Evidence To U.N. For Exiled Ruanda King

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29853, 20 June 1962, Page 15

Evidence To U.N. For Exiled Ruanda King

(NZ.PA-Reuter —Copyright) NEW YORK, June 19. The United Nations Trusteeship Committee agreed yesterday to grant a hearing today to the exiled King Kigeri IV of Ruanda, through a spokesman in New York.

Ruanda, with its sister country, Urundi, has been ruled by Belgium under the trusteeship system since 1946, and is scheduled to become independent on July 1. The Trusteeship Committee is currently debating the measures necessary to effect their smoothest possible transition into full nationhood as separate States. 'The twin territories, with a combined population of about five million, have turned dowm U.N. efforts to unite them as one new nation. The United Nations is particularly concerned to avert further bloodshed. There

have been violent tribal clashes in recent years. The native Mw’ami, or King, w’as deposed and exiled in 1959, after the oncesubservieat Bahutu revolted against their former feudal masters, the tall Watutsi— King Kigeri's own tribe. Watutsi refugees living on the borders of Ruanda, mainly in Uganda and the Congolese province of Kivu, have since organised violent raids into their native land. It is expected that the spokesman for the Mwami will attempt to press the claims of King Kigeri and his tribe. Ruanda's Foreign Minister

(Mr CaUixte Habamenshn has told the committee that his Government wiU have no dealings with Kigeri, “so long as he stiU considers himself Mwami” He said his country would not be prepared to grant Kigeri a pension to live outside the country, and suggested that Belgium could "perhaps offer him hospitality.” The committee will also hear petitioners today from the opposition party in Ruanda, the Union Nationale Ruandaise, now represented in the Government of Naitional Union under an agreement signed last February in New York between leaders of the twm parties.