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GV Audience behind wire fence watches singers walking past (3 shots)
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CU Sign advertising furnishing firm PULL BACK TO dancers (3 shots)
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CU Song sheet being held PULL BACK TO choir singing, audience and conductor
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GV Audience applauding PAN TO Dr. Gabellahand ANC supporters parading across stadium (3 shots)
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CU Audience giving tribal cry of welcome
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MV PULL BACK Dr. Gabellah acknowledging supporters
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Initials BB/1755 NPJ/DK/BB/1810



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: About fifteen thousand people attended a "Prayer for Peace" rally in a suburb of Salisbury, Rhodesia, on Sunday (28 March), which was organised by the Muzorewa faction of the African National Council (ANC). The rally was held in the football stadium at Highfield, one of Salisbury's largest black townships.

The thousands of people who attended were of all Christian denominations, but they were also supporters of Bishop Abel Muzorewa who lives in exile, as do most of the leaders of the faction. The split in the ANC came about when the faction led by Mr. Joshua Nkomo agreed to enter negotiations on a constitutional settlement with Mr. Ian Smith's white minority government. The negotiations eventually broke down, thus giving added support to he Muzorewa faction's view that there was no point in talking to Mr. Smith.

During the "Prayer for Peace" rally, hymns were sung by the Highfield United Choir, and the prayers were led by the Reverend Kupara. The guest of honour was the ANC's original Vice President, Dr. Elliott Gabellah, who addressed the crowd.

Last year Dr. Gabellah told a meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) that the ANC's stand for majority rule was clear, unequivocal and not negotiable.

In an interview published in American on the same day as the rally, the Rhodesian Prime Minister, Mr. Ian Smith, said that his government was engaged in a war against Communism, not a struggle between white and black. He said that the Rhodesian Army had more black soldiers than white, and he enjoyed tremendous support from black Rhodesians.

Bishop Abel Muzorewa said recently in an interview in Sweden, that the ANC will seek direct military assistance from socialist countries if the number of "mercenaries" in Rhodesia increased. He said that an offer of help by foreign troops had already been declined.

"But things can change if South Africa, the United States, Belgium and other countries do not stop the recruitment of mercenaries for Rhodesia", he said.

SYNOPSIS: About fifteen thousand people attended a "Prayer for Peace" rally in a suburb of Salisbury, Rhodesia, on Sunday. The rally had been organised by the Muzorewa faction of the African National Council -- the black Rhodesian nationalist movement. The audience was drawn from all Christian denominations, and were all supporters of Bishop Muzorewa.

The split between the two factions--one led by Bishop Muzorewa, and the other by Joshua, Nkomo--came about when Mr. Nkomo's faction agreed to enter negotiations on a constitutional settlement with Mr. Ian Smith's white-minority government. The negotiations eventually broke down, thus supporting the Muzorewa faction's view that there was no point in talking with the Smith government.

On the same day as the rally, Mr. Smith was reported as saying that his government was engaged in a war against Communism, not a struggle between white and black. The Rhodesian army, he said, had more black soldiers than white, and he enjoyed tremendous support from black Rhodesians.

The guest of honour at the rally was Dr. Elliott Gabellah, the ANC's original Vice President. Last year Dr. Gabellah told a meeting of the Organisation of African Unity that the ANC's stand for majority rule was clear, unequivocal, and not negotiable.

Bishop Muzorewa said recently that the ANC would seek direct military help from socialist countries if the number of "mercenaries" in Rhodesia increased.