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Settlement Settles Little

The "Internal Settlement" in Zimbabwe.

In recent years, there have been few supporters of justice who would have supported Ian Smith's "Rhodesia" regime — although it has certainly not be unknown — event among our very own parliamentarians. For those who have supported "Rhodesia" (real name Zimbabwe) have supported a regime whose list of crimes committed against the majority of it's own citizens is a paradime of injustice, inequality, and suffering.

Zimbabwe has been a Police State since 1960, with the passing of the Law and Order Act. This Act is no less than 36 pages of what Africans cannot do, and what will happen to them if they do. Added to this, there has been a "State of Emergency" imposed since 1965. This combination has resulted in the outlawing of organisations, and their leaders, which supported the interests of those oppressed by the system. Right now, there are almost 2000 political prisoners and detainees in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Whites make up only four of cent of the population, yet they own fifty percent of the land. There were laws which prevented this "European Land" ever passing into the hands of Blacks. While sixty percent of the total wage income was taken home by Whites, 80% of urban Black Workers earned less than $70 per month (1976 figures). At the same time, the official 'Poverty Datum Line' was $76 per month. Up until the most recent times, there has been strict racial segregation in education, housing, politics, and health services.

In the face of damaging economic sanctions and a civil war which has had an increasingly damaging effect on White morale, Smith's regime joined with 'acceptable' African leaders to reach an "internal settlement". And there have been many who have seen this settlement, not only as a step in the right direction, but as a final solution to the Zimbabwe conflict. But the settlement and the parliamentary elections in the newly-named "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" are indeed a fraud. This can be clearly seen in the way that they were carried out and from the fact that so few of the vitally needed changes have occurred.

The "elections", which took place in April this year, were conducted with such an array or irregularities that they can be considered as no more than a farce. They have been declared null and void by the United Nations Security Council for reasons including: the absence of an electoral roll — which meant that some areas reported turnouts of over 100%. These turnouts were controlled by security forces numbering over one hundred thousand.

Voting was spread over five days so that each area could be saturated with troops. Thus, a heavy voter turnout was recorded in areas controlled by the Smith/Muzorewa/Sithole forces, and it is no accident that this means urban and White farm areas. The majority of Africans live in Patriotic Front controlled areas. White farmers and employers were hired by the Government to 'escort' their employees to the polls. Perhaps the most damning fact of the elections is that even if they had wanted to, the ZANU and ZAPU parties of the Patriotic Front could not have contested the election. Obviously, one makes a mockery of the word "Democracy" if opposing parties are specifically banned several months before an election is to take place.

And what changes have been made to the political system in Zimbabwe, anyway? Al-most none. This year, at the end of January, votes were cast for a new "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" constitution. This was purely a White man's vote where no African could take, part. The constitution ensures continued white control with the presence of several "specially" entrenched clauses." In the new parliament, Blacks have 72 seats out of 100 - but it takes 78 votes to change the entrenched clauses. These clauses ensure that key areas of State Power remain permanently in White hands. Thus, the White/Black parliament has no control over the Police, Armed Forces, Judiciary or Public Service. Both the State President and Executive Council have great powers, yet are totally independent from the will of parliament. These bodies. White men serving White interests, will be the ones to appoint the Public Service Commission, which in turn will make appointments to the Public Services. The qualifications for appointment are designed to exclude almost every African.

And still the land will be owned disproportionately by Whites. Entrenched clauses mean that "European Land" cannot be distributed without massive payments [unclear: b] made to its White owners. And [unclear: because] appointments and land ownership [unclear: rema] most exclusive prerogative of the [unclear: Whites] creases to the average Black wage are [unclear: im] sible. Therefore racial segregation still [unclear: e] in practice, precisely because it is the [unclear: Af] who cannot afford adequate education, sing and health services. The new [unclear: consti] does not alter the fact that Zimbabwe [unclear: is] a Police State under a "state of [unclear: emerge] Prime Minister Muzorewa has stated [unclear: his] mmittment to armed opposition to [unclear: the] ted Front, with support from the [unclear: fascis] gime in South Africa.

The internal settlement has [unclear: acheived] little for the vast majority of people in [unclear: z] babwe; a country which is in [unclear: desperate] of real change. The Settlement does [unclear: not] fleet the will of the majority; injustice, [unclear: i] equaltiy and suffering will continue at [unclear: ex] ly the same level. New Zealand people [unclear: n] ensure that our Government does not [unclear: 1e] credence to this sham by recognising [unclear: "Zi] babwe-Rhodesia". Support from the [unclear: pe] ple of the world must only occur when [unclear: Z] babwe has true Black majority rule. [unclear: Dor] be fooled: "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" is [unclear: sim] ly tricky foot-work by Smith and his [unclear: cro] to gain international acceptance and an [unclear: e] to crippling economic sanctions while [unclear: re] taining full power.

Stephen A'Court