 In March 1978 , Smith and non @-@ militant nationalist groups headed by Bishop <unk> <unk> , the Reverend <unk> <unk> and Chief Jeremiah <unk> agreed what became the " Internal Settlement " . This created a joint black – white transitional government , with the country due to be reconstituted as Zimbabwe Rhodesia in June 1979 , pursuant to <unk> elections . <unk> and <unk> were invited to participate , but refused ; <unk> <unk> dubbed Smith 's black colleagues " the blacksmiths " . <unk> proclaimed 1978 to be " The Year of the People " as the war continued . Officials from <unk> 's United African National Council , sent to the provinces to explain the Internal Settlement to rural blacks , were killed by Marxist – <unk> guerrillas . <unk> also began to target Christian missionaries , <unk> in the killing of nine British missionaries and four children at <unk> Mission near the Mozambican border on 23 June . 
