Questions Relating to the Situation in the Republic of the Congo (Leopoldville)
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52 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS CHAPTER VII QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (LEOPOLDVILLE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS The United Nations undertook action with re- observed that the only sound and lasting solu- gard to the situation in the Republic of the tion to the difficulties which had developed in Congo (Leopoldville)1 shortly after this former the Congo was for the instruments of the Gov- Belgian-administered territory gained independ- ernment, particularly its security administration, ence, when difficulties developed in connexion to be rendered capable of ensuring the mainte- with the maintenance of law and order and the nance of order and the protection of life. Tech- Belgian Government sent its troops to the nical assistance, which he had already under- Congo. Acceding to a request of the Congolese taken at the request of the Congolese Govern- Government, the United Nations embarked on ment, would, however, take some time to the biggest single military assistance operation produce satisfactory results. For the intermedi- organized and directed by itself. The progress ary period, he strongly recommended that the of the operation, the problems encountered in Council accede to the request for military assist- the achievement of its purposes and the develop- ance and authorize him to take the necessary ment of the situation in the Congo were the steps in consultation with the Congolese Govern- subject of discussion not only in the Security ment. It would then be understood that the Council which initiated the action, but also at Belgian Government would see its way to a the fourth emergency special session of the Gen- withdrawal of its troops. eral Assembly in September 1960 and the As- If his recommendation were accepted, the sembly's fifteenth regular session during the Secretary-General indicated, his actions would periods 20 September-20 December 1960 and be based on principles he had set out in a report 7 March-21 April 1961. of 1958 on previous experience in this field (is- sued in connexion with the United Nations CONSIDERATION BY SECURITY Emergency Force) .2 The United Nations Force COUNCIL, JULY-SEPTEMBER 1960 in the Congo would not be authorized to action On 13 July 1960, the Secretary-General, act- beyond self-defence; it would not take any ing under Article 99 of the United Nations action which would make it a party to internal Charter (which authorizes him to "bring to the conflicts in the country; and the selection of attention of the Security Council any matter personnel for the Force would be such as to which in his opinion may threaten the mainte- avoid complications because of nationalities nance of international peace and security"), used. He intended to obtain, in the first place, asked for an urgent meeting of the Security units from African nations, and to exclude Council so that he might report on a demand units from any of the permanent members of for United Nations action in relation to the the Security Council. Republic of the Congo. By cables of 12 and 13 The Tunisian representative proposed a draft July, the President of the Republic and its resolution whereby the Security Council would Prime Minister had asked him for the urgent call upon Belgium to withdraw its troops from despatch of military assistance in order to pro- the Congo and would authorize the Secretary- tect Congolese national territory, complaining General to take the necessary steps, in consulta- that the arrival of Belgian metropolitan troops tion with the Congolese Government, to provide in the Congo constituted aggression and that the that Government with the necessary military provincial authorities of Katanga had declared secession as a result of "colonialist machina- 1 Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the Republic of the Congo in this section relate to the tions." state, formerly under Belgian administration, with its At a meeting of the Security Council held on capital at Leopoldville. the night of 13-14 July, the Secretary-General 2 See Y.U.N., 1958, pp. 52-54. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE SITUATION IN THE CONGO (LEOPOLDVILLE) 53 assistance until it felt that through its efforts rived in the Congo. The first contingent of Bel- with the technical assistance of the United Na- gian armed forces had left Leopoldville on 16 tions, the national security forces were able to July upon the arrival of the United Nations meet their tasks fully. troops. Following assurances that contingents f During the discussion which followed, mem- of the Force would arrive in sufficient numbers, bers of the Council agreed on the need for ap- the Belgian authorities had agreed to withdraw proving the Secretary-General's recommenda- all their forces from the Leopoldville area by tion for the provision of military assistance to 23 July. the Congo. The representatives of China, The Secretary-General had also taken urgent France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the steps, with the co-operation of Member states United States, however, expressed reservations and the specialized agencies of the United Na- about the clause in the Tunisian proposal call- tions, to transport food and fuel supplies to the ing for the withdrawal of the Belgian troops, Leopoldville area, to organize the necessary especially in view of the statement by the Bel- work to prevent the silting of the Congo River, gian representative, who had been invited to and to undertake an emergency health pro- participate in the discussion, that the interven- gramme. ing Belgian metropolitan forces would be with- Meanwhile, on 17 July, the President and the drawn when the United Nations forces were in Prime Minister of the Congo had informed the a position to ensure the maintenance of order Secretary-General's representative in the Congo and the security of persons. that their Government would regretfully be The representatives of Poland and the USSR, compelled to request intervention by the USSR on the other hand, felt that the Council should if the United Nations seemed unable to accom- condemn the Belgian action as "armed aggres- plish the withdrawal of Belgian troops by 19 sion" and call for the "immediate" withdrawal of its troops. The USSR moved two amend- At a meeting of the Security Council on 20 ments to this end, but they were rejected by 7 July 1960, the Secretary-General expressed his votes to 2, with 2 abstentions. A third USSR view that the Organization was at a turn of the amendment—to provide for making military as- road where its attitude would be of decisive sistance by the African United Nations Member significance not only for its own future, but states available—was rejected by 5 votes to 4, also for the future of Africa and perhaps the with 2 abstentions. world. He stressed that his interpretation of the The Tunisian draft resolution was then Council's resolution of 14 July — namely, that adopted by 8 votes to O, with China, France and actions of the United Nations through the Sec- the United Kingdom abstaining. retary-General, in respects covered by this resolu- The Secretary-General took immediate steps tion, applied to the whole of the territory of the to implement the Council's resolution of 14 Republic of the Congo. He had communicated July. this interpretation to the president of the pro- On 18 July, he submitted his first report on vincial government of Katanga, Mr. Tshombe. the matter; several addenda to this report were The Secretary-General thought that the Council submitted on subsequent dates. might find it useful to clarify his mandate in In addition to information on steps taken for connexion with the withdrawal of Belgian the building of the United Nations Force, his troops. Though the Council had not requested first report contained certain observations on him to take specific steps for that purpose, his the interpretation of the mandate given to him representatives had attempted to ensure the co- by the Council and the lines he had followed in ordination of United Nations military assistance implementing the authorization given him. and Belgian withdrawal. By 20 July 1960, when the Security Council The Security Council then heard statements resumed discussion of the question, the Force by the representatives of the Republic of the had been brought up to 12 African and two Congo and Belgium. The representative of the European battalions and a number of military Congo asked that the Belgian troops be evacu- units of a smaller size and specialized character. ated from Congolese national territory as quickly Three thousand five hundred troops had ar- as possible: He requested the Council to provide 54 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS technical assistance to the Congo and not to would not refrain from taking resolute measures permit any degree of recognition for an inde- to stop the "imperialist aggression" against the pendent Katanga. He explained that the com- Congo if it continued, and that it would extend munication of 17 July from his President and to the Congolese Government whatever assist- Prime Minister testified to a certain impatience ance might be necessary for the victory of its and mistrust which must be seen in its context, "just cause." The United States representative and affirmed that his Government continued to declared that no troops should be introduced rely upon the United Nations and was grateful into the Congo other than those requested by for its assistance. the Secretary-General pursuant to the Security The representative of Belgium argued that Council resolution. The United States, with the limited intervention of Belgian troops, un- other Member states, would do whatever might dertaken in view of the outrages committed by be necessary to prevent the intrusion of any mutinous Congolese armed mobs against Bel- other military forces, he said.