Raids cripple crucial Zambian rail, road links

Press, 21 November 1979, Page 8

Raids cripple crucial Zambian rail, road links

NZPA-Reuter Lusaka Zimbabwe Rhodesia bombed bridges in north-east Zambia on Monday striking deep into the country for 'the second day running, President Kenneth Kaunda has said. The attack, the latest, in a series on Zambia’s road and , rail links, made it appear that Bishop Abel Muzo-j irewa’s Zimbabwe Rhodesia' I forces are making a con-; certed bid to cripple the Zambian road network, dis-1 rupt the economy, and slow: a build up of Patriotic Front forces in Zambia. The President was quoted' by the Zambia News Agency as telling Brazil’s Ambassa-' dor that one bridge inj Mkushi district about 250 km from the frontier and a number of bridges on the [main road to Tanzania in 'the northern province were; hit. [ Monday’s attacks camel I after the destruction on Sunday by helicopter troops, of a bridge on the main road; I from Lusaka to southern Zambia and two small ■bridges in Eastern province. Bishop Abel Muzorewa’s forces have already forced the shut-down of the Tazara railway to Dar-es-Salaam —[ an important trade route — by blowing up a strategic, bridge, and of the road to Botswana by ' sinking the: ■ferry on the Zambesi River. Transport sources said the: latest attacks appeared loj have closed the main! highway to Dar-es-Salaam, I I the only remaining route by| ’which Zambia could bring inj I the 300,000 tonnes of maize; needed to make up for' I this year’s bad harvest. I One Zambian Government official, asked whether he saw any connection between the attacks and progress at. the London conference, replied tersely “someone! doesn't want a settlement.” President Kaunda told the' Brazilian Ambassador the [Zimbabwe Rhodesians were [trying to force Zambia “to accept their inhuman policies” by carrying out at-; tacks on Zambia with the ■ help of both foreign and local agents, the Zambian ■ News Agency reported. But the President, a member of the influential “front-1 line” group of five African leaders backing the Patriotic [Front, said Zambia would; remain committed to the; cause- of liberating the oppressed in southern Africa and elsewhere, regardless of the consequences, the official agency added. In Salisbury, the militaryheadquarters has said that! 36 more people have been' killed in the Zimbabwe Rho-: desian bush war. Military headquarters said! 29 guerrillas were killed fori the Joss of two members of) the security forces. Both sides have made it clear they will continue, fighting until a cease-fire is; agreed at the London peace’ talks. More than 1400 people' have been killed since the talks began on September 10. Well over 20,000 have: been killed since the war began in 1972. In London, the Patriotic Front has laid down tough conditions for a cease-fire, (including a demand for .the

disarming of all Zimbabwe Rhodesian civilians. Their 10-point plan differed radically from British 'proposals presented to the peace conference last week, [and the Front's leaders Josh-, ua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, repeatedly declared I they would not be rushed into a settlement. Among their demands was a Commonwealth peacekeeping force totalling sev-1 eral thousand men. Britain [has suggested a cease-fire I monitoring team of only a [few hundred. I The Patriotic Front leaders [told a press conference that [the British plan would be ineffective in maintainir-M peace between Rhodesian [forces and the Front’s [armies during the period ! leading up to fresh elections ;in the breakaway British territory. The same point [ was made coincidentally by I the former Prime Minister, I lan Smith, in an interview ■'with “Newsweek” published on Monday. Mr Mugabe told reporters: /‘We will not be stampeded into action which we feel; would lead to disaster in the end. We think our proposals will make for better peace.” The Patriotic Front attacked the British proposal for a cease-fire to be implemented within seven days of a settlement of the 14-year independence dispute. The two leaders talked about a “progressive ceasefire,” and said it would take much longer to contact all their units who have been fighting in the Zimbabwe Rhodesian bush for seven years. The Patriotic Front proposal most likely to dismay the territory’s white minor- 1 ity was that all civilians ’ should be disarmed. Mr I Nkomo said there were an estimated 155,000 weapons as well as big private armies run by the various black political parties. Meanwhile, Royal Air Force Hercules transport [flew’ into Salisbury on Mon[day as Britain stepped up [preparations to send a governor to the country as part Of settlement plans. The aircraft, flying the R.A.F. flag but not the Union Jack, landed after making a steep banking descent, a security measure against possible guerrilla rocket attacks. A gleaming black Daimler,’ ■ the official car for the pro-; posed British governor, was part of the cargo which included office and communications equipment aboard the camouflage-painted Hercules. i