adminThe Rhodesia Herald, September 16, 1971
A WARNING to African states not to take sides against South Africa, Rhodesia and the Portuguese territories was given here by the Malawi President, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
He said, “If we take sides, the Europeans will say our backs are to the wall. We must see the situation as it is, and do our best to persuade the two sides to come together and talk together.”
Dr Banda was addressing a multiracial gathering of about 200 people including the visiting black South African delegation and, as a guest of honour, the South African Ambassador Mr Wentzel.
He was rounding off a series of six speeches in less than a fortnight — all of them touching on the southern African racial situation to some degree, by focusing the spotlight on the intentions of the outside countries in their approach to South Africa, Rhodesia and the Portuguese territories.
Dr Banda said what applied to the African states applied equally to the Western powers. African leaders were saying that Britain, France, West Germany, Italy, the United States and Canada must choose between whites and blacks and could not have both.
“It is wrong of any Western power to fall into this trap and actually begin to choose. They must act as an honest broker and an umpire, as someone to bring the two groups together.
“They must exercise influence on South Africa behind the scenes, since they also exercise great influence on black states behind the scenes without choosing sides,” he added.
Dr Banda urged African states to suppress their animal instinct to side with their “kith and kin” in Southern Africa.
“Make the South African blacks and the South African whites talk to each other and get to know each other.”
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Dr Kamuzu Banda was Malawi’s founding father when his country attained independence in 1964. He was Prime Minister from 1964 to 1966, and became President when Malawi became a republic.
As the winds of change swept through Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, it was imperative for African states fighting for independence and majority rule to realise that dialogue was sometimes the best option out of tricky and deadly situations the colonisers had placed before them.
Although dialogue gives room to compromising on fundamental principles, it also lessens major conflicts like war, and leads the protagonists to a common understanding, peace and reconciliation.
The same warning can be given to Western nations today not to take sides and interfere in the internal affairs and political discourses of African countries. Their divide and rule tactic sometimes results in civil strife.
Race relations remain an issue in countries such as South Africa where the minority white community owns that country’s wealth, while the majority black population lacks means of production.
Online Reporter