Salisbury Tense After Nkomo Banished

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30419, 18 April 1964, Page 13

Salisbury Tense After Nkomo Banished

(N.Z.P. A. -Reuter— Copyright) SALISBURY, April 16. Police used tear gas as tension built up in Salisbury's African township tonight. Feeling was running high as news spread of the Government’s banishment of four African Nationalist leaders for 12 months. Police said gangs of youths were roaming the township telling Africans not to go to work tomorrow.

The banishment order to a remote “restriction area” near the borders of South Africa and Mozambique was served on Mr Joshua Nkomo and three of his leading aides.

The move came within three days of the resignation of Mr Winston Field and his replacement as Prime Minister by right-wing Mr lan Smith. The Minister of Justice (Mr Clifford Dupont) announced the restrictions.

Earlier reports had said Mr Nkomo and a number of officials of his People’s Caretaker Council were arrested during the night. Mr Dupont said those restricted with Mr Nkomo are his principal lieutenant, Mr Josiah Chinamano, Mrs Chinamano and Mr Joseph Msika, the P.C.C. “secretary for external affairs.” All four are restricted to the new Gonakudzingwa restriction area in Nuannetsi district, an arid, sparselypopulated region covering more than 100 acres.

For Mr Nkomo, who is 46, it was the latest in a series of restrictions, gaol sentences and bans. He has been politically active in the African struggle since 1947 and in that time he has spent two years in exile and several months in restriction, been sentenced to gaol terms totalling at least two years—but

successfully appealed against them—and been banned from coming within 15 miles ■of Salisbury, the capital. Mr Smith said today that his Government “would not approve” discussion of Southern Rhodesia’s independence and politics at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference in London in July. Asked by reporters if he would walk out of the conference —assuming Southern Rhodesia was invited—if Southern Rhodesia’s affairs were discussed, Mr Smith replied: “It would depend on a decision at the time. We would frown on this issue being discussed by other members of the Commonwealth and that they should be parties to decisions made. It is a matter purely for the British and Southern Rhodesian Governments and nobody else.”

On the question of Southern Rhodesia's independence—which Britain is refusing to grant while a white minority government is in power—Mr Smith said he was in favour of continuing negotiations with Britain- without setting any definite time limits. CONSIDERING PETITION He said he still was considering a Southern Rhodesian Parliamentary petition to the Queen requesting that Britain renounce her remaining powers over Southern Rhodesia. Asked if Britain’s refusal of sueh a petition might lead to a declaration of independence without Britain’s consent, Mr Smith replied: “We have to judge on the circumstances.” He said he thought a negotiated independence would be difficult to obtain as the Government’s policy was against giving the African majority power at present.