34. Editorial Note
At meetings of the U.N. Security Council February 20–21, the Council considered the draft resolution submitted on February 17 by Ceylon, Liberia, and the United Arab Republic. The operative portions of Part A read as follows:
- “1. Urges that the United Nations take immediately all appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of civil war in the Congo, including arrangements for cease-fires, the halting of all military operations, the prevention of clashes, and the use of force, if necessary, in the last resort;
- “2. Urges that measures be taken for the immediate withdrawal and evacuation from the Congo of all Belgian and other foreign military and paramilitary personnel and political advisers not under the United Nations Command, and mercenaries;
- “3. Calls upon all States to take immediate and energetic measures to prevent the departure of such personnel for the Congo from their territories, and for the denial of transit and other facilities to them;
- “4. Decides that an immediate and impartial investigation be held in order to ascertain the circumstances of the death of Mr. Lumumba and his colleagues and that the perpetrators of these crimes be punished;
- “5. Reaffirms the Security Council resolutions of 14 July, 22 July and 9 August 1960 and the General Assembly resolution 1474 (ES–IV) of 20 September 1960 and reminds all States of their obligation under these resolutions.”
The operative portions of Part B read as follows:
- “1. Urges the convening of the Parliament and the taking of necessary protective measures in that connexion;
- “2. Urges that Congolese armed units and personnel should be reorganized and brought under discipline and control, and arrangements be made on impartial and equitable bases to that end and with a view to the elimination of any possibility of interference by such units and personnel in the political life of the Congo;
- “3. Calls upon all States to extend their full co-operation and assistance and take such measures as may be necessary on their part, for the implementation of this resolution.” (U.N. document S/4722, also printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 782–784; the texts of the U.N. resolutions cited are ibid., 1960, pages 528, 538–539, 547–548, and 593–594)
U.S. Representative Adlai E. Stevenson stated that the United States would support the draft resolution although it would have preferred to see three points specifically included: the responsibility of the Secretary-General for implementing the resolution, recognition that the United Nations was in the Congo to assist and uphold its sovereignty and independence, and the prohibition of outside military assistance through supplies and material as well as through personnel. He conceded, however, [Page 75] that these points were implied in the draft resolution. Concerning the authorization for the possible use of force in Part A, operative paragraph 1, he stated:
“It is our understanding that authorization to use force, as used in paragraph 1, only ‘in the last resort’ means that every effort will be made to accomplish the purposes of this paragraph by agreement among the contending elements in that divided country. Clearly this resolution means that force cannot be used until agreement has been sought by negotiation, conciliation, and all other peaceful measures.”
For the complete text of Stevenson’s statement, see ibid., 1961, pages 778–782.
The Council first voted on a draft resolution that the Soviet Union had submitted on February 15. It would have 1) condemned the actions of Belgium, which, it alleged, led to the murder of Lumumba and his colleagues; 2) called for sanctions to be applied to Belgium; 3) enjoined the U.N. Command to arrest Mobutu and Tshombe, disarm all armed forces under their control, and remove all Belgian troops and personnel from the Congo; 4) directed the end of the U.N. operation in the Congo within one month; and 5) deemed it essential to dismiss Secretary-General Hammarskjöld from his post. (U.N. document S/4706) The Council rejected it by 8 votes to 1 (the Soviet Union), with Ceylon and the United Arab Republic abstaining.
In the early hours of February 21, the Council adopted the Ceylon-Liberia– UAR draft resolution by a vote of 9 to 0, with France and the Soviet Union abstaining. The Council then considered another draft resolution proposed by Ceylon, Liberia, and the United Arab Republic on February 20, condemning the unlawful arrests, deportations, and assassinations of Congolese political leaders, calling upon the U.N. authorities to take steps to prevent the occurrence of such outrages, and calling for an impartial investigation. (U.N. document S/4733 and Rev. 1) This failed to pass because of disagreement over the preamble, which mentioned Léopoldville, Katanga, and South Kasai as the scenes of “atrocities and assassinations” but did not mention Stanleyville. An amendment to replace the words “Léopoldville, Katanga, and South Kasai” by “in various parts of the Congo” was vetoed by the Soviet Union. The draft resolution failed to receive enough votes for adoption, receiving 6 affirmative votes and 5 abstentions, including the United States. For records of the meeting, see U.N. documents S/PV.941 and 942.