Indians Butchered By Africans In Night Of Terror

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1949, Page 5

Indians Butchered By Africans In Night Of Terror

(N.Z.P.A**

-'Reutets

Co&vright)

Received Sunday, 8.45 p.m. ' j DURBAN, January 15. The police estimate tliat 300 people lost tlieir lives and 1000 wero injured when native Ai'rieans attaeked Indians in one oi the iiercest race l)attles in Sontli Al'riea's history. Uorrespondents report tliat i'renzied Africans, clianting Znlti war songs, storrned throUg-h_ the Indian qitai'ter of Durban last night, murdei'ing Indians, looting- and plundermg.- As soon as the police and troops dispersed one outbroak, another was reported elsewhere. Alost of the natives were anned with heavy sticks and iron spikes, In one area near the centfe of the eity, the police last night had to open fire on a large mob which broke and ran leaving sereil wounded in tlie street. The police also opened fire on Africans ill Ihe t'mbilo and Jacob area of Durban this mornitlg, killiiig and woimdiiig a munber of riotefs. The highlight of a niglit of terror occurred'at Cato M anor on Ihe fi'inge of the city where troops called on a large Zulu impi (arined band) to conie out of the bush and suri'ende.r. Yelling frenzied war cries, the Zulus charged out of hiding, foroing the troops to fire. Mere than 100 Zulus fell, killed or vvounded. : Tlie police charged with fixed bayonets when the rioters made a sudden raid on a refugee camp today. Indians fled in all flirections, carrying their children.

The bloodletling started when an irate Indian standing in a bus queue .-harply boxpd a young native *s ears. Within a few minutes 200 natives were -wiriging fists or pelting stodes at Indians. The Daily dVTail eorrespondent says an Indian 's lii'e in tliis town at the iiionient is not worth a eent. Some parts ot' Durban look like blitzed areas with whole blocks of uimlowless shops and glass inches deep on tlie f'ootpaths. Xearlv ever.v hoine is deserted in tlie Indian southern residential area. Long i-nbiinns of destitute and distressed Old nieri and women and hundreds of children, are making tlieir way towards the refugee camp which was established at ihe Cato Manor police station, in the worst affected area. Twalve sufgeons wocked t li rouglioiit the night tlt the (loverrunent llospital where dead and (lying Indians and Africans lay on stretchers in long qneues outside tjie opcrating theatre. Durban 's mortuaries are paeked with corpses. Sports dealers 'reported tliat they were" swamped with demands for firearnis and aihniunii ion by Europ'eails who feared they might tio attaeked. Cars streain'ed from tlie city todaj* (•anyirig wb'merf and children. Might Dakotas are standing bv at IVetoria over the weekehd ready to rii>h reiiiforceinent.s to any part of the I'liiou where racial riots might break out. Six Kpitfires are lllso standing by in case tlie rioting spreads to the Kurofiearis arc.'is of ;Durba*n.-