The Congo: No Sad Farewells

The private mercenary brigade that has managed to bully the Congo government for three months agreed last week to pack up and leave the country. Belgian Planter Jean Schramme and his force of 150 white “meres” and 1,000 black Katangese have controlled the town of Bukavu in Kivu province and the territory around it, ever since they hurled back battalions of Congolese troops sent to put down their revolt. They have managed to keep the Congo government on edge with their threats, raised doubt about the effectiveness of law in the bush, and sullied the prestige of President Joseph Mobutu. Their departure, if it really comes about, is bound to make the Congo a more stable place. Under terms of a document signed by Schramme, the International Red Cross will arrange to have the whites flown to Malta and the blacks sent to Zambia in southern Africa.

Mobutu also moved last week to re move another source of domestic trou- ble—the Congo’s galloping inflation. Partly because of unrest over his economic policies, he reshuffled his Cabinet, replacing nine of its members. What Mobutu would like to be rid of most of all is Moise Tshombe, his old political foe, for whom, he insists, Schramme’s men were bringing pressure on his government. With the mercenaries gone, Mobutu may work harder to persuade Algeria, which holds Tshombe prisoner, to send him home for execution.