Moise Tshombe, the son
of a wealthy businessman, was born in Musumba, Congo,
in 1919. Tshombe was educated at an American Methodist mission. He
trained as an accountant and in 1951 took over a chain of stores in
Katanga.
Tshombe became involved
in politics and founded the Conakat political party which advocated
an independent but federal Congo. He was especially keen for his power
base of Kantanga, a rich mining province, should remain under his
control.
In October, 1958, Patrice
Lumumba founded
the National Congolese Movement (MNC). He became president of the
organization and the following year led a series of demonstrations
and strikes against the Belgian colonial government. Lumumba called
for the Congo to be granted its immediate
independence from Belgium. Lumumba was arrested but after sustained
demonstrations the authorities were forced to release him.
After parliamentary elections
in May 1960 the MNC became the country's strongest party. Patrice
Lumumba became
the new prime minister and immediately talked about the need for social
and economic changes in the country. His decision to adopt a non-aligned
foreign policy resulted in the CIA becoming
interested in the developments in the Congo.
In July 1960, Tshombe,
supported by white mercenaries and the Belgian mining company Union
Minière, declared Katanga independent. Lumumba appealed to
the United Nations for help and Dag
Hammarskjold agreed
to send in a peace-keeping force to restore order.
The following month Colonel
Sese Seko Mobutu, with the support of
the United States and Belgium,
led a military coup and ousted Patrice
Lumumba from
power. Lumumba was arrested by Mobutu's soldiers and transferred to
Elizabethville, Katanga, where he was murdered on 17th January, 1961.
In
September 1961 fighting erupted between Katanga troops and the noncombatant
forces of the UN. In an effort to secure a cease-fire he arranged
to meet President Tshombe. On 17th September 1961 Dag
Hammarskjold was
killed when his plane crashed close to Ndola airport.
The UN
Security Council passed a resolution demanding an inquiry into
the circumstances of his death. This was rejected by Tshombe but evidence
emerged later that the Belgian government was behind the events in
Katanga.
The fighting continued
and independent regimes were established at different times in Katanga,
Stanleyville and Kasai. For a while Tshombe lived in Europe but returned
to become prime minister of the Congo Republic in July 1964. After
holding corrupt elections he was forced to flee and went to live in
Spain.
General Sese
Seko Mobutu staged another military coup in November 1965. He
placed Tshombe on trial for treason in his absence and was condemned
to death.
In July 1967 Tshombe was
kidnapped and taken to Algeria. Moise Tshombe died in prison of a
heart-attack on 29th June 1969.
Available
from Amazon Books (order below)
