LIBREVILLE AIRPORT; DC-6 ON TARMAC; SUPPLIES BEING UNLOADED AND LOADED ONTO TRUCKS; SACK OF CORN-SOYA-MILK; SACK INSCRIBED "DONATED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE USA"




Initials LD/VS/DW/PC



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Background: A DC-6 CHARTERED BY THE CARITAS ORGANIZATION, ARRIVED TODAY (SUNDAY) IN LIBREVILLE FROM THE PORTUGUESE ISLAND OF SAO TOME, CARRYING 12 TONS OF SUPPLIES DONATED BY THE UNITED STATES. THEY ARE DESTINED TO FEED AND CARE FOR THE REFUGEE BIAFRAN CHILDREN IN GABON.

THE SUPPLIES - WHICH INCLUDED LARGE QUANTITIES OF POWDERED MILK - HAD BEEN SENT FIRST TO SAO TOME, BUT SINCE FEDERAL NIGERIA IS STILL WITHHOLDING PERMISSION FOR MERCY FLIGHTS FROM THE PORTUGUESE ISLAND TO ENTER NIGERIA, THE CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION DECIDED TO FLY THEM TO LIBREVILLE. SEVERAL THOUSAND BIAFRAN CHILDREN HAD BEEN EVACUATED TO GABON BEFORE THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR, INCLUDING NEARLY 2,000 WHO ARE IN A CARITAS CAMP SEVEN MILES (ELEVEN KILOMETRES) FROM LIBREVILLE RUN BY FATHER JEAN PIERRE RUHLMANN - WHO HAD ORDERED THE CHARTER OF THE DC-6 TO PICK UP THE SUPPLIES FROM SAO TOME. IT WAS THE SECOND SUCH FLIGHT ORGANIZED BY THE FATHER IN THE LAST WEEK.

MEANWHILE, PORTUGAL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW FACILITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO USE THE ISLAND OF SAO TOME AS A BASE FOR RELIEF OPERATIONS TO VICTIMS OF THE CIVIL WAR. PORTUGAL, ALONG WITH FRANCE, SOUTH AFRICA AND RHODESIA, HAS BEEN REJECTED AS A SOURCE OF AID BY THE FEDERAL NIGERIANS ON THE GROUND THAT THEY SUPPORTED THE SECESSIONIST BIAFRANS FURRING THE WAR.