GBENYE GRANTS FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE
[Upon arriving in Algiers, Christophe Gbenye, head of the Revolutionary Congolese Government, which is fighting the puppet Tshombe regime, held a press conference in which: he outlined the aims of the freedom fighters, Before answering questions, he made a preliminary statement. We have translated this. in full below and added extracts from the questions and answers. The source is the January 30 issue of the Algiers daily Le Peuple.]-
ew OK Preliminary Statement
- Stopping off in Algiers, I have had to meet the Algerian, African and international press. Fa me this is the fiest experience of this kind since the beginning of our armed revolution and I
the Pact that he. victimizes political prisoners as a matter of policy... -All political prisoners are denied remission of sentences, no matter what their conduct in prison, while ordinary prisoners may be given.as much as one-fourth time off.
am happy that this first meeting with you has taken place in the capital of a country whose heroic combat reminds one in many ways of the struggle in which the Congolese people are engaged in today to reconquer their sovereignty and their dignity.
My visit to Algiers comes within the framework of our action in Africa. I was pleased to express to President Ben Bella our congratulations for the admirable way in which Algeria feels its duty toward peoples who are struggling for their freedom, toward the African homeland as a whole. And I again express before you here, the full appreciation of the struggling Congolese people for the fraternal understanding and the unwavering support which our cause has always found in Algeria. vo
Running parallel with the armed aggression of which it is the victim, the Congolese people are likewise the object of a vio~_ lent, lying, slanderous propaganda campaign,
The Congolese revolution is denigrated, its leaders insulted, while the Congolese traitors are glorified, honored and lavishly received whether at Paris or Bonn, at Brussels or Madrid, at Rome, Washington or - London.
But no matter. It is not in Algiers that an African revolu~ tionist need complain of being treated by the imperialists and their press as a criminal, a rebel or. . . peasant.
In any case, my government is going to undertake the necessary measures to directly provide the honest organs of information with news concerning our revolution, concerning the evolution of the situation in the Congo. .
Gentlemen, you know the essential elements of the situation,
It can be summed up as follows:
Having been compelled to recognize the formal independence of the Congo, the colonialists never intended to bring their shameless exploitatioh of our people to an end. That is why they had Patrice Lumumba, the best among us, assassinated, in order to put the assassins themselves at the head of the country. |
. The traitors who head the Congo.in behalf of the imperialist financial powers have closed all the doors of legal action to the nationalists.
We had no choice but to accept the evidence, We either. had. to accept the humiliation of seeing our country subjected to system atic pillage and our people to misery and repression or end this: situation. by the. sole means at our disposal -- armed struggle.” Faithful to the spirit of Patrice Lumumba and the tradition of
African nationalism, we will continue the struggle; the Congolese people have decided to continue the combat to victory, to the realization of the objectives of our revolution.
We expect a long and difficult struggle and we are ready for any sacrifice in order to achieve our aim.
I know, gentlemen, that some will try to interpret the expression of this determination as being extremism, It will be said that "Gbenye wants to continue the war." It will be said that "Gbenye, a disciple of a foreign ideology, is only trying to introduce subversion in Africa," etc.
And nevertheless I say here solemly that we are Africans, Congolese nationalists faithful to the ideology of Patrice Lumumba and the other great African leaders,. In brief we are revolution=ists and not political adventurers,
We are fighting for precise objectives and not for the mere pleasure of fighting.
That is, we are ready, so far as we are concerned, to end the combat at any time on condition that the causes that brought us to take up arms in the first place disappear. In particular it is absolutely vain to wait for revolutionists such as we are to agree to negotiate with traitors who have sold their country, who do not hold even the shadow of power, since the decisions are made by their foreign masters and executed by South African, Rhodesian, Belgian, French, Israeli, American, German, Cuban or Italian mercenaries.
Now the imperialists, who are at bay in face of the determination of the Congolese people and the growing solidarity of Africa, periodically have their puppet service present a plan from Madrid, Rome, Brussels or elsewhere before parachuting the lucky one elected for Léopoldville.
The whole world is preoccupied by the situation in the Congo, which is legitimate. Everyone wants to contribute to solving our problems, which is laudable.
But it is well to understand that the individuals responsible for the evils afflicting the Congolese people can never contribute to creating the conditions necessary for their welfare,
In addition it must also be understood that it involves a problem which it is up to the Congolese people alone to resolve with — the aid of Africa.
I have not come from Paris, nor from London, nor from Brussels. I have come from the Congo; and the Congolese people also submit to you these proposals, the application of which will permit the Congo
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to develop in peace and stability:
(1) Immediate liberation of Antoine Gizenga, Louis Lumumba and all the other political hostages held by the Léopoldville regime.
(2) Immediate departure of the mercenaries, of all the armed Belgian and American armed forces.
(3) Immediate sending of representatives to the Katanga by the ad hoe commission of the OAU [Organization of African Unity] to investigate the maneuvers of the Belgians and Americana to provoke. a new Katanga secession,
(4). Setting up of a commission to apply the sanctions against the assassins of Patrice Lumumba, Maurice Mpolo, Joseph Okito and the other nationalist militants in accordance with the resolution of the Security Council of February 21, 1961, and the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry.
(5) Enlargement of the Revolutionary Government to introduce other Congolese brothers from the nonliberated areas who continue to enjoy the confidence of the people.
(6) The Revolutionary Government agrees thereupon to organize elections in the six months- following enlargement of the government and invites an OAU commission as observer,
Permit me to again express my satisfaction at being in Al-~ giers. The discussions which my companions and I have had with brother President Ben Bella, with brother Vice~President and Minister of Defense Boumedienne, and with other officials, have been extremely useful,
. ., IL can. tell you that this visit constitutes in its results an efficacious contribution to our struggle. It also reinforces the solidarity existing between the Algerian and Congolese peoples while at the same time it tightens the bonds of fraternal co-operation between the Algerian and Congolese revolutions.:
sf 46° «St
nv vA nay Extracts from. Questions and Answers
Asked about the taking of hostages, Gbenye told the reporter to put the question to the Americans and Belgians who always need to dominate whole peoples, "because we are neither xenophobes nor colonialists, ‘
. On the Red Cross, Gbenye said that he himself had conducted negotiations with the organization before Stanleyville was taken. The Red Cross, he said, "far from being moved by humanitarian considerations was engaged in espionage for the American imperialists,
in whose service, moreover, all the other international or ganiza~tions are engaged.’
- "Mr. Gbenye also revealed that he had exchanged telegrams with Mr. Spaak the same night as the tripartite aggression, The Belgian minister told him in a dispatch sent to Stanleyville at three: o'clock in the morning that he approved with tpleasure! his government watching over the security of the Belgians. One hour later, Mr. Gbenye replied that his government had ‘tthe duty! to watch over the security of all persons to be found in the liberated province. At five o'clock the planes in the aggression were flying over the city.
"Recalling next that. he had been Minister of the Interior and Vice Prime Minister under Adoula, he stated that the latter was stiIl in power when the revolution began and that the first planes which went into action against the nationalists were sent by him,
"tWas the plan which he advocated,! said Mr. Gbenye, 'African? Was it Congolese? No. ~And any. thinking person will say no. This pian was initiated in Brussels and approved in the United States,
"!Moreover,! he added, tthe speculation about the death of Lumumba, speculation which they utilize to. take advantage of the feelings of the Congolese people, has been utilized once more. Adoula, accused by Tshombe of having participated in the murder of Lumumba, has never defended himself, Instead of talking about punishing the murderers of Lumumba, he now limits himself to suggesting that a town be named after “him!
"tMoreover,!' he added with a disillusioned air, 'we have gone beyond the stage of negotiations. If a part of the population holds points of view different from ours, we will do everything in-the way of conciliation, but we will never “do it with individuals.t!
Relations between his government and “other African stated: are good, said Mr. Gbenye. He said he proposed to visit those that are still hesitant. . .
"IT know that they have their problems. Among them is American aid to underdeveloped countries, aid which is nothing else but» a powerful means of pressure,"
On relations between the two Congos, he found nothing surprising about the latest turn of events. * sust as with Israel, which they created with their own hands, the American imperialists undertake maneuvers to establish points of tension all around the Congo, a country situated in the heart of Africa, and in this way block temporarily, if not forever, the unity of the continent,"
‘As for the number of mercenaries, Gbenye told the reporter
to ask Brussels or Washington... "The least I can-say is that they are very very numerous. Tshombe does not have enough soldiers. The few he found are constantly threatened by the foreign mercenaries who constitute the essential troops of the so-called present government. .
In regard to relations with the Catholic church, Gbenye said: "T have nothing against the Church, I am a Catholic myself, But I am against the baneful action of the missionaries in the Congo where they. are the agents of imperialism."
“Gbenye added: "The Pope did not say a word when Lumumba and the martyrs to the Congolese cause were imprisoned and massacred, but he spoke up when Tshombe was arrested. Tshombe, it is true, is connected with the Union Miniére of Katanga which Finances the Church.