Rhodesia
Sir: Although somewhat late, I beg to refer you to the comment published in the Spectator dated 21 February 1976 under, the heading 'Rhodesian opportunity'.
In the first paragraph a fundamental mistake is made, repeated so often by people living thousands of miles away, in referring
to the terrorist activities on our borders as 'a war between black and white'.
No doubt it conjured up the old rivalry between black and white races, and is colourful in exploiting a particular line of reasoning, but it simply is not true.
There are Black and White men in the Rhodesian Army and Air Force fighting Black terrorists on our borders. Likewise there is a very large preponderance of Black policemen, as opposed to White policemen. also fighting the terrorists. This is a war in which Black and White Rhodesians are fighting and overcoming the threat of a communist inspired and armed faction of power-hungry tribal Africans. who immediately would be locked in a bloody civil war with other African tribes in Rhodesia. if ever they came to power.
In the third paragraph of this comment. an irrational and misleading allegation is made when stating that the majority of Whites arrived in Rhodesia since she took her independence in 1965. A simple investigation into the figures shown in the Rhodesian Monthly Digest of Statistics shows that the increase in European numbers before UDI was 118,000 for the years 19551965. whereas for the years 1966-1976 the figure was 68,000.
The 'futile resistance' accorded to Rhodesia in this comment, has continued for twelve years, and the determination to survive, in spite of pressures of all sorts from outside her borders, will remain. Rhodesians will find a settlement of her affairs which is fair and acceptable to all her people, no matter what their colour, and will have no truck with the modern interpretation of majority rule, which in the African context means Black Dictatorship.
P. C. Dendy Department of Information, P.O. Box 8150, Causeway, Salisbury, Rhodesia
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