Minneapolis spokesman., 1961-11-03
US. Treatment Of
Negro Harms It's
International Image

N~Ohe1hAhCU - 0kO ~
Nigerians and other Africans to
look upon Americans as brave men,
then conscientious efforts must be
made to make certain what is in
herently wrong on the African
continent is condemned fortnight
ly by American policy makers"
Mr.. WachulSu pointed out that
when the us. soundly censured
Portugal for the repressive An
golan policy, Africans were i'm
pressed with the sincerity Of the
change in overt policy.
Honest policy on African prob
lems," the Nigerian envoy asserted,
"impresses Africans more favorab-
iy than deliberate efforts to sway
uncommitted Africans by using
the ghost Of communism as a I'M
diplomatic lever.
"At the United Nations, both
the us. and Russia now have the
peculiar tasks of trying to con-
vince Africans about their indiv-
idual policies. They must justify
policies in terms Of African bene-
fits or disadvantages, not because
Of the rivalry Of East and West.
Bird With One Wing"
Frankly, the historical align
ment of the United States with i'm
perialism. has crippled her honesty.
Indeed, it made her morally a bird
flying on one wing"
Mr.. Wachuku reminded his lis
teners who greeted his remarks
with scattered applause, with the
exception Of the Negro and Afri-
can delegates, that he represented
Nigeria and deeply resented overt
attempts at the United Nations to
sway him to echo the policies of
Western Europe.
Such treatment of African dip
lomats," he said bitterly, indicates
a lack Of appreciation for the Afri-
can viewpoint, for the integrity Of
the African diplomat, and an open
disrespect for the mind Of an Afri-
can in the service Of his country.
Nigeria has its own heritage
and culture, and a long history. I
represent Nigeria, not the West.
The Western man has not secured
a superiority with respect to in
tegrity and morality"
The Nigerian Foreign Minister
cited the World War II defiance by
Felix Eboue in what was then
French Equatorial Africa of Nazi
Germany's demands for a surren-
der of that African territory.
"Mr. Eboue," the diplomat stated
forcefully, made Africa the rally
ing point for Free French forces.
It was only natural that Africans
should desire their own political
freedom after World War II. After
all, they fought in Italy, North
Africa, Burma, and other parts of
Asia. Their comrades lost their
lives and gave them the right to
demand freedom, not re-enslave-
ment."
Yet, Mr.. Wachuku concluded, 1t
was a long time before Africans
were accorded the political free
dom for which they earned an in
disputable right.
Can it be-" he asked rhetorical
ly, that western blood Is thicker
than water? Where was the United
States when France exploded her
so-called primitive A-bombs in AZ
rica? Where was her quick con-
demnation of France for using the
African continent as a testing
ground?
IF Frances A-bomb was so
primitive and harmless, as de-
Gaulle claimed, then why didn't
the French explode that harmless
bomb in Paris?"
Mr.. Wachuku countered the
American contention that African
nations constituted beggar-nations.
"Africa, Not Begging"
Africa is not begging" he said.
I'm fact, western industry cannot
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