Rhodesian rioting at new level

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32819, 20 January 1972, Page 1

Rhodesian rioting at new level

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

GWELO (Rhodesia), January 19.

Troops and police patrolled the shattered streets of Gwelo’s African townships today after Rhodesia’s worst riots for nearly 10 years, which left an African youth dead and several other Africans wounded.

An official statement issued last night said that one African youth died of chest injuries received when he tripped over a log while running away from a police patroL

At least two Africans received gunshot wounds in a series of running battles between police and rioters. The statement added that another African suffered a bayonet wound and a number of others had minor gunshot wounds.

The wave of looting, rioting and arson which started in Gwelo on Sunday was linked by police with an

African nationalisfVampaign 1 against proposals for ending i the Anglo-Rhodesian in- 1 dependence dispute. I These proposals are now 1 being tested for acceptability i among the Rhodesian people by a British Commission led : by Lord Pearce. i Yesterday’s destruction in i the townships of Monoma- i tapa and Mkoba erupted ] after police broke up an anti- i settlement demonstration i with tear gas. < A chanting crowd of 8000 i Africans roared out a mighty “No” to signal to the Pearce 1 Commission their rejection i of the settlement terms. Com-; mission hearings scheduled i for Gwelo yesterday were < cancelled. Although the initial vio- 1 lence seemed spent, a close t watch was being kept on t

Monomatapa, the centre of disaffection and the township which took the brunt of the most destructive riots Rhodesia has witnessed for almost a decade. Beginning before dawn, swelling ranks of African demonstrators had gathered on the fringes of Monomatapa—their intention to March to Gwelo, only a mile away, to speak with the commissioners; there to test opinion of the settlement terms. ' But blocking the way of the march was* a phalanx of riot police armed with teargas guns, long and short range repeating shotguns, sub-machine guns and batons. The Government statement last night said that more than 40 arrests had been made in Gwelo.