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American Friends Service Committee — Part 2
Page 95
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Deadlock Continues :
The deadlock on constitutionsl edyancement for Southern Rhodesia continues, The
election which will pec the new constitution isto effect was originally scheduled for
Cctober but has now been postponed until sore indefinite time next year, perhops
Narck, This constitution, giving Africans the possibility of about 17 seats in a
parligment of 65 members, was drawn up at a conference with representatives of four
local political parties and the british Governnent. The Reminaion Party (right-wir
now a pare of the Rhodesian Front, never approved the constitution. The ional
Democratic Party (African nationalist), now the Zimbabwe African People's Union,
first accepted some parts of the plan but then rejected ic complercly. The Central
Africa Party (liberal) accepted the coustitution, but hus now rejected it because
they feel that new sccuwrity legislation violates the spirit of the constitutional
agreement. This leaves the United Federal Party, the parry in pover, as the only
local participant in the conference waich stifll supports the new constitution.
Last month, in an unprecedented move, chutch leaders, including the Roman Catho-
lic Archlishop as wel) as Protestants, made a public call for a conference of polit-
ical loacevs to reconsider constitutional advance and other problems facing Southern
Kaodesia. The public request was followed by one public meeting, large newspaper ad-
vertis xs, and a mailing requesting support from numerous organizations. There
was Littic public response.
The Foire Minister responded, with an air of injured innocence, that the church
leadoy i*t need to mehke sucht a public declaration, and that he vould be glad to
talk to them or anyone else anytime. He followed up with a forethriyhe statement in
Parlia t that there was no pessibjlity of any change in the constitution before ils
implementation by the election.
ZAPU replied that they were willing to sit in on a new constitutional conference
if it were ired by a yepresentative of the British Government and if they coule
attend es equals with the "minority control" Southern Riedesian Government.
heauwhile, ZAPU declares that they vill make it impossible for the new constitu-
tion ta be implenented. They have successfully frustrated the Government's effort ta
enroll a large number of Africana voters (There are about 10,000 Africans uow oa the
rolls our of a Government estimated potential of 70,000. There were better than
6,000 on old roll.) They have nor diselesed the means they intend to use to keep
th tution from going into effect. Although ZAPU could cause a sreat des}
trouble, it is un ely they could prevent a cetermined Seuthern Rhodesian Goverr
fron holding an election.
Violence Mounts
Int context UL ZAPU eprosition to the new constitution and increasing frustrae
tion within the Agvlcan communi Southern Ehodesta is facing a rach of widespread
violence. There were far move ireidcats of vieience in the month of Auguet than in
any previous month, and the tempo of inciGents has speeded up during the first half
of Septerher.
There i
African areas,
mostly minor and largely contined to
ts at deradling trains and dynamiting bridges, scone
ings, Yvectblacks, ¢ es, ete. 7 more serious attempty, such
aa the dpurmitineg, bh cen Cary me han inept way and have been largely unsuc-
crastul. The dineidents are dn boi urban aad rural arenas.
It is rennrkable that iu se runy ineidents there
been so littie less of life
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