Martyrs?

It is of interest to consider the cases of the various Rhodesians executed recently. Were they martyrs for their faith, unhappy victims of tyrannical apartheid laws, or did they commit a crime: the crime of murder, for which the accepted punishment in many countries happens to be death?

The first three to hang were James Dlamini, Victor Mlambo and Duly Shadreck. They were executed in Salisbury gaol just after 7.00p.m. N.Z. time, March 7. What had they done to deserve this?

James Dlamini and Victor Mlambo were tried, and convicted, before Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of independence (UDI). The two had murdered a farmer, Mr. Petrus Oberhozer.

Oberhozer was driving through the outback with his wife when he was halted by a line of boulders across the road. He stopped his car and started to move the boulders. James Dlamini and Victor Mlambo stabbed and slashed him some sixteen times with pangas, in the process fracturing his skull four times. Despite this Oberhozer struggled back into the car.

While he was dying, his wife beside him, James and Victor poured petrol over him, and over the car. They then attempted to set the car alight—but their matches were soaked in blood and would not light. After this they overturned the car and departed.

Mrs. Oberhozer ran a few miles up the road to a road-works camp and raised the alarm. African police, aided by local natives—the area was a native reserve—gave chase and apprehended the murderers.

Petrus Oberhozer is survived by his wife and six children. Neither the Pope nor Mr. Harold Wilson has expressed any regret over their plight.

Duly Shadreck threw a petrol bomb at an African chief, who took five days to die. Duly was not murdering a "white oppressor", but one of his own chiefs. Five days of appalling agony for the chief were not soothed by any utterances of regret from the world's leaders.