Word: kasavubu
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Back from the successful conference of rival Congo political leaders on the island of Madagascar, Albert Kalonji, the boss of South Kasai province, waved his favorite fetish stick and cried: "The crisis is definitely over. Everybody is satisfied." Congo President Joseph Kasavubu staged a military parade and called a national holiday to celebrate. From the cheerful tone taken by the assorted Congolese leaders, peace and maybe even civilization seemed just around the corner...
Agreement was born of the fear that the U.N. would soon move in with force on the squabbling provincial bosses and take away their armies. With one voice, the leaders-Congolese President Joseph Kasavubu and Premier Joseph Ileo, Kasai Province's Albert Kalonji, Katanga Province's Moise Tshombe, and a covey of others-sent blunt warning to the U.N. to refrain from force and take no action until the Congo's black rulers could come up with a solution of their own. Then, to everyone's astonishment, the Congolese did just that...
Congo President Kasavubu, who had fought Tshombe's separatist demands for copper-rich Katanga, now was willing to accept them. The assembled dignitaries carved the new boundaries of the Congo along tribal lines. The city of Leopoldville woutd be a "neutral" capital, somewhat like Washington. D.C. There, Kasavubu would sit as first President of the confederation...
Journey to Manhattan. The Congolese victors promptly declared the port closed. With the entire flow of U.N. supplies at the mercy of the Congolese, Indian U.N. Congo Chief Rajeshwar Dayal threatened force, then negotiated with the Congolese to allow his men to reenter. Seizing its chance, Kasavubu's regime demanded more Congolese influence over U.N. operations. It insisted on joint control over all air traffic in the Congo, and Congolese inspection of all arriving ships. Above all, insisted the Congolese, one U.N. official must leave and not return: Rajeshwar Dayal...
Tshombe was adamant: Katanga shall have its autonomy. Even Antoine Gizenga, who refused to attend the Tananarive conference, may realize that he too can find a place in the new confederation. The Kasavubu-Tshombe solution will assure no political perfection, but at least provides a framework in which future peaceful compromises can be made...