Interim Govt under attack

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 8

Interim Govt under attack

I NZPA-Reuter Salisbury The Rhodesian multi-racial 1 transitional Government has come under attack in Parliament for the second day running as black members (and white castigated it for failing to stop the guerrilla war as promised. Thirteen of the 16 black members of Parliament in ! the House of Assembly [issued a statement declaring ‘[it was of paramount importsi ance for peace that the Government join all-party talks with the foreign-based Palrii otic Front, guerrillas alliance, as proposed by Britain and [the United States. i And the white Prime Min- ' ister (Mr lan Smith) faced strong criticism of the Government’s supreme Executive Council from the 50 members of Parliament of his Rhodesian Front. They condemned lack of progress in implementing the so-called internal settlement and demanded more action and fewer words. A Rhodesian Front member of Parliament, Robert Gaunt, drew thumps of approval on the leather benches of the House when he criticised statements by black members of the Execu- [ five Council that they could (stop the war. “If they can stop it, stop it,” he said. “If they can’t, I then keep quiet and let’s try I something else. [ “Europeans are getting ; sick and tired of empty [ promises issued by certain ; | members of the Executive [ [ Council in this regard,” he [ added. Parliament has approved i [ the extension for a further [ i year of Rhodesia’s emergen-; [cy powers regulations, first; [introduced in 1965. It pro-1 [vides for tough security; measures, including deten-[ tion without trial for politi-! cal offences.