GHANA TO DEFY MOBUTU

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 15

GHANA TO DEFY MOBUTU

Expulsion Order To Be Resisted (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LEOPOLDVILLE, November 20. Ghana’s charge d’affaires in the Congo, Mr Nathaniel Welbeck, has angrily defied an expulsion order by Colonel Joseph Mobutu, and has prepared to barricade himself in his official residence under United Nations protection. “I do not intend to leave the Congo unless I am recalled by my Government,” the tough Ghanaian diplomat told reporters after receiving formal notice to quit the Congo within 48 hours. _ His challenge to Colonel Mobutu posed a tricky problem for the United Nations, committed to safeguarding his diplomatic immunity, but anxious to stay out of the diplomatic wrangle between Ghana and Colonel Mobutu’s regime.

Colonel Mobutu’s Government denied reports that they had broken off diplomatic relations with Ghana.

They issued a statement saying that the expulsion order affected only Mr Welbeck and two other Ghanaian officials, the Agriculture Minister. Mr Kojo Botsio, and the Ambassador, Mr Andrew Djinn. The three were declared persona non grata by President Joseph Kasavubu on October 4 for their “persistent and unconcealed efforts to promote the return to power of Mr Lumumba.” Mr Botsio and Mr Djinn left ouietly soon afterwards, but Mr Welbeck remained in charge of the Ghana Embassy and blandly ignored the expulsion order. The United Nations assured protection and placed a guard of United Nations commanded Ghana police round his embassy and residence.

Mr Welbeck said Colonel Mobutu’s effort to expel him was a test case for "Western democratic ideals” in the Congo. He asserted that the United Nations Congo mission was dominated by the Western Powers and should know how to defend these ideals by preventing his expulsion.

United Nations officials said they would continue to protect the Ghana Embassy premises against any violation of diplomatic privilege. But the Congo High Commissioner for the Interior, Mr Jose Nussbaumer, said the Ghana Embassy must close down and its staff leave the Congo by Sunday night. “We will use the Army and force them out if necessary,” he said. He also threatened to use force to prevent the United Nations Good Offices Commission from New York from arriving in Leopoldville. “If the United Nations intervenes, it will be unfortunate. If necessary, we will send the 5000 troops that paraded in Leopoldville yesterday to the airport.” he said. The expulsion of the Ghanaians comes after the arrest by Colonel Mobutu’s troops of a Ghana Embassy secretary, Mr Lovelace Mensah. He is accused to trying to pass documents to Mr Lumumba, which the Congolese authorities claim, contained plans for the invasion of the breakaway anti-Lumumba province of Katanga. Mr Nussbaumer said the docu-

ments contained details of the constitution of the State of Lualaba, inside Katanga, proclaimed last month by the Baluba leader. Mr Jason Sendwe, and Mr Antoine Gizenga, Mr Lumumba’s former deputy. From Accra, President Kwame Nkrumah protested today to the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Dag Hammarskjold. against the arrest and detention of Mr Mensah. Mr Nussbaumer said the same action would be taken shortly against other embassies which “flagrantly intervene in our affairs.”

During his conference, Mr Nussbaumer referred to alleged interference by ’Guinea and the United Arab Republic. The Congolese have nreviously demanded the withdrawal of Ghana troops from the Congo, but Mr Nussbaumer said the army and the embassy were a different matter. The Ghana troops were under the command of the United Nations and if they did not take sides they would not have to leave.