Even on the basis of figures issued by the Smith regime's security forces, and including the 670-odd African refugees killed by Rhodesian troops at the Nhazonia camp in Mozambique in August 1976, casualties in the Rhodesian war over the last four years have now topped the 5,000 mark. Sources in the United African National Council have suggested that a more realistic figure would be up to 50 deaths a day. The regime's virtual monopoly of information from the war zones makes it difficult to build up an overall picture of the military situation, but one trend is very clear – the near-complete disappearance, as far as the security forces are concerned, of any distinction between "guerillas" and the residents of the areas in which they are operating.
Mr Gordon Wood, a British ex-Grenadier Guardsman and deserter from the Rhodesian Army after seven months service, told the London Sunday People that "dozens of innocent people are knocked off during curfew hours." The bodies of dead curfew-breakers were dropped from helicopters into the Zambezi River, he said. "One soldier called me a murderer for shooting two men who turned out not to have weapons. But they were out during curfew, and you can't say: 'Excuse me, have you got a grenade or gun?'. You shoot first and ask questions after if you want to continue living. Even so, it's all wrong."
Speaking as Acting Minister of Defence on 23 February 1977, Ian Smith revealed that a total of 1,136 African civilians had died in the war over the 14-month period since 1 January 1976. He told the House of Assembly that since the onset of the regime's Operation Hurricane in December 1972, 632 African civilians had been killed and 294 wounded "while breaking the curfew or running with and assisting terrorists", (figures that suggest that the security forces normally shoot to kill). In reply to a barrage of questions from African MPs calling for more precise definitions of these categories and a definite stand on the issue of civilians killed in error, Smith said that he had been "assured by the security forces that those who run with terrorists are, in fact, assisting the terrorists, but dressed in civilian clothing on many occasions... the security forces always go out of their way to try to give people the benefit of the doubt... The last thing our security forces wish to do is become implicated with innocent people, but equally they do not wish to see those who are openly and deliberately conning with the terrorists escape their punishment by trying to claim that they are inadvertently associated with terrorists."
Outside the House, however, Smith has confirmed that "many innocent black civilians" have been killed by the security forces. "I think this is a fact", he told two visiting U.S. newsmen in an interview screened on Rhodesian television on 20 February. "Unfortunately some white civilians, white ones, have also been killed by the security forces. Tragically this happens in a war."
Efforts by African MPs to initiate an official investigation of atrocities committed by the security forces against black civilians have as in the past met with a negative response. Debate on a private member's motion put forward by Mr Lot Dewa, independent member for Matojeni, and calling upon the regime "to remove the causes of this conflict by accepting the British compromise proposals for a transition to black majority rule within two years; and to appoint immediately a commission of inquiry into the atrocities being committed by the forces fighting each other in this country" was shelved without a final vote being taken. In his speech of introduction, Mr Dewa cited a number of examples of assault and injury at the hands of the troops:
- Sophie NDLOVU, the wife of Isaya Under-Chief Nyamondo, whom Dewa visited in Mnene Hospital, Belingwe TTL. She had been shot as a curfew-breaker. * Setwe SHIN, daughter of Canaan Under-Chief Mazivofa, and Norice, wife of Crispen Ngwenya. Both in Mnene Hospital after being assaulted and interrogated by troops looking for guerillas. * The "mysterious death" of Matthew MOYO, an ANC chairman in Dett. He had been arrested at 2 p.m. on 26 January by CID members. At 5 p.m. on the same day his relatives were informed by an African constable that he was dead. A post-mortem was carried out by the police despite efforts by a lawyer acting for the relatives to secure an independent post-mortem. * The destruction of property belonging to Alois Makluma MOYA of the Wankie area, and his neighbour Christopher NYONI. The two men were arrested on 21 January. After charges had been laid but before any trial had taken place, security forces called local residents to the homes of the two accused to witness the burning of their kraals, granaries and crops. * On 13 February, security forces called at the house of Chief MAPIRAVARA of the Bulamila area while he was attending a family party, and beat him up in front of his people. Four corpses were then unloaded from a police truck, allegedly the bodies of guerillas whom local people had been feeding. The chief was forced to display one corpse in his kraal and to distribute others among local kraalheads accused of assisting guerillas. "My information up to yesterday (22 February) was that one of the bodies was still rotting right in the yard of the Chief", Mr Dewa said. Chief Mapiravara had been arrested and was under interrogation.
Mr Dewa also alleged that security forces had failed to follow up known guerilla presences or to give adequate protection to those who had been threatened by guerilla groups. He went on to enumerate instances of destruction of property by guerillas and the killing of informers and other civilians known to support the regime.
The occurence of incidents such as those cited by Mr Dewa is clearly increasing as new operational areas are opened up by the regime and the country as a whole is put onto a war footing.
