Stop black leaders Zimbabwe sell-out

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IT WAS ALL self-congratulatory smiles from the Bishop (Muzorewa) and the Methodist priest (Sithole) and the Chief (Chirau) as they emerged from their "settlement talks" with racist leader lan Smith last week in Salisbury.

At last, they said, they had achieved majority black rule. The Africans were free!

The black masses, whom these opportunist stooges claim to lead, may be a bit surprised to say the least to see that this "freedom' leaves lan Smith and his racist Rhodesian Front still in the It also leaves in being the same racist-led army and police which have oppressed them for half a century, and at least for now, the same "parliament" of racists and stooges that has protected white interests for decades.

The agreement includes a new parliament of 100 in which 28 seats will be guaranteed for whites and, in the first election, eight guaranteed for Smith's Rhodesia For these the mass of black voters will be able to select from 16 candidates the eight white racists they would prefer to rule over them.

The deal is an extraordinary coup for the wily racist Premier who is in his fifteenth year in office-now one of the world's longest surviving heads of government.

The only reason Smith has been able survive for long and that to win this new victory is the appalling bankruptcy of the black Zimbabwean leadership.

Joshua Nkomo, joint leader of the Patriotic Front, and long-time obstacle to a serious fight against white racist rule, called last week's so-called internal settlement "the biggest sell-out in the history of Africa"

Well, Well, he should know; he's an expert in sellouts.

In fact he is himselt, along with ZANU leader Robert Mugabe, planning what, if he were consistent, he would have to call the second biggest sellout in the history of Africa.

This is a hoped-for deal with the imperialist representatives Andrew Young and British 'Labour" foreign secretary David Owen to install a different but equally collaborationist regime to that of Smith, Muzorewa, Sithole and Chirau.

Owen is now the key figure in an attempt to reconcile the internal and external collaborationists so as to put an end to the developing liberation war and so forestall the threat of a real mass struggle against racism and the capitalist system which rests upon it.

Socialists in the labour movement must mobilise all their strength to prevent the recognition of any sellout collaborationist government and for the labour movement to send material assistance to the Zimbabwean freedom fighters.