adminThe Rhodesia Herald, August 6, 1977
AFRICANS could bring down minority rule in Rhodesia without Western help, but pressure by the West could hasten the end and so reduce the bloodshed, Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere said here yesterday.
He spoke at the news conference during a US visit in which he has urged the black African cause to President Jimmy Carter.
“I have never believed that Smith can be urged into accepting majority rule,” President Nyerere said.
“He cannot be urged into accepting majority rule. Smith can be forced into accepting majority rule and I’m here to find out what kind of force I can get from Washington.
“I get arms from the Soviet Union, I get arms from China; I want to find out what kind of force I can get from here. I don’t expect to get arms at all from here.”
But non-military pressures could hasten the end of the terrorist war, he said, reports Iana-Reuter.
Referring to the sudden collapse of Portugal’s rule in its African colonies two years ago, he said: “I want to say this: We will fight to the end. We defeated the Portuguese without any assistance from the Western world. We can defeat Smith and his friends without any assistance from Western world.”
Asked what he expected from United States, President Nyerere said: “I want American support. I want American power to be put on the side of the liberation struggle in Africa. As a result of the talks I have had with President Carter, I feel there is willingness in this administration to put at least some of that power behind the liberation struggle in Southern Africa.”
After their talks, President Carter said, “complete agreement” had been reached on goals and diplomatic efforts relating to Rhodesia and South West Africa.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
• With two days to go before Zimbabwe commemorates National Heroes and Defense days, the country also salutes Frontline States leaders – Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, Seretse Khama and Samora Machel – for the sacrifices they made in the realisation of Zimbabwe’s independence.
• They were the midwives of the liberation process who ensured that the baby would be safely delivered and preserved.
• As one of the founding members of the Organisation of African Unity, President Nyerere ensured that all major players in the strife did their part to ensure that Zimbabwe attained its independence.
• Nyerere knew very well that in as much as some Western nations were part of the problem, the Frontline States had to work with them so that they became part of the solution to the Zimbabwe situation.
• The birth of the Frontline States resulted in the formation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc whose major thrust is regional peace and integration; infrastructure and development for better economic growth and development, etc.
• Nyerere knew that the United States had strategic interests in Zimbabwe. Although Carter was instrumental in the holding of the Lancaster House Conference, US interests became clear when they imposed the illegal 20-year-economic sanctions on Zimbabwe through ZIDERA.
Online Reporter