the Luanda port.
As it withdrew to the north, the FNLA issued a statement announcing its withdrawal from the Transitional Government. UNITA, headed by Jonas Savimbi (*I will not tolerate MPLA's street soviets'), also scampered southward in the direction of Nova Lisboa-where also are headed several thousand white Portuguese "refugees'.
The MPLA now appears to be in control of the north-central and eastern regions, and the ports of Angola from Luanda to Benguela. They are also heading for control of the strategic economic strongholds in the country: in the northeast, the diamond-rich Portugalia and the coffee regions close to Zaire; in the south Benguela-the export route for Zambia and southern Zaire; and the Ruacana falls hydro-electric project on the southern border. While the Smith regime in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) is arming the white population in preparation for a confrontation with the black liberation movements, Bishop Abel Muzorewa of the African National Council is attemp ting to set up yet another constitutional conference, this time chaired by Britain and South Africa.
Smith has been escalating attacks against the liberation movements. Many African militants have been arrested for allegedly aiding youth to escape across the Mozambique border to join the movements. If found guilty, they will be shot.
At a recent picket at Rhodesia House militants mounted an all night vigil against the arrests and in support of the liberation movements. Didymus Mutasa, once a detainee of the Smith regime and a ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) militant, whose brother is among those arrested, told Red Weekly:
*The peaceful road which Muzorewa speaks of is no longer peaceful; there is already a war in Rhodesia. Ine purpose of this conference is to clear the consciences of the British Government. We can predict that it will not bring dignity to the oppressed people of Zimbabwe- that is only possible through armed struggle.
*We must learn from the lessons of Angola, where they have had difficartes or leadersmip, aid and ideology. The wishes of our people are that Muzorewa should be given a chance Even ZANU is prepared to give him a chance; but I think he knows that if the conference fails, then we must go to armed struggle.
*ZAPU (Zimbabwe African Peoples Union) will not accept this-it is this leadership contest that has always caused the splits in the organisations. But whoever the leader, we must choose him. We hope there will not be an for such a stunton nave arenay been laid.
ones. Our struggle in Rhodesia is the nal capitalism, and not just for It is clear that any anti-imperialist mobilisation in the southern African continent directly threatens imperialist every attempt has been made to confuse and decimate the forces rallying behind the liberation movements. Thus in Angola the MPLA is set against the pro-imperialist UNITA and FLA, while in Zimbabwe imperialism continues to play off one move"Angola' in Zimbabwe, but the grounds *Our responsibilities today are large struggle for mankind against internatiovested interests in the region, and is not arrived at.
M Guerrilla warfare is the meviao respons in continued onpressan and discrimination. ment against the other, laying the grounds for Muzorewa to emerge as the leader of a neo-colonial As Mutasa says, there are lessons to be learnt from Angola: the MPLA leadership has used its militant base to strengthen its own position at the top, capitulating to the right by agreeing to disarm the masses, and giving credcuce to une nco-colona soluton Clearly Muzorewa, too, is using his support to strengthen his position at the conference table, posing the question of armed struggle as a 'threat' if a neo-colonial solution While agreeing that the way RATE forward is through armed struggle, une latter Is insurricient witnout an overall political strategy. This poses the question of workers and peasants' self-defence units, organisation of land reforms, and liberated zones-the means by which the liberation of Zimbabwe in the interest of the labouring masses is possible by the masses themselves, combined with the military struggle that Mutasa speaks of.
Zimbabwe should look to the exemplary struggles and organisations of the labouring masses of Angola under the leadership of MPLA militants, which have so far frustrated neo-colonial plans for the region.
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Photos: ANDREW WARD IReport RELEASE AND