[The re-arrest of Ndabaningi Sithole, one of the…]

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The re-arrest of Ndabaningi Sithole, one of the leaders of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) by the reactionary settler regime of Ian Smith a fortnight ago further illustrates the impossibility of a peaceful road to victory for the national liberation struggle in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).

It also illustrates the fundamental mistake of any illusions concerning the ability of 'progressive' African bourgeois leaders like Kaunda of Zambia to effectively support such struggles.

The current atmosphere of deten between Black Africa and the Vorster regime in South Africa goes back to last October with Vorster's famous 'voice of reason' speech.

Vorster and the Afrikaner bourgeoisie have finally faced the need to come to terms with the removal of the Portugese colonial regime in Mozambique which up till now has served the role together with Rhodesia, as an effective buffer between Vorster and Black Africa.

With the accession to power the FRELIMO government in Mozambique, the whole strategy of "buffers' has collapsed. And with it the importance of the Smith regime to Vorster.

In addition, as the world recession gathers pace, the South African bourgeoisie has become more concerned to capture Black Africa, as a market area for the continued expansion of South African capital, from dependence on US and European imports.

Kaunda responded ecstatically to Vorster's overtures as 'the voice of reason for which Africa and the world has waited' Kaunda has his own reasons for detente with Vorster, and for settling the question of the Smith regime once and for all.

The closure of the Zambia/ Rhodesia border has cost Zambia Emillions in export costs due to difficulty of access to the coast. Also the continued activity on the Zambian borders of the Rhodesia rmy and the South African paranilitary police hunting Zimbabwe guerillas is creating problems. The sticking point to detente is the Smith regime itself. Kaunda and his fellow bourgeois African Icaders cannot openly abandon the national liberation struggle for Zimbabwe without threateni their own stability. Therefore as precondition for detente they ha insisted on majority rule in to imperialism on the one hand and fear of its own workine class on the The Workers Socialist League was formed on December other. 22nd after over 200 members were expelled from the WorThis is graphically illustrated by th kers Revolutionary Party. role of Kaunda. Ase quid pro quo for Smith's concessions he is trying to force the Zimbabwe nationalists to lay down the most important weapon they have at prese it: armed guerilla struggle. Kaunda and bis fellow bourgeois headis of state in the 'Organisation for African Unity' have refused all furt! er assistance to armed struggle in Zimbabwe ported the document was expelled. while the talks procede thus forcing the nationalists to walk 'naked into the conference chamber' at a time when, because of the victory of FRELIMO in Mozambique, the guerillarstruggle could have entered its most effective phase.

Furthermore Kaunda has insisted on 'unity' of the nationalists under tie umbrella of the right wing reformist African National Council class became clear. which rejects the armed struggle.

The bourgeois leaders of Black Afrca want a settlement not outright victory for the national liberation struggle. Thus they hav forced this compromise and left the revolutionary clements in the nationalist movement defenceless.