CROWDS GATHER FOR PARADE: HEADS OF STATE SEATED: PRESIDENTS BOIGNY, BONGO AND MUBUTU: POLICE AND TROOPS PARADE: PRESIDENTS BOKASSA AND BONGO.




Initials AH/VS/AW/BJ



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Background: NEARLY A DOZEN AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE WERE THE GUESTS OF PRESIDENT AHMADOU AHIDJO LAST WEEKEND, WHEN CAMEROUN CELEBRATED THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE FROM FRENCH RULE WITH MASSIVE PARADES IN THE CAPITAL, YAOUNDE.

A CROWD OF 45,000 PEOPLE LINED THE STREETS TO WATCH THE CELEBRATIONS, CLIMAXED BY THE MARCH-PAST OF 15,000 TROOPS, SCHOOLCHILDREN AND PARTY MEMBERS.

AFRICAN LEADERS WITNESSING THE IMPRESSIVE PARADE INCLUDED PRESIDENTS JEAN BEDEL BOKASSA OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, ALBERT BONGO OF GABON, FELIX HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY OF THE IVORY COAST AND CONGO-KINSHASA'S GENERAL JOSEPH MOBUTU.

ALTHOUGH THE COUNTRY COMPLETED ITS FIRST DECADE OF INDEPENDENCE ON JANUARY 1, THE CELEBRATIONS IN THE CAPITAL HAD BEEN HELD OVER TO ENABLE VARIOUS AFRICAN LEADERS TO ATTEND.

PRESIDENT AHIDJO DESCRIBED THE CELEBRATIONS AS A TRIBUTE TO EVERYONE -- STATES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS -- WHO HAD HELPED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE CAMEROUN REPUBLIC. AND HE CALLED FOR RENEWED EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL AFRICAN STATES ACHIEVED THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND INDEPENDENCE.