adminThe Herald, October 19, 1979
THE Patriotic Front yesterday agreed to re-join the Lancaster House talks today, claiming that assurances had been received that Britain, the United States and other countries would finance land, agricultural and economic development projects in a future state of Zimbabwe.
But a British government spokesman denied that any arrangement had been reached with the PF on a compensation scheme for dispossessed landlords which was being demanded by the alliance in return for accepting the British government’s constitutional proposals.
At a meeting yesterday, Mr Robert Mugabe and Mr Joshua Nkomo, the PF co-leaders, presented Lord Carrington, British Foreign Secretary and conference chairman, with a paper setting out a statement which appeared to end the two-week impasse at the Zimbabwe Rhodesia constitutional conference.
But the leaders refrained from giving a clear yes or no on whether they accepted the constitutional proposals as demanded by Lord Carrington before the meeting moved on to discuss transitional arrangements.
The PF’s position paper said the alliance had now obtained assurances that, depending on a successful outcome of the conference, Britain, the US, and other countries, would take part in a multi-national financial donor effort to assist in land, agricultural, and economic development programmes.
The statement said: “These assurances go a long way in allaying the great concern we have over the whole land question arising from the great need our people have for land and our commitment to satisfy that need when in Government.”
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Due to the property rights clause, is it any wonder that the Lancaster House Conferences for Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe were held in the British capital?
Lord Carrington who was chairing and was also the British Foreign Secretary negotiated in bad faith, for the land issue has been a contentious issue in Zimbabwe. Like Charles Rudd before him, who duped King Lobengula, Lord Carrington made sure that his kith and kin would retain title of their so-called properties.
Sir Shridath Ramphal who was the Commonwealth secretary-general and advisor to the PF leaders played a fair role which ensured that the compromised agreement would be concluded.
In 2000, Zimbabwe reclaimed its stolen land to the ire of Western nations that proceeded to blacklist it and impose embargoes that have caused untold suffering among ordinary people and destroyed the economy of the well-resourced country.
Online Reporter