TSHOMBE HELD PRISONER

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 13

TSHOMBE HELD PRISONER

“Life In Grave Danger”

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) * LONDON, May 1. President Tshombe, the ruler of Katanga, is to be held prisoner indefinitely by the Congolese central Government in Leopoldville. There was no doubt this morning that his life was now in grave danger, said the “Daily Express” in London. Charge after charge was laid against him last night by the Congo’s Foreign Minister, Mr Justin Bomboko. “Tshombe has acted against the interests of the Congolese people," he said.

“Tshombe has mocked the Congo’s central Government. He has issued his own currency—and that, under the penal code, is punishable by death,” it said. The Katanga President is being held in Coquilhatville. Yesterday the central Government's security chief, Mr Victor Ndeka, said he would be moved to Leopoldville and held in a villa there. “You will not know the day or the time (of the move),” he told reporters.

The Associated Press said Patrice Lumumba’s last gaoler today found himself outwitted and humiliated, at the mercy of his one-time accomplices to the flery Prime Minister’s death.

In a week of politics as ruthless and primitive as the surrounding jungle, he bad been reduced to odd man out. The men who trapped him— President Joseph Kasavubu and his Government—Mr Tshombe had blithely dismissed only a few days ago as “mere schoolboys.” The British United Press

said the arrest of Mr Tshombe had brought another sharp turn in the history of Congolese independence and marked a serious bid by President Kasavubu to become the chief in fact as well as in name.

He was seeking United Nations help to disarm the troops of his rivals —Mr Antoine Gizenga in Orientale Province and Mr Tshombe in Katanga.

Diplomats in the Congo be. lleved that fear of Mr Tshombe was one of the reasons behind President Kasavubu’s sudden and recent agreement with the United Nations.

Mr Bomboko said yesterday that the conference of Congolese leaders had passed three resolutions.

They approved the April 17 agreement between the United Nations and Mr Kasavubu under which the Army will be reorganised and “harmful" foreign advisers expelled from the Congo. The conferenbe condemned

the Katanga delegation for not wanting to make a serious effort to end the Cong? crisis, and asked Mr Kasavubu to "take the necessary measures to deliver Katanga from the occupation of mercenaries and all foreign advisers who play a harmful role.”

The conference condemned Mr Antoine Gizenga in Stanleyville for considering himself as President of the Congo.

Mr Bomboko said negotiations were in progress to bring the South Kasai army of Mr Albert Kalonji under General Mobutu’s command. Mr Bomboko said that the heavy guard around Mr Tshombe's villa was to prevent any assassination attempt.

Among the charges he levelled against Mr Tshombe was his direct dealing with foreign Powers. He gave os an example Mr Tshombe's promise of aid to the former French Congo. He said Mr Tshombe had sent cigarette* to Brazzaville while refusing to send them to other part* of the Congo. Mr Tshombe also turned the Tananarive conference

into a “ridiculous put-up job.” Mr Bomboko said. “We did not want to arrest him," Mr Bomboko said. "We wanted him to stay. Thu* we prevented him from leaving. In these condition* it was impossible for u* to tolerate hfs return to Katanga."

The Associated Press reported from Leopoldville that a United Nations spokesman yesterday expressed “grave anxiety" for 60 United Nations Ghanaian troops at Port Francqui. About half the garrison, which was overwhelmed by Congolese soldier*, was still unaccounted for, he said.