White rats desert Smith

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the Rhodesian ruling class expected to exceed November's continues to be reflected in and the total projected fall in show that in November more 4,500 white immigrants will than 2,000 whites fled the be the lowest in over 25 years. country, bringing the net At the end of last month the The acute crisis within a mass exodus of whites.

Figures recently released outfiow for 1978 to 10,938.

*393 ÷ ... * Black faces conceal white power The December figure the white population during 1978 is at least 5%.

The 1978 total of under joint Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. Rollo Hayman resigned from the so-called transitional government accusing Smith of leading whites "into a trap".

In leaving the Rhodesian Front Party, Hayman said that his disagreement concerned the viability of the government which it is intended to set up after the April 20 elections.

Repression

The struggle of the Zimbabwean masses which first threatened racist power, forced Smith to resort more and more to military measures and repres sion.

Despite serious defeats whei the Zimbabwean nationalist movements adopted a guerrillaist strategy, mass struggle continuously re-emerged, providing the basis for a development of the armed struggle.

Internal deal

This forward movement then forced Smith to turn to an internal settlement alongside continued military response to the guerrillas.

Smith and his black collaborators have attempted to sell the the real settlement to the masses on basis that it would mean changes.

But very few have taken in.

Even less will they be taken in by the new constitution which changes the country's name to Rhodesia/Zimbabweand nothing else!

The elections, which it is difficult to see being effectively held given the current level of struggle, hold the prospect of black faces in government while whites retain the power.

Pressure from the masses is the only factor at present against a neo-colonial solution.

Perspective

What is necessary is a leadership able to warn against and resist such a sell-out, to stay independent of imperialism and to provide a perspective for the development of both the armed and the mass struggle.

In particular there must be a fight for the establishment of organs of workers' power within the liberated and semi-liberated areas.

This means the construction a Trotskyist party. progressive way forward.

Despite the immediately favourable conditions for the DTA it will inevitably face major problems.

The super-exploitation of migrant contract labour, for example will lead to major struggles by the working class.

Recently there have been strikes at the Rotsing and other mines.

Mobilise masses

Crucial to the struggle to build the Namibian revolution is the development of the programme and forms of organisation through which the masses can be mobilised and led in their day to day struggles-against migrant contract labour, against their pig-like material existence.

The political crisis facing the Namibian struggle is not merely compounded by .a leadership tied to negotiation it is compounded by a leadership tied to imperialism. The way forward is not merely to build a leadership committed to armed struggle. it

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