V. LEADING PERSONALITIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06645135
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-01786
• Publication Date: December 1, 1970

Approved for Release: 2017/07/27 006645135
SECRIT
No Ford Dissem
V. LEADING PERSONALITIES
Chief of State: Clifford W. Dupont
After Rhodesia became a republic in March 1970, Clifford Dupont's
election to the presidency was almost a foregone conclusion. One of the
founders of the Rhodesian Front and reputec to be one of the main
formulators of its principles, he has acted as the country's chief executive in
place of the British governor since independence was declared in 1965.
Before that he held several ministerial posts and served for a time as Deputy
Prime Minister and co-president of the Rhodesian Front. He gave up most of
these posts in mid-1964 because of Poor health, but because of his popular-
ity within the party he was raised to the largely ceremonial post of Officer
Administering the Government in November 1965. Dupont was born in
London in 1905.
Head of Government: Ian Douglas Smith
Son of an early settler, a gentleman farmer, RAF pilot and war hero,
Prime Minister Ian Smith is the personification of qualities held in high
esteem by most white Rhodesians. Friendly, straightforward, unexcitable,
self-assured, he is firmly wedded to a sense of values he would not think of
changing. Smith entered politics in 1948 and, on the strength of his anti-
Communist views and his opposition to African participation in government,
he was elected to the Rhodesian legislature. Later he won a seat in).the
parliament of the federation, which then linked present day Rhodesia,
Zambia, and Malawi, and in 1958 he became the caief parliamentary whip of
the governing party. In 1961, however, he resigned in opposition to the 1961
constitutional proposals and helped found the Rhodesian Front party. After
the 1962 election he became Minister of Treasury and Leader of the House.
and in 1964 Prime Minister. Despite almost world-wide hostility and UN-
imposed economic sanctions against Rhodesia, Sm th continues to follow the
policy he reaffirmed in a July 1967 speech: "We will never deviate. Our
independence is something which we have and something we have no
intention of ever relinquishing. We are going quietly on our way building a
constitution for Rhodesians by Rhodesians which I believe in the end will be
the correct answer for Rhodesia." Smith was born in Rhodesia in 1919.
Other prominent politicians -
. Desmond W. Lardner-Burke: Lardner-Burke has been Minister of Jus-
tice and Law and Order since June 1964. One of the most extreme right-
wing reactionaries in the cabinet and strongly anti-British, he was one of the
Rhodesia Dec 70
NosForcire rssem
E ET
Approved for Release: 2017/07/27 006645135