Rhodesia seals off border after raids

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33121, 11 January 1973, Page 9

Rhodesia seals off border after raids

(N ZP.A.-Reuter—Copyright >

SALISBURY, January 10.

Rhodesia has closed its 400-mile border with Zambia. A Rhodesian official said today that the action had been taken in an attempt to persuade Zambia to stop sheltering guerrillas.

The border was closed | yesterday to all road and • rail traffic except copper exports.

The official said that it would be closed until satisfactory assurances were received that President Kaunda would no longer allow Zam-bia-based guerrillas to attack Rhodesia.

The blockade is expected to affect Zambia’s exports even though it will not affect Zambia’s copper shipments through Rhodesia.

Observers said that the concession on copper was an indication of the troubled state of Rhodesia’s economy, as the freight charges paid by Zambia helped to subsi

dise the transport of Rhode-! sia’s mineral exports. Rhode-1 sian railways carry almost! .half of Zambia’s copper —i about 27,000 tons a month — 'to the ports of Mozambique. “SCAPEGOAT” Zambia has accused Rhodesia of making it a scape■goat for internal problems by i its decision to close their border. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said in Lusaka that a wave of nationalism was shaking the foundations I of the Rhodesian Government. “It is therefore not surprising that Salisbury should, as usual, find a scapegoat in Zambia,” he said. FARMS ATTACKED A little more than three weeks ago guerrillas began an offensive against farms and other targets in Rhodesia. and laid mines on remote roads. The Rhodesian security forces which have hundreds fo men searching the rugged border areas for the infiltrators, have found it difficult to combat the hit-and-run raids. The attackers have so far

killed three persons and wounded 17. On Mondav, two South African policemen were killed and five others were wounded by a mine near the Zambesi River border, and a security communique said pamphlets found at the scene emanated from a terrorist organisation based in Zambia. Guerrillas 100- miles north of Salisbury last night .attacked a bridge and the village of Mount Darwin. Security headquarters said the bridge, south of Mount Darwin, was slightly damaged. AMERICANS GAOLED And at Bindura on Monday, three Americans were each sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty in the Magistrate’s Court of giving assistance to guerrillas. Two of the defendants had pleaded guilty and the other not guilty. Mr T. J. Smith. S.M.. said the case had been held behind closed doors for security reasons. He could not disclose the names of the three men. nor the dates and places of their alleged illegal activities, the Magistrate added.