BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION; UNION JACK; MARCHERS; POLICE; CROWD WITH BANNERS; BANDA SPEAKING; FREEDOM HOUSE; KAUNDA SPEAKING (SOF).




Initials GEM/VS/RM/FR



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Background: THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION. IN LUSAKA WAS THE FOCAL POINT FOR 2,000 PEOPLE MARCHING IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE IN SOUTH AFRICA EIGHT YEARS AGO ON 21 MARCH, AND ALSO MARKING THE ANNUAL UNITED NATIONS DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF APARTHEID. LATER PRESIDENT KAUNDA ADDRESSED THE DEMONSTRATORS, AND ATTACKED BRITAIN FOR HER REFUSAL TO GIVE ZAMBIA FINANCIAL AID TO HELP MEET THE EFFECTS OF THE RHODESIAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

THE MARCHERS CARRIED PLACARDS AND BANNERS, ONE OF THEM PROCLAIMING "HANG SMITH, BURN VORSTER, SHOOT SALAZAAR". BUT IT WAS A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION. EXTRA POLICE HAD BEEN DRAFTED TO PROTECT THE HIGH COMMISSION BUILDING, AND THEY'D ALSO BEEN POSTED TO GUARD THE HOMES OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER, MR LAWRENCE HUMPHREY, AND SENIOR MEMBERS OF HIS MISSION.

THE PROTEST MARCH WAS ANNOUNCED THE DAY BEFORE BY MR SIKOTA WINA, THE PUBLICITY CHIEF OF THE RULING UNITED NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE PARTY (UNIP) AND MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOUSING, AFTER GATHERING TO SHOUT SLOGANS OUTSIDE THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, WHERE A GROUP OF MEMBERS OF THE ZAMBIA YOUTH SERVICE JOINED THEM, THE DEMONSTRATORS MOVED ON TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT BUILDING IN THE CAPITAL'S INDEPENDENCE AVENUE.

EXILED MEMBERS OF SOUTH AFRICAN AND RHOSEIAN AFRICAN POLITICAL ORGANISATION WERE WITH THE DEMONSTRATORS AT THE WAR MEMORIAL OPPOSITE THE SECRETARIAT. THEY HEARD MR DINGISWAYO BANDA, THE MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVES, YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ALSO DIRECTOR OF THE UNIP YOUTH BRIGADE, SPEAK ON THE RHODESIA ISSUE.

HE URGED THE PEOPLE OF RHODESIA, OR ZIMBABWE AS THE AFRICAN NATIONALISTS CALL IT, TO STAGE A WAR WITHIN THE COUNTRY. AND HE ACCUSED BRITAIN OF FAILING TO KEEP HER WORD ON RHODESIA.

BRITISH ACTIONS OVER THE RHODESIAN REBELLION CAME UP AGAIN WHEN PRESIDENT KAUNDA ADDRESSED THE DEMONSTRATORS. FROM THE SECRETARIAT THEY HAD MARCHED ON TO FREEDOM HOUSE, THE UNIP HEADQUARTERS, AND THERE THE PRESIDENT SPOKE TO THEM.

HE SAID THAT BRITAIN HAD REFUSED ZAMBIA'S REQUEST FOR GBP27 MILLION STERLING TO HELP MEET THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE RHODESIAN SEIZURE OF INDEPENDENCE, WHICH HAS FORCES ZAMBIA TO FIND NEW ROUTES FOR BOTH HER IMPORTS AND HER EXPORTS.

HE URGED BRITAIN TO THINK AGAIN, AS HE PUT IT, AND SAID THAT ZAMBIA HAD HAD TO FIGHT THE BATTLE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. BRITONS, SAID THE PRESIDENT, WERE COWARDS, BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE 125,000 WHITES IN RHODESIA.