THE British Governor, Lord Soames wields no authority in 90 per cent of Southern Rhodesia. This is the area which continues to be ruled by martial law. Here another group of Britons hold: the the thousand mercenaries regulars in the Rhodesian army.
Although the security forces are in theory no longer 'operational" against the Patriotic Front, they still retain pontical governors. In addition, Soames has now given them the task of seeking out *ceasefire violafors' mercenaries play a disproportionately large part in the success of these operations. Thousands Estimates of their numbers run as high as 15,000. • This is probably a considerable exaggeration, but they can undoubtedly be thousands. As long ago as 1976 Major Nick Lamprecht, mercenary recruitment, reckoned that foreigners made up applications to join the Rhodesian army.
The number of local whites liable to conscription has dwindled because of emigration. One solution adopred by the authorities was to introduce conscription of blacks. politically useful because it allowed the army present itself (quite dishonestly) as an African force defending the black government of Bishop Muzorewa. But militarily the black draft had two drawbacks.
First, out of 1,500 reported for duty. authorities have refused to release subsequent figures Secondly, black troops were sue considered wholly relizor in a bust war against the Patriotic Fross military cominuanques all-white Rhodesia Light which claimed over half the 'kills', and that left out of account the activities of the various elite counterinsurgency units.
SAS This is where the mercenaries fit in. They COnC from all West Germany, Portugal, Spain and Scandinavia. But the largest contingents are from the United States, South Africa, Britain and the white Commonwealth.
Since the trial of British and American mercenaries in Angola in several serving Inullary The counted in charge half the 1976 the sort sriminal This an airmy famous British conterpart. Racialists such abn =PEE $AS the • Infantry recruiters are the same too — Aspin in Britain. in an Fortune Major explained why such as good Israel, rather more According to one Sweeney, ' тать Fais: 1:0.40 -of person who Is attracted has become well known:
psychopaths, military veterans or both. Combat in Vietnam, Ornan or Ireland is useful experience fightine ribbliti The Rhode. ia= SAS has beca able lo attras a good its of reTurs from is tacre are the very same people who played David Bufkin in the US and Leslie interview in Soldier of Lamprecht has foreigners join up:
BALAPERS Rhodesian army because he wants to make a lot of money.' Mercenares In Rhodesia employed as ordinary soldiers, trict estimaic amited made mercenary operation in Angola sach a military disaster. camps' — the precise methods ased by the Scouts. recruiter for Angola, under oath that he had a three-year contract with Inspector Ray Tucker of the Special Branch. This is how he was able to get his men Heathrow with so little trouble.
Illegal Banks' top. Early in 1978 he and Aspin had a meeting at the with John Davies, the Tory Shadow Foreign Secretary, leader of the pro-Rhodesia lobby, and William Shelton, another right-wing Tory.
Under the 1870 Foreign Enlistment Act, Rritain is legal lne Angolan fiasco showed that the law was not working, so the Labour government set up a parliamentary committee under Lord Diplock to investigate its workings.
Diplock's recommendation
that mercenary recruitment should be decriminalised because the law was an infringement of persona freedom (the mercenary's, victim's)!
Diplock also explained thai in the case of Rhodesia the 1570 Act mas are irrekrant:
SO IS E 1727 Thee what role the Braisi played?
Yet that same British army which directly or indirectly trained the bulk of the Rhodesian security ferces now the leading British mainlamned through contacts went right to the latest House of Commons Julian Amery mercenary recruitment in 2XP. THE Soviet offensive in Afgbanistan "is an aid to the oppressed in their battles against imperialist domination, not only in Afghanistan, bat siso in neighbouring Iran and throughost the entire region and the colonial and semi-colonial world. It is a sharp blon to imperialism's efforts to hold back the world revolution.' This is Ernest Harsch's view in the issue meckly Intercontinental Press/Inprecor (Vel 18, No 1]. Single copies cost 3h, plas 10p pop, but subscriptions wort much cheaper al f11 for one sear le issues], £6 for six montts [24 issnes]. or £3 for an introductors offer ed lo 1o "Intercontinental Press" to: IP/I, PO BOs 50. London S SOCIALIST
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