Strain Has Been Growing

Press, Volume C, Issue 29690, 7 December 1961, Page 17

Strain Has Been Growing

(hi.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

ELISABETHVILLE, December 6. The tension which flared into open fighting in Katanga yesterday has been building up for more than a week. It started to simmer after e United Nations Security Council mandate of November 24 authorising the use f military measures. if r.:cessary, to detain mercenaries with the Katanga gendarmerie. The Katangese interpreted ‘his as meaning a pending United Nations invasion and President Tshombe made his r. ■ w-famous “poisoned arrows” speech urging Katangese to prepare for war Officials Beaten On Tuesday of last week United Nations officials. Mr George Ivan Smith <an Ausalianl and Mr Brian Urquhart were seized and badly beaten by Katangese para-commandos. Then a Ghurka was killed and an Indian major kidr. a oped. Oh Saturday night 32 Katangese soldiers were ar-~r-sted by Indian United Nation* soldiers after an exchange at fire lasting about half an hour at the airport. The Jnited Nations immediatelv handed them back but on Sunday morning the United Nations found II of s men had been captured bv para-commandos late the previous night On Sunday. Katangese soldiers erected road blocks ?: several points throughout the city and Katangese and Ugited Nations troops faced

each other at one of these for a tense two hours before it was removed by the Katangese and the United Nations withdrew. On Sunday evening, one Swedish United Nations driver was shot dead and a captain and sergeant badly wounded when Katanga gendarmes opened fire on them at a road block between the town and the Swedish camp Agreement Reached On Monday night agreement was reached to take down the road block and withdraw troops and armoured cars from their positions Mr Urquhart yesterday told reporters the United Nations had withdrawn their troops from the area between the airport and the city but the Katangese troops had not been withdrawn from the road jlock on the airport road He called this "the final act of bad faith " Mr Ivan Smith told the Katanga Foreign Minister (Mr Evariste Kimba) that the road block should be removed. but Mr Kimba replied this was an ultimatum. Mr Smith denied this, but said that i> fighting broke out Katanga would bear full responsibility At 1.15 pun yesterday, the Katangese left their original road block on the airport road and moved forward about 500 yards At the same time between 50 and 60 United Nations soldiers were seen digging ditches on either side of the road At 1.45 pm. firing broke out on the airport road Forty-one men were reported to have been killed.

The casualty figures were issued by the United Nations —3B Katangese and two white mercenaries on the one side, one Gurkha officer on the other. But Mr Kimba said only nine Katangese had been wounded in the battle—and none killed. However, a wounded United Nations Indian lieutenant said: “We can show the bodies to prove it” The fighting spread through the city—chiefly in the form of sporadic sniping. Late in the afternoon the United Nations headquarters in Elisabethville was attacked by Katangese in what the United Nations described as a “splendidly prepared” action Gurkha troops fought off the attackers, with casualties on both sides In the fighting on the airport road. 90 Gurkhas, backed by armoured cars and machine-guns, moved against 130 Katangese para-com-mandos Bitter fighting followed until the Katangese either fled or were killed or captured, the British United Press said A second action was fought against the Katangese near the old Elisabethville airfield, where the Katangese were armed with heavy mortars. The Indians took the position at bayonet point in 70 minutes The United Nations—nowunder military, not civilian command—last night claimed to control the airport The Katangese Government claimed to be tn control of the city. At a news conference after H»e fighting started Mr

Kimba, according to Reuter, told reporters: “We are savages and negroes, if you like well, we will fight like savages with our arrows. "No more negotiations No more cease fire. Katanga is for the Katanga people, no matter what the future ” In a brief radio speech later Mr Kimba appealed to the population to remain calm The Katanga Information Minister (Mr Albert Nyembo) told reporters that United Nations headquarters in Katanga—the Gurkha camp—came under Katangese fire during the night. He was holding a press conference at the telex station in the Elisabethville post office, said the Associated Press. Mr Nyembo said that the United Nations had been forced to transfer their headquarters to a small house near the airport about seven miles from the centre of Elisabethville. He described the situation at the United Nations headquarters as “une debandade complete” (totally confused flight). Mr Nyembo also announced that the United Nations have abandoned the Lido, the hotel south-west of the town which it was using mainly as a rest place for soldiers Mr Nyembo asserted that United Nations personnel twice this morning fired on ambulances. and that women and children who live m the suburbs had been prevented from coming into town. Similar charges of shooting against ambulances and other atrocities were levelled against United Nations troops after the September 13 fighting.