Britain's 'special envoy' Ivor suppor or une black nationalsr delegations oi one person. one voTe noW. reviews the events of the Geneva conference so far.
The Geneva conference has adjourned until mid-January. ony concrete outcome arter sever al weeks of haggling, jetting to and tro, press conterences, posturings. charges and counter-charges is a walc for majont sen-government - 1 March 1978.
The Anglo-American settlement proposals (the Kissinger Plan) for construal Soluton to ut Rhodesian crisis have brought to the conference four black nationalist delegations and one from the Smith regime. But the conference has deadlocked over the issue of status and structure of the interim authority that is to determine the transition towards an independent' Zimbabwe.
Kissinger's priority is to outflank and crush the guerilla strugThe struggle's success and its radicalsing erects. Its over-spill into South Africa and neighbouring black states, is posing serious threats to imperialism's interests in soutnern Alrica as a whole.
ACTIVE With Vorster's active collaboration, Kissinger has coerced Smith into a surrender to African nationalist demands for majority rule "within two years': Kissinger has counterposed diplomatic strategy towards neo-colonial order' to the chaos of settler military confrontation. The lessons of Angola have not been lost on Kissinger Vorster.
Smith's strategy is two-pronged. He is sticking rigidly to the socallca live principies, clude a two-tier interim governWanner ole haved CHICOSTS the chairman of the Geneva conference, is flitting around Africa canvassing support tor a antisn presence in une transional regime in cimpaowe. the time the talks were adjourned in December he had gained the A central theme of the campaign of solidarity with the people of southern Africa must be the demand that Labour relects a neo-colonial solution and recognises independence on the basis Below MATHIAS white majority and exclusive power of veto. and also the maintenance in white hands of the key ministries of defence and internal security.
If some. "moderate' black nationalist alliance can be found to accept this it will be promoted into "independent' with the liberation being dealt a major dereal. Ins would ensure settler privilege and a stable intrastructure in a neocolonial Zimbabwe.
If this strategy fails, Smith can and apppeal to Vorster and America, point out black BV and ask for support in mis war against the liberation moverent. Inus tar an une black acickations have rejected Smith's manocuvres. But have called for a British presence MURUNGU of one kind or another based on its "historic decolonising and for effective black control in the transitional period.
The Patriotic Front of Nkomo and Mugabe calls for a blackdominated council and a British governor. The Muzorewa delegation talks of immediate elections and a united guerilla peace-keeping force concrete plans. tion leaders make claims of a base SHUT CHICH!
within the guerilla claims strongly disputed within the HIVYCHIC From this disparate, demagogic, petty-vourgeois caucismp, batamn "stubbornness', pliable all political Smith. most Smith's ferocious mission, of ministers OUTCOME but offers no All black delegaThe neo-colonial movement; elsewhere in Africa, aust Interests.
reconvenee conrerence. deadlock is attacks on the liberatiot ment can be expected.
tribal leadership the Smith regime, guerilla movements, reconvened to the liberation struggle.
remains the crucial task.
Noonco-colomals!. and the USA hope to forge the policemen for a neocolonial Zimbabwe. The reléase of prisoners and no Rhodesian delegation in its own right have disappeared from the black delegates' pre-conditions pre-emptive blitzkrieg against guerilla bases in Mozambique produced a lame response. In all the vagueness, the socialist rhetoric and demagogy the black delegates have produced no clear programme towards genuine independence and liberation.
experiences where uni exploitation of workers and peasants goes nand-in-ane we seruel privileges and international capitare mne unreatenet outcome for Zimbabwe from the not broken, further Most recently the reactionary has made its move. Two puppet appointees to having been outflanked by the nationalist and have now formed their own party and are demanding delegate status at the grouping poses an ideal axis for the implementation of the Kissinger plan, and is a considerable threat But that liberation struggle will continue, and a concerted defence of that anti-imperialist campaign Towards a socialist Zimbabwe! WEEKLY We agree with the sentiment - but women must have the vote as well.