Representations have been made to the British government to order the release of members of the African National Congress of South Africa currently held in Khami Maximum Security Prison outside Bulawayo. A list of 18 names was made available to the United Nations Security Council in December 1979 as mandatory sanctions against the Rhodesian regime were being lifted. The matter is understood to be in the hands of the Nigerian Ambassador Akporode Clark.
The ANC prisoners have been held in Rhodesia since their capture in 1967-8 during joint guerilla operations with members of ZAPU (Patriotic Front), and subsequent trials under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act. They are mostly serving sentences of 20 years or life imprisonment, in some cases following commutation of the death penalty. Biographical details of the men were published in FOCUS 20 and also included in briefing material submitted by IDAF to the delegations attending the Lancaster House talks.
