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21738 KEESING'S CONTEMPORARY ARCHIVES Nov. 26—Dec. 3, 1966

(c) Mr. M. C. Chagla (Education) was appointed External B. ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY.—Fourth Affairs Minister ; and (d) Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed became Assembly of Heads of State and Government. - Dispute Education Minister. between and . Mr. Chavan (53) was Chief Minister of Bombay in 1956-60 and The fourth Assembly of the Heads of State and Government Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1960-62, and succeeded Mr. of the member-States of the Organization of African Unity Krishna Menon as Defence Minister in November 1962, during the (O.A.U.) took place in on Nov. 5-9. It was border oonfliot with China. Sardar Swaran Singh (69) entered the preceded by a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Cabinet in 1952, and held a succession of Ministries before becoming External Affairs Minister in 1964. Mr. Chagla (66), a former Chief O.A.U., but this meeting, as well as the Assembly itself, was Justice of the Bombay High Court, was Ambassador in Washington largely overshadowed by a dispute caused by the Government in 1958-62 and High Commissioner in London in 1962-63, and of Ghana in intercepting and detaining the Guinean mission entered the Cabinet as Education Minister in 1963. He is the first to the O.A.U. Moslem to hold the post Of External Affairs Minister. The Ghana-Guinea Dispute. While the Indian press strongly criticized Mrs. Gandhi for her alleged vacillation over the Cabinet changes, the Prime On Oct. 29 the Ghanaian authorities removed from a Pan Minister herself deprecated Mr. Nanda's allegations in state­ American Airways airliner (calling at on a scheduled ments which she made in the Lok Sabha on Nov. 10 and in flight from to Lagos) the four members of the Guinean the Rqjya Sabha on Nov. 17. delegation to the O.A.U. conference, including Dr. Louis Lansana Beavogui (the Foreign Minister of Guinea) and 15 . Mrs. Gandhi told the Lok Sabha that she had tiled to co-operate Guinean students travelling to Lagos, and detained all 19 at with Mr. Nanda to the " utmost of my ability " and expressed regret " that Mr. Nanda had the impression I was not giving him an Army camp. The Ghanaian Government announced the co-operation," adding : " It may be that I did not agree with same day that the detained Guineans would not be released some of the things at which I had to took in a larger perspective." unless the Guinean Government released those Ghanaians who In reply to Opposition members she stated that it was the Home were " illegally detained " in Guinea. Minister who was responsible for policy-making and that it was The Accra statement said that Ghana had been forced to take for him to support or not to support any suggestions made by the this action " to seek redress from a country which has shown a Home Secretary. She admitted that Mr. Nanda had asked for the total disregard for normal international behaviour." Admitting removal of the Home Secretary, but added: " I have to look that under normal circumstances the detentions would have been after the larger interests in considering this matter and I gave contrary to diplomatic norms, the statement referred to Guinea's my reasons to the Home Minister. Personally it has been a matter " consistently hostile " attitude and its threats to invade Ghana of painful parting with a trusted colleague whose hard work and in order to restore Dr. Nkrumah to power [see 21138 A ; page 21275]. integrity will be appreciated by all." It was taken for granted, Mrs. Gandhi continued, that she had accepted Mr. Nanda's resig­ General Ankrah, the Head of the Military Government of Ghana, nation because of the happenings in Delhi, but that was not so, said at a press conference on Oct. 31 that the Guineans would not and " it is not at all my intention to blame Mr. Nanda for that." be released until President Sekou Toure " comes to reason and releases those Ghanaians whom he is holding against their will Intervening in the Rajya Sabha debate, Mrs. Gandhi, speaking in Conakry." Among the " undiplomatic acts" which he alleged on the anti-cow-slaughter agitation, said that it was " very had been committed by the Government of Guinea were a raid strange" that concern for " mother cow " came every time only on the Ghanaian Embassy in Conakry in February; permission on the eve of a general election. Protection of the cow, she said, given to the head of Dr. Nkmmah's security guards, Mr. Ambrose was a matter for the States, and she asked those who were so Tankey, to sign cheques on Embassy accounts; the removal of much oonoerned about the cow and had the funds " to organize the Ghanaian Ambassador and his wife from an aircraft, and their tremendous demonstrations and to bring people from the far-off arrest; and the training of Ghanaians for the overthrow of the corners of India," to divert at least some of those funds to look new regime and the restoration of Dr. Nkrumah to power. after the drought-stricken areas of the U.P. and Bihar. "The slogan of saving ' mother cow,' " she added, " rings a little hollow When the Ghanaian action against the Guinean delegation unless those who raise it do something to save the cattle." became known in Conakry, the Government of Guinea called for demonstrations against the " machinations of American Mr. Chavan, in bis first major speech as Home Minister on imperialism and its puppets in Accra" ; Radio Conakry Nov. 17 in the Rajya Sabha, rejected the demand made by announced on Oct. 80 that the U.S. Ambassador in Conakry, Opposition spokesmen on the previous day for a judicial Mr. Robinson Mcllvaine, had been placed under house-arrest inquiry into the violent incidents outside Parliament House because the Guinean Government held the U.S. Government on Nov. 7. Mr. Chavan said sueh an inquiry was " neither " entirely responsible for the seizure of its delegation in Accra." practicable nor desirable " and appealed to all political parties A communique issued by the ruling Parti ddmocratique de Guinie to " eschew all agitations likely to lead to violence." (P.D.G.) said that the U.S. Government must "fulfil its The Shankaracharya Niranjan Tirath, high priest of the obligations by carrying the Guinean delegation to Addis Ababa famous Temple of Purl (Orissa) and one of the most respected before the opening of the session." Hindu religions leaders, began an indefinite fast in a Delhi temple on Nov. 21 in support of a ban on cow slaughter. He The U.S. State Department strongly protested on the same was arrested! early the following day by Mr. Chavan's orders day against the restriction imposed upon Mr. Mcllvaine ; and flown to Pondicherry for detention under the Emergency demanded his immediate release and that of a local official of Regulations. Another religious leader who had threatened to Pan American Airways who had been similarly restricted ; begin a fast, Mr. Prabhudutt Brahmachari, was also arrested. and denied that either the U.S. Government or Pan American The Shankaracharya Niranjan Tirath was, however, released Airways were in any way responsible for the incident. Mr. on Nov. 28 and flown back to Puri ; he announced that he Mcllvaine was released from restriction on Oct. 31, but the was continuing his fast, but on Dec. 1 agreed to end it the American Embassy in Conakry was attacked the same day by following day.—{The Hindu, Madras - The Statesman, Calcutta about 50,000 demonstrators led by youth leaders and members • Indian High Commissioner's Office, London - Times - of the militia of the P.D.G. The U.S. Government sent a Guardian) (Prev. rep. Cabinet, 21204 A.) strong protest against the attack. On Nov. 2 Mr. Edward M. Korry, the U.S. Ambassador to A. UNITED STATES. — Adherence to Florence , handed to M. Diallo TeUi, the Secretary-General of Agreement on Duty-free Importation of Educational the O.A.U., a Note expressing U.S. disapproval of Ghana's and Cultural Material. detention of the 19 Guineans as " contrary to accepted inter­ The U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations, Mr. Goldberg, national practice," but at the same time repeating the U.S. deposited on Nov. 2 the U.S. ratification of the international protest over Guinea's reprisals against the American Embassy convention on the duty-free importation of educational, in Conakry. scientific, and cultural materials which had been concluded 16 The Guinean Government on Nov. 8 nevertheless expelled years earlier at Florence—the " Florence Agreement " of 1950, 64 American Peace Corps volunteers and eight staff members, worked out under the auspices of the U.N. Educational, as well as U.S. Information Service personnel, and closed Scientific, and Cultural Organization [see 11289 E ; 10935 A]. Conakry airport to Pan American Airways. Implementing legislation had been signed on Oct. 14 by Previously the Government of Ghana had requested the President Johnson. O.A.U. to include in the agenda for the Assembly the question The Florence Agreement provides for the duty-free treatment of about 30 students and 70 officials allegedly detained in of six broad categories of educational, scientific, and cultural Conakry against their will. The officials were those who had materials : (1) books, publications, and documents ; (2) works gone to Guinea with ex-President Nkrumah after his return of art and collectors' items ; (S) visual and auditory materials ; from Communist China [see page 21275], while the students (4) scientific instruments and apparatus ; (5) articles for the had originally intended to aid the former President to return to blind ; (6) exhibition materials.—(U.S. Information Service) power in Ghana ; 23 of them had later tried to flee from Ghana, (Prev. rep. Florence Agreement, 1x239 E ; 10935 A.> but (the Ghanaian Government alleged) had been intercepted Nov. 26—Dec. 3, 1966 KEESING'S CONTEMPORARY ARCHIVES 21739

and imprisoned in Guinea—though this was denied by the sent a special aircraft to bring him from Conakry to Addis Guinean Government. Ababa, but on Nov. 6 President Toure announced that the On hearing of the Ghanaian action against the Guinean " insult" to Guinea was " not wiped out" because the other delegation, Mr. Ketema Yifru, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, African leaders had accepted the presence of General Ankrah immediately sent a protest to the Government of Ghana, and at Addis Ababa, and he would therefore refuse to attend the Mr. Mammo Tadesse, the Ethiopian Minister of Justice, arrived O.A.U. Assembly. in Accra early on Oct. 31 as special envoy of the Emperor Haile A Guinean mission nevertheless arrived in Addis Ababa on Selassie. After meeting Mr. Tadesse, General Ankrah announced Nov. 8, led by M. Leon Maka (the president of the National that he had told the Emperor's envoy that he would not release Assembly), with instructions to take no part in the work of the the Guineans before Guinea returned the detained Ghanaians O.A.U. but to " enlighten" the " friendly" delegations on the bad treatment allegedly meted out to the Guinean " hostages " to Ghana. in Ghana. An official Ethiopian communiqu6 (Oct. 30) described the Ghanaian action as " a violation of international law" and of Decisions of the Council of Ministers. international practice as well as of the conventions signed by all The seventh meeting of the Council of Ministers of the O.A.U. member-States, including Ghana; it maintained that, O.A.U., held in camera and presided over by M. Bomboko, having requested the O.A.U. to examine the question of the opened on Oct. 31, with Guinea being unrepresented. detention of Ghanaians in Conakry, Ghana was not entitled to act unilaterally. In reply, Brigadier A. K. Ocran, the leader of The Emperor Haile Selassie, in his opening speech, appealed to the Ghanaian delegation to the meeting of the Council of Ministers, both Ghana and Guinea to settle their dispute in the interest of accused the Ethiopian Government of violating the O.A.U. Charter the ideal of African unity and solidarity. He called for pressure and of arrogating to itself the right " to give instructions to the to be exerted on Britain for stronger action in Rhodesia " before Government of Ghana on what to do or not to do." He added the whole of the African continent is plunged into a racial war," that the Ethiopian reproaches should have been addressed to adding that half-measures would prove to be without effect. Guinea ; justified the detentions by referring to Guinea's " systematic refusal " to release the Ghanaians detained in that country ; and The meeting thereupon approved the admission of the newly called on the Council of Ministers to give priority to the dispute independent States of and [see 21659 B and between Ghana and Guinea. 21669 A] as members of the O.A.U., bringing the membership of the Organization to 38 States. The Ghanaian action was also condemned by , the U.A.R., , and Communist China. The Council subsequently dealt with " decolonization " as it affected various African territories, and also with inter- In President Boumedienne sent a special messago of African disputes and matters concerning the structure and Bympathy to President Sekou Tour6, and M. Bouteflika, the Foreign activities of the O.A.U. itself. Minister, demanded the " immediate and unconditional release" of the Guinean delegation. In Mr. Mahmoud Riad, the Rhodesia. The Council approved, with some amendments, a U.A.R. Foreign Minister, handed the Ghanaian Ambassador a draft resolution submitted by a sub-committee, condemning demand for the release of the Guinean delegation, but the U.A.R. " British procrastination," appealing for a programme of sanctions Government also offered to mediate between the two countries. against the Smith regime, and providing for the setting-up of a In Dar-es-Salaam a statement issued by the Tanzanian Govern­ " committee of solidarity" with . It declined, however, ment described Ghana's decision as " an insult not only to Guinea • to make a renewed appeal for a break in diplomatic relations with but also to the O.A.U. and " and said that it might jeopardize Britain, although President Nyerere had alleged in a memorandum the success of the O.A.U. conference. that Britain " clearly wants to create a second " and had called on all member-States to break off diplomatic relations In Poking the New China News Agency announced on Oct. 31 with the U.K. " to restore the honour of Africa." [President that Marshal Chen Yi (the Chinese Foreign Minister) had expressed Nyerere said later that the diplomatic break with Britain had his " indignation at the outrage committed by American imperialists caused Tanzania a loss of £1,000,000.] On a proposal by the in collusion with the reactionary Ghanaian authorities." for the recognition of a Government-in-exile for Rhodesia, the An appeal to Ghana for the release of the Guineans was made Council decided to appoint a sub-committee to draft a resolution on the subject. on Nov. 2 by U Thant, the U.N. Secretary-General, who informed President Toure of his action and asked him at the Portuguese Territories. The Council decided to send a " military same time to accede to a request by Ghana that the Red Cross mission " to and Cabinda in order to evaluate the respective or some other " acceptable " international agency should be importance of forces led by the " Revolutionary Angolan Govern- permitted to ascertain whether Ghanaians held in Guinea ment-in-exile " (G.R.A.E.) under Senhor Holden Roberto and the " Popular Liberation Movement of Angola" (M.P.L.A.) under wished to return to Ghana. U Thant's offer to mediate was , Dr. Agostinho Neto, and to reassess O.A.U. aid to the two move, accepted by the Government of Ghana on Nov. 4. ments accordingly. The Council of Ministers of the O.A.U. had meanwhile Comoro Islands. A proposal by Tanzania and the U.A.R. to decided on Oct. 31 to send to both Accra and Conakry a special call upon to concede self-determination to the Comoro mission consisting of M. Justin Bomboko (Foreign Minister of Islands (N.W. of ) failed to gain the necessary majority, the Congo-), Vice-President Murumbi of , and obtaining only 17 votes, with two against and 13 abstentions. [In a memorandum submitted by M. Abdou Bakari Boina, Mr. John Williams ( Minister of Information) in secretary-general of the " Comoro Liberation Movement" with order to bring about the release of the Guinean delegation and offices in Tanzania, it had been demanded that the islands should to improve relations between the two countries. On arriving be included as a non-independent country In the list made up by in Accra on Nov. 2 the mission called upon General Ankrah, the U.N. Committee on Colonialism. The islands in fact have who explained to them at length his grievances against Guinea. direct representation in the French Parliament.] After hearing evidence from three Ghanaian security men who French . The Council resolved to invite the population had recently escaped from Guinea, the mission proceeded to of to decide on its future " in unity and cohesion" in Conakry later the same day. On the mission's return to Accra j the referendum proposed by the French Government. [Developments on Nov. 7 M. Bomboko reported that 82 Ghanaians questioned | in French Somaliland will be summarized in a subsequent article.] in Guinea had stated that they were not being detained there ; A draft resolution by urging the people of Djibouti against their will. I " resolutely to choose " independence was rejected, obtaining only 17 out of 37 votes. Meanwhile M. Cisse Fode, the Guinean Charge d'Affaires in Algerian-Moroccan Border Dispute. This territorial dispute, Cairo, had on Nov. 2 informed the O.A.U. Council of Ministers unresolved since 1963 [see 20507 A], was referred back to the ad hoc that the Ghanaian delegation had assured him that the four commission dealing with it. detained Guinean diplomats would be released before the . A complaint against Burundi, raised by the opening of the O.A.U. Assembly. No action, however, was delegation on Nov. 4, stated that terrorist gangs of Tutsi refugees taken by Ghana until Nov. 5, when General Ankrah, as head from Burundi, allegedly led by Burundi Army officers, were dis­ of the Ghanaian delegation to the Assembly, met Emperor turbing the peace of Rwanda. The Foreign Minister of Burundi Haile Selassie and Presidents Nasser and Tubman at a four- ! rejected the complaint, declaring that Rwanda had exterminated hour conference, and as a result agreed to the release of the 200,000 Tutsis on its own soil, that there were some 80,000 Tutsi Guineans held in Ghana. The four Guinean delegates thereupon refugees in his country, and that Rwanda should be grateful to the left Accra by air the next day for Lagos, where, however, they Government of Burundi for giving these refugees humanitarian aid with the help of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The received instructions from the Guinean Government on Nov. 7 meeting requested the Government of the Congo (Kinshasa) to try to return to Conakry. The 15 Guinean students had meanwhile to effect a reconciliation between the two countries, and a Congolese also continued their journey to Lagos. mission set up for this purpose left Kinshasa on Nov. 18 for Rwanda I President Sekou Tour6 had sent a message to the O.A.U. on and Burundi. Nov. 2 promising that any Ghanaians who so desired would Liberation Committee. After debating criticism of the " Liberation be repatriated to Ghana at Guinea's expense. To enable I Committee " stationed in Dar-es-Salaam [see page 20245] on Nov. 2, President Toure to attend the Assembly, President Nasser had the Council overruled a Tunisian proposal to abolish it and decided