Word: nkomo
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...bring about a round-table conference between the two sides in what amounts to an ongoing civil war: Prime Minister Ian Smith and his three black partners in the so-called internal settlement, on the one hand, and the guerrilla leaders of the Patriotic Front, Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, on the other. The chief failing of the Smith settlement is that its terms are unacceptable to the Patriotic Front leaders, who do not believe that it truly establishes majority rule in Rhodesia; hence they have vowed to continue fighting and accept Soviet and Cuban aid if necessary. Washington...
...conference. After two days in Dar es Salaam, however, American negotiators complained that the Patriotic Front leaders were more adamant than ever about the role they want to play in a transition government and unwilling to say publicly that they would attend the round table. African observers insisted that Nkomo and Mugabe had merely adopted a tough negotiating posture and would make concessions later. Vance, however, was disappointed that he would not be able to tell the internal-settlement leaders flatly that the other side had agreed to attend the round table, and thus that Smith's group should...
...fascinating aspect of the Rhodesian dilemma is the uncertain relationship between the two leaders of the Patriotic Front. Nkomo, a shrewd and experienced politician, favors a negotiated settlement and open elections because he thinks he has a chance of winning the presidency of an independent Zimbabwe, the African name for Rhodesia. Mugabe, the ideologue, is more committed to violent takeover and authoritarian rule thereafter. Unlike Nkomo, who has a base of political support among the Matabele tribesmen of southwestern Rhodesia, Mugabe is not widely popular at home and can only lose from an election. But if negotiations collapse...
What intrigued Western observers last week was signs of tension between the two men. When Mugabe began to rave about how there could be no amnesty for war criminals and traitors after the liberation of Zimbabwe, Nkomo unceremoniously cut him off. When Mugabe told reporters he was a Marxist and would do his best to turn Zimbabwe into a one-party Marxist state, his more moderate colleagues appeared to be both embarrassed and annoyed. "Where is Robert?" demanded Nkomo irritably when Mugabe failed to show up at a press conference the two were supposed to give jointly. As it happened...
...meeting within the next three months. One proposed site: Victoria Falls, with sessions alternating between the Rhodesian and Zambian sides of the magnificent border. Though they may be indulging in a bit of wishful thinking, Western officials suspect that the negotiating process would inevitably tend to separate the pragmatic Nkomo from the zealous Mugabe, and thus pave the way for a broader Rhodesian consensus...