CHRONOLOGY March 1st to May, 31st 1961

Source: Pakistan Horizon , Second Quarter, 1961, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Second Quarter, 1961),
pp. 170-179
Published by: Pakistan Institute of International Affairs

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41392663

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 CHRONOLOGY

March 1st to May, 31st 1961

March 1 : President Kennedy announced the establishment of a Peace

comprising of young Americans to do free work in under-dev
countries.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, the

of the South African United Front delegation, Dr. Yusuf Dad
called for political and economic sanctions by various governm
against South Africa.

March 2 : The Family Laws Ordinance, regulating divorce and restricti

gamy, was promulgated by the President of Pakistan.

Complete accord was reached between Tunisia, Morocco an

Algerian Provisional Government on the means for achieving
pendence for Algeria.

The 4 Satyagraha ' movement, organised by the Tamil F

Party, completely paralysed administration in certain pa
Ceylon.

March 3 : It was disclosed by the Pakistan Minister for Home Affairs, Mr.
Zakir Husain, that according to provisional census estimates, the
country's population is 938 million, registering an increase of 23 %
in ten years.

March 4 : A 30-million dollar loan agreement for cooperation in search and

prospecting of oil was signed between Pakistan and the USSR.

March 5 : The President of Pakistan said in London that South Africa's apar-
theid policy was suicidal for that country.

The President of Azad Kashmir, Mr. K. H. Khurshid, declared that

the killing of Muslims and looting of their properties was on the
increase in Indian occupied Kashmir,

The President of Azad Kashmir said that he would welcome aid

from any country in the world for the liberation of Kashmir.
170

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 171

March 7 : The U.S. Navy announced that its ships sailing towards the Port of
Matadi, in the Gongo, had turned back because they were not re-
quired by the United Nations.

The Primé Minister of Canada, Mr. Diefenbaker, said at the Com-

monwealth Prime Ministers Conference in London, that the Com-
monwealth should adopt a " declaration of principles " guarantee-
ing racial equality.

March 8 : In an address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Nkrumah

of Ghana called for the establishment of an African U.N. Command
in the Congo and the withdrawal of all foreign diplomatic units from
that country.

March 9 : At the Commonwealth Prime Ministers^meeting in London, President

Ayub Khan called for an early solution of the problems of Kashmir,
Algeria and Palestine.

President Ayub Kahn said at a press conference in London that

the Commonwealth nations were agreed that the admission of Com-
munist China to the United Nations should now take place.
Ï ■
The Soviet Unio
orbit round the ea

March 12 : The Unit

cluded its task at
bringing peace to

March 14 : About 50
clash with Malaya
province.

According to The Hindustan Times of New Delhi, Chinese troops

made fresh intrusion into the NEFA area.

March 15 : It was disclosed in a communique issued by the Commonwealth

Prime Ministers Conference in London that South Africa had
decided to leave the Commonwealth.

Reports from Saigon indicated that the truce in Laos bad ended and
violent fighting was going on.

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 172

The President of the Congo, Mr. KasavubuT said that the United
Nations decision to send Indian troops reinforcements to the Congo
was an interference in Congo's internal affairs.

March 16 : It was disclosed by the Finance Minister, Mr. Mohammad Shoaib,

that the Second Five-Year Plan estimates had risen by Rs. 3,000
million raising the total to Rs. 22,000 million because of changing
world prices. ř

By five votes to one, with six abst

decided not to intervene in Angola

March 17 : President Ayub Khan said at

according to information received by
lions had assembled in the Kunnar

It was announced in Washington th

to vacate its Dhahran air base in Sau
in April 1962.

March 18 : The President of Pakistan disclosed in London that Pakistan would

probably vote for the admission of Communist China to the United
Nations at the next session of the General Assembly.

The Prime Minister of South Africa, Dr. Hendrick Verwoerd, said

in London that he had decided to quit the Commonwealth because
the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth countries thought that
apartheid was no longer a domestic South African issue and that
they could discuss it at any time they wished.

March 20 : The Chinese Foreign Minister declared in Budapest that the with-
drawal of the United States from Formosa would be a pre-condition
of Communist China joining the United Nations.

The annual report on the political and economic activities of SEATO

stated that the states within the alliance were aware of Communist
designs.

March 21 : It was reported that at least 180 persons were killed and several
hundred injured in the storm that hit East Pakistan on the 18th and
19th March.

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 173

March 23 : According to a report published in The Times of India t the four-man

committee which held an on the spot enquiry had reached the
conclusion that communal riots in Jabalpore had been preplanned.

March 24 : President Kennedy called on the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev

to help end the civil war in Laos.

The United Nations Special Political Committee approved a reso-

lution urging the South African Government to negotiate with
Pakistan and India with regard to the future of the half a million
people of Indo-Pakistan origin, now in South Africa.

March 26 : The Foreign Minister of Pakistan said at the SEATO Council of

Ministers meeting at Bangkok that Pakistan agreed in principle with
the British proposal to the USSR for a ceasefire and a negotiated
settlement of the Laos crisis.

March 27 : The Soviet Union announced through the official newspaper Pravda
that it agreed with the British proposal for a truce and a negotiated
settlement in Laos but it was against intervention in Laos by SEATO.

At the SEATO Council meeting at Bangkok, the United States'

Secretary of State, Mr. Dean Rusk, gave an assurance of his country's
full support for the nations of the SEATO alliance.

March 28 : President Kennedy asked the Congress for an extra 650 million
dollars for his defence budget.

March 29 : It was disclosed in a resolution of the eight SEATO countries that

the SEATO would take " appropriate action " over Laos, if nego-
tiations for a peaceful settlement failed.

March 30 : It was reported that heavy fighting had once again broken out in
eastern Laos.

March 31 : The Algerian Provisional Government said in a statement that it

might not be prepared for talks with France on April 7th, if France
also negotiated with the rival Algerian National Movement
(M. N. A.)

The Third African Peoples Conference decided to urge all African

States to sever diplomatic, economic and cultural relations with
all colonial powers.

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 174

April 1 : Twelve persons were killed and five injured when police opened
fire on a crowd of 10,000 4 Adivasis * in Bastar (Madhya Pradesh,
India).
April 3 : It was disclosed in a communique that Indonesia and Communist
China had agreed that without the entry of the latter into the United
Nations that body's ability to solve world problems would be greatly
weakened.

The Communist newspaper Pr-avada accused Pakistan of trying to

solve the Pakhtoon problem forcibly and by " bombing " peaceful
Pakhtoon villages.

April 4 : President Ayub Khan said in Lyallpur that Pakistan would welcome
the creation of a Commonwealth of Islamic countries to safeguard
the interest of the Muslim world.

Thousands of Africans marched on Elizabethville airport tearing

down the U.N. flag and smashing windows.

April 7 : It was reported by the Soviet News Agency that the visiting Afghan
Premier, Sardar Daud, and the Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev,
had complete identity of views on international problems, including
the Pakhtoonistan issue.

April 8 : According to a communique issued from Washington, President

Kennedy and the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan had
agreed that NATO was the sheet anchor of western security.

The United States Under Secretary of State, Mr. Chester Bowles,

reiterated United States determination to defend Taiwan and said
that in his opinion Communist China would not be admitted to the
United Nations this year.

April 9 : It was reported by the Congolese News Agency that President

Albert Kalonji of South Kasai was crowned as King of his country.

April Í0 : The United Nations Special Political Committee voted for the
application of sanctions against South Africa in the form of break
off of diplomatic, economic and other relations.

April 11 : United Nations reinforcements were flown to North Katanga

where fighting had broken out between Katanga soldiers and the
United Nations Ethiopian force.

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 175

April 12 : The first man was sent into space by the Soviet Union and was
safely brought back to earth after 108 minutes.

April 13 : France announced the release of 700 Algerian Muslims as an act

of clemency.

April 14 : The Finance Minister of Pakistan, Mr, Mohammad Shoaib, said

that Pakistan was gravely concerned about the Indian threat to go
ahead with the construction of the Farrakha barrage.

April 15 : Cuban Premier, Fidel Castro, announced that rebel forces had carried
out an air and sea invasion of Las Villas province in southern
Cuba.

April 18 : The Soviet Union called the invasion of Cuba an 44 open challenge "
to all freedom loving people and promised Cuba all necessary help
if the revolt did not end.

April 19 : President Kennedy told the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev that
any intervention by outside forces in Cuba will be resisted by the
United States.

April 20 : In a communique issued from Havana Premier Fidel Castro claimed

that the revolt in Cuba had been completely crushed.

April 22 : A military coup, supported by army generals, took control of

Algiers and thus divided the French army into two rival camps.
American Administration sources diclosed that the miscalculation
of Castro's strength was the main cause of the Cuban fiasco.

April 24 : The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union issued a joint appeal for
a ceasefire in Laos and asked India for an urgent reconvening of the
International Control Commission.

April 25 : The Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr. Subandrio demanded that the
Dutch must withdraw from West Irian and expressed willingness
to allow the United Nations to manage the affairs of the territory for
two years.

April 26 : The four-day Algerian revolt fizzled out with the arrest of ex-
General Maurice Challe, the leader of the revolt.

Katanga President, Mr. Tshombe, was arrested by thç Congolese

Central Government forces at Cocquilhatville.

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 176

April 27 : Sierra Leone became an independent country.

April 28 : A communique issued from Ankara at the close of the CENTO

Ministerial Conference stated that while there had been hostile
propaganda in the region, there had been no encroachment on its
independence. The Council decided to appoint a military committee
for the coordination of defence planning in the region.

April 29 : United Nations troops and the Congolese army had a violent clash
at Port Francqui resulting in casualties on both sides.

The African states of Ghana, Guinea and Mali decided to merge

into a Union of African States.

April 30 : It was disclosed by the Secretary General of SEATO, Mr. Pote

Sarasin, that SEATO did not want the Laos problem to be brought
before the United Nations.

May 2 : According to Defence Minister Phoumi Nosavan, fighting had

stopped on the vital front of Vang Vieng in Laos and talks on a
general ceasefire were taking place.

Prime Minister Nehru was said to have accepted President Ayub

Khan's proposal for convening a ministerial level meeting to discuss
the question of the distribution of the waters of the eastern rivers.

Premier Castro declared Cuba a socialist state and said that there
would be no more elections.

May 3 : The leftist leaders in Laos ordered their troops to ceasefire and
called on the right wing to do the same to facilitate truce talks.

May 4 : About 30,000 teachers and students demonstrated in front of the

Iranian Majlis, demanding the resignation of Premier Imami and
the execution of the officer suspected of killing a demonstrator.

Mr. Dean Rusk, told a press conference that President Kennedy

had authorised an increase in the amount of military aid
to South Vietnam in view of the Communist threat to that
country.

May 5 : The first American spaceman, Commander Shepard, was sent into
space and brought back safely after 15 minutes.

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 177

The Shah of Iran accepted the resignation of Premier Imami and

appointed Dr. Ali Amini as the new Prime Minister.
The President of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba, told the National Press
Club in Washington that the policies adopted by the UAR's Presi-
dent Nasser were 4 dangerous ' and 4 harmful ' for Tunisia.

The Presidents of the United States and Tunisia in a communique

stressed the need to end colonialism and keep the cold war out of
Africa.

May 7 : The Congolese Government announced that the Katanga President,

Mr. Tshombe, would be charged and tried for high treason.

President Ayub Khan warned the Kabul Government that Pakistan

would take firm steps if the Afghan troops violated Pakistani terri-
tory.

May 8 : Mr. Dean Rusk said in Oslo that the United States intended to
maintain its presence in West Berlin, even if the Russains signed
a separate peace treaty with East Germany.

May 9 : A severe cyclone hit East Pakistan resulting in a great loss of life
and property.

May 10 : In a joint communique issued from Oslo the Foreign Ministers of

the 15 NATO countries reaffirmed their determination to safeguard
the freedom of West Berlin.

The Soviet delegate to the United Nations charged Portugal with

having exterminated thousands of Africans in Angola during the
last four weeks.

May 13 : Representatives of the three rival Laotian factions reached agree-

ment with regard to a general cease fire in Laos.

May 16 : The International Control Commission on Laos started at Geneva.

An anti-Communist coup was organised by a military junta in

South Korea which was said to be defying United States authority
in the area.

The National Integration Committee, appointed by the Indian

Congress, admitted in its report that the minority communities in
India were not given fair treatment.

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 178

May 17 : In a communique issued from Cairo, Presidents Nasser and Sekou

Toure reaffirmed their policies of ' positive neutralism and non-
alignment '

May 18 : The Minister for Home Affairs said in Lahore that the Govern-
ment was well aware of underground communist activities in Pakistan
and was taking steps to curb them.

President Kennedy and the Canadian Prime Minister agreed in a

communique that any Latin American alignment with communism
would endanger a * peaceful democratic revolution ■ in that area.

May 20 : It was revealed in Karachi that the need for closer United States-
Pakistan ties was the keynote of the talks which President Ayub
had with the visiting U.S. Vice-President Lyndon Johnson who had
brought a personal message from President Kennedy for the Pakistan
President.

The French Minister for Algerian Affairs, Mr. Louis Joxe, offered
complete internal and external sovereignty to Algeria at the con-
ference being held at Evian.

Pakistan Air Force planes destroyed the mortar and machinegun

positions of the intruding Afghans which had been attacking the
Pakistan posts of Miskiani and Saigpura in the Bajaur area.

May 21 : The visiting U.S. Vice-President declined to answer the question

whether the solution of the Kashmir dispute was not vital for peace
in this area.

The Algerian Provisional Government announced from Tunisia that

it would not agree to a ceasefire in Algeria unless " serious and solid
guarantees " were given to the Algerian people.

Serious racial riots developed in Montgomery, Alabama when about

1,000 whites savagely attacked a mixed group of freedom riders,
violating the state's racial laws.

May 22 : The President of Azad Kashmir said in Karachi that his Govern-
ment was not bound by any pacts signed, or commitments made,
by the Government of Pakistan.

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 179

President Ayub Khan said in Dacca that Russian arms were used
by Afghans in their recent attacks on the Pakistan border.

May 24 : At the Geneva Conference, the Foreign Minister of China listed

five principles which he said should govern a settlement of the Laotian
crisis.

May 26 : Addressing a press conference in Washington, Vice-President

Johnson said that he had asked Mr. Nehru, at the request of Presi-
dent Kennedy t to "extend his leadership to other areas in South
East Asia ".
President Kennedy asked the United States Congress for 7,300
million dollars for foreign aid over the next five years.

May 27 : As a result of the resentment against the policies of the Congress

Party, rioting broke out in Durgapur (India) in which several persons
were injured.

May 30 : In an interview published in The New York Tfmes, President Ayub

Khan said that his countrymen were generally critical of United
States foreign policy as pursued " in these parts of the world."

May 31 : South Africa became a republic and cut its ties with the Common-
wealth.

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