‘Survival of N.Z. a curse’ — Zambian view

Press, 3 August 1976, Page 20

‘Survival of N.Z. a curse’ — Zambian view

This leading article appeared in the “Zambia Daily Mail” of July 19 at the beginning of the Olympic Games in Montreal. The “Mail” is owned by the Government headed by President Kaunda and the opinions expressed here must be taken to be those of the Government of one of New Zealand’s partners in the Commonwealth.

When African countries saw fit to join the Olympic Games, the main attraction at the time was the universal nature of the Games. Another attraction was that since the criterion was based on the ability of the individual athlete, the Olympic Games represented the best in humanity outside or beyond the mundane bothers of racism. But during the last decade, the world has not only been conscious of the evils of racism. It has completely rejected racism as a social order on the political, economic and social scenes. It was because of the uncompromising stand against such social evils of racism that South Africa has been barred from international sports events. If South Africa, through her racial policies, has become the international leper in both politics and sport, it follows that those who associate themselves with South Africa through sport

or politics are also guilty of lending support to this social evil. It is with this background that the Organisation of African Unity has taken strong exceptions against the continued fraternisation of New Zealand with the South Africans through sport. Admittedly, the New Zealanders do riot enjoy a creditable history of a people with any semblance of nobility of heart and spirit to enjoy the unstinted respect of humanity. The New Zealanders are still very closely associated with the scum of way back British society sent as convicts to the Far East with the hope they would perish as they went through their penitentiary. Their survival has been a curse and a blessing to humanity. A curse in that they serve as guinea pigs from whom the world should not expect much as a people or a society with its base origin. A blessing in

that their warped minds and attitude towards the world provides ground for social and moral revolution. The leadership of the O.A.U. has, therefore, done very well to take measures to expose the stark hypocrisy and wickedness inherent in the people of New Zealand as a dubious species of humanity. The O.A.U. leadership has made wonderful contributions to humanity in that it has exposed the similarity in the baseness of nature among the New Zealanders and the South Africans. Whatever lies the leadership of the New Zealanders will tell the world, the fact remains that they are a cheap species of humanity to whom racism is a virtue and political lying is their way of life like the South Africans. The decision of the O.A.U. to boycott the Olympic Games is the best thing which has come of African for many years. The boycott has shown that faced with a challenge, the O.A.U. can rise itself into a fearful giant capable of taking on the most powerful and organised of imperialist agencies. What the shameful events in Montreal have demonstrated is that the Olympic

Games are primarily a white man's imperialist affair Their organisers have shown no intention of giving it either international character or universality. It is therefore sheer waste of time for the people of Africa through the O.AJJ. tc pretend that the racist and divisive character of the Olympic Games will change for the better in the future. The best the O.A.U. can do is to carry with it other countries in the Third Wor d to form a truly international Games organisation of their own where respect for human dignity will be the criterion and one which will be free from the evil influences of racism, imperialism and indeed capitalism. What has been achieved in Montreal is great. Africa has refused to be used as the tool of evil men who dominate the Olympic Committee. If Africa has been able to achieve this much, there is no reason why she should not be in a position to create an international games organisation which will shame the present Olympic Games being run by agents of racism. ’What Africa needs today is a truly international games organisation which will bring out the greatness of Africa.