TSHOMBE IN CAPITAL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30026, 10 January 1963, Page 9

TSHOMBE IN CAPITAL

Peace In Katanga His ‘Sole Aim’

(N.ZP.A.-Reuter—Copyright) ELISABETHVILLE, January 9. The Katanga Premier, Mr Moise Tshombe, announced “calm and peace to Katanga” as his “sole aim” in a press statement in Elisabethville last night. But this morning a Katanga Government spokesman said the Katangese had last night blown up a power sub-station and transformer between Jadotville and Kolwezi.

The President’s press statement had promised rapidly to apply U Thant’s plan “without useless destruction.”

Mr Tshombe returned to the Katanga capital, Elisabethville, yesterday. Unconfirmed reports from the United Nations last night said Mr Tshombe had announced over Radio Katanga that he was willing to reunite Katanga with the Congo and accepted U Thant’s plan, the British United Press said.

But diplomats said Mr Tshombe must agree tn two more conditions to win United Nations approval—a pledge to co-operate with the United Nations and to assure its freedom of movement in Katanga. One diplomat said: “Talks between Tshombe and the United Nations may resume as soon as tomorrow.”

However, the United Nations Under-Secretaiy, Dr. Ralph Bunche, who is visiting the Congo at the request of U Thant, has said twice in the last few days: “We have nothing to discuss with Tshombe.” President Tshombe said yesterday that the remains of his forces were ready to blow up all installations in Kolwezi if the United Nations attacked the town. This was confirmed by a statement by the Union Miniere Mining Company, which said that Katanga gendarmes had occupied all

Union Miniere plant and buildings in the Kolwezi area. The gendarmes had placed explosive charges at the dams and power stations at Kolwezi.

Destruction of the dams and power stations would cut off three-quarters of Katanga’s hydro-electric power and would be fatal to the economic life of Katanga and the Congo, the company said.

Eight leading tribal chiefs of south Katanga, including Mr Tshombe’s father-in-law and the brother of his Minister of the Interior (Mr Godefroid Munongo), have pledged allegiance to the central Congolese Government. They have appealed for Congolese troops to be sent into Katanga. » Mr Tshombe issued a press statement—one of the shortest he has ever made—which said in full: “I have returned to Elisabethville with the sole aim of restoring as soon as possible calm and peace to Katanga and to all its people. “This consists essentially of rapidly applying the Thant plan, without new spilling of blood and without useless destruction. It is evident that in these circumstances I will abstain from any declaration against the United Nations.” But this morning, a Katanga Government spokesman said the Katangese had last night blown up a power sub-station and transformer between Jadotville and Kolwezi. The power station and transformer served a new mine at Fungurume, about 50 miles from Jadotville on the

road to Kolwezi. Electric power lines were also destroyed at the same place.

The United Nations in New York last night denied any knowledge of a published report that Mr Tshombe had expressed willingness to cooperate with the United Nations. Katangese information officials said their latest word was that he was “ready to blow up eveiything” A United Nations spokesman said that U Thant had received no mtunatton that Mr Tshombe had bowed to his nine-day-old ultimatum. A report that the United Nations chief bad expressed satisfaction at the development therefore was “absolute nonsense,” the spokesman said. A story circulated at the United Nations, quoting “high diplomatic sources” said Mr Tshombe had anannounced his capitulation in a broadcast heard in Brazzaville. A United Nations spokesman questioned the veracity of the report, noting that the radio in EHisabethviMe was in United Nations hands and that there was no information thipt Mr Tshombe had used it. The spokesman said that up to last night Mir Tshombe had made no move to see the United Nations representative in Elisabethville, Mr Eliud Maithu. The Katanga information office in New York said no word had been received there of any broadcast by the Premier. Officials said their latest information was that the scorched earth policy enunciated by Mr Tshombe still held and that be was “ready to blow up everything.” The Belgian chief of the information office, Mr Michel Streulens, said he would hold a press conference today at which he would outline the polity of the Katangese Provincial Government and its attitude to United Nations operations in the Congo. Indians To Leave In New Delhi yesterday, an Indian Defence Ministry spokesman said all Indian troops in the Congo would be coming home by the end of March. Indian troops in the Congo total 5700. They form the nucleus of the United Nations force in Katanga. When China attacked India last autumn, India expressed a hope to the United Nations that the troops could be released.

Footballers’ Crash Claim Settled (N ,Z.P,A.-R«ut«r— Copyright) LONDON, January 9. Manchester United Football Club announced yesterday that its £250,000 claim against British European Airways concerning the February, 1958. Munich air crash had been settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.