TSHOMBE FREE IN KATANGA

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30028, 12 January 1963, Page 11

TSHOMBE FREE IN KATANGA

U.N. Denies House Arrest Imposed

(N.Z.Pu4.-Reuter— Copyright) NEW YORK, January 11. The United Nations last night declared Mr Moise Tshombe free to move about Katanga without restraint and denied that the provincial Premier had ever been under house arrest.

Just 24 hours before, a United Nations spokesman had announced that the United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant) had ordered the Katangese Premier placed under house arrest in his palace in Elisabethville.

The same spokesman last night said the earlier statement had been erroneous and that the order was conditional on Mr Tshombe’s continuing “irresponsible acts” —such as invoking a scorched earth policy in his breakaway province.

United Nations officials in Elisabethville, the Katanga capital, had “as yet found no justification for restraining action” against Mr Tshombe, the spokesman said. The Premier was subject only to the regular curfew in the city, together with other officials. Earlier a United Nations spokesman said Mr Tshombe had abandoned his scorched earth policy and was prepared to co-operate fully with the world body.

The British Consul in Elisabethville, Mr Derek Dodson, whose recall has been demanded by the central Congolese Government, yesterday was hailed by the United Nations spokesman for his “wonderful” role in persuading Mr Tshombe to change his mind after the Premier’s press conference statement that he would order important industrial installations demolished if the United Nations moved on his former military stronghold of Kolwezi.

An authoritative source said the United Nations was ready to back British efforts to have the order against Mr Dodson rescinded. The United Nations was as anxious

as the British that the Consul should remain in Elisabethville, the source said. Last night’s statement, described as a “clarifying” document, spurred speculation whether British, Belgian and perhaps other United Nations representatives had made representations to U Thant against placing Mr Tshombe under house arrest. No Qualification The earlier announcement had made no qualification about the arrest order against Mr Tshombe, stating simply that the United Nations command had “been instructed to restrain him from further irresponsible acts.” A United Nations spokesman said at the time that this meant he would be placed under house arrest. The spokesman last night said United Nations troops had ringed the presidential palace, precautionarily, but no restriction on the Premier’s movements had been imposed. The “Chicago Tribune” said today in an editorial on the Congo situation that the United Nations “has practised the technique of the big lie to a fare-thee-well.” “From the beginning of the latest United Nations punitive action in Katanga it has been impossible from day to day, and almost from minute to minute, to fix the truth about anything that has been happening,” it said. “The United Nations has practised the technique of the big lie to a fare-thee-well, just as it did in its Katanga military operations of September and December, 1961.

“Reporters both in Katanga and at the United Nations have been compelled to labour under the difficulty of dealing with official spokesmen whose credibility is at all times in question. Interests and aims in Katanga are at odds. Propaganda is planted to advance conflicting purposes.” “Secession Must End”

The “New York Times” said in an editorial prepared for its West Coast and European editions, but not published in its home city because of a newspaper strike there: “The United Nations ; . . must take every action necessary to end the Tshombe secession as quickly as possible. Further delay could undermine the central Congolese Government and encourage new tribal warfare that could again plunge the country into chaos. “Mr Tshombe may legitimately demand amnesty and a say in the new federal constitution to assure a degree of

autonomy for Katanga. But the United Nations is right to insist on proof of the good faith of this leader and to require that he acknowledge the authority of the central Government.”

The “Washington Post” said that Mr Tshombe could preserve his place as a leader if he collaborated wholeheartedly with the United Nations’ plan to reunify the Congo. The newspaper said the United Nations had made it clear it was not seeking to destroy Mr Tshombe, even though the central Congolese Government regarded him as an outlaw.

“If Mr Tshombe has any sense of obligation to those who have supported his lost cause, he will do all he can to stop the fanatics who are ready to turn a torch on Katanga’s collapsing house,” the newspaper said.

Tshombe Leads Way President Tshombe yesterday smoothed the way for a bloodless United Nations thrust to the Northern Rhodesian frontier, when he drove several miles ahead of a powerful United Nations armoured column, ordering tattered remnants of his army not to resist.

The United Nations force —armoured cars, troop carriers and 500 Ethiopian and Indian troops—swept after him down the 174-mile road to the border town of Mokambo without a shot being fired.

“It was a picnic,” said the Ethiopian force commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Balhu Tilahun.

“Mr Tshombe told his troops as they formed honour guards for him at the roadside: *1 tell you not to oppose the United Nations because I do not want the people to be massacred.’”

Mr Tshombe told reporters: “I have done this to stop bloodshed and prove my good intentions. “You are witness to what I have done this morning. It proves I am implementing the plan to ensure free movement for United Nations forces,’’ he said. But Mr Tshombe still insisted every such case must be negotiated beforehand, the Associated Press said. The United Nations force camped for the night at Mokambo. President Tshombe returned to Elisabethville before the troops arrived at Mokambo. passing the column on the way. A United Nations spokesman said the column had not taken any prisoners and had seen hardly any Katangese troops.