St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-06-29

REPORTS OF desperate
South African arms build-up are
not new. Similar charges have
been made over a lengthy period.
Ethiopia, for example, has warned
South Africa that any attack on
Africans in white-ruled country
would stir the wrath of the in
dependent African states.
THE WEIGHT of the African
Asian bloc was made evident in
the donation resolution circulated
in the United Nations General AS
sembly calling on Britain to scrap
the 1861 constitution of Southern
Rhodesia.
The bloc urged the converting of
a conference at which all political
parties in the territory would be
represented to draw up a new
charter that would insure the
rights Of the African majority.
The Assembly voted over strong
British protests to add the ques-
ton of Southern Rhodesia to the
agenda of the current resumed ses-
sion, which previously was to have
aired only the future Of Belgium's
African trust territory of Ruanda-
Urundi.
BRITISH JOURNALIST A. ].
Siggins, veteran foreign affairs
writer for AMP, contends that the
UN General Assembly does not
have the power to decide the legal
issues of the so-called agreement
between King Lobengula of the
Matabele tribe and the British
South Africa Company.
His view is that the world organ
ization instead has the power to
demand credentials from Southern
Rhodesia and her sister territories
in the Federation of Rhodesia and
Nyasaland (Northern Rhodesia and
Nyasaland).
Siggins' position would enter
play only after these territories
became independent states and it
apparently further assumes that
at least one of the territories,
Southern Rhodesia, would not
have an African controlled govern
ment.
THE REFERENCE by Siggins
to King Lobengula brings to life
the alleged transaction between
the African ruler and white set
tiers in Southern Rhodesia more
than 72 years ago.
Lobengula, according to the
story, is supposed to have coded
away forever all of the lands and
mineral rights Of his country. How
ever, Siggins and others point out
that the alleged agreement be-
tween the African king and the
British South Africa Company was
not legal. Therefore, the Matabele
tribe did not lose its rights and
can, thereby, recover all that they
have been deprived of in British
court of law.
Siggins points out that the ex-
istence of the Federation, which
seems doomed in its present state,
depend on the legality of the al
legged agreement between Loben-
gula and the settlers. At the time
of the alleged transaction the area
which now makes up the Fedora
ton was one country.
Dividing lines, as is true through
out Africa under colonial rule.
were established by whites. Such
lines cut across tribal unions and
geographic areas then recognized
by Africans. Siggins points out
further that King Lobengula, as
Stunning the deal was made, was
deceived by the British agents and
further he had no authority to
ALLEVIATE tribal lands forever as
he Is alleged to have done by the
British South Africa Company.
THE PEACE CORPS has exper-
fenced two widely divergent reac-
tons in two different African
countries, Nigeria and Tanganyika.
Top men Of Nigeria's parliament
were in Washington where they
thanked the United States for
sending the Peace Corps volun-
teers to their country - and asked
for more.
BY contrast, the Students Assoc
iation of the University of Ibadan,
in Nigeria, complained about the
shameful inexperience" Of the vol
unteers who are teaching in Nj
gerian schools. This marked the
second time the Peace Corps has
been attacked by Ibadan students.
The first attack followed the much
pubhcized postcard incident in
volving Margery Michelmore,
young American volunteer. She
had to leave Nigeria following
publication of a postcard written
by her which was considered in
sulting to the country.
In Tanganyika, a vitriohc at
tack on the Peace Corps was lev
eled during a budget debate in
Parliament. John Mwakangale, re-
gional commissioner in the South
ern Highlands region, said Peace
Corps members are undermining
the Tanganyika government" and
that wherever they are stationed
trouble starts"