Rhodesia Extends Emergency

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 20

Rhodesia Extends Emergency

(N.Z PA. Reuter —Copyright)

SALISBURY, Feb. I

A Smith Government motion to extend the existing states of emergency for three months was carried in Parliament last night by 31 votes to 13.

An Opposition United Peoples Party (U.P.P.) amendment to extend the state of emergency for only one month moved by an African member, Mr C. Hlabangana, was defeated by the same margin. Mr Hlabangana told the House the emergency was a smokescreen behind which the Government was hiding ugly things. Without the emergency, there would be a civil war, he said. The emergency was a “naked form of intimidation of opposition” and without it the unemployed in the country would demonstrate in their thousands from Salisbury, Bulawaya and other centres, he said. He said that industrialists, who were losing trade, and the unemployed and the Opposition could not demonstrate. Nor could they write to newspapers because of censorship, which was intended to muzzle anything that might lead to civil war, Mr Hlabangana said. The regime was not governing in the interests of the people, but for a few powerhungry individuals in the Government today, he charged. Seconding the amendment, Mr P. H. Mkudu (U.P.P.) said Rhodesians had been brainwashed before “this

dreadful independence” was declared and now they were being prepared for a republic.

This -would be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire —“and we would hate had our chips.” he said. Earlier, a Rhodesian Front member, Mr T. Ellison, told the House it was untrue that the Government had requested an extension of the state of emergency to muzzle Opposition members of the House.