Moise's Black Magic

The unofficial campaign symbol of Moise Tshombe's new Conaco Party is a smooth, black $50 attache case. He brought it back from Brussels with him last week, waved it triumphantly to the cheering crowds that lined his two-hour parade route from Ndjili Airport into the capital, displayed it shyly before whirring cameras and popping flashbulbs at his official residence, and probably took it to bed with him that night. The fuss over the attache case was well-warranted. It contained that most powerful of Congolese magic: money, and the promise of more money to come.

In the little black bag were agreements granting the Congolese government major stockholder participation in 76 Belgian companies (ranging from the giant Union Miniere du Haut-Katanga through Sabena Airlines to the Leopoldville City Bus Co.). It also contained a dividend check for $1,840,000 from the all-pervasive Belgian holding company, Societe Generale--the first, Tshombe hoped, of many to come. "From this day," Tshombe proclaimed, "the Congo can call itself politically and economically independent."

Le Contentieux. That was an over statement, but no one could deny that the Congo's shrewd, hard-bargaining Premier had won a major victory. During less than ten days of negotiations--first with businessmen at Brussels' Chateau de Val-Duchesse, later with Foreign Minister Paul-Henri Spaak--Tshombe had resolved a 41-year-old wrangle between Belgium and its former colony, which had come to be known as "le contentieux."

It all dates back to the period before Congolese independence in 1960, when the colonial government had owned stock in most of the Belgian companies working in the Congo. The new Congolese regime promptly laid claim to the portfolio, but could not get together with the Belgians on terms. Premiers Patrice Lumumba and Cyrille Adoula proved unable to resolve the "contention." Moise, however, is an old hand at bargaining. Last December he set the tone for talks by blithely announcing that his government planned to take over all mining, forestry and transportation concessions in the Congo. The stunned Belgians realized that at last they were going to have to reach a settlement. Last week, as Tshombe backed away from the takeover bluff and committed his government to repay a major part of its debts to Belgium, the Belgian negotiators signed over control of the stock--worth $300 million or more.

A Bloodier Contention. Settlement of le contentieux meant more than mere money to Tshombe; it doubtless would improve his political survivability as well. With Congo-wide elections promised during the next few months, Moise and his magic black attache case are certainly the front runners.

It seemed doubtful that elections could take place until the nation's northeast was rid of the barbarous rebels who continued to plague the government last week. A column of French-speaking mercenaries led by Major Siegfried Mueller, an ex-Wehrmacht sergeant who wears a German Iron Cross, was neatly ambushed at Bafwasende by Simbas, who used an electrically detonated gasoline bomb in the middle of a jungle track. A third of the column's 40 vehicles was destroyed, three mercenaries and eight Congolese soldiers were killed, and the column remained pinned down for five days. Clearly the Simbas are better armed and trained than ever before. It will take more than a black attache case to stop them.

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