CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY: CONGO

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: CONGO
• Keywords: KATANGA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0000202785
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: November 17, 2011
• Case Number: F-2009-00914
• Publication Date: January 12, 1961

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
WEEKLY
SUMMARY
COPY NO. 70
OCI NO. 0262/61
12 January 1961
APPROVED FOR RELEASED
DATE: 11-02-2011
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 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY
12 January 1961
Troops loyal to the Gizen-
ga regime in Stanleyville con-
tinue to extend the area under
their control. After setting up
a pro-Stanleyville government in
Kivu Province, they have en-
tered the northern part of
Tshombd's Katanga Province and
PART I OF IMMEDfATE INTEREST
have proclaimed the establish-
ment of a new Lualaba state.
They apparently have been wel-
comed by the anti-Tshombd Baluba
tribesmen of the area. There
have also been reports that
Gizenga forces plan incursions
into Orientale Province, and
 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY
12 January 1961
Mobutu has sent troops from Le-
opoldville to defend the area.
Tshbmbe has threatened
military action against the in-
vaders and reportedly has de-
nounced the UN-arranged cease-
fire in'northern Katanga. He
would have difficulty operating
among the hostile tribes of
northern Katanga.
Tension is high in both the
European and African communities
in Elisabethville. Tshombe may
be unwilling to move too many
troops out of the Elisabethville
area for fear of giving the
large Baluba population there
an opportunity to revolt. As
a result of mutinies among his
African troops, he is recruiting
Europeans and apparently has
asked Belgium for assistance.
About 25 Belgium troops reported-
ly have arrived by commercial
airliner from Brussels, and 42
more are expected on 16 January.
In Leopoldville, the pres-
tige of the Kasabubu-Mobutu gov-
ernment has been further damaged
by the inability of Mobutu's
forces to take effective action
against the dissidents. A police
mutiny, which began on 10 Janu-
ary over pay, seems to be spread-
ing to the armed forces in the
area, whose morale, already low
as a result of alleged favori-
tism shown by Mobutu toward some
units, reportedly has suffered
further as a result of the con-
tinued snnnnQc of thn nnnncitinn
continued erosion of Mobutu's
prestige, coupled with army un-
rest, may lead to an early Lu-
mumba takeover.
At their meeting in Casa-
blanca from 4 to 7 January, the
pro-Lumumba states of Morocco,
Mali, Ghana, Guinea, and the
UAR adopted a resolution on the
Congo asserting their determina-
tion to withdraw their troops
from the UN Command and reaffirm-
ing their recognition of Lumunba's
government. The resolution called
for the UN to disarm Mobutu's
"lawless gangs," release all po-
litical prisoners, reconvene par-
liament, and deport all "Belgians
and foreigners" not part of the
UN operation.
Nkrumah of Ghana reluctantly
agreed to join the other states
in the projected troop withdrawal,
but both he and Moroccan King Mo-
hamed V resisted, pressure, prin-
cipally from Nasir of the UAR, to
recognize the Gizenga government
and assign their troops to sup-
port it. However, the maintenance
in the Congo--especially in
Orientale Province--of a large
force independent of the UN
is beyond the present logistic
and financial capabilities of
the African states alone. No
date was announced for the
threatened' withdrawal, but the
chiefs of state reportedly a-
greed that if the UN has not met
their demands by the end of Jan-
uary, they will "set up machinery
for restoring Lumumba to power."
Guinean President Toure on 11
January formally requested the
withdrawal of his country's
UN contingent by 20 January.
On 7 January the USSR
called for a meeting of the
Security Council--now sched-
uled for 12 January--to discuss
"new acts of aggression" by
Belgium against the Congo and
the "gross violation" of the
international status of Ruanda-
Urundi. A Soviet Government
statement of 11 January de-
manded the liquidation of Bel-
gium's rights and powers in
Ruanda-Urundi, the withdrawal
of all Belgian personnel in the
Congo, and other "measures to
normalize the situation," in-
cluding the release of Lumumba.
The statement requested Securi-
ty Council discussion of these
questions and, "if need be,"
also an emergency session of the
General. Assembly.
PART I OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST Page 5 of 8