Former white ruler Smith says he is stripped of citizenship
(28 Mar 2002)
March 27th, 2002
1. Ian Smith, former Rhodesian prime minister, walks out of his house
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ian Smith, former Rhodesian Prime Minister:
"Well, it's (referring to his passport) been confiscated. I've been told I've lost my citizenship. This is unacceptable, its quite illegal. I was born in this country 83 years ago, and I have all my life only been a citizen of Rhodesia, and then a Zimbabwe passport. I accept certain countries in the world where if people commit a crime, then the penalty is they lose their citizenship, but I have never committed a crime in my life, and never been charged with a crime. So on what basis have I lost my citizenship."
3. Smith walks away, talks with postman
FILE - March 10th, 2002
4. Various of Smith casting his vote in the 2002 Zimbabwe presidential elections
STORYLINE:
Zimbabwe's last white ruler, former prime minister Ian Smith, has been stripped of his Zimbabwe citizenship and passport by President Robert Mugabe's government.
Smith, 83, the leader of Rhodesia, as Zimbabwe was known before independence in 1980, said authorities in Harare refused to renew his Zimbabwe passport, leaving him stateless.
Smith said officials at the Harare passport office refused to meet with him after informing him his passport was not being renewed ahead of a scheduled trip to Britain and the United States next week.
The son of a Scottish immigrant, he was born in western Zimbabwe and headed the white minority government after his Rhodesia Front party severed ties with Britain, the former colonial power, in 1965.
According to Smith he renounced claims to British citizenship in 1984, but did not renounce again last year under new rules passed by President Robert Mugabe's ruling party banning dual citizenship.
Under the new law, even those who did not possess foreign passports were required to renounce all rights to foreign nationality. By ignoring it, Smith is still entitled to British nationality through his British-born father.
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Пікірлер: 1 100
He may have lost his "Zimbabwean" citizenship, but he will always be a Rhodesian 💚⚪️
A Black leader has said that if Ian Smith were Black, he would be the greatest Prime Minister in the history of Africa.
There cannot be a leader that’s worse than Mugabe, growing up in Rhodesia under Smith was better than Zimbabwe under Mugabe
Had the pleasure to meet him at Johannesburg International Airport in 2001 was flying economy. So I got him into the business class lounge and enjoyed a cup of coffee with this mountain of a man. Respect.
Ian Smith was a good politician despite his faults, Mugabe was a classic dictator,didn't care about the country just for his personal wealth and pride like other dictators (J Kenyata, Papa Doc, Indi Dada and many many more)
Was my great pleasure to have met Mr Smith as a young guy in Salisbury. Proud to have helped out in the war against Mugabe etc. Oh well.
Say what you will about Smith but he was still infinitely better than Mugabe.
My first PM, loved him. Rhodesians Never Dir Sir. God bless.
Mugabe was far much worse than Smith. We jumped from the frying pan straight into the fire. If the so called "independence" didn't happen I have no doubt Rhodesia right now would have been a developed country like Australia or New Zealand.
A truly honorable man with more integrity in his big toe than any current leader in Africa
The Rhodesians were and remain the best that Britain once produced. Tough, determined, bloody-minded stubbon and independent. Ian Smith embodied those very qualities that gradually fell out of fashion in a West that became weak, effete and limp-wristed.
Such a good man.
Ian Douglas Smith was a legend of courage and service. MAY HE REST IN HEAVEN
Miss Rhodesia.
RIP Ian Smith. A Good, Courageous and Honest Man, a great leader who led the country well, despite his faults.
What a Man. A Giant. Men of men. God rest his soul. You are missed Sir.
This dude was a great leader. Exceedingly competent..brave..loyal..and resolute. He did the best he could for both white and black. I feel he would have done a great job presiding over any government.
This is unacceptable! Take away Mugabe's citizenship, too.
This was a great man who did more for any country in Africa than anyone. He harbored attitudes typical of the time but in no way came close to creating the suffering Mugabe and other rebels created directly, and are still causing indirectly. If he was Black he would be the greatest man in modern African history. Mugabe and his sidekick stole the land for themselves and impoverished the nation, while implementing racist government programs. This is racist - title saying "white" ruler. Smith was better than them, and the Brits couldn't stand it.
I met this legend in 2005 ..... Absolute Lion of a Man.