UN General Assembly
1977

11. The Ian Smith regime, too, constitutes a unique case, where a handful of 300,000 white racists have unilaterally declared the independence of a country to which they do not belong, thus creating a situation flagrant not only in its illegitimacy but also in terms of the segregation and the domination of 6 million Africans, the authentic and rightful sons of Rhodesia. The people of Zimbabwe, on the strength of the support naturally accorded by Africa and conferred upon it by the international community, has risen, as indeed all those who wish to live in liberty or die in dignity rise. The stubbornness of the Rhodesian rebels is none the less such that 12 years afterwards the regime of Ian Smith, even though it certainly has its back more and more to the wall, is seeking to create the appearance of legitimacy by having recourse to all kinds of stratagems and, in particular, using certain dissidents of the liberation movements to the detriment of the Patriotic Front. Such a masquerade obviously can only mislead those who are not very well conversant with the true nature of the Rhodesian regime and who are unaware of the determination of the people of Zimbabwe and the active solidarity which it now enjoys among all Members of our Organization.