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INBRIEF
PROMISING START
FORTHE NEW ZIMBABWE
by
Stanley
R.
Rader
Tokyo,Japan
Tl
HE GENUINE
possibility of
peace in Zimbabwe, now that
mdependence elections have
been concluded, represents a triumph
of the resourcefulness and persever–
ance of British diplomacy.
The British triumph
is
a splendid
example of the power of two of
The
Seven Laws of Success
which Mr.
Herbert W. Armstrong has discov–
ered over the course of bis own long
and successful life. Law· No. 5 is
resourcefulness- the ability to skill–
fully cope with unexpected setbacks,
obstacles or problems. Law No. 6 is
perseverance-the quality of "stick–
to-it-iveness," which can turn almost
certain failure into glorious success.
The British have had to employ both
in generous quantities to pull off the
Zimbabwe settlement.
The British efforts coincided with
a factor that was apparent when Mr.
Armstrong and 1 visited southern
Africa in late 1976. Even though
there was a bloody civil war raging in
Rhodesia at the time, we noted that
there were men of good will who
genuinely desired peace.
Thus tbe first significant step
toward peace was in early spring,
1978, when then Rhodesian Prime
Minister Ian Smith reached an
agreement with three black leaders
(none of whom were part of tbe
guerrilla Patriotic Front) for a tran–
sition to black majority rule. They
formed a transitional government
which dismantled official racial seg–
regation and conducted, later that
spring, a one-man-one-vote election
won by Bishop Abe! Muzorew'a.
But while the elections were con–
sidered free and fair by many ob–
servers, a cloud of suspicion hung
over the new government of Zim–
babwe-Rhodesia in the eyes of many
nations. World economic sanctions
continued.
30
However, with the election of
Margaret Thatcher in May, 1979, as
prime minister of England, events
soon began heading for a resolution.
At first, many observers thougbt
that Mrs. Thatcher, would unilat–
erally end sanctions and recognize
the new country (at that time called
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia). Had she
done so, it would have been, in the
words of her able Foreign Secre–
tary, Lord Carrington, only a "sec–
ond class" solution. The guerilla
war would have continued, the
guerrillas themselves might bave
become more closely linked to the
Soviet Union and Britain's own
relations with her fellow Common–
wealth countries, would have suf–
fered greatly.
Instead the new Tbatcher govern–
ment made a series of bold moves
toward a "first class" solution in
which all parties would have a
chance to participate.
Mrs. Thatcher began by using the
July, 1979, conference of the coun–
tries of the British Commonwealth as
a catalyst to bring all sides to the
confetence table in London in Sep–
tember.
Thereafter followed 15 weeks of
stop-and-go negotiations. At any
number of critica! junctures the talks
would have broken down but for the
firm resolve of Lord Carrington and
his staff who made it clear that
Britain was willing to act by itself if
any side proved too recalcitrant.
Finally, a new constitution was
hammered out in October anda few
weeks Iater carne arrangements for
the transitional government which
would conduct new elections.
By early March elections were
held.
Despite allegations of intimidation
against voters on the part of support–
ers of the leading candidates, the
elections have been declared basical-
ly free and fair by three different
groups of independent observers.
In tbe election, one of the Ieaders
of the guerrilla Patriotic Front, Rob–
~rt
Mugabe, earned a hard-fought
landslide victory. He gained a com–
fortable parliamentary majority, sur–
prising many analysts who predicted
that the election would produce no
clear-cut victory. Despite bis majori–
ty in parliament , however , Mr.
Mugabe began his government with
a commitment to conciliation.
Thus Mr. Mugabe promised to
form a parliamentary coalition with
his rival Joshua Nkomo, retained a
white general, Peter Walls, as com–
mander of the armed forces, and
declared that "there will be no expro–
priation of property." He even indi–
cated that he would offer a cabinet
post to at Ieast one member of what
were once bis most hated enemies,
the white Rhodesian Front Party.
Mr. Mugabe certainly has his
work cut out for him. Domestically,
the guerrilla war has taken a heavy
toll in schools, clinics, and farms, and
has forced about half the country's
black population from their villages.
On the foreign front, Mr. Mugabe
will bave to steer a strict course of
rronalignment. On the one hand, Mr.
Mugabe will have to worry about
South Africa, which expressed sorne
considerable alarm at bis election,
but to which the economy of bis
country is closely tied. On the other
hand, he will also have to 'worry
about Soviet influence which might
seek to turn bis country into a vassal
state. Since Mr. Mugabe doesn't owe
any debt to the Soviet Union, nonal–
ignment remains an open option.
The new Zimbabwe government is
yet one more effort on the part of
men to rule themselves through the
government of man. 1 wish it luck.
But at the same time
l
have to
acknowledge that world peace, pros–
perity and abundance will only come
when the government of God- not
the government of man- is the real–
íty on earth. The peace and abun–
dance for which all tbe voters of
Zimbabwe yearn (as well as the rest
of mankind) will only come when
Jesus Christ restares the Kingdom of
God to tbe whole earth as world–
King and Lord of Lords.
The
PLAIN TRUTH