Zimbabwe News
LET US FIGHT AND Offidal Organ of ZANU(PF) REBUILD ZIMBABWE Department of Information and Publicity tiTffWmit P"nrl Workington. Harare Volume 18 No. 11, November 1987. RegtHHSif as a Newspaper
THE ZANU (PF) NATIONAL FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN LAUNC £2
IN OUR QUIZ For operating economy the question isn't whether you should choose Mercedes, it's which Mercedes.
As candidate for "Best Truck for ttie Job" a Mercedes- Benz starts with built-in advantages. No truck is more ZIMOCO durable or reliable. And in engineering terms, it's the thoroughbred in the field. The Mercedes-Benz range LIMITED also optimises your chances of finding the right truck. All over Zimbabwe you'll find a network of Zimoco dealers who are equipped to look after your motoring requirements. It is their pleasure to keep your Mercedes in peak condition, one of the safest vehicles to drive on today's roads.
Meticulous engineering doesn't cost you. It pays you I would find it very demeaning to tiave to go outside Zimbabwe to soli4lt funds for tlie construction of ttie ruling Party's national fiome because it should in the main be the owner of the home who pays for the establish ment of that home and not an outsider and since ZAND (PF) is the peb- ple, it is my hope that we shall be able to raise the required amount from aJI our people if only in recognition of the role ZAND (PF) has played improving their lot (PM). . . page 4
SAMORA MACHEL perceived Southern Africa as a region of its own l Contents rditoriai 2 1 etters.,; - 2 tJew Party HQ National Fund Raising Campaign is Launched 4 /i.partheid is unacceptable 6 'he One Party State 8 World Habitat Day 10 )isarm for Development 12 he October Revolution lives forever 13 nvolve the People in Development — PM 16 >amora — A bold and dauntless Warrior 18 "estimony of the National Blacl< United Front 23 )n School Examinations 25 Jandit Movement's goal-chaos 28 he Book as a tool of Development : 29 )ecolonlse News 31 ^re Multiparties necessary? Do The Mikhail Gorbachev Era in the USSR 32 parties make a difference? . . . The a parthy of the Azanian Musicians 34 page 8 Communique of the Executive Committee of the Palestine -iberation Organisation 36 Reagan insists on war — Central America demands peace . , ,37 =eace pipe or war path? 38 3alvadorian People Fight On 39 Consumer Advice 40 Poetry 41 Quiz No. 5 and answers to Quu No '3 42 Zimbabvtfe News is the fifficial News Organ of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU (PF)] and is produced on the authority of the Central Committee by the Department of Information and Publicity, Jongwe Printing and Publishing Co., No, 14 Austin Road, Workington, Harare. World Copyright, Central Com• mittee [ZANU (PF)1. Editorial Council: Cde. N.M. Shamuyaira; Cde. S.S. Mumbengegwi; Cde. C. Ndhlovu; Cde. J. Zvobgo; Cde. K. Batsirayi; Cde. M. Munyati; Cde. C. Nduku (Managing) Piclutes by Jongwe Arcriives. Zimbabwe News papers and tulinistrv of rnlormation EDITORIAL Whither Minority Parties October, 1987 saw significant developments in Zim• should provide important lessons to the minority babwe's Legislature. The central feature of these parties who must reflect seriously on "whither they changes was the role of ZAND (PF), in not only want to go". It must also prompt a close re• spearheading the changes, but also in consolidating examination on the part of the minority supporters its control of the legislative arm of the state who have created false hopes around individuals and machinery. parochial and sectional interests. The abolition of the reserved twenty white seats Now is the time for the minority parties to pose marked the final demise of racial representation, that and answer the question whether to continue indulg• obnoxious feature of the Lancaster House constitu• ing in self deception and irrelevance or to contribute tion. That the 20 vacant seats were successfully fill• to meaningful development by joining the majority ed up by members of ZANU (PF) or candidates Party. backed by t!ie Party, further exposes the reality of Whilst ZANU (PF) has declared its willingness to the Zimbabwean practical movement: that ZANU accommodate genuine members from minority par• (PF) is the real representative of the people and that ties, it cannot bend over-backwards to entertain it controls effective political power. unrealistic demands from forces whose irrelevance History repeated itself a week later, when, once has been clearly demonstrated. again, the ZANU (PF) candidates and those spon• It is our sincere hope that the Parliamentary elec• sored by the Party swept all the Senate seats. tions provided important lessons for the minority Although minority parties fielded their own can• parties and that they will seriously consider the on• didates, it was a futile exercise in self deception which ly viable option: joining the peoples choice, ZANU further exposed their irrelevance in modern day Zim• (PF). babwe. The overwhelming ZANU (PF) victory LETTERS The Editor, Dynamos must answer Saturday and hadn't done well, it was a United would not make much sense. It is an established fact that Dynamos forgone conclusion that not many fans Futhermore, in the light of what happen• Football club is a crowd puller because would attend the international friendly ed which contributed to that defeat to in• it is the most popular team in Zimbabwe. the morrow. Dynamos had no commit• fer that Dynamos could not raise a for• This has led the club to be referred to as ment during the whole weekend but opted midable team due to wrangles within the "The Seven Million". Also undisputable to let the Bulawayo based club, not so club is hard to believe. Thus Dynamos is that the club, of all others in this coun• popular in Harare, fatigued and which has enjoyed more than two decades try has been exposed to international demoralised as they were, to play the of popular support in Zimbabwe owes an football much more than before. Zambians. explanation and perhaps an apology to However, what worries me is why the Surely most people who share my opi• the public and the authorities that be. An club declined to play against The Zam- nion would want to know on which side apology because, in my view refusing to bian side, Kabwe Worriors on Sunday of the struggle Dynamos Ls. To say that play for such an important cause only the 25th for purposes of raising funds for they were still smarting from the defeat manifests the team's unpatriotic, selfish, the building of ihe long-overdue new during the Quarter Finals of the ZIFA retrogressive and counter-revolutionary ZANU (PF) HQ. Knowing that cup last Wednesdays! the hands of Caps inclinations. Highlanders of Bulawdyo had played on 2 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 In the light of the afore mentioned, I quent election of non-constituency MPs', During the war against oppression, most and others would like to hear a full ex• whites have been returned to Parliament, of the Coloureds* never identified planation from a Dynamos representative thanks to the ZANU (PF) vote. Because themselves with the struggle, let alone stating explicitly the cause of this of this racial cooperation, those whites ZANU (PF). As far as blacks were con• unbecoming behaviour from their camp. who initially ran away are now coming cerned, Coloureds were fellow sufferers back having found things not all that rosy of oppression. But it seems apart from a across the Limpopo. The Asians, who few dedicated Coloured nationalists, the have traditionally been characterised by rest did not mind the segregation because their political, economic and social they were accorded a better status than aloofness, have emerged from their social blacks. After independence and with the shell, making giant strides in their call for national reconciliation, surely this endeavours to cooperate with the govern• negative attitude should have changed? ment and party. It is common knowledge that in the Dear Editor, The African continent's blacks are 1985 general elections, a substantial known for their remarkable capacity for number of coloureds voted for Ian I would like to express my humble forgiving their past colonial oppressor's Smith's reactionary and racist party, in• views in your highly informative degradation of their personality. In Zim• stead of opting for the Independents who magazine. We now have our in• babwe, blacks were quick to respond to had pledged to work with the govern• dependence but only after thousands of the call ""for national reconciliation ment. ZANU (PF) is here to stay. It is a our countrymen sacrificed their lives in although the brutalities of the past regime party for everyone, black, white, brown the struggle against gross injustices were still fresh in their minds. There were or yellow. Hard core racists have aban• brought about by colonialism and racism. obviously millions who cherished doned Smith, repented and joined the Before independence, our country had vengeance but today, there is more racial peoples' party. What can the Coloured a three tier economic and social system harmony than has ever existed. population's foolish and impotent vendet• based on race. The whites were the most ta against the peoples' party benefit privileged, the Asians and Coloureds oc• So, with this racial harmony and a them? cupying the second echelon and the blacks sense of loyalty to the state taking root, were delegated to the lowest rung. This where do the Coloured people stand? People of mixed race are all over black obnoxious system was scrapped by the Seven years after independence, they Africa. In their countries of residence, jKople's government in 1980, making all are still saying "your party", "your they are equal and loyal citizens like citizens of the new Zimbabwe equal. The government" or "your Prime Minister". everybody else. If most of those fr6m racists who could not stomach this new They do not want their children to par• Zimbabwe hate to be under a black equality made their exodus, most of them ticipate in youth activities or to join government, where can they possibly making a bee line to the racists haven, Youth Brigades. They do not even attend emigrate to in Africa? Racist South apartheid South Africa. Africa? But then, the Coloureds in South important rallies. It is a fact that, within Africa are vigourously fighting and dy• The policy of reconciliation paid off their social circles most of them cheer and ing alongside blacks to eradicate apar• handsomely, bringing about a welcome applaud whenever acts of sabotage and theid and bring about majority rule in change in peoples' past attitudes. Most destabilisation (bombings, dissident that troubled country! There are loyal whites who opted to live in Zimbabwe had murders, etc) occur in our country. Just Coloured folks who genuinely wish to accepted the new reality and have where do they owe their loyalty? join the ruling party and actively par• dissociated themselves from the Smith If Coloured gentlemen and ladies ticipate in the political, economic and mentality. Some have since joined the rul• decide to join ZANU (PF), they call them social development of Zimbabwe. They ing party as a gesture of their acceptance traitors. Traitors to what'cause? Sell-outs should not be victimised by the misguid• of the government's proffered hand of to what? Past racist regimes segregated ed and divisive elements in their society. friendship. against all non-whites, Coloureds includ• After the recent abolition of parliamen• ed. The mere fact that they were second- Pickson Hananga tary racial representation and the subse• class citizens was in itself, segregation. GET YOUR COPY OF THE FIRST ZANU (PF) WOMEN'S LEAGUE OFFICIAL ORGAN, ZIMBABWE WOMAN NOW! ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 3 Building The New Party Headquarters The Prime Minister and President ofZANU (PF) Launches the New Party Headquarters National Fund Raising Campaign n behalf of Central Committee With these concerns in mind, a come up with a design of a fifteen of ZANU and on my own Building committee was set up to storey building which offers a wide Obehalf I would like to welcome prepare some designs for Central variety of facilities such as: all of you who have gathered 1o mark Committee consideration. They have this historic event. Let me start off by thanking the Fund Raising Committee and all of you have assisted to make this occa• sion possible. For the benefit of those gathered here, the idea we have come here to promote today was one of the objec• tives ZANU (PF) intended to bring to fruition on attainment of In• dependence. Our present Head• quarters, at 88 Manica Road, was only meant to be a stop gap measure. However, with the bombing of 88 in 1981 the need to build a proper Head• quarters whose security could be properly enforced became para• mount and urgent, more so after the Second Congress when Party opera• tions became more diversified, call• ing for an establishment from which the various party departments could operate effectively. The present premises at 88 Manica Road do not have the capacity to allow for proper administration of party operations Zimbabweans — Workers and peasants, intellectuals — all revolutionaries — "Build because the space is limited and peo• your home"! ple are having to be served in a very crammed setting. 4 ZIMBABWE MEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 The Umbrella Is there — The Party needs a new home a) Ample Offices, ZANU (PF) is the people, it is my hope Party Provinces to assist the Depart• b) Committee Rooms, Library, that we shall be able to raise the re• ment of Finance in raising the re• c) Recreational Facilities, quired amount from all our people if quired funds. d) Conference Hall, only in recognition of the role ZANU (PF) has played in improving their lot. The Committee has so far drawn e) Restaurant, etc. up a machinery that urges and allows The proposed Party Headquarters I would like to extend my gratitude everyone to participate in this vital is to ZANU (PF) its national home, a to all those who started off the exer• exercise to build a viable financial heritage or investment we are cise in 1981/82 in which some million resource for the Party, by way of, for creating not only for ourselves, but dollars were raised. I know you are instance, a stop-order system, for all posterity. Symbolically, the the same people I have appealed to whereby money pledged cah be paid ZANU (PF) home should not be before on many occasions, directly to the National Fund Raising regarded as different from any other sometimes for such causes as the Account, while Civil Servants can opt homes we have, because this is the Namibia Solidarity Fund, the South to make their pledges through the one umbrella ZANU (PF) will provide African Solidarity Fund and theSalar y Service Bureau, on a monthly to shelter each'one of us in our new Zimbabwe-Mozambique Friendship basis, if they so wish. Such ar• political environment of the Association. rangements have been conceived sovereign independent state of Zim• with the realisation that contributing babwe. We should, therefore, work It is in the same spirit that I am a large sum at any one time may be tirelessly to set up the ideal Head• once again appealing to you with all too heavy a comrhitment for many of quarters to meet our needs, and not the tJope and confidence you have in• us, but that small monthly stop banl< on outside donations for an in• stilled in me in the past, and I feel ex• orders over a period could easily be stitution of such domestic and tra motivated because.the National borne by individuals without causing political nature. Party Headquarters belongs to us all, undue distress. hence it behoves us to work tireless• ly to ensure that the goal of fully In the private sector, Workers Com• Collective Spirit to establishing it is attained. mittees could make similar ar• Build Our l-iome rangements in their various work set• tings. I am sure, if in every company Accordingly, I would find it very de• There are Many Ways the employees made similar ar• meaning to have to go outside Zim- to Contribute rangements, substantial contribu• batjwe to solicit funds for the con• tions could come to the Party. struction of the ruling Party's na• The Central Committee has in the tional home because it should in the meantime done some ground work With reference to the business main be the owner of the home who for in November 1986, it set up a Na• community, I do appreciate that their pays for the establishment of that tional Fund Raising Committee com• level of contribution is determined by home and not an outsider, and, since posed of representatives from the 9 their business performance and so it ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 5 Is up to them either to make single can play their part, and so I leave the Finally, allow me to acknowledge payments or, if they so desire, make choice to them. with deep gratitude the donations monthly contributions just like or• from several individuals which have dinary individuals, or they can spon• The details relating to the actual gone towards the expenses of this sor fundraising projects or they can procedural-modes of / contribution campaign. It is my hope that many even opt to give their merchandise as will be explained by the Treasury and more will follow their example. Let us subcription in kind to the National I trust that sufficient safeguards have work to build a strong Party so it can Fund Raising Committee. There are, been worked out to ensure that all in turn proceed to build a strong indeed, so many ways in which they funds will be properly accounted for. Zimbabwe. Will you b« lin out of tha National Raglatar? — Raspond now to Baba Mugabtfa call APARTHEID IS UNACCEPTABLE The expression "bloody boer" cannot be without significance. The First Secretary and President of ZANU (PF) Cde. Robert Mugabe addressed an International Anti-Apartheid Conference featuring children, repression and the Law in South Africa. He expounded on the conditions under which the children in the racist regime are exposed to and urged participants to devote their efforts to the active destruction of the evil system. We reproduce the full text of the speech. It is a singular honour for us in Zim• Africa. I personally feel specially babwe that our Capital City has been honoured and privileged that I have chosen as the venue for this unique been asked to address the Opening ment with an expression of a sincere Conference on Children, Repression Session of the Conference. I wish, wish from the Government and peo• and the Law in Apartheid South Mr. Chairman, to preface my state• ple of Zimbabwe, that all the gathered 6 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 delegates here will have a predice guarantees the rights of all bloody heart of its perpetrator, for pleasant stay with us. We certainly Ita citizerte, reoareHese of raee, sex, each murder com^mitted also trust that those who are visiting Zim• political and religious convictions. destroyed his moral conscience, babwe for the first time will take time hardening him more and more to the The prisons of South Africa are to• off to acquaint themselves with the shedding of blood. The expression day full of children who, under civilis• generality of our people and some of "bloody boer" cannot be without ed conditions Should be In schools the natural or physical attractions of significance. our country. We would lil ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 987 7 THE ONE PARTY STATE In this paper I shall, but only, try councils Were, in the main, composed of to explain how the one party state people from the UK who made laws governing themselves and the indigenous is an endeavour to relate modern majority. White settlers were occasiohally politics to the political culture and appointed to represent indigenous people traditions of the formerly colonis• in the legislative councils. Pre- ed indigenous people. independence conferences held at Lan• caster House provided, for the colony, a shall try to show that there was, before written constitution aimed at satisfying conquest, in all colonies, an the interests of the settlers to ensure their on-goinI g political culture and tradition continued stay in the colonies. Little, if among the indigenous population; that any, regard was paid to the interests ef the colonial settlers did not themselves the indigenous community. So,, most of adapt to the political culture or any other the time of the newly independent colony tradition that they found in the colonies; was taken in making amendments to the African Kingdoms were, before conquest, constitution and existing legislation. In one party states with legislative, judiciary the course of doing that new interests and and executive functions; they occupied sometimes conflicts emerged. recognisable territories which were for• Democracy originated and flourished cibly annexed and placed under foreign in no party Greek States, the majority of Cd8. D.N.E. Mutasa, Secretary for Exter• rule which did not allow for free political whose inhabitants were slaves without the nal Affairs and Speaker of the House bf expression and was exercised by one single right to vote. It would be wrong to wish Assembly ' person in the metropol. This state of af• that this were so wherever democracy was fairs was the worst form of a totalitarian established. Democracy did not flourish one party state imposed by the colonial \ regimes; and when the "wind of change" in multi-party Rhodesia, where, for more blew the colonial regimes proclaimed that than half a century, an all white minori• independence shall be granted if it is ac• ty had the vote and not the black majori• ceptable to the people of the colony as a ty. A worse situation occurs in South whole and at the same time demanded Africa today where blacks have no It lived in harmony with iteelf and nature, that there shall be a multi-party political political power to determine their rights and respected the rights and territorial in• system which they themselves had never and future. tegrity of other Kingdoms. These allowed to exist before independence. Most ancient polities were monarchies Kingdoms were, in a sense one-party or kingdoms. A move from monarchies states. It is pertinent to say that there was occurred in Europe and resulted in The colonial era produced boundaries, without exception in every British colony republics. The British political system re• which sub-divided some Kingdoms. The before colonisation, an on-going political tains the Monarch or its representative. Kingdoms within the confines of a col• culture and tradition; be it in Australia, The power to run the State is divided bet• onial boundary became one nation. They Canada, New Zealand, India or Africa. ween the executive, legislative and judicial fell under one British flag and administra• Some of this culturf was destroyed by branches of the State. tion. The Kingdoms were made as brute force of conquest or through "pro• uniform as possible. Any iform bf political tection" and resulted in the establishment opposition to the colonial administration of a colony in which British or other in• Our Kingdoms were was not tolerated. Gradually, the terests were paramount. One Party State Kingdoms were forced to disappear. A close look at the functioning of African Those that remained had no political Kingdoms, before colonisation, reveals power or fell under colonial protection. The British System that the Monarch did not function in The end result was that the entire colony was for Settlers isolation. His counsellors performed was run as a one party state by a Colonial The British pohtical system is based on legislative, executive and judicial func• Secretary who was ignorant of the culture British culture and traditions. It has tions. Even in the very centralised Zulu and traditions of the indigenous people. worked well for the British who spread kingdom, where the King wielded ab• it throughout the Commonwealth. It was solute power, he operated within defin• The ruUng party in Britain dictated to adapted, in the USA, to fall within an ed hmits. He always sought the advice of what happened in the colonies, there was emerging cuhure of a newly independent his council which discussed the no formal opposition in the colonies, to state composed of people who came from Kingdom's policies and programmes. The the dictates of the ruUng British Party. the UK and Europe. It was not adapted Kingdom was always guided by its unwrit• Those settlers who might have belonged to the culture of people who were taken ten but carefully understood traditions to the opposition party in the UK went to the USA, from Africa, as slaves or to and norms which were the law. There along with the wishes of the Colonial Of• the culture of the indigenous Aborigines, were no formal opposition groups. If any fice which, anyway, ruled the colonies in Eskimos, Maoris, Indians or Africans such group developed, it left the Kingdom the interest of the settlers. who were conquered and collectively and wandered away to set up a separate The indigenous population was, initial• referred to as "the Natives". The British Kingdom. The entire Kingdom had the ly, totally left out of the decision-making political system was therefore introduc• same religion and pursued common in• process. The argument of the settlers and ed to former British colonies to suit the terests. Apart from the King and his fami• the Colonial Office seemed to be that settlers. In Africa, colonial legislative ly, the Kingdom had one class of people. "native affairs" had to be conducted 8 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 through white Native Commissioners. be an outsider and after all, to be in op• ed to dictatorial, totalitarian and fascist The less those Commissioners knew about position could be interpreted to mean regimes. native affairs the better. Besides, they disUke pf the present "kingdom" in were civil servants and could not argue preference of the former, and, as in the with their political masters. They were, traditional past, was looked upon with One Party State — A therefore, the link and symbol of the one- contempt and was punishable. must party state nature of the colonial rule. The In Zimbabwe we shall estabUsh a one- indigenous people were subjects and spec• party state. Below I give, the structure of tators of the political events that took The Party — A supreme the ZANU (PF) Party which I believe place. They were never consulted and Body shall be the One-Party. Its structure and were always to blame. Constructive, ideas have always been function is similar to that of Chama Cha welcome in African political culture. Mapinduzi, the Malawi Congress Party, Those ideas could be in opposition to the the United National Independence Par• National Independence main stream of current thought but were ty, Kenya African National Union, etc. Then suddenly "the wind of change" always expressed within the community The following are the principal organs blew all over Africa. The colonies had to of interests and intended to lead the whole and structure of ZANU (PF). be independent. Political parties were community towards a higher level of allowed to be organised but had to suit understanding. Destructive opposition (a) The People's Congress: This is the Whitehall's wishes. And where was not tolerated for obvious reasons. poUcy-making organ of the Party. It Whitehall's view did not suit the settlers' Likewise, in the modern situation that convenes in ordinary sessions once in wishes, the merging indigenous political communality of political thought, in• every five years and may convene in leaders were detained for "subversive ac• terests and expression has to be exercis• extraordinary session during the in• tivities". In Kenya, Malawi and Zambia, ed through a common political party. In tervening period. the emerging African political leadership this way the pohtical tradition and culture (b) The Central Committee: is the prin• spent long periods in detention and were is advanced to a higher level. What usfed cipal organ for the implementation released from detention to become to be the unwritten traditional norm of of the poUcies and the administration political leaders and Heads of their na• the political kingdom is translated into the of the affairs of the party, li is tions. In Zimbabwe, the detained emerg• constitution of the party and the poUtical answerable to the People's Congress ing political leaders re-organised their par• organisation of the nation as a whole. and has a membership of 90, con• ties into Liberation Movements and That organisation becomes the supreme stituted as follows: fought against the settler regime to attain body which ensures that the legislative, (i) 42 members elected by the People's national independence. Congress upon the nomination of the executive and judiciary functions of the fcentral Committee from lists sub• It "is important to stress that right state are carried out in accordance with mitted to it by Provincial Executive through the political history of British the will and interest of the nation. From Councils; colonies in ^frica, the indigenous popula• that supreme political organisation is tion never participated in any meaningful derived the various representatives of the (ii) 18 members — 2 from each of the political organisation without harass• nation elected by the people to serve the nine regional provinces of the party; people's will. (iii) 10 members of the National Ex• ment. However, they participated in ecutive Council of the Women's unitecl movements to rid themselves of The establishment of one-party states League —\d by the National colonial domination. At the end of that in former British colonies, has aroused in• Women's Conference; domination, Whitehall seemed to desire teresting debate among various schools of (iv) 10 members of the National Ex• that there should be poUtical parties in• political thought. Most of this debate had ecutive Council of the Youth League cluding the official opposition. This de• revolved around the question of whether — elected by the National Youth mand for political opposition groups took the one party system is democratic, Conference; and no regard of Whitehall's former conten• Where participants in the debate have ac• (v) 10 members appointed by the Presi• tion which, though clumsily put and prac• cepted that the one party system is dent of the Party with the approval tised, was more in hne with African democratic, the discussion degenerates in• of the Central Committee and the culture and tradition that Kingdoms do to controversial comparisons of the merits People's Congress. not have any formal opposition. and dfemerits of the one party and the (c) The PoUtburo: is the administrative The compulsory end of African multi party systems. and executive organ of the Central Kingdom, during the colonial period, did Today, some political scientists kre Committee. It has a membership of not mean the end of the Africans' beginning to accept that-the one party 15. It supervises govermental agen• understanding of their own political system is more democratic than the multi• cy throtigh the foUowing five Stan- culture and tradition. With the end of col• party system provided certain fundamen• dittg Committees of the Central onial foreign domination the imposed and tal essentials of democracy are recognis• Committee: unopposed kingodms of the various ed and adhered to. These include: free (i) Economic Committee; British Colonial Secretaries disappeared and periodic elections, free discussion aind (ii) PoUtical and Policy Committee; and were replaced by new indigenous communication at all levels, freedona to (iii) Justice and Constitutional Affairs "kingdoms", The political culture of the criticise the government, maintenance of Committee; people, which had never significantly the rule of law and respect for human (iv) Social and Welfare Committee; and changed right through the colonial rights and dignity. (v) Defence and Security Committee. period, was for the first time brought for• (d) The National Executive Council of ward and organised into an on-going Some advocates of orthodox multi• the Women's League: is the principal political force. The new political leader• party democracy are slowly thawin|| to organ of the Women's League for ship organised the people to become the view that there is no party system^at the implementation of the policies of members of their poUtical organisations. should be considered the sole guari^tor the party and the administration of Obviously, they could not organise the of democracy. History has many, ex• the affairs of the Women's League. same people into opposition groups. amples where both systems have produc• It is composed of 22 membersof the Besides, political power in itself attracts ed democratic governments and other ex• Women's League. more political support. No one wants to amples where the same system have yield• (e) The National Executive Council of (Continued on page 43) ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 9 \ World Habitat Day Message to the Nation by His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, Rev. C.S: Banana: Eve of World Habitat Day, 4 October 1987 he tirsi Monchiy of October 1987 response has been encouraging indeed. is World Kabilat Day, a day This year has witnessed increa.sed ac• which the Ciciicral Assembly of tivities in housing development by both thTe LUiiled Nations has dcsigiialcd tor the the public and private sectors. All.the hiieriiaiional C'omimiiiiiy to focus on the Building Societies are now involved in pNghl of Ihc homeless everywhere. It gives fmancing low cost housing and more and nie greal pleasure indeed to address you more employers and non-Governmental once again, on this iniportanl occasion. Organisations are now participating in various forms of housing schemes for In mv message to you on ihe eve of the their workers. On the other hand some first World Habitat Day last year, I drew Local .'Authorities are successfully im• your attention to thousands of our own plementing housing programmes using people in our cities, towns, growth points, their own additional resources. Where the communal and commercial farming set• homeless themselves have been allocated tlements and mining areas who have t\ services stands, they have increased their shelter at all and those who live in participation in Constructing and improv• deplorable conditions unfit for human ing their own shelter. These activities have habitation. 1 indicated to you that to over• no doubt benefitted a large number of the come this homelessness by the year 2000, homeless in our communities. we need an annual production of 54 000 housing units in urban areas and 76 000 in the field of research, it is gratifying units in rural areas for all income groups to note that some manufacturing com• The President Cde. C.S. Banana and called upon all sectors of our com• panies continue to probe into the munities to work together in resolving this possibility of low cost housing model" problem. schemes within low income people's af- fordability. The exponential rise in the de• this development a most welcome one, Comrades and friends, I am pleased to mand for low cost houses coupled with one that deserves untinted support from say that since 1 made this appeal the soaring costs of building materials make Governmeni and the public. The homeless who have been allocated service stands participate In constructing and Improving their own shelter 10 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 Comrades and friends, the challenge of housing each and every Zimbabwean citizen is a daunting one. Yet decent hous• ing is a basic right of every individual. Homfelesshess questions and disconfirms one's own humanity and is therefore in• compatible with, nay negates our basic quest for human fullness. I happily note that a start has been made in easing the housing predicament. What is needed now it to maintain and wherever possi• ble, add to the momentum of this well- acclaimed beginning. Given the nobleness of the goal, the scope and breath of the challenge, the need for total mobihzation of all available h^man and material tesources as well as coordinating efforts can hardly be over emphasized. This is a national challenge requiring a nation-wide response. I therefore urge all Zimbabweans, housed or homeless; employers and employees, the public and private sectors to Decent housing Is a basic right of every Individual rededicate themselves and redouble their be more widespread, in fact a new method of offsetting the housing backlog whose practicability and viability will become' apparent and beybnd gainsay to all our workers and their management. On its part, Government will, as in the past, do all it can to utilize the limited resources at its disposal towards the realisation of the national housing plans and goals. It will continue to invite the assistance and participation of the private sector and non-governmental organizations whose involvement in welfare schemes remain highly commendable. To our rural folk, I would like to say that we have followed with evident ad• miration your successful efforts in building schools, clinics and other essen• tial rural infrastructure through self-help. Similar efforts should also be channelled towards durable houses in planned villages and resettlement schemes. Let us Rural infrastructures are developing through self-help projects all work hard to overcome the constraints of rural backwardness that an unkind history has foist upon us and transform efforts in this very urgent national task. heralded by the successful Cotton Printers our rural areas into decent and habitable One fervently hopes that the new trend Housing Cooperation in Bulawayo would areas. TODAY'S YOUTH A YOUTHFUL MAGAZINE FOR TODAY'S ZIMBABWE YOUTH. IT FEATURES NEWS, VIEWS & SPORT AVAILABLE AT ALL YOUR LEADING BOOKSHOPS OR YOUR ZANU (PF) DISTRICT OFFICE ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 11 i Disarm for Development On the occasion of the interna• qua non for comprehensive Interna• tional Conference for tional peace, security and Denuclearization, Peace and Anti- development. Imperialist Solidarity in the Asian On the other hand, that position Pacific Region, I bring your best has continued to be challenged by wishes and fraternal greetings the Capitalist Military-Industrial Com• from Comrade Robert G. Mugabe, plex which thrives on international in• the Qhairman of NAM, the First security and tension. Secretary and President ofZANU (PF) and the Zimbabwean people. The American Administration's I also humbly avail myself of this lack of interest in the United Nati6ns opportunity to thank the great Conference on Disarmament and The Dtputy Secretary for Youth and leader Comrade Kim II Sung and Development which was held In New Member of the House of Assembly, Com• rade Charles Ndlovu the dear leader Comrade Kim York in August, 1987 was therefore Jong II for providing us with com• not surprising. fortable conditions and the ex• we in Zimbabwe take these forces in• However, we are encouraged by cellent reception we have been terested in disarmament, with an op• the recent meeting between the accorded on and after our arrival. portunity to contribute constructive• Soviet Foreign Minister, Comrade ly to the debate on disarmament. SHEVARDNADZE and US Secretary unequivocally, endorse the pro• My distinguished colleagues, posal for the adoption of the great of State Mr. SHULTZ. We hope that the two sides will reach an agree• disarmament would be incomplete if Ileader, Comrade Kim II it focuses on nuclear disarmament Sung's congratulatory message to ment on the elimination of medii/m range missiles, leading eventually to only. In our view, there is need for the participants as a formal docu• nuclear disarmament to be coupled ment of this International Conference another agreement on the elimina• tion of long-range missiles. with conventional disarmament so for Denuclearization, Peace and Anti- that the resources which would have Imperialist Solidarity in the Asian- been spent on economic develop• While the emphasis has been on Pacific Region. ment. Thus disarmament for develop- European disarmament, we are also mertt should be our watchword. It is of great significance that the encouraged by the CPSU Central current International Conference is Committee General Secretary Com• It will be recalled that we in being held In Pyongyang, the capital rade GORBACHEV'S proposals to Southern Africa have repeatedly of the DPR of Korea. For today, the remove Soviet and American drawn the attention of the interna• Korean peninsula has become the medium-range missiles from the tional community to the dangerspf biggest nuclear arsenal in the Far Asian-Pacific region. We therefore South Africa's Western-sponsored East and a dangerous hot-bed of urge the Soviet and American sides nuclear capability. While there is talk nuclear war due to the US occupation to pursue disarmament in the Asia of the elimination of nuclear arms. of South Korea, the concentrated and Pacific Region as seriously as South Africa, with the assistance of development of over 1 000 nuclear they have on European disarmament. Israel and various Western countries, weapons in South Korea and the an• In that vein, we support the propos• continues to develop its nuclear nual large-scale US-South Korean ed Soviety-American double-global capability. Given the real possibility joint military manoeuvres. zero treaty, which would eliminate of the elimination of intermediate medium and short-range missiles nuclear forces from Europe, Asia and However, the Government of the world-wide. the Pacific Region, what are the im• DPR of Korea has advanced the pro• plications of South Africa's nuclear posal for turning the Korean penin• Comrades and Friends, we have capability? _as you all know, the sula into a nuclear-free, peace zone followed with much interest in• South African regime's irrational ac• the epochal proposal for extensive itiatives on the creation of nuclear tivities are to the detriment of the phased reduction of armed forces of free zones in the Pacific Region as regional and international peace and the north and the south. These pro• well as the proposed nuclear free cor• security, In the interests of interna• posals are Indeed, peace-loving in• ridor in Central Europe. These pro• tional peace and security, we appeal itiatives which reflect a genuine posals among others, complement to all realistic people in the Western stand aimed at realizing denucleariza• the Soviet-American disarmament countries to persuade their govern• tion, peace and security in the talks. More such initiatives af^ ments to stop enhancing South Korean peninsula, Asian and Pacific regional international levels should Africa's nuclear capability. If that is Region. be encouraged because the question not done now, tomorrow might be too late. South Africa should not be Comrades and friends, the pro• of peace and disarmament is too im• allowed to vitiate all the work that has gressive sector of the International portant to be discussed at the been done so far in Europe, Asia and community has noted time after time bilateral level between the Soviet and the Pacific aimed at disarmament. that nuclear disarmament is a sine American sides only. For that reason, / 12 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 The October Revolution lives forever Address by Comrade N. T. Mawema, Member of the Central'Committee and Deputy Secretary for Commissariat and Culture, at the photographic exhibition dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution jointly organised by the Soviet llnion and Bulgarian Embassy, Harare, Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe national liberation strug• it opened Up for the peoples of the world gle was fought in the context of the prospect of struggle for their ideological, military, strategic and liberation. industrialisation, the transition from logistical advantages provided by the con• small-scale individual production in the quests and achievements of world But long before getting consolidated, countryside to a large-scale socialist pro• socialism. The marching start for world literally from the Soviet Republic's very duction, cultural revolution, solving the socialism and peoples' progress started in first days it had to go through-the cruci• national question and many others. the October Revolution of 1917, October ble of a murderous war against domestic 25. In its character and force, and in the counter-revolution and a foreign invasion The experience of the USSR in develop• profound nature of its impact on the of 14 imperialist states. Fearful that the ing its national economy ^as destinies of nations and states and ideals of equality, justice and doing away demonstrated that socialist industrialisa• peoples, no other event is comparable to of exploitation of man by man might tion is the chief means of liquidating the Great October Socialist Revolution of spread all over the worl^, the ruling ecooomic backwardness. Social owner• 1917. Here working people won, for the circles of the Western states tried to ship of the means of production was the first time in the history, its struggle destroy Russian Revolution, and erected basis of socialist industrialisation in the against economic, social and national a wall of slander and misinformation USSR. The industrialisation of the entire oppression. around it. country made possible the technological For us in Zimbabwe today, the hard reconstruction of agriculture and the crea• On October 25 (November 7, new and difficult times that faced the great tion of a material basis for co-operating style), 1917, the second all-Russian con• October revolution in its early days has peasant labour. Only the transition of gress of Soviets announced that all become a living history. We have also had agriculture to the road of socialist authority in the country went to the instances of hoarding and withholding development could improve the well- Soviets, and elected the world's first from the market many essential com• being of the peasantry and free it from government of workers and peasants, the modities which we cannot interpret as poverty and exploitation. Thus, the col• council of people's commissars. The anything but economic sabotage caused lectivisation of agriculture was the objec• Council elected Vladimir Lenin its by the class that has fallen out of power. tive condition upon which the building oT Chairman. Hardly two years after independence. a new society depended in the USSR. The This was followed by decrees on land, South Africa also seriously unleashed its transition to mass collectivisation of pea• confiscation of property belonging to destabilisation strategy against Zimbabwe sant households was successfully ac• counter-revolutionary saboteurs, na• by sponsoring, training and infiltrating complished from 1929 to 1933. tionalisation of banks, abolition of rents Super Zapu bandits. This, comrades, only As a result the largest stratum of ex• payable to privgite landlords, state con• serves to indicate that any struggle for ploiters in the rural areas — the Kulaks trol of external trade, equality of men and power is a class struggle, and the over• — was liquidated as a class along with the women in economic and labour matters thrown classes will never leave their remnants of precapitalist relations and as well as in contracting and dissolving dreams of trying to roll back the wheels patriarchal way of life. marriage etc. Of profoud significance was of history. These are the concrete lessons the "Decimation of Rights of the Work• we draw from the Great October revolu• The heroic struggle of the Soviet peo• ing and Exploited People". For the first tion and our national liberation struggle ple against fascism during World War II time in history the abolition of classes and and the struggle for socialism in Zim• was an important stage in the history of exploitation of man by man became the babwe. But the Soviet people triumphed mankind and had a direct effect on the state policy. It became a right and duty even in those early days and from that future of all countries of the World, in• of all to work and the division of wealth triumph we draw great inspiration. cluding the countries of Africa. The war to be based on the quality and quantity unleashed by the Nazis was the severest of one's work. The slogan: "He who does After a bloody and protracted four- clash between the freedom-loving peoples not work, neither shall he $at!" was en• year civil war the Soviet people crushed of the world and the striking force of im• shrined in the first constitution of 1918. the resistance of internal and external perialism, fascism. The fascists were in• counter-revolution and embarked on con• tent upon destroying the world's first The Revolution in Russia served to struction of the basis of socialism in the socialist state, annihilating millions of motivate the growth of the masses' country, namely: overcoming backward• people, and enslaving the peoples of the revolutionary awareness the world over; ness and doing away with foreign capital. Soviet Union and many other countries. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 13 In a 1940 publication of the so-called race ternational level have been supported by tasks of its social policy as follows: and political department of the Nazi par• the majority of the newly free nations and — a steady improvement of the living and ty, it was maintained that in most of the brought about the adoption in the United working conditions of Soviet people; colonies a lack of order resulting from a Nations of such iniportant documents as — the implementation to an evei fuller "natural inequality of the people" existed the Declaration on the Principles of In• extent of the principle of social justice and that the people of the colonies could ternational Law (1970), the Declaration in all spheres of social relations; only be ruled by a "predominantly white on the Strengthening of International — a drawing closer together of all classes population . . ." What a fallacy. Security (1970), and the General and social groups and strata, overcom• After four years of unprecedented Assembly.resolution on the "Definition ing essential distinctions between men• fierce fighting which cost the Soviet peo• of Aggression" (1974). tal and physical work, between town ple 20 million lives and immense destruc• A new dramatic impetus to the and countryside; tion of the country's economy and other development of the Soviet society along The perfection of relations between na• material loss the Soviet Army in co• socialist lines was given by the 27th Con• tions and ethnic groups; the strengthen• operation, with other Allied forces gress of fhe CPSU held in Moscow from ing of the fraternal friendship of the defeated Nazi Germany and militarist February 28 to March 6, 1986. It will go peoples and nationalities of the country. Japan. down in history as a congress of strategic Thus the whole nation is now living Socialism had withstood the ordeal of decisions. The concept of acceleration, through changes; the party's initiatives in war and became more attractive to the forms the basis of the congressional Perestroika, acceleration of the social and world. The victory over the Nazis ensured decisions. economic development and democratiza• the success of national liberation in col• It is planned to create within 15 years tion are being upheld throughout the onies and people's democratic revolutions an economic potential equal to that which country. in many parts of the world: in Central and has been achieved in all the preceding The current social, economic and Eastern Europe, in the Far East and years of Soviet rule. This will be ac• poHtical process is so profound and South-East A.sia; it advanced the grow• complished exclusively by raising labour revolutionary in its essence that the con• ing general crisis of capitalism and pro• productivity by 130- 150 per cent. cepts used to describe it in the Russian moted the establishment of a world The facilities necessary for the chosen language such as glasnost (openness) and socialist system. course are all available in terms of raw pere^troika (restructuring) are becoming The collapse of the colonial system and materials and scientific, technological and household words in the vocabulary of the establishment of dozens of indepen• economic achievements. The Soviets have reactionaries who are vehemently oppos• dent states in the first decades following the fundamental basis needed for ed to socialism. However, genuine revolu• the Second World War marked the begin• operating the ecorlomy in strict accor• tionaries view the concepts as expressing ning of a qualitatively new stage in the dance with their economic plan. The the best of socialism at this definite stage history of the Asian, African and Latin planned economic system under socialism of its development and maturity in the American nations. has no social limitations imposed by USSR. ' private property, and thus it is possible World socialism's support for the to concentrate efforts where they are in Today therefore, the progress of our liberation struggle limited imperialism's great demand and to make impressive time is rightly identified with socialism. influence and made it incapable of retain• strategic breakthroughs and flexible World socialism is a powerful interna• ing colonial orders by the traditional manoeuvres. The advantages of sociaKsm tional entity with a highly developed me^ns of the "big stick". are even more notable as regards the economy, substantial scientific resources, A fundamentally new phase of co• human factor. Under socialism the syn• and a reliable military and political poten• operation between the socialist countries drome of fear of losing one's job, income tial. It accounts for more than one-third and the sovereign states of Asia and or savings does not exist and simply can• of the world's population; it includes Africa began after the collapse of the im• not develop. Visitors to the USSR dozens of countries and peoples advanc• perialist colonial system. everywhere see that the system of social ing along a path that reveals in every way relations in the country is being moder• the intellectual and moral wealth of man In the 1960s the Soviet Union put for• nised, and reconstructed. The principles and society. More and more countries of ward a number of proposals that were of self-government and democracy are be• the Third World embark on the path of formulated in the Peace Programme on ing established more firmly, democratic non-capitalist development. the 24th Congress of the CPSU. The pro• institutions and publicity promoted. In- LENIN once revealed that "The Rus• gramme included the conclusion of inter• tellectuallife is being stimulated, and the sian revolution marked the beginning of national agreements on the non-use of system of pay strictly according to work an epoch of socialist and national hbera- force; the dismanthng of military bases is being improved. Those living on tion revolutions. Exploited classes and^ in foreign countries; the implementation unearned income and spongers are openly oppressed peoples will follow this exam• of the UN decision on the abolition of the fought and exposed. All this improves ple and use it as the basis of their further remaining colonial regimes; struggle socialism and activates the human factor, social progress". The course of events against racism and apartheid; develop• which inevitably leads to an increase in during the decades that followed the Oc• ment and extension of co-operation growth of both labour productivity and tober revolution has proved the truth of among states in various fields. the economy as a whole. LENIN's predictions in practice. That is Furthermore, while insisting that all why this jubilee is of international Along with [ihe current transfer to a significance. parties should refrain from using force or highly efficient economy Soviet people the threat of force to settle international have embarked, up on the course of the We in Zimbabwe under the leadership disputes, the Soviet Union opposed more full implementation of the princi• of ZAND (PF) have defined our political neocolonialism in a decisive and uncom• ple of social justice, the underlying idea and social path of development as Scien• promising manner and invariably sup• of which is that under socialism the goal tific Socialism based on Marxism- ported the peoples who were courageous• of production is to promote the people's Leninisrh. This is no longer a matter of ly defending and consolidating their welfare. ' theory as some reactionary elements wish newly-won freedom. to argue. Real socialism in the USSR to• The Soviet peace initiatives at the in- The CPSU has defined the principal day gives us the confidence that the path 14 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 of scientific socialism is the only one for and socialist eonstructiop, LONG LIVE PERESTOIKA! Zimbabwe and other African countries. LONG LIVE COMRADE MUGABE! Let us taice this opportunity to salute LONG LIVE V.I. LENiN! A LUTA CONTINUA! LENIN and the Bolsheviks who first blaz• LONG LIVE THE OCTOBER DOWN WITH IMPERIALISM! ed the harsh path of socialist revolution REVOLUTION! UMTHUMYWilte«» The Weekly Paper that talks to Zimbabwe In Its own LANGUAGE For full details on circulation and advertising tariffs contact the AdvtrHMiiMnt Manager P.O. Bex 396, Harare Telephone 79577T maoam f ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 15 Involve the people in development — PM People must be given maximum op• portunity to participate on the iden• tification of their own needs, and in the preparation of development plans, programmes and projerts aim• ed at solving their problems and fulfilling their wishes. This was said by the Prime Minister, Comrade Robert Gabriel. Mugabe, when he opened a workshop for provincial Governors on Development Planning in Bulawayo recently. Recalling the reasons for the formation for our present system of provincial governors under the Provincial Councils and Administration Act of 1985, Com• rade Mugabe said that the machinery had been brought about to plan, co-ordinate pnd implement the process of develop• ment in our rural areas. "Proceeding from the recognition that the great majority of our people not on• ly reside but also make their living in these areas, Government accorded priority at• Rural development — Government's priority tention to rural development. Govern- ed in the development plans for each pro• vince. "As I have already stated, develop• ment must be by the people and for the people. Thus, if any of our present pro• vincial and district plans do not reflect this item it is necessary that they be ser• viced." Land Use and Housing If significant improvements are to be achieved in the quality of life of the ma• jority of our people, the Prime Minister said that it was essential that priority is now given to land use and village hous• ing. "The provision of decent and affor• dable housing and of the necessary social services ajid amenities to carefully plann• ed and well established village com• munities is indeed an urgent task before us all." It Is botti the quantitative material Improvement of the people as well as the quaiiUtive Comrade Mugabe said Government changa in their Uvea that development aims at had already, through relevant ministries, ment also, however realised that the mere the people. "It is both the quantitative started implementing such projects as according of priority status to rural material improvement of the people as building roads, schools, clinics and rural development could not by itself transform well as the qualitative change in their lives hospitals; drilling boreholes, laying pad• the material and social cirpmstances of that developrtient aims at. Material im• docks and promoting a host of similar these areas. What was required was the provement is only meaningful if it is solely projects. establishment of relevant institutions and aimed at enhancing the quality of life of Yet, cautioned the Prime Minister, the transfer of resources to this sector", all our people." Government by itself could not bear the said the Prime Minister. Referring to development plans devis• costs of implementing all the required Observing that development was a pro• ed over the past three years. Comrade programmes and projects. "Councils and cess of change for the better. Comrade Mugabe questioned the degree to which the villagers themselves must mobilise Mugabe stressed that its object had to be VIDCOs and WADCOs had been involv• their own resources." 16 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 In this connection, Comrade Mugabe commended the food-for-work pro• gramme which "is one excellent vehicle through which bricks can be moulded, in• frastructure such as roads, wells, piped- water and sanitation schemes, paddocks, better houses, community halls and recreational facilities can be built. One issue which continues to concern Government a great deal, said Comrade Mugabe, was the problem of squatters in both urban areas and on land allocated for planned settlement purposes. "The results of these unauthorised settlements are all too familiar: indiscriminate destruction of forests, arable and grazing Ijmds and other natural resources and the creation of semi-deserts". Comrade Mugabe said the Government could not allow the nation's natural resources to be wantonly destroyed. Preparing land-use plans was the respon• sibility of the Minister of Lands, Provision of dacont and affordabia acconimodatlon — Indaad an urgant taak bafoia Agriculture and Rural Resettlement. us all Responsibility for putting the necessary infrastructure rested with the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban ^ "It follows then that no individual and to allocate land in communal, resettle• Development, as did the task of selecting no other authority, not even the Provin• ment or urban areas," warned the Prime beneficiaries. cial Council, has power or responsibility Minister. TIIVIESHARING? At the Emerald Hill School for the deaf Timesharing simply means part ownership of a hearing aid. If there were enough to go around every child could have his or her own to keep permanently. There aren't. Please give generously. TO: ' Emerald Hill School for the Deaf P.O. Box EH. 93, Emerald Hill, Harare. NAME: ADDRESS: I enclose here with a donation of $ THIS APPEAL BY COURTESY THOMSON PUBLICATIONS 17 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 i SAMORA — A Bold and Dauntless Warrior Address by Comrade Francisco Madeira Mozambique's Ambassador on the Commemmoration day of the murder of President Samora Machel by the Pretoria Regime — 19th ^October. J IndaMJ — A man of th« peopi* It is one year now since our beloved life, his charisma and leadership Son of peasants, SAMORA President and other 33 patriots were capacity, his respect for human life MACHEL became aware of the tragically killed by apartheid in South and dignity, his love for Mozambique unhuman, exploitative and repressive Africa. and his people made him a patriot, a nature of the colonial regime. At the nationalist, a revolutionary, a age of six he saw brutality being in• On that day, a year ago, none of us flicted on his father and mother. He could believe that what we were hear• socialist and a true son of Africa. ing could be true. It took us time to saw members of his family being His memory will remain fordver dragged into labour force in the come to our senses, it took us time among us and his life and deeds vi4U to admit that SAMORA, the friend, beans plantations and in the cotton continue to be the guideline in our fields. the president, the brother, the com• actions, in our daily struggle against rade, the guerilla, had fallen dead. misery and poverty, exploitation, il• Life has never been easy for And there he was, brutally murdered literacy, underdevelopment and in SAMORA MACHEL. As secondai^ by the hands of the enemy in the our efforts to build socialism in our school was forbidden to blacks, enemy territory. country. SAMORA had to educate himself to On that night, the 19th of October SAMORA MACHEL was a branch accomplish a number of subjects. He we had lost our beloved leader, the of a family of bold and dauntless war• had to start working very early to earn founder of the Mozambican State, the riors. His grandparents and great- a living, for his father, mother and true and most cherished son of grand-parents have actively par• other people of his area had been Mozambique, President SAMORA ticipated in the patriotic resistance forcefully removed from the fertile MACHEL. against colonial invasion. His grand• lands of the Limpopo Valley which father was one of commanders of the were given to the Portuguese set• great Maguiguana army. Because of tlers. The land that belongs to A True Son their uncompromising ahti-coionial SAMORA's family was taken and of Africa stand his other grandparents were their house destroyed. Life in the deported to Angola and later to Sao cities was hot easy either, exploita• Tome and Principe where they died. tion, repression and discrimination resident SAMORA MACHEL has were rampant. Pdedicated all his life to fighting It was at a very tender age that for equality, justice, peace and a bet• SAMORA MACHEL learnt the Soon it became clear to SAMORA ter future for all of us. His courage, patriotic traditions that he knew to MACHEL that the invader meant trou• dedication and abnegation, his all honour and respect for the rest of his ble, meant destruction, emasculation embracing and positive approach to life. 18 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 \ and domination. There had to be In 1963 he is among the first batch mother land, FRELIMO had to have resistance. The anti-colonial struggle of guerillas that returned from train• a clear policy and to best meet the had to continue. ing in Algeria. He actively^ par• aspirations of these liberated ticipated in the enlisting of the arm• The rising nationalism of the early Mozambicans and how to administer ed struggle against colonial occupa• fifties, in the continent and abroad the liberated zones. tion on the 25th September 1964, by have contributed to sharpen further It was a matter of ideological elaborating attack plans, selecting the political perception of SAMORA outlook, it was a matter of Govern• men and targets and by successful• MACHEL. He and his companions ment, it was a matter of how to sow ly infiltrating guerillas in strategic have followed with great attention the seeds of a future society that we points Inside the country. the struggle in Vietnam, the libera• wanted to build after independence. tion of Algeria, the independence of Very soon his military and strategy We had the land, we had the Ghana and African Countries. The skills had proven to everybody that resources and we had the people. It conflict in Congo, enlisting of the he was a great commander and was a crucial matter and a crucial armed struggle in Angola in 1961 organizer. He was- then entrusted problem for FRELIMO. It was true were a powerful catalist for the with the task of organizing and train• that all members of FRELIMO wanted patriotic movement in Mozambique. ing all FRELIMO forces. to drive the colonialists out of the SAMORA and his friends adhered country, on that basis we were at)le whole heartedly and enthusiastical• In 1965 SAMORA opened the to form the Mozambican Liberation ly to this movement. Niassa East front and took the war up Front. But what was equally true was Apartheid condemned the world over to the border with Cabo Delgado. that a number of people in the Samora — A man of FRELIMO Central Committee had dif• the people Political, military and ideological ferent ideas of how the future training was given to the young Mozambican Society should look rom there on SAMORA recruits. Armed with these in• like; what relations should exist bet• MACHEL's life changed comple• F struments and led by SAMORA the ween the people and their leaders, tely. His political instincts and his guerilla forces took the war to Cabo between the people and their clear awareness of what was needed Delgado, Tete, Sofala and Manica resources of the liberated areas, and for the liberation of Mozambique) Provinces. among the people themselves. Some made him flee the country into exile members of FRELIMO were convinc• in Tanzania in 1962, where he joined The appearance of liberated areas ed that the independence of Mozam• EDUARDO MONDLANE who had in Cabo Delgado and Niassa posed bique wasjust a matter of driving the then founded FRELIMO. SAMORA new problems and demanded new colonialists out of the country and MACHEL adhered whole heartedly to solutions from FRELIMO. Hundreds replace them with blacks. the principles and objectives of of thousands of Mozambicans had FRELIMO and he vowed to cherish been freed from enemy control, and The whole pattern of injustices and foster them until final victory. with them huge extensions of our was not addressed. On the contrary ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 19 they started imposing in the liberated exploitation both inside and outside the other; between peace loving areas feudal practices, the the country. peoples in Southern Africa on one discrimination of women, child SAMORA's vision of the world was hand and the oppressive South Africa abuses, oppression of youth and an all embracing one. He did not regime on the other. He has thus premature marriages, they started helped decisively in removingallcon- think of Mozambique alone. With his dividing people on tribal lines. For fusion over this issue and challeng• vision he could perceive and embrace people like Kavandame, Mozambique ed the International Community to the whole of Southern Africa, the en• was just Cabo Delgado and they were take a clear stand on the matter and only concerned with the liberation of tire continent of Africa and the world cease taking refuge on false inter• that part of the country and after that at large. pretations of the issue. the war against colonialism was over. Very early SAMORA MACHEL In the liberated zones he and some understood that the struggle of the of his colleagues were fast to take Mozambican people was part and" He died for over the shops and force people to parcel of a much wider struggle, the work for their personal gains. To struggle of all the oppressed peoples a just cause make these people understand that of the world. On this basis he had to President SAMORA MACHEL and tribal divisions, the oppression of establish through the struggle bonds other comrades died in very women and youth were not in line of friendship and solidarity with other mysterious circumstances in South with the most elementary aspirations struggling peoples and movements, Africa. The South African Govern• of our people to freedom, justice and particularly with the struggling peo• ment was very fast at trying to equality became a source of internal ple of Zimbabwe. struggle. Kavandame, Simango remove every evidence that could in Guengere and others opposed any He had kept himself in this school one way or another implicate it. The political education of the masses and of thought and practice even after the South African Government was quick soldiers. They wanted to maintain the independence of Mozambique when to ascribe the crash to purely ac• status quo and replace the Por• the country became a secure rear cidental causes and was very late at tuguese with themselves against the base for the struggle of the Zimbab• informing the Mozambican people. There was a need to act im• wean people for their own authorities of the event. Mr. BOTHA mediately, there was a need to prove independence. the South African Foreign Minister to the people that these kinds of had made a false statement to the ef• practices frustrated the very objec• SAMORA MACHEL perceived fect that the plane had crashed in tives of the armed struggle we were Southern Africa as a region of its own when in fact the tragedy had taken waging. Once again SAMORA kind, with its own identity and with place at Mbuzini near Komatiport in MACHEL emerged as a very season• a unique racial and ethnic diversity in the Transvaal Province. Eye witness ed politician and mass mobiliser. It Africa. He perceived our region as a reports speak of South African took time until he and other pro• reality in constant mutation, in which agents busy collecting documents, gressive members of FRELIMO had the complementarity of different money and other belongings of the an upper hand over the feudalists. struggles, in conjuction with massive dead people and completely ignoring material wealth of each one of^our those who were screaming for help. countries could allow the region to. It took courage, sound moral prin• make vital contribution at world level, In the investigations of the plane ciples and clarivident political out• particularly in the struggle for crash that ensued there was an look at a man like SAMORA MACHEL establishment of a new international agreement that the plane has been to denounce, neutralize and remove economic order, in the struggle for taken off its normal route by a once and for all these elements of economic democratization of our beacon different from that of Maputo evil from the organization. Only then planet. airport. The South Africans were could we talk of a FRELIMO that quick at saying that the beacon was stood for people's power, unity, SAMORA MACHEL was at every the Matsapa beacon in Swaziland. freedom, democracy and equality of stage of the struggle a very conse• How did they know? If that was the all citizens of Mozambique, in• quent fighter for the sovereignty of case how could experienced pilots dependently of the colour of their Mozambique. with more than 22 years of ex• skin. He fought and rejected all forms in• perience have landed at Komatiport cluding the rnost subtle forms of in South Africa and not in Matsapa in foreign domination and manipula• Swaziland? tion. In the last years of his life, he He led FRELIMO At the crash site there were applied in a creative manner the con• vestiges of fresh presence of people to Independence cept of active non alignment for and tents. Eye witness again say that Mozambique and for the Frontline there were South African personnel States the international support and ith this victory of the pro• there and they had been removed respect that they always deserved. In W gressive forces. FRELIMO was moments before the plane crashed this context President SAMORA able under Machel's command to im• on the spot. Why were these people MACHEL was one of the politicians pressively advance the armed strug• there? Why were they removed so who helped to arrest the erroneous gle in all fronts and launch the seeds hurriedly? Could they not have been interpretation of the conflicts in our for the emergency of a new man for harbouring the false beacon that region as being an expression of the new Mozambique that was in the made the plane change its direction East-West confrontation, having making. SAMORA MACHEL had a and crash in South Africa? clear idea of what that new man categorically imposed with the inter• should be like and what society could national Community the correct Why did Mr. Botha rush at staging accommodate our aspirations. He perception of the nature of the con• on all South African sponsored fought for these ideas, he led us all flict in Southern Africa as being a public inquiry and quickly conclude to independence. He firmly opposed struggle between the peoples of this that the plane crashed because of and fought against oppression and region on one hand and apartheid on pilot error? Why are the South 20 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 Africans not addressing themselves to the correct questions? Why are they a in a hurry, what are they afraid of? Apartheid should not be allowed to get away with this heinous crime. South Africa has still a lot of explana• CREATIVE STRENGTH tion to do. We refuse to accept the From each according If successfiil advertising is measured conclusions of the so called public to his abilities... by creative awards, (which is arguable!), inquiry staged in South Africa and then MBA certainly produces successfiil call for people to force South Africa advertising. In the 1987 AAZ present• to answer thoroughly and clearly the The success of any progressive social ations, MBA and Direaion Advertising between them achieved eleven firsts numerous questions that have re• entity depends on an enthusiastic (8-1-3 — indudingVp Campaign Award mained unanswered. application of this historic Marxian postulate. for Family Planning), maintaining a From each according to his continuing success rate over many years. Comrades, abilities . . . MBA's crearive President SAMORA MACHEL met We, at Matthewmaii, Rjnk'. achievements owe nothing his death when he was returning from Advertising (MBA), to popularly-conceived a mission decided upon by the Front believe this to be instantaneous flashes of Line States. That mission was in the particularly germane brilliance. Rather like service of SADCC major interests. in the complex field the description of genius, SAMORA disappeared physically at of communications. they are achieved by a moment when we atl are engaged Because an advertising ten per-cent inspiration in battle for the consolidation of our agency is essentially and ninety per-cent political independence and for our a pool of specialists — perspiration, with all representing a compre• ; concerned — including economic liberation, SAMORA died hensive syllabus of social the client — working at a moment when we are engaged in disciplines — each as a closely consti• informing the world of the terroristic depending on the input tuted unit attitudes of South Africa against all of the other in achieving Thus personal the countries of our region. SAMORA a successful end result. client involvement MACHEL's physical disappearance is And that result is with the various a colorary of South Africa's communication. Be it an crearive groups is an militaristic and destabilising ac• educational campaign on jBk- imperative which proves tivities that have already claimed hun• the dangers of mis-using electricity, invaluable in the creation of successfiil, dreds of thousands of lives of our _ encouraging people to plan a better cost-effective advertising. peoples and billions of dollars worth future by planning their families, or by In achieving this end, the agency of property. extolling the benefits of Zimbabwe's has instituted a series of checks — rich dairy products. though not reins — on the whole In Mozambique, hundreds of MBA is a totally-owned Zimbab• creative process. This involves internal reviews of the initial promotional farmers and peasants are harassed wean advertising agency with a totally Zimbabwean staff. Sir Athol Evans strategy (previously agreed by client), and killed in their farms and plots. chairs a directorate which includes through to the final product — which Workers are burnt alive in their fac• Maurice Matthewman and Ray Banks, even then is often subject to further tories, health workers and teachers joint founders and owners of the • attitudinal testing by the agency's are maimed, killed and buried in the organisation, together with Lawrence research department. debris of their destroyed hospitals, Vambe, Ronnie Lotz, and two staff FULL SERVICE health centres and schools. Students representatives. MBA is a fiall-service agency, whose and children are chased like wild PARASTATALS specialised departments cover client animals, and kidnapped or killed. Having recently absorbed the staff service; research and marketing; media; Crops are destroyed and cereals and business of EHrection Advertising, jress, radio, television and below-the- burnt. About 5 million Mozambicans MBA has added considerably to its ine production; as well as creative are affected by famine or famine- client portfolio. In addition to quasi- and finished art. related malaise. Hundreds of govemment business (Dairibord, ZESA, From each according to his thousands of Mozambicans are State Lotteries, and certain IDC abilities. . . displaced inside Mozambique or run• companies), the agency handles the When the abilities are natural and ning for their lives, find their way in advertising for Reckitt &. Colman, taletalentedi , when they're offered with the neighbouring countries where CABS, Willards Foods, enthusiasm and flair, youll B.A.T., G &. D Shoes, Zambia they live in refugee camps or as find they more than satisfy Airways, PG, and many more your needs. destitutes in the streets of capital national clients. Such is MBA. cities of our region. In Tete, Zambezia and Sofala 1 372 Madhevmaan^aidcsAdvciiising P.O. Box 2736, Harare. Telephone 883296, 883313. schools have been destroyed by arm• ed bandits and at a national level more than 2 058 schools no longer exist. Consequently 800 000 students cannot go to school. From 1980 to 1985 armed banditry has been directly and indirectly responsible for the death of 85 000 children per year. Today one child dies every four minutes in Mozambique. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 '21 Zimbabwe and Mozambique have this friendship and solidarity is seal• tain circles in the western world. come a long way together. Our rela• ed with blood and sweat of tions, which have been rediscovered thousands of sons and daughters of Together, we have been able to fur- and strengthened In the process of our two countries. , ther improve, widen and deepen our our common struggle, have found economic, social, political and Having completely failed to stop form and expression in what is today cultural ties. Together we were able us from attaining our political the people's Republic of Mozambi• to demoralize, frustrate, destroy and freedom and independence, the que and the Republic of Zimbabwe. neutralize enemy actions in our coun• South African minority regime has try. Together we fought, died and In our common struggles we have decided to fight against the realiza• ultimately triumphed in our liberation realized that after all we are just one tion of our economic independence struggles. Together we must con• people with one destiny. This unity and development. The adoption of tinue to be a moral and fighting force has made us strong. Because we are the policy of total strategy against against our common enemy. In order united our enehnies have found it im• our countries is aimed at preserving to realize their whims, imperialism possible to split us and destroy us. apartheid and destroying us. and racism have killed SAMORA But they haven't given up. Apartheid, MACHEL. They forgot that the crime the enemy of our peoples is today of 19th October has created millions desperately stretching Its hand and We shall fight of SAMORAs in Mozambique, Zim• sending armed bandits to kill people to the bitter end babwe, Botswana, Zambia, Angola, and destroy property in Zimbabwe. It Namibia and South Africa who are South Africa is militarily, politically, is carrying out raids and planting still alive and ready to fight. bombs in public places to foster its economically and diplomatically con• I policy of agression, destabillzation, spiring against us. South Africa has The struggle will' continue until I intimidation, blackmail, economic been actively engaged in the creation they kill all these SAMORAs, the sabotage and state terrorism against of an environrnent of crisis and chaos struggle will continue until they can both our countries. in each one of'our countries. It is op• no longer kill because colonialism, pressing the people of South Africa racism and apartheid will have been We must be vigilant.and watch out. and Namibia. It has refused with ar• erradicated. The struggle will con• This is a fresh attempt at confusing rogance, to abide by an international• tinue until the racist regime is us and dividing us. They have been ly agreed formula for the in•dismantled in South Africa and trying. They don't realize that the dependence of Namibia the Resolu• peace, democracy and majority rule friendship and solidarity of the tion 435 and has resorted to linkage prevail in that country. peoples of Zimbabwe and Mozambi• for which unfortunately it has suc• que is sacred. They don't see that ceeded in getting the support of cer• LORAC (PVT) LTD QUALITY BUILDERS P.O. BOX 3585 HARARE HOME AND OFFICE IMPROVEMENT, NEW BUILDINGS, EXTENSIONS ETC. CALL US FOR A QUOTATION NOW! TEL: 705321 22 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 t Testimony of the National Black United Front An Address by a leading Member of the Front At the meeting, U.S. executive direc• The purpose of my appearance this year, as in past years, is to remind this tor Richard Erb said, "If South Africa's United Nations Committee of its unique role as the only official body to external position improved more rapidly which the International Monetary Fund is accountable for its South Africa than was now anticipated. South Africa loans. In 1982 the IMF gave South Africa a billion-dollar loan which was should be expected to effect an early the largest loan that country has ever received from any source. The loan repurchase." mightily reinforced apartheid. It enabled South Africa to increase military spending by a billion dollars and to use the guns and bullets to kill thousands Repurchase is the IMF's term for of brave citizens in South Africa and Namibia. repayment. t remains this committee's respon• Africa agreed, then reneged on its Saudi Arabia's executive director said sibility to urge the IMF's to cease all promise. at the meeting, "South Africa is taking Icollaboration with South Africa and Now, three years later. South Africa advantage of the Fund's cheaper to immediately recall the $758 million has only repaid 16 per cent of the loan. resources."^ South Africa's loan bore a credit that the IMF is still extending to 6,6 percent annual interest rate with four South Africa. Table 1 years grace period and four years to pay. This credit is being extended in defiance South Africa: Transactions witli On November 12, 1982 South Africa of both the United Nations and the IMF's the IMF, 198^86 (Summary) drew down $905 million of the loan. own rules and precedents. Disbursements $904.9 miUion Repayment $146.8 million The fact that the IMF, year after year, Balance $758.1 million As South Africa's trade figures improv• refuses to comply with the pleas of this ed, it refrained from drawing own further committee for cooperation on South Source: International Monetary Fund, In• instalments. An IMF staff mission visiting Africa does not diminish in the least the ternational Financial Statistics (May, South Africa from February 25 to March importance of the oversight function you 1986) pp. 438-9. 1 SDR = $1.14. 11, 1983 commended this decision but carry out. On the contary, it only The following chart reproduced from asked South Africa to consider an early heightens the importance of this commit• the IMF's statistical monthly also shows repayment. In its reports to the board the tee as the only official body to which the mission projected ah overall $1,5 billion IMF is answerable on the question of South Africa's account with the IMF. South Africa. Because of its international structure, Table 2 the IMF does not report to the legislatures South Africa: Transactions with and parliaments of its constituent nations; the IMF, 1982-86 only the national officials of the countries serving on the IMF's executive board do 1986 that. Only this conmiittee can directly 1982 19831984 1985 Jan Feb Mar South Africa question the IMF's administration. 199 Therefore, it remains as essential as Fund Position ever that you closely monitor the IMF's 99 27 - - 18 - - SDRs ib.s relations with South Africa for com• — 70 72 — - — — Reserve Position in the Fund Ic.s pliance with the Decolonization Commit• 795 745 745 745 745 666 666 Use of Fund Credit 2e.s tee's resolutions. In 1983, after appear• 636 636 636 636 636 557 557 ind. Comp. Financing FaciUty 2 dus ing before this committee, the IMF 159 109 109 109 109 109 109 Credit Tranche ordinary 2e.s representative was able to report to head• 636 916 916 916 916 916 916 Quota 2f.s quarters in Washington that he had undergone strong criticism in this com- Source: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics (May 1986), nuttee for the IMF's failwe to respect any pp. 438-9. of the General Assembly's resolutions on loans to South Africa. This year, I would Request that the current account surplus for South Africa. decolonization resolutibn again urge the Background The loan had been promised on a $1,5 IMF to cease its collaboration with South At the November 3, 1982 meeting of the billion deficit.^ Africa. Specifically, the resolution should Fund's executive board that awarded urge the IMF to recall its outstanding loan South Africa the $1,1 billion commit• In June Rep. Julian Dixon (Democrat of $ 758 million. This loan represents the ment, nine of the twenty-two executive of California), chairman of the Congres• IMF's concrete assistance to South directors indicated doubts or opposiuon. sional BWck Caucus, wrote to the Africa. In 1983 the IMF asked South A main argument was that South Africa Treasury Department asking that the Africa to repay this loan early. South did not need the loan. United States urge an early repayment. Footnotes. 1. International Monetary Fund, EBM/82/140 - 11/3/82 a.m., November 3, 1982 (mimeo), p. 13 2. Ibid., p.l7. 3. IMF, "South Africa: Staff Report for the 1983 Article IV Consultation and Review under the Stand-By Arrangement" (mimeo, May 19, 1983), p. 22. 4. Center for International Policy Aid Memo, June 20, 1983; Washington Post June 21, 1983. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 23 • because IMF lending is for b^l^nce US from voting for further loans to coun• Dixon never received a reply to his letter. of payments supports, rather than tries "which practice apartheid."* A At the June 20, 1983 executive board for specific development projects, compromise version, signed by President meeting South Africa's representative to there is no way to discern how the Reagan in 1983, opened a small loophole the IMF, D.T. Brand, said South Africa Botha government chose to spend by allowing the US to vote for loans to would repay its loan ahead of schedule these fungible resources. We do South Africa if they were shown to betause of its improved balance of know, however, that it increased benefit the majority of people in South payments.'* defence spending a billion dollars Africa, reduce labour immobility and the same time it got the billion meet a number of other standards. HR If South Africa had not made this com• dollars from the IMF — while 820, introduced last year by Congressman mitment itself, a number of IMF's ex• decreasing most other Parren Mitchell (Democrat of Maryland) ecutive directors including the United expenditures. would have closed this loophole. In view States's Erb were planning to insist on the of South Africa's behaviour towards early repayment. For these reasons, it is clea,r that the United States and other donors erred IMF, it is time for Congress to pass HR Erb welcomed the South African when they supported South Africa's loan 820 without further delay. announcement. request in 1982. As many commentators This year I appear before the subcom• indicated then, South Africa did not real• mittee after the IMF has testified. As a In August 1983, South Africa made its ly need or qualify for IMF lending result, you questioned the IMF without first payment on the loan — $56,9 — 6 because the predictions of economic benefit of the new information I have percent of the outstanding balance. Not downturn on which it based its request given you today on how the IMF. is still until February 1986 did it pay another were unrealistic.^ defying this conimittee and the General $89,9 million. Assembly. Nevertheless, I would still It is also clear that South Africa feels recommend inclusion of this information The result of South Africa's successful no need to live up the commitments it in the decolonization resolution. And next manipulation of the IMF: makes to the IMF and seems to have no year, we would appreciate the chancJe to • South Africa has had $758,1 intention of repaying its lending in a appear before the IMF representative so miUion to use since 1982 which was reasonable period time without strong that the committee will have the latest intended to compensate for a pressure from IMF donor countries. research at its disposal. balance of payments deficit that Finally, the United States, as the IMF's never materialized; biggest single donor, should be taking a • U.S. taxpayers and the taxpayers of leading role in remeding this abuse of other IMF donor countries have IMF support but in fact is doing nothing. been forced to subsidize South It will again be up to the US Congress to Africa; take the lead and force the Administra• Footnotes: • South Africa deflected criticism for tion to make South Africa live by the 5. Jim Morrell, ".A Billion Dollars for South borrowing under false pretences by same rules other IMF borrowers must Africa" {International Policy Report June, agreeing to repay the funds ahead observe. After the US supported South 1983.) of schedule — then avoided repay• Africa's request in November 1982, 6. Jim Morrell, "A Victory Over Apartheid" (In-' ing these funds; and - legislation was introduced to prohibit the ternational Policy Report, April, 1984) CONSOLIDATED LIGHTING NEW ERA BALLASTS (PVT) LTD (PVT) LTD. Manufacturers of lighting Manufacturers of for:- all High-Intensity • Commerce Discharge and • Industry Fluorescent • Security Ballasts • Hospitals ' • Mining Box 8231, Causeway, Harare 30 Edison Crescent, Craniteside Tele'phone 702923 Telex 2149 ZW 24 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 The debate on our educational system predominantly drawing raw materials try because if they did, our manufactured and our examinations has been going from our country as their imports, goods would compete with imported on since long before independence. characteristic of capitalist countries. manufactured goods. The debate has been around such Our wealth is domii^atcd by foreign This means we will be independent on issues as who is being served_by our companies who take out of the country manpower issues and be able tokhart our educational system, in our examina• more than they have invested in it and own way. Industrialisation of our coun• tions children go through year in and who do not want to see their stranglehold try means that we will be able to employ year out, but how do our examina• overstretched, except to encourage the more of our unemployed people, be able tions prepare our children for a life go\ernment to a 49%, 51% or whatever to generate more foreign currency and be after school? percentage-'' shareholding to protect able to move away from an economy of themselves from the local labour force. peasant farmers to an economy of fac• Our examinations are part and parcel Essentially therefore, the educational tories and large-scale farming. This will of the whole educational system, which system of a neo-colony is meant to defend lead us to a higher standard of living. is part and parcel of our economic and strengthen neo-colonialism children system, it depends on our political are made to spend sleepless nights to pass AH that the multinationals want are a economy. If this, is the case, how is our neo-colonial examinations. Some students few local personnel managers, economists political economy today? Our political say the whole educational system is too and accountants who will not even enter economy, which is the ownership pf the theoretical and academic. But this suits the boardrooms. And also workers who means of production and distribu^on of the multinationals very well. This is so can read instructions on farms, mines, the wealth, is that of a neo-colony. A coun- because it means that we do not produce few factories that we have, in banks and tr\h political independence but technical people needed by an indepen• building societies and in other service without economic independence. A coun• dent and industrialised economy. The industries. try that is still dominated and exploited educational system of neo-colonialism As long as Zimbabwe is dominated by by old racist multinational companies that does not allow room for local engineers, these companies, the future is bleak for colonised our country since 1890. In our chemists, physists, doctors, biologists, the majority of our people. The majori• case, British, South African, US, French technicians etc. This is done to prevent ty of our people will continue to run oul and other Western multinationals still are the locals from industrialising the coun• of sail, bread, cooking oil, mealie meal. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 25 toothpaste, vegetables, clothes etc, whilst socialism. Our educational system must other words, there should be all the exploiters live in luxury. Zimbabwe not be an isolated exercise. It must be part encompassing. will continue to be two countries in one, and parcel of the struggle to localise the a country of dire poverty with people ownership of foreign companies, first and Our educational system must be plann• teeding from rubbish dumps and a coun• foremost by the state of Zimbabwe. ed and co-ordinated from pre-school up try of people living in palaces and own• to technical colleges, the university and Tht introduction of technical education ing fleets of cars and aeroplanes. employment. We can if we also take steps in our schools is most welcome. However, to control the multinationals and to take let us bear in mind that we are not the Our educational system should not them over eventually, with the state tak• owners of the econorny. The owners of continue to serve the interests of the ex• ing the leading role as an owner and ac• the economy have their own plans which ploiters. Our educational system must tually controlling what happens in each • do not include the employment of these help us fulfill the objectives of the first muhinational. The localisation of "O" young people with technical training, or Five-Year National Development Plan. It level and "A" level examinations is most if they had, the laws of capitalist produc• must be anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist welcome too. One hopes thdt this will tion will force thousands of them back and must be democratic and patriotic. help us achieve economic independence, again into unemployment because but this can not be achieved as long as our capitalism is anarchic locally and In other words, it must be part and exams and syllabus come from imperialist internationally! parcel of the struggle for economic in• London and Cambridge. dependence, the struggle to industrialise Our plans for the educationaP system Zimbabwe, the struggle that should create must not be isolated. They must be part the conditions for moving towards of national economic and social plans. In Education should aarva and davalop our country for tha baltar — Idaologlcally and sclantlflcally. 61 JULIUS NYERERE WAY, 7IMITBA (PVT.) P.O. BOX 4048, HARARE LTD. PHONE 707570, 793470. IMPORT AND EXPORT INTERNATIONAL We are major suppliers of: School Stationery School Furniture Office Equipnnent Hardware Do not hesitate to call on us! 26 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 A POSB savings book gives you the freedom to live your life the way you want to. With money in your own POSB savings account you get more chances to do the things you want to do.. .more places to save at all over the country, more tax free interest on your savings, more development for Zimbabwe. Because the POSB is the people's bank. It belongs to you. with the book, you'reon your way! Save with the POSB -The People's Bank f . ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 27 Bandit Movement'sII i Goal — CSiaos A. Zhigunov Bands from the Mozambique Na• tional Resistance have been terroris• ing the country for ten years now. The Mozambique journalist Oliveria Costu told me that they normally select civilians as objects of their at• n tacks. Thus, in July MNR cut-throats attacked the village ofHomoine and killed about 400 of its inhabitants and threw the corpses into wefls. Those who remained alive had their noses, ears and lips cut off because they refused to join the MNR. ho is Alfonso Dhlakama? When this 33-year-old squab W was a child he wanted to become a priest, and even finished a seminary. But greed set him on the path of treachery. Prior to the country's libera• tion from the colonisers he became a paid agent of the Portuguese secret police; he quickly mastered the role of political pro• vocateur and infiltrated the FRELIMO Botha and SavlmbI tipping Africa's bloodi How long will this contlnua? ranks. Then, after having pilfered the cof• fers one of the military subunits of the which are landlocked, to carry out their about quick victory "in a war against people's army, he fled. Dhlakama's zeal export and import haulage operations communists" and even declared himself during bandit raids was noted by the througU S^uth Africa rather than through the "President of a free Mozambique"! enemies of the peoples of Mozambique, Mozambique ports. It is no accident at and he soon grew to "leader". all that only the railways leading south, Jonas Savimbi, Dhlakama's partner in The "godfather" of the MNR was i.e. to South African ports, hav6 not been atrocities, is more cautious, although he none other than the former overload of sabota^ied ..." has full US official backing. This puppet the Rhodesian racists, Ian Smith. When would like to proclaim himself president it became obvious that the victory of the Rekgan Pro Banditry only after his cut throats, wearing the people of Zimbabwe in the fight for black cock on the sleeve, capture Luan• freedom was inevitable, specially selected South Africa is not the only one the ban• da and topple the present Angolan people began to-be trained in Rhodesian dits are relying on, however. The shadow government. The US press says this is not camps under the supervision of in• of Washington looms large behind their a pipe dream. However, facts upturn this telligence officers for carying out "special racist patrons. The American secret ser• allegation. assignments" in future. They were vices determined long ago that staking on US scientist Gerald Bander, an unbiass• recruited from among the "unemployed" the MNR accords with America's long- ed observer from South Carolina Univer• members of punitive expeditions of the term interests in the South of the African sity, said that he logged thousands of Portuguese army, deserters and all sorts continent. Was it not at their suggestion kilometres in Angola and nowhere did he of traitors and criminals. that Dhlakama sent a personal letter to see any UNITA 'authorities.' He saw President Reagan requesting that the hungry people coming down from the In early 1980 the days of racist MNR be recognised as a "legitimate mountain and leaving forests, including Rhodesia were over, and South Africa liberation movement"? people from the Ovimbundu tribe which took the MNR under its wing. The point In any event, this petition was im• supports Savimbi. They are taking the at issue is the military assistance which mediately supported by a number of side of the government because they are Pretoria is rendering to the MNR. As a American senators, including Robert sick and tired of UNITA slogans. rule, weapons and other military supplies Dole, one of the contenders for the are dropped at night by parachute for the presidential post. Dhlakama's claims in The US scholar concludes: the Reagan bandits from airplanes and helicopters in the letter to the effect that the MNR is administration should take a sober view prearranged areas of Mozambique. fighting against communism imparted of the situation and realise that Savimbi "The transport system in the region has "respectability" to him in the eyes of a has no future in Angola because people now become one of the objects of MNR number of senators, although consider• are against him. attacks", Tony Holiday, a British jour• ing-people from the MNR "fighters for However, Washington still neglects nalist well familiar with the situation in peace" is tantamount to justifying such appeals. The United States continues the area, told me in Harare. "Using the gangsterism. Spurred on by the support as the main director of bandits' subver• MNR, the racists are out to force other frotn the American politicians, Dhlakama sive activities, supplying them with the countries like Zimbabwe and Zambia, huitied via the Western press to spout latest weapons, including Stinger rockets. 28 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 At a news conference in Luanda, former In the US capital, these b^t^its »re, everything, the bandits do not spend UNITA Captain, Ricardo Belmundo, given red-carpet treatment, thier go (o much time on persuading their masters. who sided with government troops, spoke America jvith visas issued byfhe U$ of South Africa's ties with UNITA ban• Department of State. The aitn %f thdr Probably developments do not favour dits. I asked him why such massive arms visits is apparent, i.e. to secuiv t^ie, Reagan since to organise wreck liess opera• flow to the UNITA gangs. Mostly, for Reagan administration's support ifor th^r' tions against Angola and Mozambique he outrages over peaceful civilians, he said. anti-government actions in Angola and has to look for political have-beens such Beimundo saw in Angola civilian graves, Mozambique and, in particular, to have as Savimbi and Dhlakama at garbage containing 80-90 bandits', victims each. increased US military aid. Judging by heaps. The Book as a Tool of Development By our Correspondent he Government of Zimbabwe is T committed to a policy of educa• tion for every child. One of the vital components of this policy is the book, an essential tool in the im• plementation of the policy and the development of an informed, literate and productive nation. Giveh the numbers of educated people in the party and government leadership, it should not be necessary to lay stress upon the im• portance of books and encouraging the reading habit. There are probably as many if not more University degrees on the government bench than there are in any government front bench in the world. The leaders know that their educational at• tainments — and in part their posi• tions today — are due to their having had access to books. A tool of devalopment Yet, today, the policy of the govern• ment of Zimbabwe does not reflect that knowledge of the leadership or its stage policy of building an educated, informed, socialist socie• ty. On the contrary, present policy threatens us with an increasing book famine, and future generations of leaders could be less educated and worse Informed than today's leadership. Tha Policy of At the root of the problem are two Building an issues. These are the duties and aducatAd, and In- taxes levied by Treasury on imported formad aoclaltat books amounting to 38% of the retail aoclaty la baing price. The second problem is that far thraatanad by fha Incraaaing too little money is being allocated for book-famlna the importiition of books and the Im• portation of paper and other printing requirements to produce books local• ly. Books are a tool of development. The UNESCO convention says duties and taxes should not be imposed on books. Treasury argues that it derives con• siderable revenue from the duty and sales tax on books. But if this con- ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 29 tention is analysed more closely, It becomes a blatant case of Peter rob• bing Paul, or, put another way, of Treasury paying out with orte hand and taking back with the other. The book trade estimates that at least 90% of book purchasing in this country is done by government in• stitutions, primary and secondary schools, technical colleges, the University and so on. The books are purchased, including duties and sales tax, from the book trade who then pay these monies to Treasury. ^ But where did the money to pay these duties and taxes come from in the first place? From Treasury! Unless there is some strange argu• At preMhl ahnoet all 'A' level, tertiary, technical and aome aecohdary achool book ment for circulating money in this raquirementa are imported way from Treasury to a government institution to the book trade and back There are those who may argue cepts that all books have an educa• to Treasury, it is hard to see any logic that the above recomn>endation tional value, including those read for in the policy. And, if book trade should only apply to educational entertainment, which increase the estimates that at least 90% of pur• books. We would not agree. In the reading habit, then it should as a mat• chasing is by government Institu• first place, all books, other than por• ter of principle exennpt all titles from tions, it is hard to believe that nography, have an educational value duties and taxes. Creating the Treasury derives any consequential' and how, therefore, is one to decide mechanism to decide between sum from these levies. what is educational or not? Would it "educational" and "non-educational" be on the basis of individual would be far too cumbersome time At present almost ail 'A' Level, ter• preference or bias? If government ac• consuming and flawed. tiary, technical and some secondary school book requirements are im• ported. Given the small numbers of titles required it is not at present viable for local publishers to produce these books in Zimbabwe under licence. Thus, they have to be im• ported and duty and taxes inflate the MASHONALAND PARTS DISTRIBUTORS prices astronomically. A Division of MASHONALAND PARTS SUPPLIERS IPVT I LTD The publishers, book trade, sbhools. University; technical institu• tions, libraries and all other affected institutions feel most strongly that duty and taxes on books should be OUR PRIORITIES removed. As the price of books overseas inevitably increases, their purchasing power diminishes and this In turn affects,IJie numtjers of ARE: LOCAL books available for pupils and their education. There is a second point related to MANUFACTURE this. As a result of foreign exchange shortages, the amount of money available for book imports has been drastically reduced. This has coincid• AND IMPORT ed with increases in the prices of books overseas. These two points taken together have drastically reduc• ed the numbers of boolts that can be imported to well below the minimal SUBSTITUTION national educational requirement. Taking all of the above, it is most strongly oi^d that government im• mediately abolishes duty and taxes on books, particularly as this generates on little revenue for Treasury other than which it pays out In the first place itself. For your nearest supplier and trade enquiries phone 736639/40/41 or write to: Mashonaland Parts Distributors, P.O. Box 1023, Harare. 30 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 Decolonise News "We are interested only in a train fectiveness of the weapon of cultural im• that derails, not one that arrives on Decolonise News perialism. "The West continues its time." That was how former France ideological expansion in Africa with this There are more than enough examples of weapon today, too. Presse Chief Hanri Pigeat once for• this. In the news from Third World coun• mulated the principle by which tries pride of place is given to reports of Western agencies cover events in the catastrophes, natural disasters, crises and Promote Progress developing countries. epidemics, deviation of facts and outright of the People disinformation are definite stereotypes are being impressed upon readers. T^his ques• However, the African peoples do not Today Henri Pigeat is no longer on the tion was the subject of a special study by want to reconcile themselves to the role information scene, having resigned last the Research Centre for scientific and of a meek consumer of alien world views year at the demand of agency personnel. technological problems of information and dubious values. Rejecting stern stan• However, the principle declared by him, (CESTI) at the University of Dakar dards, stereotypes and means of portray• and not only him, still underlies the prac• (Senegal) for preparing for and holding ing their continent, African journalists are tice of "news giants". a Media and Racism Conference in con• advancing their own concepts and junction with UNESCO. The CESTI fin• methods, such as "alternative jour• As Dr. Hamid mowlana, head of the dings state that the Western media use nalism". According to CESTI Director International Communications pro• stereotypes to paint a distorted image of Babacar Sine, in countering Western gramme of American University in the African peoples and impress upon journalism it gives priority to cultural, Washington summed up the situation, the readers a warped notion of different pohtical and economic news which pro• Western Media depict Africa as a racial groups and nationalities. The prac• mote the growth of the population's na• politically immature and credulous con• tice where text-books for school children tional consciousness. It is selective and tinent, whose development depends total• portray Arabs as villa:ins. Blacks as can• does not rehash Western press reports. ly on the great powers. A similar ap• nibals, Indians as sub'humans etc., is par• Taking place alongside the formation of proach is observed in audiovisual Western ticularly deleterious. The expression new journalistic concepts is that of na• propaganda as well — The Third World, "mixed blood", which is used to describe tional regional information systems of Dr. Mowlana concludes, is portrayed as metises, conjures up associations with the African countries which are designed to an area of endless social chaos. Corrup• Nazi "teaching" on racial purity. It is implement these concepts. An important tion and impingement of human rights CESTI's belief that the Western cinema role in this process is assigned to the are depicted here as being an inevitable, is at fault for the formation of "standard PAN-African Information Agency systematic everyday affair. notions" (i.e. racial prejudices) regarding (PANA), whose members are 12 of the Third World peoples. conrinent's states. As Director General Important high level meetings were Augustus Mpassi Muba has stated, held fairly recently within the framework The emphasis is purposely being shifted PANA's goal is to rectify the distorted of the Non-AHgned Movement and the in newspaper items too. Thus, many notion of Africa created by the Western OAU. COMINAC—2 held in Harare, reports on hunger in India accentuate the transnational agencies and to do this past June again drew the world com• fact that people in this country do not eat everything possible for the Voice of munity's attention to information pro• beef for religious reasons, therefore, they Africa to be lieard in the world. PANA, blems in the modern world. allege that the reason for the hunger lies and also the Pool of News Agencies of in superstition and backwardness. The Non-Aligned countries, whose activity other, historical, economical and cultural, was examined at the June conference in The 23 OAU Summit in Addis Ababa, aspects of the problem are erased from Harare, are already making a weighty discussed topical, political and economic the picture or not mentioned at all. This contribution to the implementation of the questions and endorsed a Declaration on practice of the Western media has also af• principles of the New World Inform^ion disamarment and development in Africa fected coverage of the "Bokassa case". Order by spreading truthful positive and a programme of peace efforts on the The newsmen were normally interested in reports about events in the developing continent. These rneetings were held in a sensational details, such as the luxurious countries, specifically, in Africa. The lat• spirit of fruitful cooperation. However, interior of the ex-dictator's hunting ter is particularly important since, as the Western media highlighted the dif• bungalow, where his big friend Valery Mpassi Muba has pointed out, the im• ferences and contradictions that were pre• Giscard B'estaing went on safaris, the perialist agencies prefer not to notice at sent. Claims were made to the effect that story of Bokassa's first and second mar• all the actual successes scored by the Africa had become a breeding ground for riages, how many diamonds he had, etc. young states. terrorism. The political aspects of the tragic Last autumn, when Paris was swept by phenomenon of Bokassism, which had The purposeful activity of progressives a wave of terrorist actions, the Israeli Am• been spawned by imperialism and in Africa in the sphere of cultural bassador to France spoke on the ultimately brought the country to ruin, development providesj real conditions for Europe—1 radio station. He went so far are usually overlooked. Regrettably, this countering cultural imperialism. This as to allege that the decision to take these statement by the eminent African political gives grounds to hope that train crashes, acts had been taken ... at the conference figure Kwame Nkrumah holds true today, epidemics and natural cataclysms will not of the Non-Aligned countries in Harare. too: "Hearing the loud applause of be the determinants in national African This fabrication is all the more morkstrous African viewers at cinemas, when journalism. It will have its own criteria and absurd since Africa itself is frequently Hollywood supermen commit mass for content and quality. The prime pne is a victim of terrorism and provocations, murders against the Indian or Asian is to promote the progress of the African including in the information sphere, population is sufficient to appraise the ef• people. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 31 The MikhaU Gorbachev Era in the USSR By Our Correspondent Perestroika and Qasnost as organisa• stagnant, that changes were needed in the tional concepts in societal renewal party and the economy. But the old and in continuing the Leninist Oc• leadership has a different perception as tober Revolution-lrom the comman• well as many bureaucrats. ding heights of a super power. In attempting to launch the reforms, the Central Committee and the Politburo realised that it could not be done without ikhail M. Gorbachev assumed the restructuring the whole society and the leadership of the CPSU and the party and government. There were SovieM t union as General Secretary of the psychological barriers to change. The par• Central Committee of the Soviet Union's ty had to be re-organised, new laws were leader, he announced that he planned to needed to effect economic reforms. initiate major changes in domestic and foreign policy. He immediately, started At the Party Plenary meeting of April to prepare the Party and the government 1985, the first one presided over by Gor• machineries for the launching of his bachev, the Politburo presented its in• reforms. It became evident that Gor• tended reforms and Gorbachev had four bachev's leadership of the Soviet Union, young leaders elected to the Politburo would herald a new era in the history of which included, Shevardnadze and the CPSU and the Soviet Union. Ryzhkov. An assessment of his leadership and Gorbachev mobilised the Party in _ performance, after two and a half years, preparation for the CPSU 27th Congress Comrade Mikhail Qorbachtv Qsnsral reveals that an internal revolution is now in February-March 1986. The Congress Secretary of the CPSU Central approved the new party programme and Committee. in progress. The impact of Perestroika, party rules. Having realised that old par• Glasnost and Democratisation as ty members were blocking reforms, Gor• Organisational concepts, will have an ef• bachev introduced secret ballot and more psychological compatibility. The trend is fect similar to that of the 1917 October than one candidate at all party and local growing and the country is close to Revolution on international relations. In government elections. The move was ap• achieving self sufficiency in the produc• my view, Gorbachev has an advantage proved by Congress and it enabled the tion of basic food requirements. over V.I. Lenin in carrying out his inter• party to eliminate "dead wood" nal and foreign policy revolution. Lenin democratically. Secret ballot became a There is a new law which allows Soviet was pre-occupied with the need to survive major tool in restructuring the party at companies to enter into joint ventures in view of external intervention and in• the Republican, Regional and District with foreign private or government com• ternal resistance by the capitalist levels. "Dead wood" was also removed panies on mutually beneficial basis. Many landlords, peasants and from all government ministries and Western countries have already entered anti-revolutionaries. organisations! Older people, in their 70's into business with Soviet companies, such Gorbachev is carrying out his revolu• and 80's were retired on pension, mak• as Italy, Finland, the U.K., France and tion from the commanding heights of a ing room for young, reform minded par• the USA. State which is a super power, feared by ty cadres and non-party patriots. Internally, all companies must now its adversaries, respected by the non- Having re-organised personnel in the operate on the basis of self accounting aligned countries. Russians and Soviets party and government, Gorbachev turn• and profit making, if not they will be clos• are no longer the poor peasants they were ed to economic restructuring. At the Par• ed after a two year period. Soviet com• in 1917. Lenin's revolution wiped out ty Plenary meeting of June 1986, new panies may also compete among unemployment, illiteracy, poverty and economic reforms were introduced, the themselves and should earn enough economic dependency. The state has no new law, allowing individual labour money to pay staff salaries and make pro• external or internal debt. The country's business and family business was in• fit. Wage levelling has been abolished, a natural resources are immense, its human troduced and passed by the Party and company which makes more money may resources and its potential are enormous. Parliament. This law identifies 30 trades pay its workers higher salaries. The new Its scientific base is very sound in industry in which an individual, a family or a small policy is "from each according to ability and superior in military technology and number of people can run their own small and, to each according to work done or space science. businesses in which they do not hire performance." Incentive to industrial as The current re-organisation is aimed at labour but do the work themselves. This well as agricultural workers is now the the qualitative improvement of life styles has already,started to show results. In• order. Many individuals or members of and general comfort and at making dividuals now run their own personal collectives may sell their produce in socialism more attractive to the Soviets private taxis, restaurants, shoe repair Moscow and other cities on their open and to the outside world. Success will shops, chess making ^tc. market at marked prices. most likely enhance the status of the The Party's Plenary sessions of Soviet Union as a world power well into Considerable progress has been made January 1987 and June 1987 evaluated the third millennium. During the last 10 in Agriculture where 7 million families progress in restructuring and new years of Brezhnev's leadership some party have been allocated small farms, 4 million economic measures. Loopholes were clos- cadres and leading economists, recognis• families have entered into small . ed and in June 1987, the Party decen• ed that the Soviet economy had become agricultural collectives on the basis of tralised economic management. 32 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 The Economic Ministries were stopped As a result, the Soviet newspapers, film peac^ and disarmament initiatives have from running economic enterprises on a industry, journals, radio broadcasting, been'well timed, well presented and well day to day basis. Plant or industrial TV news have all changed now. They are prepared. The USA and West Europeans managers have more autonomy in manag• more interesting, old, once censured have been forced to react and to appear ing their enterprises; crippling books and films have been released. rather reactionary in political outlook. bureaucracy has been removed because it Newspaper editors are free to publish as In conclusion, it may be stated that the was excessive and stiffling business they see fit without referring to the party Gorbachev era marks a radical change in intiative. or government for clearance. the history of the CPSU and the Soviet The Central Planning Commission is Union. The new reforms have started to now only engaged in long term planning. Method show clear results. The processes of These measures were introduced after In his reforms, Gorbachev follows the Perestroika, glasnost and democratiza• close consultation at all levels and party procedures, he consults trie Polit• tion which are conceptually inter-linked, workers, under glasnost, told Gorbachev buro, the Central Committee, the Coun• are changing the Soviet society. It is only and the Politburo what was wrong with cil of Ministers, the RepubUc hierarchy the beginning now, they have a long way the economy and what they needed so as of the 15 REPUBLICS and the entire par• to go. to improve the entire economy. Like ty structure. He has had to change the law Lenin, Gorbachev travels widely, he and party rules in order to effect major The recent agreement, in principle, bet• listens to the workers and to his economic changes. Only the Congress and Party ween the USA and USSR on the elimina• advisers. He is very close to the common Plenary sessions recommend changes tion of medium and shorter range nuclear people. Every three months he undertakes which only become law after going missiles from Europe is likely to usher a extensive tours to various repubhcs where through the Supreme Soviet. new stage in East-West relationship for he meets party members and workers as He has put together a team of top which Gorbachev may be given credit as well as ordinary people. He set rules to notch advisors, technocrats, scientists^ a realistic actor on the world stage. restYucture the party and the government economists, administrators, policy Gorbachev was on vacation from 24 but there are public apathy after many makers and public relations expefts. Most August to 24 September 1987. On retur• years of excessive bureaucracy. of these are in the Party Secretariat which ning to work he met with a group of does the current work of the Party. Heads public figures from France in the Kremlin Gorbachev had many meetings and of Secretariat departments are elected at on 29 September, then on 30 September discussions with leading opinion makers Party Congress and at Plenary sessions. he went to the Murmansk region, north such as journalists, artists, film directors, The Secretariat consists of advanced party of the arctic circle. At those occasions he entertainers and scholars and writers. He cadres and its department heads usually stated that reforms are beginning to show encouraged them to take advantage of move into the Politburo and its results. In Murmansk he was quoted as glasnost in their professions. He told Secretariat are highly competent, saying that there is a breakthrough and them that they must not be afraid to operating within the framework of a that the country was undergoing a criticize and to take initiative. In 1986 he scientific perspective. It is coherent and "revolution without firing a single shot". met with heads of Social Science Depart• confident. He further stated that the next 18 months ments of leading universities and asked are crucial in this revolution. them why they keep on repeating old The team has been able to implement theories which were 40 years old "why Perestroika, Glasnost and democratiza• There is much more to be done but the don't you come up with new theories and tion and the new economic measures. On mechanism for carrying the radical and new ideas which correspond to our foreign policy, thejimage of the Soviet changes seems to be well prepared and own new situations?" he asked. Union has changed for the better. Soviet ready to see the changes through. Contact Oliver Pawandiwa for all your electrical installations Bright Lights (PVT) LTD 91 Kelyin Rd. South Graniteside, P.O. Box 1547, Harare. Tel: 761190 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 33 I The Aparthy of the Azanian Musician Since time immemorial, music has played a very significant role in the social fabric of society. It reflects a people's culture and in the same breath, provides pleasant recreation. Howewer, music can also be made to bring out different emotions in peo• ple. For example, religious cult leaders have been known to employ music negatively by whipping up emo• tions among their initiates to cow them into total submission. To his benefit, modern man has discovered that music is a powerful medium for airing and amplifying injustices perpetrated by man against his fellow human being. Thus, in a society where gross injustice, exploitation, and oppression are rampant, cons• cientious musicians can use their lyrics to awaken the world communi• ty to these evils. Where there is a revolutionary struggle being waged, musicians can compliment the ef• forts of the patriotic fighting forces. look at the situation in South Africa. is their contribution to their own In their songs, they can use moving The downtrodden but courageous situation? Daily, their music blares in lyrics designed to arouse the emo• masses of that country have over the our radios. Judging by the gay lyrics tions of their compatriots and also to years increasingly demonstrated they dish out one would be excused highlight their plight to the interna• their preparedness to die in their to view their country as a land of bliss tional community. quest to end the inhuman practice of and tranquility. Are they politically apartheid. Popular power has erupted naive or is it a question of financiaU Zimbabwe's liberation war pro• in the streets, schools, mines and greed? vides a glowing example of this ghettoes which has subsequently patriotic co-operation. The Rhode- created a new situation in that troubl• A little while ago, the racist regime sian March 3 Accord attempted to ed society. At the moment, the Boers sponsored a much publicised music hoodwink the populace into believing are still reeling from the effects of the extravaganza billed as "The Music for that internal parties would deliver ge• country's worst and costliest miners' Peace Show". It was supposed to nuine majority rule and stop the war. strike. This popular patriotic alliance portray South Africans pf all races co• Although most of the population re• is supplementing the noble efforts of existing in racial harmony. Popular mained resolutely sympathetic to the the liberation movements' objective black and white artistes were invited Patriotic Front, there were some to spur on the struggle to greater to participate and perform together, misguided people, especially urban heights. Amidst ail this patriotic ac' it being the sham it really was. it dwellers, who responded favourably tivity, just where do the Azanian came as a big shock when Steve to this flagrant deceit. Local musi• musicians stand? It is dismaying to Kekana, Abigail Kubheka, Babsy cians clearly saw through this notice the glaring apathy, shown by came as a big shock when Steve transparent con-trick and resolved to these black artists in regard to the Kekana, Abigail Kubheka, Babsy educate the misled through their situation in their country. Are they in• Miangeni, Al Eto, Lionel Peterson and music. With surprising cohesion, ar• sensitive to the everyday brutality other popular black musicians AC• tists like Thomas Mapfumo, Zexie around them or are they just plain TUALLY participated! Everybody Manatsa, Oliver Mtukudzi, Tineyi scared to jump on the patriotic band• knew the show was undertaken to Chikupo and a host of others laced wagon? The notorious regime's boost the regime's shattered image their lyrics with overt political over• atrocities have earned it global con• abroad. What really was the rationale tones and therefore supplemented demnation, prompting .musicians behind these musicians' participa• the efforts of the fighters in the bush. woridwide, including Zimbabweans, tion in the regime's attempts to hood• As a result, the revolutionary spirit to sing about the apartheid evil. wink the world? Blacks largely swept like wildfire throughout the na• Nigerian super star Sonny Okosun boycotted this fiasco and Kekana's tion. Being a leading exponent of this contributed with his mammoth hit, posh suburban house was bombed patriotic exercise, Mapfumo was de• "Fire in Soweto". Peter Tosh, Bob by enraged patriots. He barely tained for sortie months while his col• Mariey, Harry Belafonte and many escaped with his life to the leagues were daily harassed. Un• others have and are still doing their Boputhatswana bantustan. Do these daunted, Zimbabwean musicians bit to highlight the plight of South musicians use the banner of the peo• maintained the trend until genuine in• Africa's blacks. These are foreign ple's struggle to further their own dependence was achievedjn 1980. musicians. What are the Azanian aims? When popular songbird Miriam musicians themselves doing? What Makeba left South Africa's shores to With this in mind, it is pertinent to ,34 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 Music played a major role in the Chlmurenga Liberation Struggle seek greener pastures in the United States, she was all patriotic. She even addressed a Uniteid Nations session on apartheid. She has since gained international fame and fortune but sadly, has become apathetic, to the cause. Exiles Caiphas Semenya, Let- ta Mbulu and Hugh Masekela got together with other Azanian exiled musicians to stage their BUWA shows in Harare. They invited Makeba to participate but she declin• ed, ostensibly because .of over• Yvonne Chalca- whelming work commitments. But it chaka — where do was surprising to see her perform in Azanian musicians Harare, barely a month later, yyith stand? Paul Simon's controversial Gracelands Tour. What had sudden• ly happened to her commitments? Anyway, Simon made it quite clear that he payed real big money for the Graceiands musicians' services. Was it the lure of BIG money? On this tour was also Saul Tshabalala's Ladysmith Black Mambazo. There is evidence that this group performed for the reactionary Jonas Savimbi's UNITA bandits in northern Namibia. There are also strong indications that this group has ties with puppet chief Buthelezi's INKHATHA movement. As.stated earlier, music can be a should emulate what Johnny Glegg ty of the popular black leaders like powerful medium for protest. Aza• has done. A South African popular Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and nian musicians should use this musician, Clegg and his.band Savuka others. Very commendable indeed available facility to protest against have produced a sorrowful song, "Asi but the irony of it is Johnny Clegg is this establishment, not to collaborate Mbonanga" (We don't see youno t a black man but a BLUE with it for the sake of money. They anymore), lamenting the unavailabili• EYED/WHITE SOUTH AFRICAN!!!! ZirABABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 35 Communique of the Executive Co Hill ittee bf the Palestine Liberation Organisation The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation held a series of meetings in Tunis between 18 - 20 August 1987. It discussed a number of important issues related to the life of our Arab Palestinian people and their national cause. It discussed as well, the current developments related to the Palestinian and Arab situa• tion on both Arab and International levels. The Executive Committee paid special and great attention to the conditions of the Palestinian Refugee Camps in Beirut and Southern Lebanon and to the sufferings of these Refugee Camps, especially in Shatila, Burj Al-Barajneh and Rashidiyeh, due to the continuation of siege, destruction, hunger and killing, accompanied by the continuation of the naval blockade and the Israeli air and naval raids against our Refugee Camps and people and against the Lebanese villages in the South of Lebanon. The Executive Committee has, as well, studied the current attempts to uproot our people from their Refugee Camps and to expell them outside Lebanon. he Executive Committee calls and the total popular commmitment to upon the Arab Governments and the Palestine Liberation Organisation in- Leaders to interfere to put an end the occupied territories, as well as carry• tTo this human tragedy which represents ing out the Autonomy Plan plot. shame in the history of our Arab nation. The Executive Committee while con• The Executive Committee calls as well, demning, in particular, the step made by upon the Arab masses, their Parties and the Zionist occupation authorities in National Forces to take action and ex• decreasing the patent of the Arab press their position of Solidarity with Jerusalem Electricity Company, which these heroic Refugee Camps which aims at its liquidation, and declares its ab• In this regard, the Executive Commit• declared an open strike in order to raise solute rejection of this decision and ex• tee underHned the importance of conven• the siege. presses its solidarity and stand on the side ing the P^rab Summit Conference to of the workers and employees of this realize Arab Solidarity to confronjt the The Executive Committee calls upon company, salutes their courageous na• challenges and the dangers to which the the International Organisations, Friends, tional position and the courageous stand Arab nation is exposed to in more than Human Rights Organisations and of our peqple on the side of their sons, one region in our great Arab homeland. Solidarity Organisations in the world, to the workers and employees of the The Iran-Iraq war and the threats and practice their humanitarian role in company. dangers to which the Arab land is expos- , decreasing the suffering of the Palestinian ed to in that area, were among the issues people. The Executive Committee while wat• of concern of the Executive Committee. ching all the developments in the occupied In this regard, it reaffirmed its constant On the basis of Syria's fundamental homeland and while working on confron• position of condemnation of the con• security, political and military respon• ting them with all measures, expresses its tinuation of this destructive war, of re• sibilities in West Beirut and the Refugee great pride in the steadfa^tnes of our jecting, of agression against any Arab Camps areas, we call upon her to work heroic people in their Refugee Camps, land or the occupation of any part on lifting the military siege and food Towns, Villages, Universities, Institutions thereof, of supporting Security Council blockade against these Refugee Camps, and Schools and in the escalation of the Resolution of the necessity for an im• especially the steadfast Shatila Camp, forms of their struggle through the mediate end to this war, of withdrawing whose inhabitants are suffering from magnificent popular uprisings which con• the warring forces to the international hunger, thirst, spread of contagious firm their adherence to their land and borders of both Iran and Iraq and of the diseases, lack of medicine and prohibiting their heroic defence of it. It pledges them sitting around the negotiating table to them from reconstructing their Refugee to continue the struggle and Jihad for the solve the conflict by peaceful means. It Camp where 90 percent of its houses were liberation of the homeland and the has as well, appreciated the acceptence by destroyed. Arab history will never forgive establishment of our Independent Palesti• Iraq of all the initiatives to end this war. those who are sharing with "Israel" the nian State with Holy Jerusalem as its task of annihilating the Palestinian peo• capital. The Executive tommittee, while con• ple. They will face a severe judgement by The Executive Committee studied the demning the Foreign threats to which the our generations. Palestinian-Arab relations and underlin• - countries of the Arab Gulf area are ex• The Executive Committee has discuss• ed the continuation of work in this field posed to, especially fraternal Kuwait, ex• ed as well, the conditions in the occupied in order to achieve a united Arab posi• presses its solidarity with these States and homeland and the escalation of the opera• tion ok the basis of the commitment to its stand on their side. tions of oppression and repression against the constants of the Palestinian struggle The Executive Committee noted the our militant steadfast people and their na• represented in the right to return, to self- consequences of the continuation of ten• tional institutions. As well as the escala• determination and to establish the Na• sion in the Gulf area, resulting froifi the tion of dubious attempts made by the tional Independent Palestinian State, as continuation of the war, such as the in• Zionist occupation authorities in col• well as the adherence to the Palestine creasing of the American military laboration with some known Arab Liberation Organisation as the sole presence in the area, which opens the Regimes with the aim of defeating the na• legitimate Representative of our people in door to the return of the Foreign military tional steadfastness of our heiroic masses all fora and fields. bases to the Arab land. 36 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 The Executive Committee, while con- On the International level, ^he Ex• The Executive Committee expressed its den^ning the American Military ecutive Committee confirmed the con• military solidarity with the struggle of the Movements in the Gulf area and the tinuation of work to convene the Inter• peoples of Namibia and South Africa for Mediterranean, draws the attention to the national Conference with full mandatory their national liberation. It expressed as dangers that these Movements pose to our powers to realize peace in the Middle well, the support for the African^Front- nation and the independence of its East, in which the five Permanent line States against the aggressions of the peoples. It calls for putting an end to Member States in the Security Council racist Pretoria Regime, which is allied these Movements, the withdrawal of the participate as well as the parties of the with American Imperialism and Interna• fleets and the quenching of the hot beds conflict in the Middle East, including the tional Zionism. of tension which form a pretext to such Palestine Liberation Organisation, the interferences. sole legitimate Representative of our Palestinian people, and on the basis of the Regarding the painful events which realization of the inalienable national took place during the Hajj season in Mec• rights of our people, including their right Steadfast masses of our people in our ca Al-Mukkarrama and the desecration to return, to self-determination and to heroic Refugee Camps, of Al-Baitu Al-Haram (The Holy Shrine) establish their national independent State. Steadfast masses of our people in our during the Hajj season, the Executive beloved land. Committee while deploring and regretting Regarding the Palestinian-International Our heroes in the different positions of these events and expressing its sorrow for relations, the Executive Committee ex• pressed its great appreciation for the posi- struggle inside and outside our occupied the loss of innocent victims, calls to spare tionsyof the friendly Soviet Union and the lahd, in the future the Holy Shrine and all the countries of the socialist community and Our prisoners ^nd detained in the prisons Holy places such desecration, and to keep the People's Republic of China, in sup• and detention centres. them out of differences, so that the Holy port of the Palestine Liberation Organisa• Our people everywhere, Shrine and the places of worship remain tion and the just struggle of the Palesti• secure for the believers. nian people. We call upon you to be patient, persis• tent, steadfast and persevere, The Executive Committee has as well, We have an appointment at dawn "Let there be no obscenity, appreciated the stands of support and We have an appointment with victory Nor wickedness, solidarity with the Palestinian people and We will meet together in Al-Quds Nor wrangling, their just cause, adopted by the States of Assharif the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Victory is definite In the Hajj" States, the Islamic States and the friend• The dawn will break. Sadaka Allahu Ai-Ajhim ly States. Reagan Insists on War — Central Americans De• mand Peace The Guatemala Peace Accord of he US Government however has August 7, 1987 has brought into chosen to ignore the wishes of the greater focus the antagonistic cur• T Central American Presidents, as rents converging in the Central well as the appeals from the international American region. One current is the community. The House of Represen• US militaristic policy bent on tatives recently approved 3,5 million perpetuating war, destruction and dollars more for^the terrorist contras and death. The other, originating in Latin the Administration has announced it will America calls for peace through request an additional 270 million to negotiations and is supported by the finance the activities of these bandits, vast majority of countries of the operating from Honduran territory world, particularly the Non-Aligned against innocent civilians inside Movement whose position was sum• Nicaragua. These actions kre clear indica• marized as follows, by the Foreign tion of US determination to sabotage the Minister Witness Mangwende upon Peace Accord, which states that all aid to arrival in Managua as the head of a bandits must end and that governments special Non-Aligned Delegation: of the region must ensure that their ter• "The Non-Aligned Movement sup• ritories not be used to launch aggression ports the Guatemala Accord signed against their neighbours. Cde. Francisco Campbell, NIcaraguan by the Presidents of Central America The US onslaught notwithstariding, the Ambassador to Zimbabwe . . . and reaffirms its solidarity with Government of Nicaragua is committed Nicaragua. We come to join our to the search for peace and has under• working constructive and systematically voices and efforts to the initiatives taken to implement the steps called for towards peace in the region. The interna• undertaken to achieve peace in the in the Accord. Together with the other tional community can contribute greatly region." Central American countries, Nicaragua is towards this goal by intensifying their de- ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 37 ndand that the US suspend alt forms of More than 17 Regional Peace Com- , response to aggresion against aggression against Nicaragua, support the missions have been established in Nicaragua by US supported contra Guatemala Peace Accord and, in so do• border areas and 29 organized in bandits. This measure includes lifting ing, respect the fundamental rights of Zelaya province on the East Cost of of the ban oh "La Prensa" newspaper Nicaragua. These Commissions in• and "Catholic Radio". Central Americans to live in peace. clude representatives of political, religious and other sectors and are in• Steps Taken by the tended to facilitate the return of 6 Announcement of a unilateral cease counterrevolutionaries under the fire as follows: Government of Amnesty Decree. a) Suspension for a period of time of Nicaragua to Comply all military operations in zones to with the Guatemala be determined by the government. 2 Decision to allow Bishop Pablo A. b) Troops of the Sandinista Popular Peace Accord Vega and Monsignor Bismark Car- Army will be concentrated in 1 Formation of the National Reconcilia• ballo to return to the country. specific areas of the designated tion tommission. zones. The Commssion is headed by Cardinal Both were barred from the country c) These above steps are intended to Miguel Obando y Bravo representing in June 1986, because of their involve• create favourable conditions to the church, Vice-President Sergio ment in support of counterrevolu• allow representatives of the Na• Ramirez representing the government, tionary activities. tional Reconciliation Commission Mr. Mauricio Diaz representing op• 3 A National dialogue to begin 5 Oc• and/or the Peace Commission, to position political parties and Mr. tober between the government, legal• explain to the people and to the Gustavo Parajon, Executive Director ly organized political parties and in• counterrevolutionary forces the of the Evangelical Committee tor ternal opposition groups. contents of the Guatemala Accord. Developmem (CEPAD). 4 Pardon of 16 Central Americans con• d) The presence of representatives of victed for involvement in activities the National Reconciliation Com• The National Reconciliation Com• against the Nicaraguan state. Includ• mission and/or Peace Commis• mission is charged with veryfying im• ed were citizens of Guatemala, Hon• sions in these territories, will allow plementation of a cease fire, genera! duras, Panama, Costa Rica and El the possibility of exploring the will• amnesty, democratization, free elec• Salvador. ingness of counterrevolutionary tions within the framework of existing 5 Lifting of all restrictions on the press, leaders to accept the cease fire and Constitutions and respect for civil and which were imposed as part of the if so, agree on procedures for its political rights of all citizens. State of Emergency declared in extension. Peace Pipe or War Path? Without waiting for November 7, the target date set by the Guatemalan agree• ment of tiie rive presidents, the Sandinists have begun its implementation. Nicaragua was the first to set up a na• tional reconciliation commission made up of the Republic's Vice-President Sergio Ramirez, General Secretary of the Peo• ple's Social Christian Party Mauricio Diaz,, independent public figure Gustavo Parajon and their four deputies. Cardinal Obando-y-Bravo was appointed, by government decree. Chairman of the Commission. The commission will monitor the im• plementation of the Guatemala agree• ment, which provides for a ceasefire, the holding of free elections, the strict obser• vance of guaranteed political and civil liberties, and an amnesty. President oi Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and Republlcan Senator Robert Dole, leader o( a group of U.S. Congretimen who visited Managua. At a press conference immediately after TASS photo the penultimate meeting of the commis• government of Nicaragua has invited the tion newspaper La Prensa. The sion, Vice-President Sergio Ramirez an• leaders of the opposition parties to take Nicaraguan authorities have taken a deci• nounced that the government intended part in the national dialogue (started on sion to half the military operations of the gradually to implement the Guatemala October 5) to' facilitate the process of Sandinist People's Army against the con• agreement in advance of November 7, the democratizationv The government has tra groups in some parts of the country. date the commitments made by the Cen• lifted the ban on the operation of Radio What was the response on the part of tral American states came into force. The Catolica as well as on that of the opposi- the contras and their patrons? The leaders 38 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 of the armed counter-revolution issued a, their own resources, enjoying authority aid before the current fiscal year expires. statement in the capital of Honduras that and recognition both at home and Recently, US Secretary of State George they would agree to a ceasefire provided abroad. Shultz and subsequently President it was the result of direct negotiations bet- ^ The government of Costa Rica has also Reagan announced that the White House ween themselves and the Sandinists. announced plans to set up a/national intended to ask Congress for an alloca• Siding with this demand, President reconciliation commission, even though tion of 270 million dollars for the armed Reagan said that no one would accept a Costa Rica is free of internal conflict. Somoza bands. Sandinist unilateral ceasefire. Honduras is the only country in the It is significant that new allocations for In return for abiding by the accords region whose government has decided not the Somozists planned by the US ad• stipulated by the Guatemala agreement, to establish such a commission. ministration are to be phased over a the government of Nicaragua is deman• An important factor for a settlement period of 18 months. In other words, if ding a simultaneous cut-off of US aid to in Central America is the massive support the present administration gets the'bill the contras, their withdrawal from Hon• of the Guatemala agreement by Latin through Congress, the contras will be duras and their agreement to the terms of American countries. At their meeting in receiving US aid even after a hkely the amnesty. Caracas the representatives of the Con- replacement of the White House This issue has been dominating the tadora group, the Support group and the incunibent. Nicaraguan press. There is a law in Central Americai^ countries formed an in• Meanwhile the House of Represen• Nicaragua according to which persons in• ternational commission to monitor the tatives voted for the allocation of 3,5 volved in counter-revolutionary activities implementation of the Guatemala ac• million dollars to the Nicaraguan contras may, upon surrendering arms, resume cords. Its members, the deputy foreign for "humanitarian purposes." normal life without losing political and ministers of the Contadora group have civil rights. This law does not apply to held a joint session in Managua with At Augusto C. Sandino international those taken prisoner during battle or ar• members of the Executive Commission airport, I had an opportunity to ask rested by the security forces for terrorist made up of the foreign ministers of the Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega a offences. five Central American states whose question. presidents have signed the Guatemala "Comandante Ortega, what do you The governments of Guatemala and El accords. think about the White House intention to Salvador have also set up national recon• • earmark more than 270 million dollars for ciliation commissions. The Farabundo "Peace has been signed, but the US aid to the contras?" Marti National Liberation Front and the war against Nicaragua continues," Revolutionary Democratic Front of El Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega said. "The intention of the Reagan ad• Salvador have once again spoken in sup• "The implementation of the agreement ministration to ask Congress for more port of constructive negotiations to stop between the five pffesidents constantly financial support for the Somozists is a the bloodshed in that country. But the comes up against Washington's stubborn blatant provocation and an attempt to Duarte regime is creating artificial resistance. In spite of the fact that the sabotage the Guatemala agreement," obstacles in the way of a peaceful settle- White House 'welcomed' — lip-deep — replied the Nicaraguan leader. \, by demanding that the insurgents the results of the meeting in Guatemala, "Washingjton's actions mean that it re• surrender arms before the negotiations once the meeting was over, the State jects the sovereign decisions jointly begin. However, the leaders of the Na• Department called in the US ambassadors adopted by the governments of the Cen• tional Liberation Front — the Revolu• in the Central American countries and, tral American states, and amount to open tionary democratic front assert that "a according to a Wall Street Journal report, contempt for their right to self- Nicaraguan solution" cannot be applied pointed out that US interests in the region determination and independence. in El Salvador. Nicaragua is confronting are more important than any agreements. "The Nicaraguan government will con• US aggression. In their opinion, the situa- The United States is obviously impa• tinue to expose the US conspiracy against tionrin El Salvador is different. The con• tient to provide the Nicaraguan counter• the cause of peace in Central America. At flict here is rooted in social and economic revolutionaries with maximum military the same time, we intend t,o work hard for injustice, the system of oppression, and the implementation of the Guatemala ac• in repressive authorities. The National cords and carry out measures conducive Liberation Front — the Revolutionary to the achievement of this goal. We hope Democratic Front operate exclusively the countries of the region will do within their own country, relying only on likewise," the President emphasized. Salvadorian People Fight On In El Salvador, the struggle being ried out military actions in San The armed guerillas sought to deal waged by the patriotic armed forces Vicente, Chalatenango and Cabanas a heavy blow at the reactionary and people against pro-US dictator• departments. Duarte government by road- blockading campaigns. ship is daily growing. In these actions about 100 enemy Last year witnessed many military officers and soldiers were killed or operations, which resulted in killing wounded. Amidst the battles the unity of or wounding the reactionary govern• patriotic armed guerillas is being ment troops numbering as many as Attacks were launched on the strengthened and their ranks are 7100. enemy military bases to put an ar• closed. On May 6, the units under the tillery company out of action and Farabundo Marti National Liberation destroy or capture numerous The armed struggle in El Salvador Front of El Salvador successfully car• weapons and other combat material. is being joined by the people. ^ ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 39 Active actions in protest against Protests against the government In retaliation for this, they have the antisocial policy of the govern• are voiced even by the top circles of reinforced a panoply of repression ment are reported to take place in all the right-wing National Republic against the peaceful inhabitants. The parts of the country including its Union. "The Duarte government is im• government troops are set in motion capital city. potent and has corrupted, so it to kill the innocent people randomly. After the foundation of theshoul d be replaced by a democratic More than 60 000 people were killed one" — this slogan is often heard Salvadorian Workers' Federation in and 5 000 were reported as missing among them. last February, the working-class in the past five years. movement began to be activated. Rejected domestically and interna• No harsh suppressive measures Last year, 150 strikes broke out, in• tionally, the Duarte clique are making taken by the Duarte clique who are volving workers and office desperate efforts to save their backed by the US imperialists, employees of the state institutions crumbling ruling system. however, can stop a strong wave of and factories. The government troops are sent anti-government activism of the More and more people take to almost everyday to "punitive expedi• Salvadorian people. streets, demanding an end to police tions" against the patriotic armed Kim Gyong Hul violence against the peace-seeking forces. But they have had to run the inhabitants, price cuts and human gauntlet of the patriotic guerillas. rights. Consumer Advice By Kindness Paradza of the Consumer Council Safeguarding the health and safe• This is because, the developed and wastes. ty of consumers against the prolifera• countries have banned or restricted In the case of food, the Council feels tion of hazardous products is a mat• the use of many unsafe products e.g. that comprehensive laws are needed ter that has special significance to pesticides, but they continue to ex• to control such gross adulteration as every consumer movement. port these compounds to Africa, the watering of milk, the use of It is more significant because it Latin America, Asia and other vegetable fat in products supposed often involves some manufacturers developing countries, where they are to consist of pure butter fat and the and individuals who blatantly put pro• sprayed on edible crops or fumigated addition of colour flavours and fits before people — a situation that on grains and fruits. preservatives to make stale, decayed foods appear fresh or of good quali• has allowed and even encouraged However, when it comes to food, ty. In this country, many cases of this those manufacturers to flood the our organisation feels th&t every na• nature have gone unreported in the marketplace with sometimes a host tion needs an effective food control rural areas where i^ is a common a lethal, substandard and misleading- service to promote a safe and honest• practice to keep cooked, ly labelled products. ly presented food supply aid to pro• unrefrigerated food for long periods tect consumers against foods which Just a few years ago, the Con• of time. sumer Council released an interna• are contaminated, decomposed or tional danger list of harmful products adulterated and which are deceptive• However, another area of national which have been banned, withdrawn ly packed or labelled. concern is that of pesticides. Pesticides in general are used to con• or restricted in Industrialised and It is behind this background trol the tremendous losses caused by developing countries. The list, which therefore that lOCU established an rodents, insects and other pests was prepared by the International early warning system known as "Con• while the food is being cultivated and Organisation of Consumer Unions sumer Interpol", The objectives of also during storage. We feel that con• (lOCU), headquartered in the Consumer Interpol are: Netherlands, included wide range of trol of residues on the ready to eat is • to facilitate the exchange of infor• therefore very important for foods. drugs, pesticides, food products, mation on newly discovered or cosmetics, eletrical appliances, newly regulated hazards; For example, the controversial tools, toys and baby care items. This • to focus attention on generic safe• pesticide DDT, was banned In many list also showed brands and their ty problems, like lead in the en• countries including Zimbabwe, the manufacturers the hazards involved vironment or the misuse of use of DDT as a pesticide in the and the extent of the international antibiotics; agncultural sector was stopped in restrictions. • to help consumer and other public this country in 1985 because it was The aim of the list was to help interest groups, especially those seen to be a health hazard. Today developing countries lik«! Zimbabwe in the Third World, combat cor• DDT is only restricted in the tsetse in monitoring the dumping of stocks porate dumping and; and malaria control or unless there is in the Third World of products • to support national and interna• an outbreak of pests. And those in• restricted or outlined as dangerous tional initiatives to control trade in dividuals or companies, (apart from in their country of origin. hazardous products, technologies government agencies), found using AO ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 19^ DDT will be prosecuted. area we are fortunate because we products, including test results have the Drug Control Council, the and side effects, even though this However, the Consumer Council Government Analyst Laboratory as may mean giving away trade believes that whatever measures are well ks the Standards Association oT secrets. or have been adopted, but we feel Zimbabwe. These Institutions have • labelling on exported goods which that those products which are too un• done a great deal in this country by is in the local language and carries safe to be sold to consumers in one ensuring that our country is not to be clear information about the use country are also unsafe for con• a dumping ground of the unwanted and dangers of the product. sumers In other countries. We also Western products. Every newly • the withdrawal of unnecessary believe that one way of preventing manufactured drug, chemical or food dangerous chemicals from Third unsafe products to be sold on the entering Zimbabwe or locally world markets. On the other hand, market is to stop manufacturing manufactured has to be tested before we have noticed that the tempta• them. it is sold on the market. tion to dump unsafe products in As people always say prevention is the Third World is high because; For example, the Standards better than cure, so we urge the • there are few or no controls over Association of Zimbabwe has tested policy makers to establish more testing or registration of imports; and approved many products which strict import and export control pro• • there are few or no obligations to are on the market today; Those pro• grammes for hazardous substances print appropriate warnings or ad• ducts • tested. usually carry the such that there should be no distinc• vice on the labels; Association's standard mark. tion between domestic and foreign • there are few or no restrictions of consumers that is if a hazardous Consumers are therefore advised supply, which might ensure substances like, drugs, food or other to look for products which have this responsible control through safe chemicals are banned, disapproved mark. Food manufacturing com• outlets. or restricted in any one country, it panies should also send their pro• Because pesticides, drugs and in• should not find its way in other coun• ducts for testing on regular basis in- dustrial chemicals are all chemical tries where there are no tight order to keep high quality standard. products, the Council believes that controls. because of their toxicity, they are As a consumer organisation, we among the most dangerous products tn Zimbabwe, the use of dangerous feel that Third World governments that can be off — loaded onto un• products is a national concern and should press the Western countries suspecting consumers. that national products safety stan• for: • access to information about their dards should be developed. In this POETRY "Don't Write Them Off" "On anti-terrorist ops," the government said. Third-world Countries, in Africa we are, And at breakfast-time, the sliipmers of tomorrow read. Stretching our continent, a mighty scar. Their daily newspapers, and, immediately concluded. Embedded deeply, within each one of us, That they had been, well and truly deluded. And which Countries abroad, hpnestly give a cuss. Into parting with their money, and, all for what, For a waste of time, and, all for naught. We've famine and war, and, thousands die. But, how many folk stop, to wonder why. Two little boys, lie side by side. Our babies sit on the dusty ground. Dead to this world, their eyes staring wide, With bloated bellies, and hardly a sound. Wizzened'little bodies, aged before their time. And all for what, — the fearful crime, — With sunken eyes, and protruding bones. An infant dies, and a mother moans, Of being born into this world, in the midst of a drought. Two boys left, perhaps the next day. They could never have known, what it was all about, For she knows in her heart, they'll go the same way. Dehydrated from dysentery, their pitiful cries, Had echoed through the camp, as they faced their demise. Weakened by hunger, she can scarcely walk, She looks at her children, unable to talk. A mother that was, sits on the ground alone, For she's no words of comfort, for her two little boys. Grief etched into her face, like a carved-out stone. Who cry unconsoled, and it's not for broken toys. While in the United Nations, they hold a debate. As they adjourn from lunch, what about the fate. But for their bodies, being wracked by starvation. With the prospect of death, as their only salvation, Of those helpless little children, who are suffering and There's no meaningful words, for such a fate, dying. For the three of her children, it's all too late. Does it matter which, of those governments are lying, Don't write them off, don't make them pay. The stench of death, permeates the air. For a fooHshness of a government, in which they hadn't a While in the cgmp, helpless victims stare. say. Uncomprehending in their deadly plight. So, who is wrong, and, who is right. "The Summit of Reyjavik" An aircraft, high in the African sky, It's not just the bombs, but S.D.I., Didn't land at the camp, but went right on by, ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 41 And people the world over, are asking why, In trying to find excuses, for their antics, The Americans and the Russians, cannot agree, But there's no excuse, for a world under threat, To eliminate a danger, so plain to see. Of total extinction, by politicians inept. They flew into Reyjavik, to discuss the issue, At the task of creating, peace and stability. But lots of words and actions few, And ridding the world, of senseless hostility, Are what came out of this "historical" meeting, There's no room in these negotiations, for the threat of With time alas, that's all too fleeting. blackmail, Because this is a task, in which neither of you must fail. Each man to his Country, has returned. But the approval of the masses, neither has earned. So Mikhail and Ronald, get back to the table. As each on television, outlines his case, And prove to the world, that you are truly able. It's obvious that neither side, wants to lose face. To act as statesmen, and to bring some sanity. Into these discussions, — you owe it to humanity. — So now, they've entered, the realms of semantics. Answers to Quiz No. 3 Volume 18, No 17 2nd Prize of $10,00 Tendai Bangure Room No 44 1. Zimbabwe African Nationai Union. MARONDERA. 2. Any four of the following: Comrade Leopold T. Takawira, Comrade Rekai 3rd Prize of $5,00 James D. Gutsa Tangwena, Comrade Jaison Moyo, Comrade Chaminuka District Council Robson ly^Janyika, Comrade Herbert Chitepo, P.O. , Madziwa Comrade Josiah Klagama Tongogara, Comrade BIN DURA. Simon Mazorodze, Comrade Josiah Chinamano, Comrade Masocha Ndiovu and Comrade T.Q. Siiundika. 3. Comrade O.N.E. Mutasa. QUIZ NO 5 4. Department of Administration. 5. 21 years. 1. What is the name of the ruling Party of 6. Comrade Julius Nyerere. Mozambique? 7. Gweru, May 1964. 2. Who is the Secretary for National Security and 8. Comrade Sally Mugabe. Deferice? 9. 88 people. 3. "It is our wish and will to Manufacture meterial 10. Any four of the following; needed ^y our Defence Forces." Who said a) Sally Mugabe b) Comrade Teurai Ropa Mujuru these words? c) Naomi Nhlwatiwa d) Comrade Sabina 4. Who is the Mozambican Ambassador to Mugabe Zimbabwe? e) Comrade Victoria Chite^o f) Comrade Julia 5. Who is the current Chairman of the Non-Aligned Zvobgo. Movement? 6. Which Department of the Party does Comrade WINNERS Tsungirai Mutambanengwe head? 7. How long had a recently released prominent I8t Prize of $20,00 Comrade Patricia Ngorima member of the ANC been jailed by the Botha 124 ULC Area 13 Regime. What is his, name? Danganfivura 8. Who is the Prime Minister of Tanzania? MUTARE. 9. When was Mbuya Nehanda tried? 10. Name any six Deputy members of the Politburo. iiJ^T*' ii5<>h >">C>* *C>J^ <''5<7* '•'^yi^ *'^>& '•'•'< 7* *C7* ?'5<>^' ^TT* ''^O*'* &Q ©9 G=y *><>5( vj<>S! i><>i< vK^y >K>V '•JOy ^i 42 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1967 (Continued from page 9) ty replaces the other in government. There constraints of circumstances rather than the Youth League: is the principal is a tendency for the presentation of poor the positive influence of party ideology. organ of the Youth League respon• quality concocted while the party is in op• sible for the implementation of the position during which it is in felative ig• policies of the Party and the ad• norance of future circumstances, reac• ' Are Multi-Parties ministration of the affairs of the tions of the civil senvice and major interest Necessary? Youth League. It consists of 11 groups in the world. An important question therefore arises: members of the Youth League. are multi-parties necessary? Are they not The main Wing, Women's League and Do Parties Make a misleading and a waste of leadership Youth League each have 9 regional Pro• resources? When the leadership of any vinces made up of all districts in that Pro• Difference? country works together for the common vince; each district is made up of 10 bran• The essence of the conventional defence good, that country, becomes a better ches or 5 000 members; each branch is of the two party system is that at elections place to Uve in. The leadership of the of• made up of 10 cells (urban) or 10 villages voters have the opportunity to choose bet• ficial opposition in any political system (rural) or 500 members; and each cell or ween different sets of issues and policies can easily be absorbed into a one party village is made up of 10 households or 50 and that because of the concentration of state. This had been the case in Zambia members. power enibodied in parliamentary since that country became a one-party sovereignty and single party government, state. In the event of the estabUshment of a they may hold the government accoun• one-party state in Zimbabwe there will be table at the next election. Electoral studies Quite interesting developments have country wide participation, in the Party, have shown that voting decisions are emerged in Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya by all members of the community, at the largely determii\ed by policy considera• in the appreciatiori of the one-party state. Cell or Village level right up to the Peo• tions, the party's record, competence of In the past, general elections used to be ple's Congress. The Party will direct the leadership and tradition rather than a frightening experience and occassionally government because the Party, not the specific issues in the party manifesto. The led to deaths due to violence during the government provides the poUcy which question has to be asked; do the different campaigns. Only one candidate per con• emanates from the people. It has their party manifestos make any difference as stituency was put foward by each com• support and loyalty which ties them to the to how the government is going to be run? peting party. Now, and in theory, the par• state. The Party integrates the nation by ty can put foward as many candidates as a method that maximizes the opportuni• Analyses of manifestos show that there are wilUng to stand for election in any one ty of every citizen to participate, on a are no clear differences between the two constituency. Since the establishment of regular and meaningful basis, in the British parties on many policies. So the a one-party state in Zambia, elections are decision-making process. The notion that replacement of one party by another in peaceful. In both Kenya and Zambia the opposition may have its chance next government will not have much former members of other parties took im• difference. portant positions in the one-party. The time does not apply because the minori• issue during elections is who is most ty will be so small that it may never have The point about the limits of the multi• capable to represent the interests of the a chance to form a government. party government may be made more em• people as spelt out in policies formulated From the above structure and method phatically if we turn to the economy. The during the party congress. Those who are of organisation it can be seen that the party's manifesto promises have increas• elected to Parliament work within the one desire is to mobilise the whole nation in• ingly dealt with economic matters — in• party state system to achieve the objec• to a political awareness that had never oc• flation, growth, unemployment and pro• tives set out at congress. - curred before. It is nonsense to say that sperity. What is striking is how little there such an organisation is communist. On is of a consistent pattern. An analysis by Whether or not the British political the contrary, the organisation is African Richard Rose, a political scientist, in "Do system should be adapted to a one party and serves our interests best. It brings for• Parties make a Difference?" shows how state iS: a consideration for the British ward into the modern era our political the growth in public expenditure hardly which requires their careful study and culture and tradition. Indeed communist correlates with changes in party control thought. parties organise themselves in this man• of government since 1945. If we turn to It would not be based on the ner, but it would be ridiculous to claim other macro-economic indicators, such as peculiarities of different African one par• that they are African. the size of the public sector deficit, rates of inflation, levels of unemployment and ty states or African cultures and tradi• The adversary nature of the two party minimum lending rate, there has been a tions. It would not be identical with that system, combined with the all or nothing secular rise in each, over time, regardless in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. nature of the single party government of party programmes or policies. The lack By the same token African political breeds excessive partisanship and en• of variation of these indicators according systems are a feature which should be courages parties to be irresponsible when to party policy or influence argues for the understood in their contexts. They pro• they are in opposition. It also produces vide well for African culture and abrupt reversals of policy when one par• tradition. ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 43 LGreat Socialist October Revolution iThe first socialist revolution in the world V. I. LeniiT Leader of thd^ October Revolution^ 1870—21.1.1924^ 44 ZIMBABWE NEWS NOVEMBER, 1987 If you're starting to look like this, we suggest you look in on... HARARE 706804 BULAWAYO 66991 When you choose your clothes from Eric Davis, you know you're choosing from what is probably the best and most comprehensive range of quality menswear in the country. All the leading manufacturers are represented...and there is always a selected range of exclusive and individual fashions available. LONRHO, PART OF THE STRENGTH OF ZIMBABWE. This is the underlying theme in all Lonrhos many activities within Zimbabwe. Originally a mining company, Lonrho has diversified extensively into fields as varied as forestry, agriculture, textiles and (mgineering, in addition to mining. All are contributing significantly towards Zimbabwe's dri\ for much needed foreign exchange. MINING IN ZIMBABWE Lonrho produces just under one third of the Nation's gold and constant investment enables the Companx' to look lomard to increased output in the future. THE WATTLE COMPANY ZSi) million exports of wattle extract and coffee. LONRHO RANCHING OPERATIONS 08 OOP prime cattle on six ranches — helping the C.S.C.'s beef export drive. DAVID WHITEHEAD TEXTILES LTD. Exported o\er ZS8,9 million worth of prodiK'ls in 1984. DAHMER AND COMPANY Assembly of A\'M hoav\ vehicles and buses for local use and export. CRITTALL-HOPE LIMITED steel windows and doors tor construction projects, both local and in SADCC. Our purpose — self sufficiency in Zimbabwe through development and improved LONRHtechnolog). O PART OF THE STRENGTH OF ZIMBABWE