LITHO ARRIVING AND GREETED; WANGENYA TRIBESMEN; LITHO AT HOSPITAL; CELEBRATION DANCE; LITHO VISITS THE CONVENT OF VIRGO MARIA DE COLOMINES.




Initials JSU/VS/JF/GLH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FINANCE MINISTER, M. JEAN-JOSEPH LITHO, ON A TOUR OF THE EASTERN PROVINCE RECENTLY VISITED THE CITY OF KISANGANI -- FORMERLY STANLEYVILLE -- TO ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CAUSED DURING THE 1964 REBELLION. HIS VISIT FOLLOWS THAT OF PRESIDENT MOBUTU WHO HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS GOVERNMENT ARE TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A SOLIDARITY FUND TO HELP AREAS AFFECTED BY THE REBELLION.

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS MINISTERS HAVE AGREED TO A SALARY REDUCTION DURING THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS OF THE YEAR AND FUNDS WERE COLLECTED DURING APRIL.

IN KISANGANI, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW PUSHING AHEAD WITH A REBUILDING PROGRAMME. MANY BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED DURING THE REBELLION, AND NOW THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO RECONSTRUCT THE WHOLE PROVINCE. THROUGHOUT THE AREA RE-EDUCATION CENTRES HAVE BEEN SET UP TO REHABILITATE THE ONE TIME SIMBA REBELS, AND HELP THEM RE-ADJUST TO SOCIETY.

ON THE RIVER WANGENYA TRIBESMEN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK. THEY GAVE A WARM WELCOME TO M. LITHO, WHO WAS GRETED AT KISANGANI BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE, M. VITAL MWANDA, THE PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER, M. MICHEL DENGE, AND OTHER OFFICIALS.

BEFORE LEAVING FOR YANGAMDI, WHERE A FOLK DANCING DISPLAY HAD BEEN ORGANISED TO CELEBRATE NEWS OF AID, M. LITHO VISITED A HOSPITAL AND MATERNITY CLINIC WHICH HAD BEEN PARTLY DESTROYED.

AT BUNIA M. LITHO WAS GREETED BY THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR, M. JEAN EVELE, AND MAJOR DEMOLE. TOGETHER THEY VISITED THE CONVENT OF VIRGO MARIA DE COLOMINES, OPENED IN 1959 FOR THE STUDY OF THE HUMANITIES.