Katanga (State)

Katanga
État du Katanga
Inchi ya Katanga

flag
Location of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Political status	former de facto regime 1960–1963
Official language	French
Capital	Elisabethville
Independence from the Congo (Kinshasa)	July 11, 1960 (unilateral declaration)
End of secession	January 15, 1963
surface	496,871 km²
population	approx. 1,500,000 (1960)
currency	Katanga Franc

Katanga (official name État du Katanga French or Inchi ya Katanga Swahili ) was an internationally unrecognized state on the territory of the Congo (Kinshasa) during the Congo crisis from 1960 to 1963. It comprised the resource-rich province of Katanga in the former Belgian Congo .

history

See also : History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Proclamation of independence

When the Congo was granted independence by Belgium on June 30, 1960 , the former colonial power had secured extensive economic privileges. The province of Katanga was rich in mineral raw materials and was dominated economically by the mining company Union Minière du Haut-Katanga . When the armed forces of the Congo mutinied against their Belgian officers just a week after independence, this riot could only be suppressed by Belgian paratroopers in Katanga. For this reason, the Belgians were able to maintain their influence in Katanga enough to support the secessionist efforts of Moïse Tschombé , who on July 11, 1960 proclaimed the "Autonomous State of Katanga".

Moïse Kapenda Tschombé

Postage stamp from Katanga from 1961

Katanga introduced a flag , a national anthem , and later its own currency and stamps . Although it was not recognized internationally as a state, it did manage to maintain communications and economic connections via neighboring Angola , which was then Portuguese .

Landing of the UN troops

In response to the United Nations' request to withdraw all Belgian troops from Katanga, most of them were hired as military advisers and trainers by the newly established Katanga Army. When the Katanga government finally refused to allow UN troops to land, the states of the Casablanca Group offered the Lumumbas government to make their troops, which were deployed as blue helmets in the Congo, available to the central government in order to return to the Katanga secession region using military means Incorporate State Association of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thereupon the UN Security Council urged UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld to move the Belgian troops in Katanga and deploy UN troops there to maintain public order. In view of this threat, Moïse Tschombé finally had to bow to international pressure, so that he finally allowed Dag Hammarskjöld with two Swedish companies of blue helmet soldiers to enter Katanga. Since the UN peacekeeping force was officially forbidden to interfere in the internal affairs of the Congo, they only monitored the withdrawal of Belgian soldiers without taking any action against Tchombé's troops. This led to sharp criticism of the UN by Lumumba, who not only called on the UN to take action against Tschombé's troops, but also to replace the Swedish blue helmets with African contingents. Some Belgian military officers also remained in the country as advisers to the Katanga Army.

Separation of the South Kasais

In August 1960 Albert Kalonji , also supported by Belgium, proclaimed the state Etat autonome du Sud-Kasai in South Kasai . This went into a federation and thus also a military alliance with Katanga. However, central government troops soon marched into Bakwanga , the capital of Kalondji, whereupon clashes broke out between the national army and Baluba partisans who were hostile to Lumumba .

Negotiations with the government

During the constitutional conflict in September 1960 between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba, the Prime Minister appointed by Kasavubu, Joseph Iléo , declared that he had promising contacts with Chombé and that Chombé would be prepared to give up his separatist aspirations if Lumumba were ousted.

On September 14, 1960, Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu launched a coup and had Lumumba captured. Its supporters, however, rallied under his deputy Antoine Gizenga in Stanleyville , from where they controlled the entire Eastern Province, which not only posed a threat to Kasavubu and Mobutu in Leopoldville, but also to Chombé. For this reason, Kasavubu, whose abako was strongly federalist, tried to come to an agreement with Chombé in order to be able to take action against the Lumumbists in the eastern province. However, he delayed the negotiations further and further and finally introduced a separate currency for Katanga at the beginning of January 1961, which was a provocation to the central government. As a reaction to this, soldiers of the national army, supported by Baluba partisans, moved into North Katanga, which could not be prevented even by a neutral zone previously created by the United Nations in the border area. Under the leader of the BALUBAKAT ( Association des Balubas du Katanga ) Jason Sendwe , North Katanga finally broke away from Chombé's state and reintegrated into the Congo as the new state of Lualaba.

In January Lumumba was also extradited to Katanga, where he was finally murdered after long torture and buried on the edge of an airfield. ( See also: Patrice Lumumba )

Coquilhatville negotiations

In April 1961, negotiations between Chombé and the central government of the Congo finally took place in Antananarivo . In these negotiations, Tschombé succeeded in pushing through his ideas of a Congolese federation that gave him extensive room for maneuver in Katanga. At the renegotiations in Coquilhatville , the influence of the UN and the USA finally ensured that Tschombé could not get his plans through. After lengthy negotiations, he finally left the venue angrily, but was prevented from leaving at the airport. He was eventually placed under house arrest for a month by Mobutu's soldiers. It was not until July 24 that Tschombé was released after he had promised Mobutu closer cooperation in the fight against the Lumumbists and the incorporation of Katanga's army into the Congolese national army, so that he could emigrate to Katanga.

First katanga campaign

Kokarde the Katangan Air Force

In August 1961, the new UN representative for Katanga, Conor Cruise O'Brien, took action against Tschombé's troops and the mercenaries paid by Katanga. Although the blue helmets succeeded in arresting some Belgian military advisers and taking numerous strategically important buildings, most European mercenaries were able to evade the UN troops and Tschombé himself was able to flee.

After the fighting lasted five days, UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld decided to fly to Ndola to negotiate a ceasefire. However, Dag Hammarskjöld died in the crash of his plane near Ndola . There are indications that the UN machine was shot down by a Katang fighter plane. It was not until September 20, 1961 that UN envoy Khiary was able to negotiate a ceasefire.

Second Katanga campaign

Only during the second Katanga campaign of the United Nations could the militarily harassed Tschombé be persuaded to sign an armistice on December 17, 1962, which was supposed to reintegrate Katanga into the Congolese state. Since this document also had to be signed by all Katanga ministers, it remained de facto invalid.

On January 15, 1963, Tschombé was finally ousted with Operation Grand Slam . Before going into exile in Spain, he formally confirmed the end of the separation, while the rest of his troops withdrew to the Portuguese colony of Angola.

Mutinies

See also : History section in the Kisangani article

Two pro-Chombé mutinies took place in Kisangani in 1966 and 1967, both of which ended unsuccessfully.

Ethnic conflict

Since the Baluba tribe living in the north of Katangas had been excluded from the formation of a government by Moïse Tschombé , they organized themselves under the leadership of Jason Sende in the BALUBAKAT to fight against the Tschombé government. In order to weaken Tschombé, the Lumumba government supported the struggle of the Balubakat organization, which is why Jason Sendwe was finally able to flee to Léopoldville.

At the same time there was fighting between the Baluba and the Lulua tribe in southern Kasai . Like the supporters of Lumumbas, the Baluba Kasais were mostly supporters of the Mouvement National Congolais. When the political leader of the Baluba, Albert Kalonji , broke with Lumumba, founded his own party with the MNC-K and, with the support of Katanga, declared the independence of South Kasai, the Baluba became bitter opponents of Lumumba. He not only deployed the national army against the separatists, but also supported the Lulua tribe, who had already been incited against the Baluba by the Belgians, in their fight against Kalondji's troops. So it came to the paradoxical situation that Katanga had to fight inside again and again against Baluba rebels, while the same tribe for Katanga was an important ally in Kasai.

economy

Katanga was the most resource-rich province in the Congo. Copper , cobalt and uranium were mined there by the Belgian mining company Union Minière du Haut-Katanga . With this wealth of raw materials, the Congo owed 66 percent of its income to the Katanga province, which explains the great interest of the central government, but also of Belgium, in the province.

Because of the large copper deposits, Katanga was also referred to as the copper province . For example, copper was mined before the Belgian colonization, poured into crosses and used as currency. For this reason, the copper crosses were later shown on the Katanga flag.

literature

• SJG Clarke: The Congo Mercenary: A history and analysis , South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), 1968, pp. 24–32, here :, accessed April 10, 2014
• Ruth Margaret Delaforce: A Mafia for the State. Mercenary Soldiers and Private Security Contractors 1946–2009 , Thesis, Griffith University 2010, pp. 138–150, here :, accessed April 10, 2014
• Mike Hoare : The road to Kalamata: a Congo mercenary's personal memoir , Lexington, Mass .: Lexington Books (1989), ISBN 0-669-20716-0
• Burkhard Müller: Lost Lands: A World History in Postage Stamps . on Klampen 1998, ISBN 3-924245-73-8
• Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence . DVA 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9

Web links

• www.flaggenlexikon.de , accessed on February 17, 2010.
• Spiegel online article from 1960 on the background to the secession , accessed on February 17, 2010.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 79
2. ↑ Overview of the first stamps from Norbert Breunig: Katanga , in Internationale Filatelie, Issue No. 3 (March) 1961, Düsseldorf (Filatelie Verlag), p. 23 f .; Jed Rusher: Letter from the Congo in Internationale Filatelie, issue No. 7/8 (July / August) 1961, Düsseldorf (Filatelie Verlag), p. 51 f.
3. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 81
4. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 82-83
5. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 86
6. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 92
7. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 100
8. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 112
9. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 150-151.
10. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 173
11. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 231
12. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 233
13. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 234
14. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 235
15. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 242-243
16. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 263
17. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 264
18. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 265-267
19. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 277
20. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 278-279
21. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , pp. 287–288-
22. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 310
23. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 311
24. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 312
25. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 219
26. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour: Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , S218.
27. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 79
28. ↑ Peter Scholl-Latour : Murder on the great river - A quarter of a century of African independence. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt GmbH, 1986, ISBN 3-421-06307-9 , p. 80