Word: rhodesians
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...Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith has been promising complete independence for the self-governing colony since he took office in April, 1964. Although Rhodesia's 217,000 whites (fewer than Jersey City, New Jersey) make up 95 per cent of the electorate, they are only five per cent of the population. In order to perpetuate white rule, Smith believes, Rhodesia must be free from Britain. His answer to the question of when majority rule will come ("Not in my lifetime") has become the rallying cry for almost all of Rhodesia's whites. Using that slogan, Smith swept all 50 seats...
...unilateral declaration of independence, Britain's governments, first under the Tories and then under Labour, offered to hand over independence if the colonists would guarantee "unimpeded progress toward majority rule." The British then promised strict economic sanctions if Rhodesia went ahead with its unilateral declaration. A freezing of Rhodesian funds in British banks, coupled with a loss of Commonwealth preferences on tobacco and sugar, could have crushing effects on the Rhodesian economy. But since the crops are already sold for this year, and since Rhodesia can expect financial support from racist South Africa, the effects of economic sanctions would...
...that Smith's government would suddenly knuckle under and take it all back. "We'd rather be bankrupt than black," shouted the settlers when Smith returned from London, and they seem for the moment able to back up their preferences. Already over a thousand African nationalists are held in Rhodesian detention camps. The Rhodesian army is equipped with armored cars and automatic weapons and backed by an air force with French helicopters and British jets...
Zambia imports more than 60% of its consumer goods from Rhodesia and South Africa, could not run its copper smelters without Rhodesian coal and can ship its vital copper exports to the sea only via a Rhodesian-operated railroad to ports in South Africa and Portuguese Mozambique...
Fact was, millions of Britons shared the Duke's view of the Rhodesian problem, which until recently was also official policy of Harold Wilson's government. And few really wanted to muzzle the royal consort. "Over a period of years, he has succeeded in being pungent, constructive, and to the point on an exceptionally wide range of topics," commented the London Times. "The nation would be the loser if any serious attempt were made to impose some constitutional silence upon the Duke...