Hostages said to be dead

Press, 14 June 1983, Page 9

Hostages said to be dead

NZPA-Reuter Harare

The Zimbabwean Government has evidence that all six foreign tourists kidnapped a year ago may have been killed. Informed sources said yesterday that no bodies have been recovered but that information from captured rebels in the troubled province of Matabeleland had indicated the visitors were killed by their captors within two days of

being abducted on July

The information was being checked, the sources said. But it was considered strong enough for concerned foreign governments to be told to advise next-of-kin.

The tourists — two Americans, two Australians, and two Britons — were seized on the road from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, the Matabeleland capital. The kidnappers released

the tour guide, a New Zealander, Bruce Watkins, with a note demanding the release of leading officials of Joshua Nkomo’s opposition Zimbabwe African People’s Union held by the Government on suspicion of treason, in exchange for the tourists. The Government refused to meet the demands and no further word was heard from the kidnappers.

The officials were acquitted of treason last month

but detained indefinitely under emergency powers. The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Bill Hayden, on Sunday said that his Government had been informed by Zimbabwe that there was evidence of the tourists’ deaths. It was told that the Zimbabwean Government was questioning five people, some of whom had admitted taking part in the abduction of several tourists, including two Australians.