NationStates Jolt Archive

South African incident! Commonwealth claiming parts of Lusakan territory!
For a long time, many admired his benevolence Nwabudike James' ability to expand the Commonwealth through the peaceful ways of negotiation and trade. Indeed, the republic of Congo and the Tanzanian territories are now parts of the Commonwealth, their governments willingly submitting to James' rule for the progress and economic prosperity it brings. However, all is not well. In the southeast communes, socialist peasants and farmers have been revolting, and many have taken a fiercely independent national stance ~ Until now, the Commonwealth government took no particular notice, as this sort of uprising is quite common in the region. Relations have been worsing lately, as the Commonwealth has actually annexed northwestern Lusaka without initially realizing!

http://www.tidos.dk/images/dispute.jpg

The socialist nation of Lusaka has for long been a close partner in both trading and defensive research(the main armor of the Commonwealth army is a Lusakan tank), but unless the Secular party drops all claims of the territory and pulls back it's borders, political conflict seems inevitable. Analysts hope for the government to do so, but know that it is highly unlikely. While not unreasonable, James and his cronies care an awful lot for the agricultural and mineral rewards of the area and may even take offense to Lusakan claims of territory. For now, until Lusaka makes an official statement on the dispute, nothing is certain.

OOC:
Here it is! I made an error when mapping out the Commonwealth, accidentally eating some of Lusaka - Never the ones to pass up an opportunity for RP, here is the dispute thread between me and Lusaka ;)

Comments, condemnations and all sorts of international response is welcome, but I'd rather only see regional members interfering politically and/or militarily should it get that bad; thanks!

The Commonwealth expresses wonder and interest in the fact that noone in the world cares for a serious border dispute like this.

(although to be honest, in the regional dialect, all this is pronounced "BUM-P")

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/lusaka.jpg
New Lusaka City

The nation's political life had never been so full. It was a shame that so much recent promise had come unstuck thanks to little more than the constraints of time. President Igomo had been "off world" -the first Lusakan ever to experience such a journey- only to be recalled by pressing matters of state. International Development Secretary Livingstone Miyanda had been sent to the Third World Solidarity Conference, again being recalled (ooc:Yes, suddenly and quite unexpectedly I attained a life and lost track of all Lusaka's threads, only for some git to recall it, hence my return here to Lusakan activity), and the nation's on going support of its Hrstrovokian allies had resulted in a costly military deployment and policing action in Boroglia.

That last note at least still played on. The Boroglia expedition, lead by Colonel Tendyala, had drawn thousands of Lusakans, military and civilian, far over seas.

Igomo's spending had alarmed many in government, and economic collapse was feared. As it had turned out, however, the president had managed to affect a complete recovery of the nation's economy.

Much of the resulting wealth was being put into the military. Lusaka's mid-sized standing army was surprisingly well equiped for a sub-Saharan African nation, or so it appeared. Two hundred main battle tanks, one thousand medium tanks, well over three hundred other AVs, an air force that included a small bomber wing, assorted heavy transport planes, nearly four hundred fighter and attack planes, and over five hundred helicopters, mainly Mi-28 gunships. The tiny navy was comprised mainly of fairly modern missile corvettes. However, many of these machines existed in reserve, and some had already been stripped for spare parts to keep the minority operational.

Now, with the recovery, Igomo was spending heavily on training programmes, and on acquiring new parts and sufficient fuel and munitions to get the remainder of his military operational.

No one understood why. Lusaka was already powerful enough -by virtue of size alone- to defend herself against the previously troublesome warlords and potential African rogue states. The nation had foreign first-world allies to defend against western imperialism, and amongst its most powerful neighbours the republic had good relations with the Commonwealth.

Finally people feared that they understood Igomo's policies. Half of the new cobolt and zinc mining facilities constructed in concert with Sambezi fell into the region of the Great Rift Valley in Lusaka's north west. Over a billion dollars of initial capital investment along with thousands of jobs and multi-million dollar exports- all of these things were apparently threatened by Commonwealth expansion.

Lusaka's hectic post-colonial history- less than a generation long- had apparently left it with ill defined borders and authority. A dangerous element for such a young nation in a hectic and heated part of the world.

Now the Igomo government was suspected of fermenting unrest in contested areas. Previously favourable news broadcasts were begining to allow a critical edge to their reports on Nwabudike James.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-9/394362/Lusaka.jpg
The United African Republic of Lusaka according to New Lusaka City's Igomo Social Progress Party government.


(Pretty much a back-ground post. I know there's not much progress here. I'll think about that now.)

Galdania has considerable interests in Galdania, including Socialist Ghana.

We want to avoid conflict in the region, to ensure stability in Ghana.

New Lusaka City. The President's office

"I shouldn't imagine Ghana's threatened much by events on the far side of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, the Cameroon, and so on.. and what should any of us care of Gladanian interests in Gladania?"
"I expect that he..or she meant to say Africa, sir."
"Well, regardless, we deployed co-operatively in Ghana, didn't we? They shouldn't be concerned."

Shortly there after Igomo made clear to his cabinet that serious concessions could not be made in the north west. Too much was invested, and more than that, Lusaka would be humilitated if its multinational operations in the area had to fold, or be partly taken-over by their neighbour.

Lusakan diplomats practiced puffing out their chests, and pressed their best dress uniforms. Transports of arms and men to Southern Boroglia decreased significantly. The stock exchange faltered.

OOC: IM Rhodesia and Nyasaland back from the dead and without the Nyasaland, just sassume its now independant.
Also im posting a Zimbabwe map until I can find a decent old one.

IC:

http://www.africa-expedition.com/images/ct/zimbabwe-map.jpg

Rhodesian Broadcasting Service

Salisbury, Federation of The Rhodesia Republic

"This morning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to the territory dispute between Lusaka and the African Commonwealth stating clearly that, "It is not our job to restrain anybody." This comment will be seen as inflammatory especially considering that the Prime Minister is alledgedly suspected of saying only last week at a private dinner, "These borders are all arbitary anyway and without us lot they'd still be a bunch of warring tribes."

"Message for you, sir."

Igomo looked up on hearing the slurred speech of the stoned-as-ever International Development Secretary Miyanda.

"Apparently the Salisbury regime's piped-up again.." The lanky and swaying Miyanda almost toppled over as it appeared for a moment that President Igomo might throw a paper weight at the messenger.

"I thought they'd collapsed? We don't need this now! Boroglia and Al Anbar, the Commonwealth, and now the dogs of imperialism are back on the southern doorstep?"

Miyanda's big vacant eyes widened beyond all reason as his mixed up consciousness tried to place the nation's "southern doorstep" whilest the term "dogs of imperialism" prompted all manner of halucination.

Igomo decided that it was time for some military manouvers in the south west. "Fly as many Mi-28 as we have helicopter pilots!"

The streets of New Lusaka City-

"Can you fly helicopters, man?"
"I'm a lamp-post."
"I'm sorry to hear that."

No one dared question the wisdom of the 6'8" Miyanda's interrogations as he towered above them in his creased olive uniform and backwards beret..

Ministry of Defence, Salisbury

An orderly entered the Minister's large office.

"Sir, Here's a report from intelligence, appears Lusaka's mobilising."

"Against us or the Commonwealth?"

"Hard to tell."

"I know Igoomos' a crazy commie but he's not stupid enough to challenge us, I hope not anyway."

"yes sir."

The orderly turned to leave.

"Tyler, wait a minute, call General Gardiner and ask him to put the 3rd and 7th Tactical Fighter Wings on alert 4, also Northern radar sites need to expect a possble threat and be ready to vector fighters, something makes me suspicious."

"Yes sir."

"Make certain that Lusaka is safe. It is a haven in a land of bloodshed and deisease. Protect it's people. Milka is no threat here at home. Keep the puppy in bed."
-Message from Galdanian Red Army Command in Galdania City to the 32nd Galdanian Red Army Command Post in Ghana.
-----
Somewhere over the African Commonwealth...
http://www.civfanatics.com/civ3images/units/small_gif/civ3_jetfighter.gif
"Nustroyz, pulentkya vyort kitpvlaka-mustroyz! Maivda! Maivda!"
The plane goes down over AC territory...

My nation will support Lasaka and give them any aid that will help their cause.

Emperor Mike Elliott
The Armed Republic of Royal Palm

Tension quietly built across Lusaka in the absence of political progress. The economy, recently at a post colonial high with per capita GDP briefly hiting ten thousand US dollars per annum (following the Sambezi mining deals and an agreement with Hrstrovokia over uranium extraction plants in South Boroglia), was folding once more.

The nation was becoming used to this. Igomo had often prompted economic recovery in the republic, but had never been able to provide stability, and in the years of his government, the GDP had climbed from less than one thousand dollars per capita to the above mentioned high, and was now almost half way back down again.

This time the border crisis -threatening much of the recent foreign investment- and the accompanying military expenditure were blamed for the dip. In truth half the world seemed to be in recession, and Lusaka's economy was never going to be stable enough to remain unaffected.

The spending was at least having some arguably positive results- vehicle maintainance was at its best for some years, and with unemployment rising, there was no shortage of keen military recruits. The regular army had ballooned to a point where it now boasted more than four hundred thousand effectives, and with thousands more lined up to apply for whatever posts were available, further growth was likely to come.

http://www.nigerianarmy.net/images/depot/obstacle-crossing.jpg
New recruits under-go training at bases around Lusaka.

Manouvers in the south west centred around Kasama, with simulated simultanious thrusts towards Mzuzu and Mbala. Observing much of the action, Igomo was said to be pleased, but restrained and rather quiet.

http://www.nigerianarmy.net/divisions/images/gbnapict1.jpg
Training aside, Igomo enjoys a spectacle, and is ever keen to display the civilised and organised nature of Lusakan society and military.

The parades seen yesterday afternoon seemed to lift the president's spirits, and he was seen to stand, salute, and at one point even applaud his officers.

http://www.nigerianarmy.net/images/homepageimages/COASBig.jpg
President Igomo is seen as often in his old military uniform as in a suit or any casual wear


Lusaka struggles on through another economic crisis as she awaits what the future has in store.

[OOC: Sorry I haven't posted before now. I unexpectedly lost my internet connection, and I don't know when it will be back. Soon I hope, but for now my posts might remain a little sporadic - bear with me!]

IC>>
The Secular party expresses concern at the heavy mobilization of the Lusakan military. General Ndelebe has said that he does not wish any ill-will towards the sovereign nation of Lusaka, and that a peaceful solution should be sought. He has also remarked that "it would be a terrible shame to involve the Commonwealth's armed forces in this.". Nonetheless, tribal militia has undergone increased training in the southwest barracks, and AWACS planes from the 6th Recon/Survellance squadron has begun to overfly the disputed territories. Analysts think that the Commonwealth is not going to take any chances, but the government's history also suggest that they will most likely seek a peaceful solution to the impending crisis. The RAC and the RCAF state of readiness is uknown, but some transfers of personnel to mid-country air bases and barracks seems to be taking place. The behemoth army of the Commonwealth does not seem to be mobilizing at the moment, so no rapid detetoriation of relations seem to be taking place. His supreme benevolence Nwabudike James is expected to make a statement on the border dispute somewhere in the near future.

[The current state and history of the Commonwealth can be reviewed at your leisure here: http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=95634&highlight= ]

[Here is the link to the military archives: Some changes have taken place that I haven't updated yet, but here lies more or less the Commonwealth's full military ~ It's on page 33: http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10954&start=640 ]

The Dominion of Kotterdam has long been an ally of the African Commonwealth. At this time, the Dominion Aircraft Carrier Battlegroup Liberty is en-route to the territorial waters of our traditional ally, along with the 2nd Amphibious Warfare Group. The Dominion hereby offers its services as a third party mediator to negotiate a peaceful solution to this situation.

http://www.cybersluagh.com/ErisKallisti/scott1.jpg

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That is spam, and please go away.
(I'll come back and turn this into something worthwhile when I'm not actually asleep.)

The Secular Party hails the kind support of Scott Haley and sends regard from his benevolence Nwabudike James. We hope for a peaceful process of negotiatian that will lead to the continual Commonwealth ownership of the contested territories. The 2nd Tactical Airwing is currently being transferred to airstrips near the border, as are parts of the 1st Republican Corps. We do not mean this as an act of agression towards our just and wise neighbour Lusaka or it's government under his benevolence President Igomo; but we consider it imperative that order is maintained in the disputed territories, and no violations of international law take place.

~Somewhere in the Commonwealth, near the Angolan(Chinkawan?) border~

The three armored policemen descended on the crashed Galdanian plane, combat shotguns at the fore. A fourth person follows down the fissure the falling plane has ploughed in the crops, a hulking figure clad in a black leather trenchcoat. The other policemen keep a respectful distance from the member of the secret police, waiting for his order.
"Let's find the pilot...
And more importantly, let's find out what he KNOWS.". The other men nod, draw batons and start to search the crash site....

Igomo's cabinete room had been silent for almost ten minutes. Eight men sat around a central desk. Two more stood to the side- one a member of cabinete waiting staff, the other an armed security officer, but no one spoke.

Igomo moved a few times, once to bat away a fly, the rest turning his gaze towards the papers strewn before him.

Eventually a grunt from the president was enough to convince Secretary Miyanda that it was all right to talk.

Hesitantly he began again, "I don't know for a fact that anything we do will be any use to us.. the Commonwealth isn't spoiling for a fight, but they seem clear in their desire to hold on to the Great Rift area. If they are indeed so unwilling to compromise over the land as are we, there is little room for progress."

Igomo grunted again, still unsatisfied with his cabinet's efforts.

"Maybe we could offer them something else.." Ventured one junior cabinet minister who, for the sake of his career's future, instantly wished that he'd kept quiet.

"But.." Miyanda started, watching Igomo's reaction, "..why should we be the ones to offer them compensation?"

"Because we want to be the ones who end up with the land, and not with the compensation." Came the suddenly more confident reply.

The President raised an interested eyebrow.. well, two in truth, but one could tell that he hadn't meant for the second to follow the first.

The subject turned to possible compensation plans, while in the disputed land plain clothes security men prowl the villages and mining facilities, with futuristic-looking South African CP-1 automatic pistols concealed about their persons.

~Inside the disputed Commonwealth/Lusakan territories~
The plainclothed security guards will encounter the same thing as the socialist and independent farmers and miners of the area: Secret Police. The dreaded and all-pervasive Manus Nigra has already begun to spread propaganda in the form of posters and leaflets that stress the value of Commonwealth independence from Lusaka, and in a more unwritten sense, that a fate worse than instant death might await citizens not realizing that supporting their new government might be a good idea.

The Lusakan security officers on hand in the disputed north west -a few of whom had already taken to casually ripping down Commonwealth propaganda- begin to do so with more frequency, as instructed after reporting it to their superiors.

(Ah, I was going to work on a much more in depth post, but I am hungrier than.. a pre-revolutionary Lusakan, and must crawl to the kitchen now..)

Alek was dazed...He stumbled through a village of Africans, who pointed at the man, dressed in his army fatigues, as he collapsed in front of a church.

~In the village of Ndalaka~

After a seemingly warm welcome in which the Galdanian airman was reclothed, given a bath and some food along with whatever medical aid he would require(even smaller AC villages have advanced sanitation, health care and aid stations); the party was over. Either a native Nigra officer, or one out of many terrified informers, had told off the military, and an entire Hand(tactical Manus Nigra unit, five men) along with an interpreter and 25 soldiers had been dispatched to Ndalaka. Unless the man were to put up a fight, capture was inevitable.

~ANN channel 2: Commonwealth national television~

The aged and illness-wracked face of Nwabudike James comes forth on the screen. Despite the rigours of his 69 years and his medical condition, the dictator is dressed for effect and seems as determined as ever.
"Good evening, my fellow African citizens, and whomever else is watching. God knows these are troubled times, and it seems that not only the maoist farmers of the southwest, but also our neighbour and ally the Allied States of Lusaka, are making a claim for our southwestern lands. While we do not wish a conflict with the honourable president Igomo, we do not aim to give up what is ours either. The Secular party is what makes our country strong, and the Secular party owns this land for all just Commonwealth men and women. Should anything happen in the borderlands, I bid all the stout and brave farmers of the land to be strong, and to remember where they belong. Remember: Should anything happen, I personally will not hesitate to help them."
The broadcast continues for a while with the speaker reminding citizens to stay calm, along with some news on military movements - The 1st Tactical Aircraft Wing has moved to the disputed area, the entire 1st Republican Corps is moving west from Kinshasa(assumably towards to the border), and some tribal militia and artillery positions are being stirred from inactivity in the central Commonwealth. More is without a doubt happening, but this is all the Commonwealth gets to know.

OOC:
((Back! My sincere apologies for the long wait, but like I said, I won't know when my internet comes back..

As for military presence, any analyst with intelligence back-up or knowledge of the Commonwealth's military history will realize that some build-up is taking place ~ They will also guess at the fact that the Commonwealth will avoid conflict with Lusaka at most costs, but are making sure they won't get taken by surprise should things get heated - That means that the first Republican Corps along with attached artillery and support are moving towards Lake Tanganyika, as are several wings of the Republican Commonwealth's Air Force; and the disputed territories will soon be crawling with the Secular Party's secret police, the Manus Nigra.))

In Lusaka proper the gradual military build-up slowly progressed, with much of the Boroglia expedition's best equipment now back in Lusaka, despite the lack of resolution to the on-going Al Anbari crisis in Boroglia.

Igomo's government was greatly nervous. They believed that conflict might yet be avoided, and they knew that given time Lusaka could raise a much larger army than could the Commonwealth.. but the Commonwealth's industrial capacity was far in advance of Lusaka's.

More than that, the longer the dispute went on, the more (badly needed) profits would be lost, and Lusaka's limited heavy industry would continue to suffer.

The president couldn't help noticing his opposite's failing health. Perhaps he would be forced to step down.. or.. perhaps he'd die before this came to blows. But what would happen after his rule was over? Would his successor be even more determined? Would there be anarchy enough for Lusaka to quietly secure the disputed area?

While still looking into possible compensation plans with a view to essentially buying out the territory, New Lusaka waited for the Commonwealth to make the next move. How long Lusaka could afford to wait was unclear.

Inside the Commonwealth, in a top secret council room 400 feet beneath the bustling metropolis Kinshasa

General Ndelebe paced around his desk, each crack of his boots stomping making the three of the four colonels present wince. He stopped his vitriolic trot, and turned to face them. "Why haven't they withdrawn their claim? They'd be little more than rubble now if his benevolence James was not such a patient man! Well.."
He paused. The officers, veterans of many inter-tribal struggles before James' ascent to power were hard men. He looked at their passionate, respectful dark eyes, and knew that they would be behind him... If not for that doddering old... No. James was a strong leader, he would just need.. Guidance. That was it.
"I want operation Venomous Long Spear up to DEFCON 3. We'll take the Lusakans by surprise if they should dare try to make a grab for the land with military force. In the meantime, I will advice his Benevolence to give Igomo and his government fewer options. They have no choice but to back down, eventually."

"A prudent move, Supreme General" a husky voice said behind him. All their eyes turned to the Manus Nigra colonel, one of the highest-ranking officers in the secret police. The other colonels eyed him with thinly veiled dread, and even Ndelebe tensed up. There was something about Colonel Tomé that made his skin itch. On the inside. "Now remains only the question of how to keep the maoists and Lusakan loyalists inside the disputed territories under control." Tomé continued. "I humbly request permission to step up Manus Nigra presence inside the area."
Ndelebe nodded slowly... The peasants understood death. They would be too terrified not to join the Commonwealth. After all, we treat those who play along very good. "Do what you must" He answered. "You are dismissed, officers. I have a meeting with his Benevolence James to attend". He saluted crisply and watched them walk off....

The next day, inside a village west of Tanganyika, deep into disputed territory

The plainclothed Manus Nigra officer hauled a peasant outside. The mans pleading stopped as he was dropped to the ground and the grim-faced policeman showed his badge of office: A stylized black hand with a lightning bolt through it. The man's own hand sported a scar with the same motive, but the poor villager never lived to see it.
"So, you attended the revolutionaries' meeting in Kanzasa?". "Yes... Yes!!" The man whined, realizing that the wrong answer would mean his death. "..But I am no maoist! I was merely curious. The revolutionaries are foolish, as opposed to Nwabudike! He will always be my leader". The MN officer paused to consider this, the bulge in his pocket suggesting that the peasant should not abuse this pause for thought to run away from him. "Admirable, but your friends tell a different tale.". The terrified man on the ground opened his mouth to speak, but the silenced 9mm SOCOM spoke quicker. Laying the man gently against the wall of his homestead, the officer dropped a pro-James poster on his body, adding "So perish all those who defy the Commonwealth" with a thin ink marker. The many bullet wounds began to seep blood onto the paper as the officer turned and walked away, trying not to focus on his grim accomplishment. After all, there was much to do. The maoist supporters were soon to terrified to hold on any hope of armed resistance, but the Lusakans to the east and south were likely still plotting independence...."

Message To: Nwabudike James of the African Commonwealth
From: Prime Minister Sir Charles Howard-Fraser of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

Although our politics and ideologies seem to be incompatible with each other and our nations have frequently condemned each others actions in the past, it is my firm belief that the aggressive Socialist attitudes of President Igomo need to be prevented from spreading throghout the region of Southern Africa. In this spirit I propose a deal that if any conflict does indeed break out, our nations work together to extiniguish this cancer of communism from our mutual lands. We hope you will consider our offer for the good of Africa because it is clear that Lusaka is the greatest threat to securitty that we currently face. I hope you undertsand that this commmunication must be maintaned in strict confidence for the time being.

[signed]

OOC: Lusaka is their some sort of rebel faction that we could give clandestine assitsance to?

OOC: Alek will supply the following interrogation willingly, when asked:
-Galdania sent him to take spy pictures of the Commonwealth, in case the AC were to attack Lusaka or Ghana.
-His plane was destroyed after a mechanical failure caused it to crash
-He will admit that Galdania likely has about 12 nuclear warheads within Socialist Ghana.

Under torture, he will admit that as a child, his father forced him to slaughter a cow, and that his father beat his mother to death when he was a child, and hid the body under a barn. Alek had never notified the authorities.

OOC: Lusaka is their some sort of rebel faction that we could give clandestine assitsance to?

ooc:Hmm. Not exactly. There used to be great warlord/gun-runner/drug-barron problems in Lusaka, but we received major aid from Hrstrovokia and Soviet Haaregrad, and quashed those elements. A while ago, in a past RP, we had trouble with right wing elements in the minority white population -a lot of protests against the Igomo government and a few minor riots. Those who did better under the colonial regime Igomo's revolution felled (I never established who our old European-style masters where, actually.. still looking for a Nation State to represent them) objected to the "pinko" influence from the two socialist nations - Lusaka, even under Igomo, did not start out socialist, it was the influence of our helpers that drove us that way.

Anyway, it might be possible to stir up trouble in white areas -I forget exactly how many whites are in Lusaka. I think I said the nation is 85% black, and 15% other, with Europeans making up the largest minorty. There may be as many as 80 million whites here now.
Of course many are quite happy with life under Igomo, but a minority would still prefer a more Rhodesian model..

[/rambling]

~A heavily encrypted message arrives at the republic of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The decaying Strontium-30 based frames says the telegram arrived from a different location on earth every 3 seconds and covers the words in deep piles of gibberish~

We accept your offer on a temporary basis. A surprise attack by your armed forces in the event of conflict will be most prudent, and force the Lusakans to war on two fronts. However, we must be vary of Galdanian support to Lusaka - They have meshing ideologies, and we have become aware of the presence of a large Galdanian nuclear arsenal secreted in Socialist Ghana. We do not know the readiness of the warheads, but nuclear war must be avoided at all costs. Signed, General Ndelebe

~The presidents call to president Igomo on ANN~

"Igomo, we are allies, and long may we remain so. But we cannot let you take land that rightfully belongs to the Commonwealth. And so, I ask of you to stand down. There cannot be any conflict where no dispute is. Give up your claims to the land, and there will be no conflict."

OOC: In the coming weeks I will be mentioning Rhodesia's Selous scouts (a RL unit, at least it was) so here's some background info I dug up on them, just for information for these guys are the people who do our dirty work, and dirty they certainly are:



Rhodesia's crack Selous Scouts, a tough and highly selected band of men, White and Black, who are said to be possibly the best and toughest bush fighters in the world, have been branded as a bunch of demented killers by terrorists and their Marxist henchmen

For example I interviewed huge Joshua Nkomo in the unkept garden of Zimbabwe House, ZAPU's headquarters in Conakry Road, Lusaka. He said killings in Rhodesia by the security forces were becoming as regular as detailed weather reports. He continued:

When met by the ruthless Selous Scouts our people - men, women and children - are asked a few questions and shot.'' He claimed he could produce a witness - there was no sign of him - who could testify to a "particularly degenerate'' security force atrocity near the southern Botswana border. His story: ''Six women - three with babies on their backs - had identified themselves to members of the Selous Scouts before crossing the Shashi River. They had conspicuous front and back identity tags. When they walked down towards the river the three mothers were gunned down. They died, but not the babies on their backs. One of the Scouts asked: "What must we do with the babies?'' Others answered by slitting their throats with bayonets. They were buried in a common grave. A son who inquired after his mother was also shot.

Understandably bitter about the terror accusation against its crack unit and lest it should be accused of attempting to conceal the ''awful truth", the Rhodesian Government recently reacted by lifting, for the first time, the cloak of secrecy which has surrounded the Scouts since its inception as a tracking combat unit in October 1974. A small group of international newsmen were allowed access to their training base where, for the Scouts, it all begins. Here journalists understood the terrorists' dilemma when they were told that by March 1977 conservative estimates were that the Selous Scouts had accounted for 1,205 terrorist kills, losing a mere ten of their own men. By any means a remarkable record.

The advanced training base is about an hour's drive from Kariba, or a 30-minute boat trip on the edge of the famous man-made lake. It consists of a collection of grass roofed huts which, at first glance resemble a prisoner-of war camp like those used by the Japanese in World War 11. The camp, known as the Wafa Wafa, takes its name from the Shona words Wafa Wasara which loosely translated means Those who die, die - those who stay behind, stay behind.

It is an approptirate motto - because the gruelling selection course here "kills off" more recruits than those who survive to finish successfully. That any of the recruits survive the training period at all seems a minor miracle, but they do and subsequently become the Rhodesian answer to terrorist infiltration. Principally they are taught to kill and survive and, in training, are pushed to their physical limits. Rations are cut to one sixth of that given to a man on normal active service.

It is therefore appropriate to describe the grassy encampment as the selection and tracker-training headquarters of one of the most specialised and toughest fighting forces ever seen.

Among the many tests they undergo is one where they are dropped in the bush with a gun, 20 rounds of ammunition, a match and material to strike it, and an egg. Lions, buffalo and elephant abound and the object is to have the egg hard-boiled and ready for inspection the following morning.

The Scouts' operational record was sketched briefly by a Rhodesian Journalist:

Shrouded in secrecy with a mystique that spawns a thousand stories, many true and most mere rumour, the Scouts have in only two years become the most-decorated outfit in the Rhodesian security forces collecting along the way amongst many other awards - six Silver Crosses (the highest award for gallantry yet presented); 11 Bronze Crosses; six orders for Members of the Legion of Merit for acts of bravery, sel- dom reported, but which have all played a major part in fighting the country's terror war.

The Selous Scouts is fully-integrated, with an undisclosed number of soldiers - but the ratio is eight Blacks to two White troops.
The initial selection procedures last for about 18 days and are probably the most rigorous in the world. Every man who goes to the camp is a volunteer - and many are highly experienced, battle-hardened soldiers who find that after a few days they simply cannot stand the strain. Small wonder that following the most recent selection course, only 14 out of 126 volunteers made the grade.

The officer commanding the Selous Scouts, and the driving force behind it, is Major Ron Reid-Daly, a 47 year old regular soldier who was once regimental sergent- major of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, known as "The Incredibles." He learned his job with the British Special Air Service in Malaya after leaving his native Salisbury in 1950 to go to England, and he served with the SAS during the Communist terror war there in the early 1950's.

The prison camp analogy does not elude Reid-Daly.

I reckon in most armies today I simply wouldn't be allowed to put these poor bastards through the kind of selection course we give them. They'd think I was trying to kill the men who volunteer to join us. I agree, there is something of the prison camp attitude towards our men under selection and training. We take them to the very threshold of tolerance mentally - and it's here that most of them crack. You can take almost any fit man and train him to a high standard of physical ability. But you can't give a man what he hasn't already got inside him.

Under selection each man is reduced to below a threshold which the average human being could not endure. He is virtually "dehumanised", forced to live off rats, snakes, baboon meat and eyes, to survive in hostile surroundings which prove that nature, too, can be as deadly as any human enemy. And they are taught to live off nature, to drink from the water in the carcass of a dead animal - a yellowish liquid - and to eat maggot-ridden green meat which can be cooked only once before becoming deadly poisonous.

Students are not given rations except for water. They are expected to survive off the land, making their own fires without matches, and making and using bark string - "gusi tambo" - to help catch food for themselves. They are soon hungry enough to capture any small creatures they can find - grasshoppers, lizards and squirrels - to stave off the hunger. "And you do get hungry." said one student who had recently been on the survival course. "We caught and killed a small leguaan, and before we even had time to skin it, one of the men was ready to take a bite out of it".

The Selous Scouts have for the first time admitted that thev have been used on hot pursuit raids into Mozambique including the highly spectacular and tactically successful raid on the Nyadzonya terrorist training camp last August in which over 300, and possibly more than 500, terrorists were killed.

For those who come through the selection course there follows a posting to one of the small sections on operations, after a short tracking course, initially as a flank tracker. They work in remote parts of Rhodesia hunting down terrorist spoor and leading the infantry in for the kill if the invading group is too big for the small two or three man teams to handle on their own. Each member of the Selous Scouts, down to the lowest ranking White soldier, speaks at least one African language - necessary for communication with their Black comrades-in-arms with whom they work in the closest possible context as equals.

Tracking survival and close-combat tactics are high on the list of the Scouts' training priorities. From what newsmen saw at Wafa Wafa camp it takes a very special kind of man to qualify for service in what has become Rhodesia's elite and much-envied military unit.

Near Kariba

The small airfield was not really one as such although it did posses a poorly asphalted runway and a few huts. As dusk fell though, only three or four dim lights showed anywhere, making it nearly imopossible to see with the naked eye from a ditstance.

Inside one of the larger huts the fourteen man team was gearing up, outside an anynomous civilian Cessna Grand Caravan rolled out of a concealemtn in a make shift hanger, the pilot then climbed in and started his takeoff checklist.

A couple of minutes later the Selous Scout Team tfiled out in a column towards the aircraft, huge bergens on their backs and M16 assault rifles in their hands. As they loaded up through the door towards the back of the plane, the engine started and soon they taxi across the grass onto the runway. Momentarily a few lights illunimate the runway and the plane accelerates before gracefully pulling up into the air, when the ground lights are promptly extenguished.

Under strict radio slience the pilot turns North West, flying low and using night vision goggles to avoid the terrain. They would sneak, hopefully unoticd into Lusakan airspace.