Policy of W.C.C. attacked

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32861, 9 March 1972, Page 4

Policy of W.C.C. attacked

Why did not the World Council of Churches complain about countries like Zambia, when condemning the policy of detention without trial, asks the secretary of the New Zealand Africa Movement (Mr A. V. Blake), in a letter to “The Press.”

“There appears at least a suspicion of lack of sincerity in uiis omission by the council, and other bodies,” Mr Blake said. “Rhodesia and Zambia are neighbours, divided only by the Zambesi River. They have much in common, but in Rhodesia the (black) opposition sits in Parliament, while its northern neighbour keeps the Opposition U.P.P. (more than 100 members) in gaol. There are 103 Rhodesian Africans detained without trial in Zambia, plus a large number of Zambians. In Rhodesia, the number detained is 45, excluding the Todds and the Chinamanos.” Mr Blake said he had no intention of justifying or condemning detention ■ without trial, but it was as good or as bad as it was in one country or the other. “President Kaunda of Zambia has banned all opposition parties and declares his intention of making his country into a one-party State. Not a word of comSlaint from H.A.R.T., .A.R.E. or the W.C.C., but were such a thing to occur in Rhodesia or South Africa their vociferous protests would be heard from end to end of the land. Isn’t this strange? . J .. “The racist attitude displayed by those who made such a fuss -of the Todd detention is frightening, and even Mrs Sekai Holland stated recently that of course more fuss would be created

i in Britain, Australia or New Zealand because they were white. "In the field of human relations, surely any man of i any colour, whether in Zambia, Rhodesia or Northern Ireland, or whatever else : people are detained without i trial, is as important as Mr Garfield Todd,” Mr Blake i said.