Salisbury Calm After Two Days’ Violence

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 13

Salisbury Calm After Two Days’ Violence

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SALISBURY (Southern Rhodesia), July 22. Police and troops stood ready today to crush any fresh rioting in Salisbury’s African townships, where calm was restored last night after two days of violence in which police used batons and tear gas. Three Africans, including a woman and her baby, were admitted to hospital in Harare township yesterday suffering from gunshot wounds.

In neighbouring Highfield township, Africans attempted to break into a bank. Later bank officials removed documents and money and closed the branch indefinitely. i Rioters also attacked a telephone exchange, two/Schools and a new beerhall, where they made off with several cases of beer and wine. Troops removed 1000 cases of beer to the safety of Highfield police station. Police reservists fought ofl bands of Africans in Highfield shopping centre by making baton charges and using tear gas. All police reserves in Salisbury have been called up.

More than 130 persons have already been arrested.

The trouble started on Wednesday, when Africans demonstrated In Harare against the arrest of three leaders of the National Democratic Party. Two of the N.D.P. leaders, Mr Morton Malianga and Mr Enos Nkala, were remanded on bail of £2OO each yesterday when they appeared in Court on charges of contravening the Unlawful Organisation Act and the Public Order Act.

Another African political leader. Staulake Samkange,, was remanded on bail Of £5O arid 47 other Africans alleged to have thrown stones and intimidated Africans to prevent them going to work were remanded on bail of £l5 each. The Southern Rhodesian Premier, Sir Edgar -Whitehead, told Parliament yesterday he was confident the "temporary trouble” would be all over by this morning. In Parliament yesterday, a member of the newly-formed Southern Rhodesian Party. Dr. A. Palley, said the arrest of Samkange might affect. talks between Sir Edgar Whitehead and the British Govemmen on the removal of restrictions on the colony’s Constitution. He said that African students had started a boycott at the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland at Salisbury and, since the British Government contributed a large sum of money to the university. this also might affect the talks.

Sir Edgar Whitehead said in reply that the process of law now taking. place would fill the British Government with admiration in the circumstances. He had not heard of the university boycott but would make investigations.