June 17, 1961 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

And that, brings us to the. second' Neutrals, the others will not possess tion to incorporate the Western back of the two: new factors mentioned to quite the same extent. Moreover, into the Eastern: one A United above. Since the West has never if the principle of partial non-in- Nations guarantes for the city until now given any positive res- epection of test sites, inherent in would make Russian adventurism ponse to these admittedly old Rus­ Moscow's plan, is accepted, effec­ against it morally difficult. Militari- sian proposal?, Russia may be said tive nuclear disarmament would ly, the West would be in no worse to be perfectly justified in making become impossible. But since this position than at present to come to them anew. A proposal which has is a proposal, it must, one assumes, the aid of Bonn; indeed, it would not been seriously examined by the be open to a counter-proposal. That he able to do so with the full opposite party at any stage, retains surely is the spirit in which Mr moral authority of the U N at its its right to be advanced again. Kennedy should approach it. Only Hack. The plan, to say the least, The restriction of veto placed by then would Vienna have had some is worth serious examination by Mr Khrushchev on the anti-test meaning. Mr Kennedy. commission is certainly .serious. It On Berlin, besides, the Khrush- On balance, thus, the Soviet gives advantages to the Soviet ehev plan has the look of fairness. leader may have rolled a promising Union which, in spite of the veto To suggest its conversion into a ball. It is now in Mr Kennedy's being enjoyed by the West and the Free City is to renounce the ambi­ court to play. The Agony of

IT is most remarkable that though tors from outside who arc foment­ jumped into the fray and have United States supported the ing trouble. been helping the Angolans far Security Council resolution sponsor­ Britain maintains that, any way, beyond their capacity, one should ed by Afro-Asian countries con­ it is a domestic affair of say. considering the manner in demning Portugal's atrocities in which is not within the competence which Congo has been taking in Angola. Britain and ab­ ef Britain or the to Hoods of refugees. Arms have stained from voting on it. One interfere with. While all this has also been flowing in. and the re- can understand this move on the been going on. Ford Home, the surgent African Slates make no part of France, But how to explain British Foreign Minister, paid a street of their support and active the British altitude to Angola and friendly visit to Or Salazar and assistance to the Angolans. to Dr Salazar? Is it all explained exchanged cordial compliments, The movement has by now be­ by Britain's membership of the while British troops have been sent come fairly well-organised and is NATO? America, hitherto guilty to Portugal to take part in NATO being ably led by Angolan refu­ of a dirty alliance for the measly exercises ostensibly, but, in reality, gees in Leopoldville who have no air-base in , has at last cut to replace Portuguese troops which illusion about the price that they away; but. not Britain. Is it then are being shipped out to Angola. have to pay to force Portugal to British investments in Portugal? Britain stands by her faithful ally unit. For every Portuguese soldier Are they so precious that Bri­ even to I he extent of refusing a killed, how many Angolans have to tain is prepared to risk her inter­ visa to Senor Galvao. whose Santa pay with their lives, one shudders ests elsewhere, especially in ? Maria exploit so dramatically drew to think or to count. But they are The General Assembly of the Unit­ world attention to Angola and to prepared to pay that price, for ed Nations had earlier decided to the despotic regime in his own there are so many more Angolans pet up a five member commission homeland. The explanation given than Portuguese in Angola! to enquire into the situation in by the Home Office for refusal of a , endorsing the visa to Galvao was that Portugal Where is there an end to it, to resolution submitted by 36 Afro- was a member of the NATO! this semeless massacre and the Asian delegations. The resolution mad fury which it has been calling has, of course remained a dead The nature of the revolt in An­ forth among the African people? letter. The five-member commis­ gola defies description in that it The Indian representative at the sion, however, has now been in­ cannot be called a national revolt U N warned the Security Council structed by the Security Council or a national upsurge. Portuguese of the explosive situation which '' to implement its mandate with­ did not allow the was being created in Africa by out delay. " awakening of political conscious­ Portuguese action in Angola. He Meanwhile, what has been going ness which could crystallise into a told the Council that some African on in Angola is a brutal reign of national movement. What fired off nations, understandably enough, terror the. extent of which is limit­ the revolt, which has now taken had given notice that they would ed only by the ability of Portugal the shape of a war of liberation, aid the Angolans, even with arms, to send enough reinforcement. were the happenings in the neigh­ if the slaughter continued, and that Shiploads of troops are being sent bouring Congo, for, Angola has this could, thanks to Portuguese in­ out and. with the end of the rainy not been immune from the gene­ transigence, develop into a threat season, Salazair has promised, pill- ral awakening which has swept to international peace; that it was age and butchery will be intensifi­ over the whole of Africa. Such the Council's duty to prevent this ed to the maximum. Portugal still awakening may be vague and trend of events and urge Portu­ maintains the deception that there inchoate; but, it is no less potent guese to call off the war which it is nothing the matter with the peo­ because of that, and the neighbou­ had launched on the Angolan ple of Angola; that it is only agita­ ring countries of Africa have people, 904 June 17, 1961: THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

their fellow-Africans. The Afro- The Oil Mission which Shri Mala- It.. It was to the big powers that viyaji is leading to Europe is not, Shri G S Jha appealed, the big Asian members of the U N today are a force to contend with; but, therefore, going too soon. Some­ powers which were linked with thing has to he done pretty quickly Portugal in military alliance- He they are not yet strong enough to make their intervention effective. to reduce the incidence of sickness pointed out that same of the wes­ among the oil wells and to put the tern, powers had already realised There is no question about whole thing on a smoothly-function­ Chat colonialism could not be iden- India a sympathy in this or any ing and efficient basis. The problem tilted with NATO mid he hoped other colonial conflict. But the is difficult and complex, ft is not that otters too would realise it. path of moderation that she has easy to ensure team work with Kus- Violently denying the myth that followed, sometimes, makes her sian and Rumanian technicians - Angola was Portugal's overseas portion in the Afro-Asian camp each used to their own ways and province, Shri Jha urged Portu­ less effective than it could be. The habit noted to working with equip­ gal's friends and allies. to curb that United Nations has not finished ment and materials which are not nation. Portuguese colonial rule with Portugal yet, Angola will readily available here. sought sustenance from Portugal's aoon be back before both the Coun­ "allies who, under the cover of These immediate problems apart, NATO membership, put up a front cil and the Assembly, when the now that the prospects of finding of support for Portugal even in Commission reports back to both. oil in adequate quantities have been the U N. But one wonders what wilt it mean so well established, no time should in effect, for. Portugal has no in­ On the other side, there are the be lost in working out satisfactory tention of recognising or honouring African Stales led by Congo and arrangements for surveying the dif­ the United Nations' directives and Ghana which are not prepared to ferent fields in the country. The the H N has not yet got an answer wail for gentle pressure to be put need for explorations is now being on Portugal to make this mad to such upon defiance of its au­ felt in the other States also. West country desist from exterminating thority. Rengal has proposed to the Oil and Natural Gas Commission |o take up explorations in areas not covered by Oil Strikes and Sick Wells the Stanvac project, which had prov­ ed a failure, it is only by farming TO Ankleshwar and Cambay. becoming evident. It is, therefore, out all the areas which bold any Kalol is now added as a third gratifying to learn that the Mini­ promise for oil to a number of dif­ oil field in Gujarat. The small town stry has successfully negotiated an ferent agencies that exploration of of Kalol, which has become famous agreement with the tl IN I for pros- all likely areas can be ensured. If overnight, following the strike of pceting and development in Knlcli, the Government is careful to farm oil, is 15'miles north of Ahmedabdd. another promising area, which the out such contracts on satisfactory The proposed capital of Gujarat, Oil and Natural Gas Commission has terms, keeping final control in its Gandinagar, lies in an adjacent area not been able to touch yet. In fact own hands, it can gain from the ex- and, following the successful strike the Commission has its hands more perience of others, find out for it- of oil in Kalol, the Oil and Natural than full. even the test wells near self with little or no cost, which Gas Commission has pinned two Barocla which have been found to type of exploitation offers the maxi­ more drilling points right in Gandi­ be promising remain to be drilled. mum advantage. nagar. The recent finds, in short, Now that the expert -commitlee ha;- more than substantiate the claim of selected the site for the Gujarul re­ Shri K D Malaviya, Minister for finery at Koyle, 8 miles from Haro- Mines and Oil, that the speed of da, a more intensive and energetic discovery has definitely proved development of this area has gained faster than the resources that have immediate importance. Proximity been available to the Oil and Natu­ to the Mahi river which is only 5 ral Gas Commission for the pros- miles away and its location about peering and development of oil. mid-way between Cambay and An­ The entire area, several hundred kleshwar favoured its selection as square miles on the proposed site of site of the refinery, the new capital of Gujarat, seems There are some striking features honey-combed by small or big struc­ about oil exploration in Ankleshwar. tures where oil can very hopefully and probably of the other oil fields be searched and Gujarat will have in Gujarat also, which have not to look for another location for its been adequately publicised. Now- capital. The Oil and Natural Gas where else, except in areas of pro­ Commission intends to carry out in­ ven reserves, have, such a large pro­ tensive search for oil in about 400 portion of drills proved successful; square miles round about Kalol. nowhere else perhaps has the inci­ There are so many other areas to be dence of sickness among the oil explored. wells sunk been greater. Nearly Indeed, the inadequacy of re­ every well sunk has yielded oil; and sources far prospecting and develop­ nearly every one of the wells is ment of oil has been increasingly 'sick', for one reason or another. 905