Broken pledges

It is surprising that the British Labour Government, despite pledges to the contrary, is now unashamedly negotiating with a group of men whose act of rebellion was and is the most odious usurpation of British Monarcical powers. The same government of the United Kingdom vowed never to negotiate with a liar. We wonder whether this show of double standards of justice has become British policy on the rebellion.

The Zimbabwe African People's Union has on many occasions appealed to Britain to convene a fully representative constitutional conference with the sole purpose of introducing popular government in Rhodesia. The response has been persistently equivocal. Britain has not been partner in our pursuit of democracy and racial equality.

We would have preferred a democratic New Zealand Government to eschew any moves that obstruct immediate majority rule. It is our wish that the future course of New Zealand public opinion will influence the Government towards a policy that supports our sincere objectives.

What we stand for is identical to what the Government and people of New Zealand cherish. The UDI crisis is nothing but a phase in a continuing Rhodesian revolution ... a revolution which must end with an African victory. It is imperative to those nations who are as equally concerned about the future of the white minority to support us in our efforts to rid our country of the cancer of racial discrimination.