Zimbabwe

Part of the crowd at a rally in Trafalgar Square to mark the tenth anniversary of UDI, held on 9 November 1975. Demonstrators called for an end to the execution of freedom fighters by the Smith regime. Speakers included Methodist minister David Haslam, Roger Lyons of the white collar union ASTMS and Peter Hain, speaking for the National League of Young Liberals.

Leaflet advertising a march and rally in central London held on 9 November 1975 to mark the tenth anniversary of UDI. Demonstrators called for an end to hangings by the Smith regime. Zimbabwean protesters held a vigil outside Rhodesia House to commemorate 32 freedom fighters known to have been hanged.

Leaflet advertising an AAM conference held in October 1975 to mark the tenth anniversary of UDI. The conference discussed the role of South Africa and Britain’s responsibility for Zimbabwe, and provided updates on the economic situation inside the country.

This memorandum showed how the Labour government elected in 1974 was failing to honour its election pledge to end military links with South Africa. It asked trade unionists and Labour Party members to press the government to end military co-operation and to take action on Zimbabwe and Namibia.

From December 1972 Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) guerrilla fighters infiltrated eastern Zimbabwe and launched their first major attack on a farm in Centenary District. The AAM worked closely with the Justice for Rhodesia Campaign, which produced this poster.

From 1973, as guerrilla warfare escalated within Zimbabwe, the Smith regime carried out secret hangings of its opponents and charged thousands of people with political offences. This leaflet highlighted the repression and stressed the continued responsibility of the British Labour government as the legal authority in Zimbabwe.

In May 1972 the Pearce Commission found that the Smith-Home proposals for a settlement in Zimbabwe were unacceptable to the majority of Zimbabweans. This leaflet advertised an AAM conference looking at the significance of the new situation in Zimbabwe for developments in the rest of Southern Africa.

In May 1972 the Pearce Commission found that the Smith-Home proposals for a settlement in Zimbabwe were unacceptable to the majority of Zimbabweans. The following year on 24 February 1973, the AAM organised a conference that looked at the significance of the new situation in Zimbabwe for developments in the rest of Southern Africa. It showed how South Africa was violating sanctions against the Smith regime and giving it military support. Left to right: Abdul Minty, John Sprack, Didymus Mutasa, chair of the multi-racial Cold Comfort Farm Society, and Guy Clutton-Brock.