Professor to Survey Biafran Battle Zones

A professor in the School of Public Health is flying to Nigeria tomorrow with a non-political, fact-finding United States mission which will assess the food and medical needs of both Nigeria and Biafra.

Jean Mayer, professor of Nutrition, has selected four experts on Africa to make up the mission. Sen. Charles E. Goodell (R-N.Y.) also will fly to Nigeria with the mission.

The mission will determine the death rates for both areas, forecast the quantity of food and medical supplies needed for the immediate future, and report these findings to the U.S. government.

"This is the first time and American group is going with official U.S. government blessings," Mayer said. "The government at last realizes that the Biafrans are here to stay," he added.

The group will spend two days in Nigeria and at least one week in Biafra. "We will also try to find out about Ibo areas which are occupied by Nigerians, although we don't know if we'll be able to enter those areas," Mayer said.

After Nigeria the mission will fly to Biafra from the Portuguese island of San Tome. "We'll fly at night because the Nigerians, who have a lot of Russian planes, usually bomb the Biafran airport by day," Mayer said. "I'm quite aware of the danger of this mission--going in and out of a war is very dangerous," he added.

Postponed Twice

Mayer described himself as "trying to do something about Biafra" for a long time. "UNICEF asked me to go twice before but difficulties with the mission forced a postponement each time," he said.

Mayer stated that the mission doesn't mean that the U.S., which has not officially recognized Biafra, plans to change its mind on that issue. He said that the mission will investigate impartially the needs of both areas.

The other four members of the misson are: Charles Dunn, Goodell's chief administrative assistant; George Axinn, assistant dean of Agriculture at Michigan State and a specialist in tropical agriculture; Dr. Roy Brown, associate professor of Pediatrics at Tufts who has spent more than three years in Africa; and George Orrick, logistics and relief specialist.