Mr Richards sees Africa

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33445, 29 January 1974, Page 11

Mr Richards sees Africa

Neto Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON 7 , January 27. New Zealand could contribute significantly to the struggle to eliminate racism in Southern Africa by opening a diplomatic mission in independent Africa, said the anti-apartheid campaigners, Messrs T. L. Richards and T. Truell, in a joint interview.

Just back from a sevenweek visit to Tanzania and Zambia on behalf of the New Zealand National AntiApartheid Committee. Messrs Richards and Truell said they

had been welcomed, both by the two Governments and by the many liberation movements there. Mr Truell said the problem was not just apartheid in South Africa, but racism throughout the five nations comprising Southern Africa. Their privately-sponsored trip, on which they were joined by a former New Zealander, Dr William Rudman (a lecturer in zoology in Dar-es-Salaam) reinforced pre-viously-held beliefs in the role New Zealand could play in the fight against racism, they said.

PROPOSALS Arising from their discussions they have a series of proposals they hope to put to the New Zealand Government. Mr Richards, better known as the chairman of H.A.R.T.. said these proposals involved New Zealand’s diplomatic! actions. Africa was judging New Zealand by the question of its sporting contacts with South Africa. “This is what makes the papers there. That is what they see,” he said.

The South-West Africa People’s Organisation had said that with the decision to cancel the Springbok Rugby tour.” New Zealand came of age.

Their talks had included a meeting with the Tanzanian Foreign Minister (Mr Malecela). “It would be impossible to overstate the importance which apartheid has to the Governments of Tanzania and Zambia.’’ said Mr Richards. “Both Governments consider that until Southern Africa is free, no black man may call himself free. “FAVOURABLE VIEW” “One thing that came out crystal-clear was the highlyfavourable opinion which the people have of the new New Zealand Government,” said Mr Richards. “We were told by one highlevel official in the Tanzanian

Government that it was almost felt at one stage that the (previous) New Zealand Government was lost.

It became clear, Mr Richards said, that New Zealand could play a role disproportionate to its size and strength. Mostly this should be diplomacy and at the United Nations —some of whose agencies had backed the New Zealanders visit to the two countries.

Besides noting that New Zealand did not have a diplomatic mission in independent Africa, Mr Richards said their discussions had covered the fact that there was no independent African mission in this country.