The Press SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1960. Ghana And The Congo

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29336, 15 October 1960, Page 12

The Press SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1960. Ghana And The Congo

The United Nations’ thankless and onerous task in the Congo is prejudiced by developments suggesting that the Congo is not only an area of conflict between rival Congolese groups but a place where the PanAfrican ambitions of others are being pressed. Ghana exercises

military control of Leopoldville in the name of the United Nations; but actually, it is alleged, to further • the ambitions of President Nkrumah to lead a federation of African States. These allegations are supported by the report that from New York President Nkrumah vetoed a decision by the United Nations command that the Ghana brigade should relieve the Tunisians in Kasai, where the Tunisians have had the hardest task of all the United Nations contingents. Dr. Nkrumah’s reluctance to consent to a routine relief operation could come from a desire to retain Ghana troops in Leopoldville as a factor in the struggle for power. At first, the United Nations’ intervention in the Congo was well served by the disciplined and excellently-led brigade from Ghana. Increasingly, however, the Ghana Government and its representatives in the Congo became involved in Congolese politics. The extent to which Dr. Nkrumah had committed himself to the support of Mr Lumumba was shown tvhen Colonel Mobutu made public correspondence in which Dr. Nkrumah gave advice on how to circumvent the Cabinet and how to exploit the United Nations’ action. Dr. Nkrumah’s representatives in the Congo are now in open conflict with Colonel Mobutu and the student council he installed rs a temporary government. The Ghana representative in Leopoldville, Mr Welbeck, freely attacks not only Colonel Mobutu and

President Kasavubu but also the United Nations. On one occasion he provoked the student council into calling a press conference to criticise Dr.

Nkrumah’s efforts to reinstate Mr Lumumba, and the council was moved to denounce “ colonisation of African coun“tries by Africans”. There can be little doubt that the president of the student council was protesting against the influence of Ghana when he spoke on Wednesday about the “unfor“tunate and partisan policy of “ certain United Nations officials “in Leopoldville ”, since it is Ghana’s troops who are protecting Mr Lumumba.

The desire of the United Nations, of course, is the emergence of an African leader who can assert the constitutional principle of effective power. Respect for the constitution under which the Congo gained independence causes the United Nations to defer to the position of Mr Lumumba, who was elected to leadership and has not been constitutionally deposed. Unfortunately, this attitude is being interpreted in Leopoldville—where, as the British United Press correspondent

points out, tew understand legal terminology and positions—as United Nations support for Mr Lumumba. It is desirable that the misunderstanding should be removed. If Colonel Mobutu and his student council are able to provide a nucleus of stable government, a practical solution to the country’s grave problems should not be prejudiced by outside insistence on a constitutionalism with the shallowest of roots. The delicacy of the situation makes it all the more regrettable that the African State in a key position in the Congo (because its troops control Leopoldville) should seem to be serving its own interests, not those of the United Nations or the Congo.