BRUTAL CONGO MURDERS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 15

BRUTAL CONGO MURDERS

Captive Italian Airmen Killed (N -Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LEOPOLDVILLE, November 16. Congolese soldiers have brutally murdered 13 Italian airmen in Kindu. The chief United Nations spokesman in Leopoldville, Mr George Smith, announced today that, according to reliable witnesses, the airmen were shot last Saturday in front of the Kindu prison. I le said this happened shortly after the airmen had been arrested and beaten at the officers’ mess.

The 13 had been held in Kindu, in Katanga’s neighbour province of Kivu, since Saturday. The Congolese Army Commander, General Victor Lundula. went to Kindu yesterday in a final attempt to secure their release by mutinous Congolese troops. A United Nations spokesman in Leopoldville said yesterday that if General Lundula failed the United Nations would take the “most energetic action’’ against the

troops responsible for the “outrage." Today Mr Smith said that, according to witnesses, some of the bodies of the Italians were dismembered after death and thrown into a river. All this took place in front of a crowd which had gathered at the prison. Efforts were being made to retrieve the bodies, but under the circumstances this might be difficult, he said. He said the United Nations was today presenting to the

Congolese Central Government specific proposals on , how to deal with the situa- : tion, “and these include an ; investigation and punishment of those responsible for this barbaric crime." Mr Smith said the United Nations was determined to see that this time the crimin- ' als were punished and further incidents prevented. He could give no further . information on the proposals ; because "this might jeopardise lives in other parts of the Congo.” Some observers believe this to be a hint the United Nations might be considering the eventual disarmament of all Congolese troops. Mr Smith said before it was known the airmen had been killed that the United Nations did not want to endanger their lives through hasty action. When all efforts by General Victor Lundula and the Italian United Nations legal expert, Mr Giorgio Pagnanelli, to obtain a satisfactory explanation from the Kindu commander, Colonel Pakassa, failed, the United Nations were to have given the troops one hour to hand over the prisoners today. Failing this it had been decided to use jet aircraft against them. Canberra bombers and Sabre jet fighters were ready in Leopoldville for an air strike against nearly 2000 Congolese troops who had rebelled against the central Congo Government, the “Daily Express” reported. Leading the mutiny was the left-wing Vice-Premier, Mr Antoine Gizenga, the newspaper said.