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United Nattions and Congolese government forces succeeded in recapturing the breakaway provinces of South Kasai (December 1961). Katangan secession proved to be a more difficult problem. Katanga became a contest between Kasavubu and Tshombe with Mobutu in the background. Tshombe did his best to establish an independent Katanga (1961-62). He had considerable support. The important mining company, Union Minière, provided financing. The Belgian copper mining enterprise had been a dominant force in the Congo since colonial days. His Katangan Army was backed by the continuing presence of Belgian troops which had withdrawn from the rest of the Congo. He also signed up European mercenaries. He lost, however, in the court of international public opinion. There was no substantial support for Katanan independence among the African population. The United Nations and with it international opinion came to oppose the secession of Katanga. Sporadic military actions and mob violence alternated with U.N. diplomacy. U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld was killed in a plane crash while flying to negotiate with Tshombe (September 1961). The U.N. peace keepers began efforts to disarm the Katanga Army (November 1961). Tshombe's troops began engaging the U.N. peace keepers in an effort to drive them out of Katanga (December 1961). Tshombe premtorily rejected a national reconciliation plan authored by the United Nations (1962). The end of the Katanga crisis emerged when U.N. policy shifted from neutrality and peacekeeping to active intervention against Tshombe's Katangan Aemy (late-1962). Strong Katangan resistance eventually declined. The Katangan Army surrendered (January 1963). Tshombe flew into exile in Spain. The United Nations defeated Katangan secession, but failed in stabiling the Congo.
Katanga is the southern-most provinces of Congo. (Mobutu changed the mame to Shaba Province.) It is a huge province, larger than the American state of California. It is also potentially the richest province of the country. There is farming and ranching on the Katanga Plateau. The real wealth is, however, in the east where there is an important mining industry. There are cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds mines. Katanga according to one estimart accounted for half of the country's revenues, primarily because of the mines.
The capital Lubumbashi, is the second largest city in the Congo.
Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba requested United Nations assistance to restore order in his country which was descending into chaos after achieving independence from Belgium. He not alnly wanted help in establishing order, but in obtaining control over the southern province of Katanga. The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 143 (July 14, 1960), The Security Council called on Belgium to remove its military personnel from the Congo and for the U.N. to provide 'military assistance' to the Congolese forces to allow them 'to meet fully their tasks'. Lumumba demanded that Belgium immediatey withdraw its military and police forces. He threatened to request assistance from Soviet Union. Hre gave the Belgians 2 days to withdraw. The United Nations redponded very quickly with the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC). The first U.N. troops arrived the following day. From the beginning there was a dispute between Lumumba and the United Nations over the ONUC mandate. With the the Congolese Army disintegrating, Lumumba wanted to use the U.N. peacekeepers as a military force to forcibly end Katangese secession. [6] Lumumba wrote to UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld, ‘From these texts it is clear that, contrary to your personal interpretation, the UN force may be used to subdue the rebel government of Katanga.’ Hammarskjöld refused to give ONUC such instructions. Hammarskjöld's view was that secession was an internal Congolese matter and the UN was forbidden to intervene by Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.
The Congolese Army mutinied. Moise Tshombe taking advantage of the chaos and collapse of any effective central government, took control of Katanga. Belgium sent in troops ostensibly to protect Belgian citizens and mining interests. Tshombe declares independence and was supported by Belgian paratroopers who forced out the rampaging Congolese Army. Another mining province, South Kasai, also seceeds. The U.N. Security Council voted to send in peace keeping troops to help establish order. The United Nations had ordered its peace keepers, however, not to intervene in domestic Congo affairs.
U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld was killed in a plane crash while flying to negotiate with Tshombe (September 1961).
United Nattions and Congolese government forces succeeded in recapturing the breakaway provinces of South Kasai (December 1961). Katangan secession proved to be a more difficult problem.
Katanga became a contest between Lumumba/Kasavubu and Tshombe with Mobutu in the background.
Tshombe did his best to establish an independent Katanga (1961-62). He had considerable support. The important mining company, Union Minière, provided financing. The Belgian copper mining enterprise had been a dominant force in the Congo since colonial days. His Katangan Army was backed by the continuing presence of Belgian troops which had withdrawn from the rest of the Congo. He also signed up European mercenaries.
Tsombe lost in the court of international public opinion. There was no substantial support for Katanan independence among the African population. The United Nations and with it international opinion came to oppose the secession of Katanga.
Sporadic military actions and mob violence alternated with U.N. diplomacy. The U.N. peace keepers began efforts to disarm the Katanga Army (November 1961). Tshombe's troops began engaging the U.N. peace keepers in an effort to drive them out of Katanga (December 1961). Tshombe premtorily rejected a national reconciliation plan authored by the United Nations (1962). The end of the Katanga crisis emerged when U.N. policy shifted from neutrality and peacekeeping to active intervention against Tshombe's Katangan Army (late-1962). Strong Katangan resistance eventually declined. The Katangan Army surrendered (January 1963). Tshombe flew into exile in Spain. The United Nations defeated Katangan secession, but failed in stabiling the Congo.
Kyle, Keith The UN in the Congo.
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