RHODESIA AND RED CHINA While refusing to alter its anti-Rhodesian policy, even to the limited extent provided for by the legislation under consideration, the administration is actively working to promote and expand trade between this country and our deadly Communist enemies. In addition to its promotion of Russian chromite sales, and its general encouragement of trade with the Soviet Union, the Administration's new Red China policy stands in stark contrast to its boycott of anti-Communist Rhodesia. Here are just a few examples of the incredible double standard which is currently the official policy of the United States: (1) The President announced on April 14 that the State Department is prepared to "expedite" visas for visitors and groups of visitors from Red China to the United States. But holders of Rhodesian passports, including persons who have fought alongside Americans in World War II, are not permitted to enter this country. (2) President Nixon has announced the relaxation of U.S. currency controls to permit the use of U.S. dollars by Communist China. But he has refused to relax his sanctions regulations which prevent normal financial transactions between the United States and Rhodesia. (3) The President has lifted restrictions which prevented American ships and aircraft from carrying Red Chinese cargoes, or calling at ports on the Communist controlled Chinese mainland. But he persists in applying these same restrictions to Rhodesia, under penalty of fine and imprisonment. (4) The President persists in demanding that the American people recognize the importance of bringing Red China "into the world community." His handpicked Presidential Commission on the United Nations has urged the admission of Red China into the U.N., and the adoption of a "two-China policy" by the United States. At the same time, the administration continués its unconscionable campaign to isolate Rhodesia from the world community. (5) While continuing and intensifying its Rhodesian sanctions policy, the administration has ended the embargo on American trade with Red China. On January 7 of this year, the Commerce Department authorized the sale to Red China by General Motors of two giant earth-moving vehicles. These are to be used by the Chinese in Zambia, in connection with construction of the "Tanzam Railroad," a project designed to promote Chinese infiltration of the African Continent. On June 10, the President issued a long list of items which American businessmen can now sell to the Chinese Communists. WHY THE RUSSIANS SELL CHROME ORE TO THE UNITED STATES During the course of these hearings, the question was raised as to why, if chromite is so vital to our national security, the Soviet Union is willing to sell it to us. One answer, of course, is the exorbitant profit on these forced transactions. An even more significant answer, however, was given by Representative Collins in introducing H.R. 5445: "The more dependent we become on Russia for our resources, the more vulnerable becomes our national security. We must not be blind to the fact that this fits right into the Russian General Logarski's theory in his book, 'Strategy and Economics,' in which he expounds his 'weak-link commodity' theory. This theory explicitly calls for Russia to develop strategic material markets until other countries slowly develop a weak link in their own supply line, thus becoming completely dependent on Russia. We are doing just this and handing Russia a powerful weapon." The Council believes that the Congress should keep this Communist strategy in mind when considering whether to end sanctions on Rhodesian chrome ore. There is no question but that we are allowing the Soviet Union to approach a monopoly position with respect to our chrome ore supply. If the administration chooses to keep its head in the sand on this issue, we believe that Congress has a responsibility to act. CONDITIONS IN RHODESIA The facts presented above, along with the information brought out by these hearings, should leave no doubt that the national security of the United States demands enactment of this legislation. Opponents of the internal policies of the Rhodesian Government should, in the interest of our own security, be willing to put aside their ideology and join in support of H.R. 5445. Since the truth about Rhodesia has been so distorted that many people in this country apparently view the overthrow of the Rhodesian Government as a higher priority goal than protection of American security, I feel that it would be helpful to briefly point out some facts on conditions in Rhodesia as they really exist. Because the focus of anti-Rhodesian propaganda has been on that country's racial policies, we will concentrate on that aspect of the picture. (1) Black Rhodesians participate freely in the nation's political life, and their participation will increase as their educational level, and contribution to the economy, increases. The new Rhodesian Constitution, adopted in 1970, incorporates the traditional African tribal structure, and the tribal chiefs play an important part in Rhodesian Government. It should be noted that the African people look to the chiefs for leadership. The pro-Communist “African nationalist leaders" who advocate revolution in Rhodesia have their support in our State Department and in the United Nations, rather than among the African people. (2) Ten chiefs serve as members of the Rhodesian Senate, and 16 Black Rhodesians are members of the House of Assembly (the lower house of Parliament). Africans serve in the armed forces and in the police, where they play an important part in combatting the Communist-led terrorism which is incited and encouraged by the United Nations and liberal elements in the United States. Seventeen percent of Rhodesia's civil servants are Africans. (3) When Rhodesia was settled 80 years ago, there were only 400,000 Africans living in the area. Due to the introduction of modern medical care, the control of disease, and the elimination of famine and tribal warfare, the African population of Rhodesia has grown to well over 4 million. These Africans enjoy the best (along with South Africa) medical care on the African continent, served by modern hospitals and clinics and highly trained medical personnel. Rhodesia has one physician for every 4,300 persons, as compared to one physician for every 18,738 in Ghana and one for every 29,700 in Mali. (4) In the field of education, Rhodesia's Africans are far ahead of those in any of the so-called "emerging nations" of Black Africa. The ratio of children in school to total population is 1 in 6 in Rhodesia. This compares with 1 in 26 in Guinea; 1 in 64 in Mali; and 1 in 71 in Ethiopia. Rhodesian Africans with ability and initiative can receive a Government-supported education through the university level. (5) Rhodesian legislation reserves half of the land area of the country for the exclusive use of the African population, protecting Africans from unfair competition. This area includes a proportionate share of the country's best agricultural land. Africans are being trained in modern farming techniques, as well as being given all possible encouragement and protection in their business enterprises. (6) It should be carefully noted that white Rhodesians pay well over 95 percent of the tax revenue to support the numerous programs benefiting the African population. If our State Department has its way and white Rhodesians are driven out of their country, the Africans would quickly revert to the helpless state in which the Rhodesian pioneers found them in 1890. This, of course, would leave the door wide open to Communist domination which, it appears to us, is the primary motivation behind the anti-Rhodesian agitation so prevalent in this country. I spent three weeks in Rhodesia last year, and I can testify from personal observation that the American press has badly distorted the picture of conditions there. An American visitor to Rhodesia cannot help but be impressed by the tremendous progress being made by the Rhodesian people, of all races, in the face of a worldwide conspiracy aimed at the destruction of their economy. Far from being destroyed, the Rhodesian economy is flourishing in an atmosphere where free enterprise is government policy and individual initiative is an integral part of the way of life. While it is true that sanctions have caused certain dislocations in the economy, they have also confered long-term benefits on Rhodesia by making necessary the development of hundreds of new domestic industries. This industrial development will serve the country well long after sanctions are forgotten. While I cannot claim expertise in the area of international trade, it was obvious to me, as to every foreign observer in Rhodesia, that the United States is virtually alone in the world in blindly abiding by the United Nations sanctions orders. As just one example, American automobiles, although popular in Rhodesia before sanctions, are now few and far between. But one cannot do much walking or driving in Salisbury without being struck by the large number of new Renaults, Toyotas, and Fiats cruising the streets. I have no idea where these cars materialized from, but it is apparent that a number of our allies (equally committed on paper to the U.N.'s mandatory sanctions) are profiting from under-the-table trading with Rhodesia while encouraging "Uncle Sucker" to religiously obey the U.N.'s orders. We became involved in this mess in the first place at the behest of the British Government. It was quite surprising, therefore, to find on Baker Avenue in Salisbury a large street-front office of BOAC, an airline owned by the very same British Government. BOAC advertises in the Rhodesian press, and has recently rearranged its schedules to provide convenient departures for Rhodesian passengers through nearby Blantyre, Malawi. Zambia, one of the African nations making the most noise about "liberating" Rhodesia is in violation of the U.N.'s mandatory sanctions policy every day of the year. Zambia's trade with Rhodesia is substantial, and it is well known that, if not for Rhodesian assistance, the Zambian railway system would have collapsed several years ago. A large percentage of Zambia's power is supplied by the Rhodesian generating plant at Kariba. It should be noted that the Rhodesian Government's claim to the loyalty of the overwhelming majority of Rhodesia's Africans can be confirmed by anyone willing to take the trouble to talk to the Africans in question, instead of listening to speeches about them in the United Nations. I spoke to numerous Africans, in all walks of life, and not one had the least bit of use for the sanctions imposed on their country. As in any democratic country there are differences of opinion as to specific government policies, but Rhodesians of all races are unanimous in the view that Rhodesia must be left alone to solve its own problems. The peacefulness and stability prevailing in Rhodesia have already been commented upon in these hearings. Law and order is maintained by a police force made up largely of Africans. It is possible to walk, alone and unarmed, anywhere in Salisbury, in full safety. This includes Harari, the large African township on the outskirts of the city. In view of the law and order situation in our nation's capital, one cannot help but be struck by the irony of Rhodesia's policies being judged in Washington, where to walk alone after dark within five blocks of the Capitol is to take your life in your hands. The atmosphere of stability in Rhodesia is appreciated by no group more than by the Africans. They know what terrorism is, having been subjected to a good dose of it by "African nationalist" groups such as ZAPU and ZANU before the government cracked down in the early 1960s. I have personally spoken to Africans who deeply resent the actions of the U.S. Government designed to create violence and anarchy in Rhodesia. They know, if the geniuses in our Administration and its State Department do not, that the maintenance of civilized standards is essential to their own best interests. In conclusion, I repeat the American-Southern Africa Council's strong support of H.R. 5445 (and equivalent bills). The Nixon administration, unable to effectively answer the arguments for an end to sanctions on Rhodesian chromite, tells us that it must continue its misguided policy because the United Nations mandatory sanctions are binding on us. We trust that the United Nations Security Council has not replaced the Congress of the United States as this Republic's lawmaking body, and we urge Congress to act on this legislation to safeguard the national security of the United States. COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS NINETY-SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION 65-972 JUNE 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, AND JULY 12, 1971 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1971 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office DEPOSITED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMER CA |