Katanga Fighting “Grave”

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

Katanga Fighting “Grave”

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LEOPOLDVILLE, Nov. 20. United Nations spokesmen in Leopoldville and the Katanga capital of Elisabethville have admitted that the situation in northern Katanga, where 119 Africans were killed last week, is grave. A United Nations spokesman said United Nations forces there are being regrouped, British United Press reported. The situation appears worst round the towns of Kabongo., Manono and Luena, Bukana and Mkula-Kua. The fierce. semi - civilised Balubas of North Katanga apparently went on the warpath when they learned by “bush telegraph" on an unannounced tour of Katanga gendarmerie strongpoints by the President of Katanga, Mr Moise Tshombe. The Katanga Balubas are a closely-knit warrior tribe fiercely opposed to Mr Tshombe’s policy of secession from the Congo They have been fighting a bloody guerrilla war against the gendarmerie, in spite of United Nations efforts to maintain the uneasy truce arranged with tribal leaders last month. Renewed brutal fighting flared

up last week, also involving some smaller tribes who are among the Balubas’ traditional enemies. Each side sought to justify brutal massacres as “reprisals” for earlier atrocities. The 4th battalion of the Queen’s Own Nigerian Regiment arrived in Albertville yesterday, while an Indonesian paratroop unit was sent to Kabongo, 326 miles northwest of Elisabethville, where increasing Baluba rebel activity was reported. In Elisabethville, a United Nations spokesman said that 150 Nigerian United Nations troops will be sent to Manono, 300 miles north of Elisabethvile, from the Kamina army base. Earlier last week, the 39 mutilated bodies of Africans were found near the town by United Nations troops.' Near the northern Katanga town of Langwe, 80 dead have been found, but no details of the massacre are yet available. The fighting in northern Katanga is between both the rival Baluba and Kanioka tribes and the Balubas and the Katanga security forces. Reports from Luena said hundreds of Baluba tribesmen were grouped round the Town and the European population had sought the protection of United Nations troops. But a United Nations spokesman who went there with Mr lan Berendsen. the United Nations representative in Katanga, said the situation seemed -to have returned to normal, and Moroccan United Nations troops there had the situation in hand.