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Atlanta Daily World
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
What is this article about?
In Belgian Congo, Abako party and others demand immediate general elections with universal suffrage, boycotting local polls and threatening independence unless assured before January round-table talks. Belgian minister announces direct votes for governments possibly next spring.
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LEOPOLDVILLE, BELGIAN CONGO - (ANP)
The swift-moving incidents of recent days in the Belgian Congo has made one thing clear: Africans want "an absolute" formal guarantee of general elections with universal suffrage at the shortest possible date."
Authority for this statement was Landa-Nzeza, vice president, Abako, "dominant political party of the Leopoldville province. Nzeza, said that five other political groups might join the Abako in boycotting round-table conference talks with Belgium in mid-January, unless such assurances are forthcoming before the meeting is held.
In last week's communal or local elections, voting was described as apathetic, since the dominant Abako group had boycotted the elections. The boycott was ordered because nationalist leaders wanted nationwide elections held in the place of local elections, so as to provide for self-government immediately.
In addition to the boycott, the threat was voiced that unless national elections were held by Jan. 1, an Independent republic of the Lower Congo would be established. This move, seemingly has been withheld on the strength of a later announcement by Belgian Minister for the Congo, August de Schryver, that both provincial and national governments would be chosen by direct vote, possibly next spring.
The latter development scraps an earlier plan which would have stretched the process out for a year or more.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Leopoldville, Belgian Congo
Event Date
Recent Days
Key Persons
Outcome
boycott of local elections by abako and potential others; threat of independent republic of the lower congo unless national elections by jan. 1; announcement of provincial and national governments by direct vote possibly next spring, scrapping earlier prolonged plan.
Event Details
Africans in the Belgian Congo demand formal guarantee of general elections with universal suffrage soon. Landa-Nzeza, vice president of Abako, states five other groups may join boycott of mid-January round-table conference with Belgium unless assurances given. Last week's local elections boycotted by Abako for wanting nationwide elections for immediate self-government. Threat of independent republic withheld after Belgian Minister August de Schryver's announcement of direct vote for governments possibly next spring.