AND NOW NYASALAND Sin,—All Africa is grateful to you for
your decision to come out clearly and strongly on the side of the secession of Nyasaland from the Federation. Other newspapers have failed to realise that this is a national African demand and other newspapers continue to present it as the extremist claims of a few agitators.
The actions of Federal authorities deny what their words affirm. They have tried to chase Mr. John Stonehouse, a British MP, out of the country. His crime in their eyes was that he let Africans know
that they might look for sympathy and help beyond the Federal borders. They have tried to frighten other Africans away from hearing this fearful heresy against local baaskap by arresting 435 leaders of the African National Congress who arranged the meeting at which Mr. Stonehouse spoke.
. In only one thing can one find fault with your leading article, and that 'natter might only be a. way of keeping the issue simple for British readers. The Africans of Northern Rhodesia are • as strongly opposed to Federation and as anxious for Secession as the Nyasalanders. A widespread popular movement. which alone belies the claim that the masses are not interested in politics, has divided the opposition for the moment, but both Congress parties have declared themselves equally determined to take Northern Rhodesia out of the Federation.
The 1960 battle in Central Africa is now seen to be on the issue of secession and not, as Sir Roy Welensky would have it, on the issue of Dominion status. We thank you wholeheartedly for putting this so definitely to your readers.—Yours faithfully,
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