Congolese Rebels Reported Split

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30643, 8 January 1965, Page 10

Congolese Rebels Reported Split

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

ELISABETHVILLE, Jan. 7. The Congolese rebel leadership has split and its Communist-backed insurgent army is near mutiny, refugees said yesterday. The refugees said the rebel movement had been divided into factions led by Thomas Kanza on the one side and the former rebel Premier, Christophe Gbenye, on the other.

Rebel soldiers who fled to Arua, Uganda, were reported to have accused Mr Gbenye of collecting money from the sale of gold instead of using it to pay his troops. The refugees said some rebel soldiers had not been paid for three months and were close to mutiny. Mr Kanza is now reported to be entirely dependent on “handouts” from the Kenya Government. In Brussels later this week the Congolese Prime Minister (Mr Tshombe) will confer with the Belgian Foreign Minister (Mr Paul - Henri Spaak) about the Congolese Government’s plans to take over all mining concession rights now held by Belgian companies.

In Paris, the N.A.T.O. Permanent Council failed to agree on proposals for co-ordinated allied economic aid to African countries, especially the Congo. The Jugoslav Government yesterday withdrew its Embassy staff from Leopoldville because, it said, it could not carry on diplomatic relations with the Congolese Government.