U.N. Conciliation Team For Congo

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 13

U.N. Conciliation Team For Congo

(Rec. 11 p.m.) ' NEW YORK, December 30. The United Nations Conciliation Commission would begin its work in the Congo on Monday, the same day that the Secretary-General, Mr Dag Hammarskjold departs for Leopoldville, it was announced at United Nations headquarters last night.

Diplomatic sources quoted by United Press International said, however/ that four of the 15 member nations of the commission would boycott its Leopoldville meetings because of their opposition to United Nations policy in the Congo. They are the United Arab Republic, Mali, Guinea, and Indonesia. The commission was formed to try to reconcile opposing factions in the Congo. The Congo President, Mr Joseph Kasavubu, who heads one of the factions, was consulted on its formation. The commission’s departure has been delayed by lack of any clear indication as to whether President Kasavubu will permit it to function.

from the Security Council to look into racial practices in the mandated territory of South-west Africa. He will visit Salisbury. Southern Rhodesia, for one day. and Cairo for two davs. He said he also hopes to call on United Nations emergency force headquarters in Gaza, on the United Arab Republic-Israeli border. Lumumba Men In Katanga It is reported from Leopoldville that a column of pro-Lumumba troops from Stanleyville has entered Katanga and made contact with Balvba tribesmen fighting against the regime of the Katanga President (Mr Moise Tshombe) A United Nations report said ♦he rebel force entered Katanga through Kivu Province, and was approaching Kongolo. centre of a bitter guerrilla war between the Katanga Balubas and Mr Tshombe’s gendarmerie. American Associated Press reported. Kongolo is more than d oo miles south of Stanleyville, where the ♦ormer Congo Demitv-Prime Minister (Mr Antoine Gizenga' claims to be the Congo’s only ’e>”l Government. . The rebel thrust into norih Katanga suggested that Mr Giz°nga now controls Kivu firmlv enough to permit freedom of movement to his men throughout the province.

The major objectives will be to help restore Parliamentary Government and to head off a possible civil war between backers of Mr Kasavubu and those of the deposed Prime Minister. Mr Patrice Lumumba, now a prisoner of the Congolese Army. Mr Hammarskjold will leave the Congo on January 5 and spend the next nine days in South Africa, under instructions

U.N. DENIES REPORT LEOPOLDVILLE. Dec. 30. The United Nations today denied Katanga Government reports that a massacre had been carried out by Baluba tribesmen in a train under the eyes of United Nations troops, A United Nations spokesman said that the train had been held up by a damaged rail between Lubudi and Luena for an hour. By the evening of December 26 it had reached Luena, where Balubas seized three passengers. A Katangese soldier was severely injured.