NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS AND THE NON-ALIGNED

450 Pages·2015·15.68 MB·English

NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS AND THE
NON-ALIGNED: A STUDY IN ANTI-COLONIALISM
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO ZMBABWE
by
Anthony A. Amakiri
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy, University of Leicester.
October, 1984
UMI Number: U348401
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To the memory of my father, Amos,
who sacrificed so much to give me
the education which he believed would
equip me for life.
CONTENTS PAGE
Acknowledgements iv.
Abbreviations v.
Introduction 1.
1. 'National Liberation' and 'Non-alignment' in Theory 7.
PART I. NON-ALIGNED SUPPORT FOR 'NATIONAL
LIBERATION'
2. Determinants of Support for National Liberation 56.
3. The Development of Support Within the Non-Aligned
Movement 96.
4. Diplomatic Support at the United Nations: Legitimisation
of 'National Liberation' 182.
5. Strategic and Material Support. 213.
PART II. SUPPORT FOR 'NATIONAL LIBERATION' IN
RHODESIA
6. Diplomatic Support 271.
7. Material and Strategic Support 352.
Conclusion 422.
Bibliography. 430.
IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
No research work of this kind is wholly the effort of one person. It
usually involves the participation, directly or indirectly, of many people. While
I remain grateful to all those who have contributed in one way or another to
making this work possible, I would nevertheless wish to express particular
gratitude to certain individuals. My first thanks in this respect go to
Professor J.E. Spence and Dr. Geoff Berridge who were so generous with time
and advice in supervising the work. My thanks are due also to Mr. John Day,
Dr. John Hoffman and Dr. James Manor - all of the Department of Politics of the
University of Leicester - for their suggestions and moral support. I would also
like to thank my colleague, Mr. Martyn Gregory who was kind enough to let me
use his interviews with some of the principal participants in the Rhodesia crisis.
However, I must hasten to add that any errors that might occur in the study are
wholly mine.
Financially I wish to express my gratitude to the University's Research
Board for its grant which enabled me to undertake some research travels. But
my greatest thanks go to Messrs. D.J. Oruobu and Victor Masi for their financial
assistance when I needed it most.
Finally, I cannot fail to thank my wife, Fabiya, for her invaluable
support; and my uncle, Mr. W.W. Bille for his encouragement.
ABBREVIATIONS
ALC African Liberation Committee
ANC African National Council (Rhodesia)
ANC African National Congress (South Africa)
FAQ Food and Agricultural Organization
FLING F rente de Luta pela Independencia Nacional da Guire
FLN Front de Liberation Nationale (Algeria)
FLNA . F rente Nacional de Libertacao de Angola
FRELIMO F rente de Libertacao de Mocambique
FROLIZI Front for the Liberation of Zimbabwe
IDAF International Defence and Aid Fund
JMC Joint Military Command
JPG Joint Political Council
MNR Mozambique National Resistance
MPLA Movimento Popular de Libertacao de Angola
NCNC National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (later
renamed National Council for Nigerian Citizens)
NDP National Democratic Party (Rhodesia)
NLF National Liberation Front (Vietnam)
GAU Organization of African Unity
PAC Pan-Africanist Congress (South Africa)
PAIGC Partido Africans da Independencia da Guine e Cabo Verde
PDFLP Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
PLO Palestine Liberation Organization
PR G Provisional Revolutionary Government (Vietnam)
RDA Rassemblement Démocratique Africain
VI
SWAPO Southwest Africa Peoples Organization
UDI Unilateral Declaration of Independence
UGCC United Gold Coast Convention
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees
UNIP United National Independence Party (Zambia)
UNITA United Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola
WCC World Council of Churches
WHO World Health Organization
ZANU Zimbabwe African Nationalist Union
ZAPU Zimbabwe African Peoples Union
ZIPA Zimbabwe Peoples Army
ZLC Zimbabwe Liberation Committee.
1.
INTRODUCTION
Two significant developments which occurred on the international scene in
the early post-war period were the emergence of the phenomena of national
liberation movements and non-alignment. Both occurring outside the traditional
centres of world politics, they presented an awkward picture in the established
order of international relations. As a result they were subjected to various
ideological assessments. What is true of them, however, is that they both have
their roots in anti-colonialism.
Up to 1939, the vast expanse of European empires covering almost the
whole of Africa, much of Asia, and parts of Latin America seemed likely to last
for many more decades. Except in India and a few other colonies where
nationalist sentiment had developed to a level which caused concern to the colonial
authorities, there really existed no apparently serious challenge to the colonial
system. But World War II was soon to change the situation. The war-time
experience of the colonial soldiers gave a fillip to the nascent nationalism in most
of these colonies, giving rise to a vigorous demand for independence. Under
favourable international conditions given in the war-weariness of the colonial
powers, the establishment of the United Nations Organization, and the growing
opposition to colonialism in the metropolis, the campaign for independence in the
colonies soon gathered enough momentum to force the colonial authorities into
retreat.
In many of the colonies, the retreat was peaceful and orderly, guided by
constitutionalism. This has led some authors to regard decolonization as an ex-
gratia and a benevolent exercise to demonstrate what is portrayed as the depth of
understanding on the part of the colonizer to the colonized. The tendency therefore
2.
is to present colonialism as a "civilizing mission" which could not be accused of
exploitation. It is thus understandable for Portugal to say that:
We take pride in the increasing toil and work that for nearly five
centuries of common history we have achieved overseas: it has
been the work of maintaining order, organizing community life,
promoting economic development, providing education at all levels,
investing capital, and raising living standards. However, one thing
is certain: at least the progress and development which we brought
and are still bringing into our overseas provinces was not and is not
done by methods which are repugnant to the conscience of mankind
nor by violations of human rights. ^
What the Portuguese statement implies is that colonialism gave no benefit but only
sacrifice to the colonizer, and therefore might not be worth promoting except for
humanitarian purpose. James Mayall seems to share this viewpoint when he
asserts that for Britain "the establishment of an African empire was primarily
determined by the need to secure the trade route to India, rather than of any over­
riding governmental conviction concerning the value of African colonies
2
themselves. " Hence his expected conclusion that the decolonization of India
made irrelevant the African colonies, and so their inevitable abandonment by
Britain.
Such an argument creates a rather simplistic view of decolonization and
denies the realities of the changes in international relations which ruled colonialism
as anachronistic. It is an argument that seeks to cover up the retreat of
colonialism in the face of the rising anti-colonial movements in the colonies.
1. UN General Assembly Official Records, 15th Session, 926th Plenary
Meeting, 28 November, 1960.
2. James Mayall, Africa : The Cold War and After (London: Erek Books Ltd.,
1971), p.68.