Evening star., 1963-01-09

See Editorial, Those 'Mereenories'."
teered to fight for a cause
they believed to be just. One
was a Hungarian. Ponder
that!
Who, pray tell, are the
U. N. forces in the Congo if
not "mercenaries";; yes, and
with services paid for more
than half by United States
contributions to the U. N?
Were volunteers in the
Allied forces in World Wars
/ and II branded as "mer-
cenaries"? The HessianS en-
ployed by King George III
during our revolution were.
So have Gurkhas always
been. Let us leave dictionary
definitions aside.
The misguided and, I fear,
confused U. N. "mercenary"
forces in the Congo were sent
there after the end of Bel
gian rule, when murder, rape
and pillage ensued in some
areas, solely to restore law
and order and to protect lives
and property. They were not
sent there to engage in ag-
greSsive warfare; not to shoot
innocent noncombatantS, as
they recently have done; not
to impose by force of arms
unification of discordant 10
cal political groups.
BY the invasion of Katanga
territory, controlled by the
forces of a patriotic political
leader. Noise Tshombe, it
seems apparent that U. N.
forces and those who con-
troll them have exceeded the
authority which prompted
these forces to be sent into
this area.
The animosity engendered
by this action in large areas
of Africa and among our
Allies may we'll be the prelude
to destroying the U. N. itself.
The shocking precedent of
misconduct by such merce-
nary U. N. forces will. I fear,
preclude all possibility of fu-
ture U. N. police" actions
elsewhere of a comparable
nature. The U. N. has. alas,
destroyed its alleged reputa-
ton as a great moral force
for the maintenance of peace
and integrity in international
relations.
Robert L. Buell.,
Former American Consul
General at Leopoldville.
- y
The editorials in The Star
on the Katanga situation
have been excellent: and I
am sure that the editor is not
laboring under the illusion
that the Belgian and French
officers who are assisting in
the defense of Katanga really
deserve TO be called white
mercenaries" any more than
the trigger-h Apply Indian
Gurkha and Irish officers and
troops employed by the
United Nations for the sub
jugation of Katanga deserve
TO be called "brown and
white mercenaries." We,
American taxpayers. who are
paying most of the hire Of the
Indian and Irish troops know
that they are "mercenaries."
And yet, most news stories
relating TO the Congo Cin-
cluding some OF those appear
ing in The STAR manage TO
employ the phrase white
mercenaries" in referring TO
the Katangan army Of de-
fense In such a manner as TO
leave the impression that the
Belgians and the French
twho really do have a valid
interest In Katanga) are in
some way immoral in defend
ing that interest, whereas the
professional Indian and Irish
troops that have been brought
half way around the world TO
subjugate Katanga and de-
liver her over 10 a group Of
hostile tribes headed by
Adoula are not subject 10 the
same scornful term Of "mer-
cenarieS."
/ bitterly resent being sub
iected 10 the so-called BRAIN
washing process; but l think
there is overwhelming eyi-
dence that the public is being
subjected TO a brain-washing
program carefully designed 10
make the strong odor Of the
United Nations policy In the
Congo somewhat less often
siye to the nostrils OF the
American public.
Aubrey Cox