lumumba said.

The Intentions of the Belgian Government were “to provoke an international conflict by its shady manoeuvres," he said. Asked whether he had put up the question of American troops to the Secretary of State, Mr Christian Herter, with whom he talked yesterday, Mr Lumumba said: “We simply asked for troops of the United Nations, but this was not an exclusive invitation. We have not. rejected the possibility of any country furnishing troops. It is up to the United Nations Secretary-General to decide which country shall supply military aid.” Questioned about the possibility of Soviet troops being invited, Mr Lumumba replied with some impatience: “Why do you keep bringing up the problem of Russia, which is a problem which does not interest us. Each time I try to deal with the problems of the Congo, you throw at me the matter of Russia." Mr Lumumba read a telegram from his deputy, Mr Antoine Gizenga, saying: "United Nations troops are disarming our soldiers and leaving Belgian troops with their weapons, which is incomprehensible.” The Prime Minister said that Belgian troops were “continuing with their aggressive acts even while United Nations troops are there. I insist again that Belgian troops must leave the Congo, otherwise my people, at the end of their patience and in the justifiable exercise of their rights, may revolt against Belgian troops, in which case there may be massive massacres, which would be regrettable." One of the telegrams Mr Lumumba read said 50 Congolese soldiers and two Europeans had been killed at Kolwezi as a result of an “aggressive operation” by Belgian troops. Another telegram.

after listing 109 Congolese soldiers reported to have been killed in Katanga, said that any Congolese who was found isolated was likely to be subject to attack. Mr Gizenga also told -Mr Lumumba that he had requested Dr. Ralph Bunche, the United Nations Under-Secretary, who is on the spot, to send United Nations troops to Katanga. “He seems to find difficulties in this and does not, as of now, promise to send them,” the telegram said. In Katanga, the Premier, Mr Moise Tshombe, warned the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Prosper Mwamba)—who led his party in an Assembly walk-out over the independence issue yesterday—that he was taking a course which could lead to severe criminal punishment for subversion of the State. The Premier said a delegation from the province, headed by the Foreign Minister (Mr Pierre Masangu) would leave tomorrow for the United States to defend Katanga’s cause. '