CONGO CRISIS FOR U.N.

Press, Volume C, Issue 29674, 18 November 1961, Page 11

CONGO CRISIS FOR U.N.

Firm Action After Murders Sought ( N .Z.P A..-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, November 17. . . The United Nations, faced with a new Congo crisis dramatised by the bloody murder of 13 Italian airmen, tried again today to define a course of action the Congo. The Congo debate is now centred in the United Nations Security Council. , African and Asian countries have been pressing, the council to give “clear directives” authorising the acting Secretary-General, U Thant, to take firm steps to restore order in the Congo, including Katanga.

This would presumably include military support for the Congo Central Government, although Britain, the United States and other Western Powers have been reluctant to see the United Nations involved in another bid to end Katanga's secession by force.

The United States was preparing a draft resolution for submission to the council, which already has before it a draft that would authorise U Thant to take “vigorous action" to root out all mercenaries and hostile elements from Katanga. The chief United States delegate. Mr Adlai Stevenson, suggested yesterday that the United States draft would “take account” of the Italians’ murder in Kivu Province last Saturday.

Mr Stevenson, who said he supported strong action against foreign mercenaries, believed the Katanga authorities should enter into consultations with the Central Government to unify the Congo. He also proposed that the Congolese Government be provided with a small air force to • help deal with Katanga and eastern province.

Kind Sealed Off An official report of the United Nations officer-in-charge in the Congo, Dr. Sture Linner, made public last night said the United Nations had informed the Central Government that the Kindu area would be sealed off and all Congolese troops disarmed to ensure apprehension of all persons suspected of complicity in the murders of the Italian airmen, who were flying supplies in to United Nations troops at Kindu. Hie report said that after the Italians were executed and their corpses hacked up “pieces of the bodies were distributed to the large crowd that had gathered to watch the massacre, and some parts of the bodies were also flung at non-Congolese who were present. “Two mutilated bodies were dragged through the main street of ‘indu and exhibited,” the report continued.

“All the remains of the bodies were then thrown into the river.” However, there was no confirmation in the report that the flesh of the dismembered corpses was sold in the Kindu market place. United Press International said. In Leopoldville it is being

said that the troops responsible for the massacre are obeying the orders of the Communist-inclined Mr Antoine Gizenga, a supporter of the first Prime Minister (Mr Patrice Lumumba). Mr Gizenga is Deputy Prime Minister of the Congo, but for some weeks has refused to leave his stronghold of Stanleyville and take up duties in Leopoldville. Flights Prevented Last night the United Nations. grimly determined on vengeance, stopped a Government move to have some of the mutinous troops flown out of Kindu. A United Nations spokesman, Mr George Ivan Smith said: “We consider it best to have all of them present for interrogation.” He made it clear that if the Government was unable to punish the killers the United Nations intended to do so. Malayan troops are being rushed to the massacre town by all available aircraft. It is thought that when the build-up is completed, Kindu will be sealed off, and every Congolese within the cordon will be disarmed. Some fears are being expressed for the safety of the 200 whites believed to be in

Kindu. Malayan reinforcements on the spot have not been able to enter the town to protect them. Western diplomatic sources believe the Kindu mutiny is a last effort by Mr Gizenga to establish his control in Kivu Province. Anger In Italy British United Press reported from Rome that all Italy was angry over the murder of the 13 airmen. One word was common in newspaper headlines “Massacrati” (massacred). Nine of the 13 airmen were married, and six children are left fatherless. The airmen came from the 46th Air Force Brigade, stationed outside Pisa. The Italian Prime Minister (Mr Fanfani) has ordered his / mbasador in Leopoldville to demand from the Congolese Government a full inquiry into the murders, so that those responsible would be punished as an example to others. Members of all parties in Italy have expressed anger at the massacre, and Government leaders are under pressure to act forcefully. At least a dozen deputies have tabled urgent questions to be answered at today’s meeting of the Chamber of Deputies. The United Nations representative in Katanga (Dr. Conor O’Brien) and the Commander of the Congo United Nations Forces. Major-Gen-eral Sean McKeown, are continuing their urgent consultations with U Thant. The two Irishmen flew back to headquarters yesterday at U Thant’s summons. General McKeown said at the airport that strong steps would have to be taken but that the United Natiofis would need more men and equipment.