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R H O D E S I,ryS
F IN E S T H O I.]R
'- - -

T H E P R IM E

M IM S T E R

O F R H O D E S IA

AD D R E S S E S T H E N AT IO N

F ollow ing.the -P rocla m a tion ,of Inde pe nde nce ,the P rim e M iniste r ga ve a n a ddre ssto the pe ople of R hode sia , te lling
.
the m tha t the "e nd of the roa d" ha d be e n re a che d in ne gotia tions w itli the U nite d K ingdom G ove rnm e nt.
T h e te x t fo llo w s :
T o d a y , n o w th a t, th e fin a ls ta le m a te in n e g o tia . tio n s h a s b e c o m e . e v id e n t, th d e n d o fth e ro a d h a s b e e n re a c l!. dI th
. as
- com e a bunda ntly cle a r tha t it is the policy of the B ritish G ove rnnie nt to pla y us a long w ith_ no
be
re a l inte ntion of a rriving
a t a solution w hich w e could possibly a cce pt. Inde e d, in the ia te st ve rba l a nd confide ntia l m e ssa gede live re d to m e la st
night, w e find tha t on the m a in principle lvhich is in dispute , the tw o G ove rnm e nts ha ve m ove d furthe r a pa rt.
N egotiated to bitter end
I prom ise d the pe ople of this country tha t I w ould continue to ne gotia te to the bitte r e nd, a nd tha t I w ould le a ve no
stone _ unturne d.in m y e nde a voursto se curea n honoura ble a nd m utua lly a cce pta blese ttle m e nt; it now fa lls to m e to te ll
you tha t ne gotia tions ha ve com e to a n e nd.
, . N q.olp could de ny_ tha ty.e ,ha ye strive n w ith m ight a nd m a in, a nd a t tim e s le a nt ove r ba ckw a rds to bridge the ga p
w hich divide s us from the B ritish G ove rnm e nt.
lvlv M iniste rs a nd I ha ve not a rrive d a t this de cision w ithout the de e pe sthe a rt-se a rching. W e ha ve sa t for da ys in
ce a se le ss
confe re ncetrying to find a ny possible w a y of a chie ving ne gotia te d inde pe nde nce a, s w :eunde rtook to the country
th a t w e w o u ld d o .
f w ould be fa iling in m y duty to a ll of you w ho live in R hode sia , if I w a s to pe rm it this country to continue to
- . ^ Pinutthe pre se nt pa ra lysing
drift
sta te of unce rta inty. T he bitte r le sson of the F e de ra tion is consta ntly in-the fore front of
T y m ind. In-tha t ca se , m a tte rs w e re pe rm itte d to drift a nd pla ns for a ction w e re form ula te d too la te to pre ve nt the
de structioh of this noble conce pt of ra cia l ha rm ony.
Advancem ent of all race s a ssure d
- _H ow e ve r, R hode sia ha s not re je cte d the possibility of ra cia l ha rm ony in A frica . T he re sponsibility for the bre a k-up
of the F e de ra tion w a s G re a t B rita in's a lone . T he ir e xpe rim e nt fa ile d a nd the y a re now trying to foisi this sa m e dogm a
o n to R h o d e s ia .
W e a re de te rm ine d tha t the sa m e w ill ne ve r be a llow e d to ha ppe n he re . Le t no one be lie ve tha t this a ction toda y
qra rks. a ra dica l de pa rture from the principle s by w hich w e ha ve live d, or be unde r a ny m isconce ption tha t now the
C onstitution w ill be torn up a nd tha t the prote ction of the rights of a ll pe ople w hich a re e nshrine d in tha t C onstitution
w ill be -a broga te da nd disca rde d;ne ithe r le t it be thought tha t this e ve nt m a rks a dim inution in the opportunitie s w hich
our A frica n pe ople ha ve , to a dva nce a nd prospe r in R hode sia .
_ F a r from this be ing the ca se it is our inte ntion, in consulta tion w ith the chie fs, to bring the m into the G ove rnm e nt
a nd a dm inistra tion a s the a cknow le dge d le a de rs of the A frica n pe ople , on a ba sis a cce pta ble to the m . It is our firm
in-te ntionto a bide by the C onstitution. Inde e d, w e ha ve ne ve r a ske d-for a nything othe r tha n inde pe nde nceon the ba sis
of the pre se ntC onstitution, a nd only such a m e ndm e ntsa re include d a s a re ne ce ssa ryto a da pt it to tha t of a n inde pe nde nt
country.
W ith re ga rd to the position of M e m be rs of P a rlia m e nt, judge s, civil se rva nts,a nd m e m be rs of the A rm e d F orce s a s
w e ll a s the P olice , provision ha s be e n m a de for a ll of the m to ca rry on the ir dutie s, a nd a ll a re de e m e dto ha ve com plie d
w ith the re quire m e nts of the ne w C onstitution. T he y w ill continue to ca rry on the ir norm a l w ork in a ccorda nce iith
instructions give n by the G ove rnm e nt. A ll pre se nt la w s sha ll continue to ope ra te a nd the courts w ill e nforce the m in
the norm a l m a nne r.
Assum ing our rights
. W e a re doing no m ore tha n a ssum ingthe rights w hich va rious B ritish M iniste rs ha ve in the pa st indica te d w e re ours,
a nd in fa ct, this C onstitution w a s the one w hich w ould ca rry us to inde pe nde nce .
Le t no one be pe rsua de dtha t this a ction m a rks a cha nge in our a ttitude tow a rds our ne ighbours in A frica to w hom
w e ha ve ce a se le ssly
e xte nde dthe ha nd offrie ndship, a nd to w hom w e ha ve nothing but goodw ill a nd the be st of inte ntions.
N o interference with ne ighbours
W e ha ve ne ve r sought, nor w ill w e e ve r se e k to inte rfe re or in a ny w a y a tte m pt to influe nce the ir poliry in the ir
inte rna l a ffa irs. A ll w e a sk'in re turn is the ir goodw ill in pe rm itting us tb look a fte r w ha t a re , a fte r a ll, orjr ow n priva te
a nd dom e stic m a tte rs.
I w ish to m a ke it quite cle a r, a s inde e d I ha ve on m a ny occa sionsin the pa st, tha t w e in this country ha ve no qua rre l
w ha tsoe ve rw ith the pe ople of G ie a t B rita in; the diffe re nce sof opinion w hich w e ha ve a re e ntire ly w ith-succe ssivebritish
G ove rnm e nts. T he pe ople of B rita in a re the kith a nd kin of m a ny R hode sia nsa nd the pe ople w ith w hom w e ha ve the
close sta ffinity, both in our w a y oflife a nd in our conce ption ofjustice a nd civiliz a tion.
Loya lty to the Q ue e n
H ow ca n a nyone sugge sttha t w e w ould ha rbour hostile se ntim e ntsa ga inst those w ith w hom w e fought shoulde r to
shoulde r a ga inst the com m on e ne m y in tw o w orld w a rs ? O ur a dm ira tion a nd frie ndship for the pe ople ol G re a t B rita in
is re a l a n d e n d u rin g .
Le t the re be no doubt tha t w e in this country sta nd se cond to none in our loya lty to the Q ue e n, a nd w ha te ve r e lse
othe r countrie s m a y ha ve done or m a y ye t do, it is our inte ntion tha t the U nion Ja ck w ill continue to fly in R hode sia
!
a nd the N a tiona l A nthe m continue to be sune .
M ost of you I know ha ve longe d for this da y, but a fe w , on the othe r ha nd, ha ve ha d re se rva tions. H ow e ve r I w ould
sa y to you, tha t the re ca n be no future for this gre a t a nd sple ndid country of ours if w e a re to re m a in drifting in this
constitutiona l tw ilight.
D rfting not possible
T o those w ho be lie ve tha t it w ould be in our ow n inte re sts to continue 'a s w e a re , I w ould point out tha t the B ritish
P rim e M iniste r im plie d in a spe e chto P a rlia m e nt on his re turn from R hoddsia , tha t should the ie sult of the R oya l C om m ission go a ga inst R hode sia , the B ritish G ove rnm e nt re se rve dthe right to'ca ll a confe re nce ,w hich furthe r iniplie d the
cha nging of our C onstitution a s a re sult. It w ould a ppe a r tha t if this is the B ritish G ove rnm e nt's re a l inte ntion-w e sha ll
not be a llow e d to go on a s w e a re , e ve n if the re ha d be e n a R oya l C om m ission.

T he re ca n be no solution_ toour ra cia l proble m s w hile A frica n na tiona lists be lie ve tha t, provide d the y stir up sufficie nt
trouble the y w ill be a ble to bla ckm a il the B ritish G ove rnm e nt into bringing a bout a m ira cle on the ir birha ll 6 y ha nding
the country ove r to irre sponsible rule .
T he re ca n,beno ha ppine ssin this country w hile the a bsurd situa tion continue sto e xist w he re pe ople such a s ourse lve s,
w -ho ha ve rule d the m se lve sw ith a n im pe cca blere cord for ove r 4 0 ye a rs,a re de nie d w ha t is fre e ly gra nttd to othe r countrie i
w ho ha ve rule d the m se lve s.in som e ca se s.for no lonse r tha n a ve a r.
Inve stm e nte sse ntia l
T he re ca n ne ve r be long-te rm prospe rity, w hich is so ne ce ssa ryfor the nurturing of our e nde a voursto im prove the
sta nda rd of living a nd incre a sethe ha ppine ssa nd be tte r the lot of a ll our pe ople , w hilst the pre se ntunce rta inty e xists..N o
busine ssm a n could e ve r se riously conte m pla te m a ssive long-te rm inve stm e nt in a country in w hich cha os a nd confusion
w e re a lw a ys future possibilitie s.
W ha te ve r the short-te rm e conom ic disa dva nta ge sm a y be , in the long te rm , ste a dy e conom ic progre ss w ould ne ve r
be a chie ve dunle ssw e a re m a ste rs in our ow n house .
_ T o those of you w ho fe a r the short-te rm e ffe ctsof e conom ic sa nctions,I w ould sa y tha t w hilst w e in no w a y m inim iz e
the possible ha rdship a nd inconve nie ncethe y m a y bring a bout, none the le ssw e a re firm ly convince d tha t in th-elong run,
be ca useof our na tura l re source sa nd the e nte rprise of our pe ople , the re w ill be brought a bout a prospe rous a nd be tte i
future for e ve ryone .
W e e k a fte r w e e k w e ha ve se e n busine ssm e n pa ssing through he re on the ir w a y to S outh A frica w ho, w ith fe w
e xce qtions, sa y tha t w hile this sta te of unce rta inty continue s the y w ill not e ve n conte m pla te se rious inve stiga tion of the
p o s s ib il
ity o f in v e s tm e n t.
H ow e ve r, the y a lso sa y, tha t once w e ha ve solve d our constitutiona l difficultie s a nd a re inde pe nde nt,the n the y w ill
,
be ve ry inte re ste d in unde rta king se rious inve stiga tions a nd inquiry w ith a vie w to inve sting.
E conom ic sa nctions
T ha t som e e conom ic re tributions w ill be visite d upon us the re is no doubt. T hose w ho se e k to da m a ge us do not
ha ve a ny gre a t conce rn for the principle s to w hich the y e ndle sslypa y lip se rvice ,for if the y re a lly be lie ve din the se principle s
w hich the y ce a se le sslyprocla im , the n the y could not possibly connive a t the m a ny disa ste rsw hich ha ve be e n brought
a bout by the pre m a ture w ithdra w a l of E urope a n influe nce from countrie s in A frica a nd A sia w ho w e re now he re ne a r re a dy
for it.
T he re is no doubt tha t this ta lk of thre a ts a nd sa nctions is no m ore tha n a ppe a se m e ntto the U nite d N a tions, the
A fro-A sia n bloc a nd ce rta in m e m be rs of the C om m onw e a lth, a nd undoubte dly som e a ction w ill be ta ke n.
B ut I ca nnot conce ive of a ra tiona l w orld uniting in a n e nde a vourto de stroy the e conom y of this country, know ing,
a s the y undoubte dly do, tha t in m a ny ca se sthe ha rde st hit w ould be the ve ry pe ople on w hose be ha lf the y w ould like to
be lie ve the y a re invoking the se sa nctions.
N o re ve nge
W e , for our pa rt, w ill ne ve r do a nything in the na ture of ta king re ve ngeon a ny ne ighbouring A frica n S ta te for w ha t
o th e r c o u n trie sm a y d o to u s ; b u t it is , n o n e th e le s s ,in e v ita b leth a t ifo u r e c o n o m ys h o u ld c o n tra c t a s a re s u lt o fs u c h
a ctions ta ke n by othe rs, the n w ha t jobs w e re a va ila ble w ould ha ve to be re se rve dfor our ow n A frica ns, thus bringing
ha rdship not only on our ow n pe ople , but a lso those pe ople from a djoining te rritorie s w ho w ork he re .
If, a s som e ha ve pre dicte d, the re a re re pe rcussionse lse w he rein A frica , I w ould w a rn those pe ople w ho conte m pla te
ta king a ction, tha t it w ill be the ir a ctions, a nd not ours tha t ha ve pre cipita te d the se e ve nts.
M a ntle of the P ione e rs
W ha te ve r the conse que nce sm a y be , a nd w ha te ve r difficultie s m a y pre se nt the m se lve s,w e a re a pe ople w ho, in the
pa st, ha ve survive d a nd pre va ile d in circum sta nce sof the utm ost a dve rsity. T he m a ntle of the P ione e rsha s fa lle n on our
shoulde rs a nd w e w ill, I a m sure , be a ble to fa ce a ny difficultie s w hich m a y occur, fortifie d by the sa m e stre ngth a nd
coura ge w hich distinguishe d our fore fa the rs in da ys gone by.
I do not be lie ve tha t m a ny of the e xtre m e conse que nce sw hich ha ve be e n fore ca st by va rious w ould-be C a ssa ndra s,
both he re a nd a broa d, w ill com e to pa ss, but w ha te ve r m a y be fa ll us I ha ve the profounde st confide nce a nd be lie f in the
de te rm ina tion of our pe ople , to sta nd unite d a nd to pre va il in the fa ce of a ny a dve rsity. T he sa fe ty of our hom e s a nd
the fre e dom of our pe ople a like , de pe nd upon the conduct of e a ch one of us a t this critica l tim e .
S ta ndfor principle
In the live s of m ost na tions the re com e s a m om e nt w he n a sta nd ha s to be m a de for principle , w ha te ve r the conse que nce s. T his m om e nt ha s com e to R hode sia . I pra y, a nd I hope othe r R hode sia ns w ill a lso pra y toda y, tha t our
G ove rnm e nt w ill be give n the w isdom a nd stre ngth to bring R hode sia sa fe ly through.
I ca ll upon a ll of you in this historic hour to support m e a nd m y G ove rnm e nt in the struggle in w hich w e a re e nga ge d.
I be lie ve tha t w e a re a coura ge ouspe ople a nd history ha s ca st us in a he roic role . T o us ha s be e n give n the privile ge of
be ing the first W e ste rnna tion in the la st tw o de ca de sto ha ve the de te rm ina tion a nd fortitude to sa y "so fa r a nd no futhe r".
W e m a y be a sm a ll country, but w e a re a de tdrm ine d pe ople w ho ha ve be e n ca lle d upon to pla y a role of w orld-w ide
significa nce . W e R hode sia nsha ve re je cte dthe doctrina ire philosophy ofa ppe a se m e nta nd surre nde r. T he de cision w hich
w e ha ve ta ke n toda y is a re fusa l by R hode sia ns to se ll the ir birth-right, a nd e ve n if w e w e re to surre nde r, doe s a nyone
be lie ve tha t R hode sia w ould be the la st ta rse t of the C om m unists a nd the A fro-A sia n bloc ?
W e ha ve struck a blow for the pre se rva -tionof justice , civiliz a tion a nd C hristia nity, a nd in the spirit of this be lie f w e
ha ve this da y a ssum e dour sove re ign inde pe nde nce .
G o d b le s sy o u a ll.

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