On April 12 Belgian Prime Minister Leo Tindemans admitted sending eighty military "advisers" to help Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko defeat antigovernment forces in the mineral-rich Shaba Province.

On April 14 the West German government said it would fly in $2.1 million worth of "humanitarian and medical aid" to Mobutu.

As reported in the Militant last week, the French government has airlifted 1,500 Moroccan troops into Shaba and announced that French military "instructors" have also been dispatched to Zaire. A second contingent of 1,500 Moroccan troops are on alert, ready to fly into Zaire if needed.

Following these war moves by Paris, Washington rushed in an additional $13 million in "nonlethal aid" to Mobutu, boosting to $15 million its total contribution since fighting in Shaba broke out in March.

There is also evidence of involvement by the white supremacist South African regime in coming to Mobutu's rescue. Citing "highly reliable sources" Robin Wright reported in the April 9 Washington Post that Zaire has negotiated with top South African officials to obtain emergency aid.  
 
April 28, 1952
Over one million Japanese workers went out on a 24-hour strike on April 18 in protest against anti-"subversive" legislation introduced by the reactionary Yoshida government. Another two million workers who did not stop work held protest meetings against the proposed legislation. It was the biggest and most effective strike in Japan since before World War II.

The strike committee said the strike was at least 90% effective and that nearly 400 ships were immobilized. Coal and metal miners, auto workers, railwaymen and electric power workers participated in the walkout.

Since last fall the Yoshida cabinet has been trying to get the Diet to pass laws which would prohibit militant mass action after the U.S. occupation is formally ended on April 28. Up to now the occupation authorities have used their power to ban general and "political" strikes.

Demonstrations called a week before the April 18 walkout did not go off successfully because the government promised to make some changes in the law. But when the actual changes were disclosed to be meaningless, the response of the workers to the strike call was overwhelming.  
 
 
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