A/34/PV.55 General Assembly

For more than 30 years now, the painful problem of apartheid has been the subject of thorough discussions in the United Nations and in so many other international organiza- tions and conferences. Apartheid has been denounced by the world community as the most heinous system of racial discrimination, a racist doctrine contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter and fundamen- tal human rights. 16. The United Nations has not only condemned this brutal system of racial domination and declared it a crime against humanity, but has repeatedly pressed the South African regime to abolish apartheid and allow the 17. During the last year, the situation in South Africa has continued to be a matter of great concern to the United Nations. As can be seen from the report of the Special Committee against Apartheid, the racist regime of South Africa has not changed its attitude. On the contrary, it has reinforced the repressive measures against the opponents of apartheid, a fatal example of which is the execution of Solomon Mahlangu despite repeated appeals and demands by the international com- munity to refrain from the execution of freedom fight- ers. It continued its policy of bantustanization of the country through the illegal proclamation of so-called in- dependence for Venda. Furthermore, the savage aggres- sion committed against neighbouring African States, in particular against Angola and Zambia, and the massacre of innocent people have demonstrated the bar- barous nature of the South African regime. 18. Recent reports of a nuclear explosion carried out by South Africa reveal a danger of even greater propor- tions. My delegation has already pointed out on many occasions that the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the Pretoria regime would create the most direct threat to the security of African States and would greatly escalate the instability and tension in southern Africa and inten- sify the nuclear threat on a global scale. 19. As Wf: are now observing the International Year of the Child, we are compelled to give special attention to the plight of children oppressed by apartheid in South Africa. Most revealing in this regard are the findings of the International Seminar on Children under Apartheid, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 18 to 20 June 1979. The Seminar concluded [see A/34/512, an- nex] that in every area- health, education, family and social relations - children in South Africa were deprived of the right to a normal existence. Moreover, black children are subjected to violence on the part of the brutally oppressive apartheid regime which has resulted in the gaoling, torturing and even killing of hundreds of them. It is more than distressing to learn that some 650,000 African children between the ages of 10 and 15 work on white-owned farms. Often these children are forced to work against their will, and there is evidence that they suffer brutal punishment, resulting in death or permanent disability. 20. My delegation is convinced that it would be futile and naive to wait for a gradual transformation of the apartheid system. As the Sixth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at ]avana from 3 to 9 September 1979, correctly pointed out: " ... southern Africa as a whole [constitutes] one single theatre of operations, in which apartheid South Africa [is] the central strategic issue. Freedom, peace, security and progress cannot be achieved in southern Africa unless the apartheid system of in- stitutionalized racial discrimination, exploitation and 21. The strength of the moral force and positive meas- ures of the international community must be effectively applied to compel the South African regime to put an end to the injustices of its system. Meaningful steps must be taken, before it is too late, to eliminate the in- human system of racial discrimination in South Africa. Our responsibility in this regard is greater than ever before. The General Assembly should do all it can to achieve real progress towards changing the plight of the black majority in South Africa. 22. It is common knowledge that the system of apart- heid, furthermore, is able to afford to commit its crimes because of its strong economic foundation. The situa- tion prevailing now in South Africa and Namibia pro- vides the white minority and the transnational corpora- tions with a good opportunity for ruthless exploitation of the natural resources of the occupied territories and for obtaining the highest possible profits. It is no secret that the economic, military and other interests of some Western Statts are served by the maintenance of apart- heid in South Africa, as well as by prolongation of the illegal South African occupation in Namibia. Therefore the racist regime is continuously assisted and strength- ened by those countries which preserve their economic interests through a large number of transnational cor- porations. That is how they contribute their own share to the mass violation of human rights, whereby the ma- jority of the people is being exploited as a source of cheap labour. Access to natural resources, rich and fer- tile lands, is reserved for whites only, while the in- digenous population is forced to suffer in its barren reserves or bantustans. 23. The existing situation can be changed only by measures provided for in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. Poland also supports the just demand of the African States for the application of mandatory sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter against the South African regime. 24. The implementation of these measures certainly calls for political willon the part of all Member States to act decisively against the apartheid regime. Of special importance in this regard is the need for an increased awareness and understanding of the true nature of apartheid among the people in the countries which pro- vide economic and military assistance to the racist regime. This is also incumbent upon States under the terms of the United Nations Declaration on the Prep- aration of Societies for Life in Peace, adopted last year by the General Assembly in its resolution 33/73 which stipulates, among other things, that: "Every State has the duty to discourage all manifestations and practices of colonialism, as well as racism, racial discrimination and apartheid, as contrary to the right of peoples to self-determination and to other human rights and fundamental free- doms. " 25. Mindful of its own well-known bitter historical ex- perience, the people of Poland has a special sympathy for the oppressed people struggling against colonialism

Allow me to express our ap- preciation and gratitude to the Special Committee against Apartheid for its efforts to bring into the open the dangers of apartheid not only in South Africa but in other parts of the world. Discussion of this item in the plenary meeting shows the special interest which the in- ternational community takes in this subject. 28. Our country shares that great interest, not only because of our total commitment to the cause of freedom and justice in the world, but also because of the circumstances prevailing in certain countries of the world and in direct conflict with the requirements of human dignity. 29. The General Assembly has adopted a series of resolutions condemning apartheid and demanding that it be eradicated. We all agree that apartheid is a disgrace to all mankind and violates the principles of equality and justice that are the foundation of civilized society. It is paradoxical that such an odious regime persists at this period in the history of the world, which bases itself on the strengthening of justice and the elimination of in- justice and violations to human dignity. 30. In recent decades, the values and principles upon which rest human relations have undergone profound changes, which have emphasized the spirit of co- operation and unity. 31. Our common goal is to liberate man from oppres- sion, persecution and exploitation, because we believe that political freedom and social and economic equality, as well as national independence, are the principal features of our modern history and the fundamental elements of contemporary society and international relations. 32. Despite these developments, we all have to con- tend with the racist oppression that prevails in South Africa. That oppression derives from a primitive in- stinct and an odious and barbaric attitude that existed in the past. The level of persecution practised by the South African regime has increased as the struggle against it has intensified. The repeated massacres in that part of the world call to mind those who lost their lives in their struggle against that regime.We must ask ourselves the following question: how can such a regime, which is an affront to civilized man, be permitted to survive'? 33. The racist regime of Pretoria is flourishing because it knows full well that the countries which are able to ex- 34. My delegation continues to believe that apartheid is the main reason for the deteriorating political situa- tion in South Africa. This situation constitutes a grave danger to international peace and security. We must support the oppressed people of South Af~ica .in their just and legitimate struggle for self-determinaticn and independence. In the present circumstances, the Se~u­ rity Council in particular must also adopt effective measures to deal with the challenge resulting from the inhuman policies of apartheid and the institutionalized racism practised in South :'frica. qnly thus ~a~. t.he Security Council discharge Its essential responslblht~es under the United Nations Charter. And the countnes which are giving assistance and support to South Africa must revise their policies as regards that regime. 35. The struggle for liberation of the people of South Africa will undoubtedly succeed, because their cause is just and right, and .no human community, no !ace, ~o matter how supenor and strong, can contmue 10- definitely to usurp the inalienable rights of others. No matter how much South Africa intensifies its acts of repression of the militant masses in Namibia and South Africa, it will not be able to prevent the peoples from gaining their independence. 36. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm that my country supports the struggle of the people of southern Afri~a. As in the past, my country will spare no effort to give the necessary aid to the oppressed and persecuted people of South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, in accord- ance with the noble principles and lofty purposes of the United Nations Charter.

The final elimination of racism and racial discrimination and the liquidation of the last vestiges of the colonial system, first of all in southern Africa, are among the most urgent problems of the present day. The solution of those problems is considered a cardinal task by all those who work for the progress of mankind towards a social system of greater justice. 38. It is obvious that the major imperialist Po~ers ar:~ not of their own free will, going to aban~on their pOSI- tio~s in the remaining parts of the colonial ~ystem. We have to fight them, first and fore"!10st a~ t,helr advanced post or rearguard, the South African regime. 39. The United Nations is making increasingly great~r efforts to enforce a total boycott of the apartheid regime and to wipe it off the face o~ the earth once and for all. Nevertheless, the Hungarian Governmen! IS deeply concerned at seeing that, while the United Nations is doing its best for the sake of the oppressed people of South Africa, the full rage of t,error contml;les there, creating a serious and increasingly explosive 40. At this stage, I shall refer to the statement of the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid at this Assembly's 47th meeting, on 26 October 1979. He said, among other things, that Africa had ov~r the years raised the alarm because the South African racist regime, with the assistance of Western. Powers, w~s preparing to introduce nuclear weapons into the conti- nent. When in August 1977 it .becarne obvious that South Africa had been planning a nuclear explosion in the Kalahari Desert in Namibia, the only Territory under the direct control and jurisdiction of the United Nations faint efforts were made. to listen to the protests of Afri~ans, but no concrete action was taken by its Western collaborators to cut off all nuclear dealings with South Africa. Now the General Assembly has re- quested the Secretary-General of the United Nations [decision 34/404] to investigate whether South Africa had actually detonated a nuclear device. 41. Ambassador Clark of Nigeria has explained it clearly, as follows: "We knew then, as we know now, that its sole ob- jective in acquiring nuclear capability was to threaten and blackmail Africa because Africa opposes South Africa's inhuman policy of apartheid. We empha- sized ... that, in spite of denials by South Africa and its Western accomplices in its diabolical strategy, a nuclear-weapon programme is possible for South Africa only because of the assistance and co- operation it has always received from some Western Powers ... "[see 47th meeting, para. /3]. 42. Those facts make clear to everyone why and how the minority racist regime in South Africa is able to resort to the crudest methods of terrorism in order to maintain its rule based on the brutal oppression and ex- ploitation of the black population in Africa. It is no ex- aggeration to say that the Republic of South Africa is, in fact, a concentration camp for the indigenous population. 43. It is extremely deplorable that, despite the vicious policy of the racist regime and its gross and massive violations of human rights, the imperialist Powers lend all-round support to it. Those Powers, which very often pose as protectors of human rights, maintain extensive relations with the racist regime, in open violation of the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations and its Charter. 44. In every forum, the Hungarian People's Republic comes out consistently against the various forms of racism, especially apartheid, its most extreme manifestation. Guided by its position of principle, the Hungarian Government takes an active part in the inter- national struggle for the liquidation of the last vestiges of colonialism and all forms of racial discrimination. 46. In conformity with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, the Hungarian Government recognizes the right of peoples fighting for independence and liberation from colonial and foreign oppression to use every means at their disposal, including armed struggle if necessary. 47. As a founding member of the Special Committee against Apartheid, the Hungarian People's Republic has acceded to all major international conventions that have been concluded to give effect to the equality of civil rights and to eliminate discrimination against citizens on grounds of race, sex, nationality and so on in all fields of life. Those conventions include the Interna- tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International €ovenant on Economic, Social and Cul- tural Rights [resolution 2200 A (XX)], the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [resolution 260 A (III), annex], the Interna- tional Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination [resolution 2/06 A (XX), annex] and the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid [resolution 3068 (XXVIII), annex]. 48. The Hungarian Government has always strictly observed, and will continue to observe, the decisions and recommendations of the United Nations on the ap- plication of economic, diplomatic and other sanctions against the racist regimes in southern Africa.

From its very inception, the United Nations has understood the odious character of the policy of apartheid adopted by the racist minority regime in South Africa. That is why this question has been the subject of detailed and elaborate discussions since 1952. Since that time, this item has been officially on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly. 50. It is indeed regrettable that in the twentieth cen- tury such immoral practices should persist against the population of South Africa, depriving it of its most elementary and legitimate rights, while, at the same time, we see man achieving miracles in various fields and making spectacular progress in scienceand technol- ogy, thereby increasing his well-being and progress. 51. The Pretoria regime is based upon racism; it promulgates laws that are discriminatory in character, based on colour and on race, and thus make it possible for the white minority, which does not exceed 20 per cent of the population, to dominate the African popula- tion which represents the overwhelming majority. This regime continues to defy the international community, just as it ignores all human values, and it violates the United Nations Charter. which is the expression of the hopes and aspirations of mankind. 53. The exploitation of the majority by the white minority, and the promulgation of iniquitous laws giv- ing a legal character to the preservation of the prosper- ity of the white minority and to the exploitation of the natural resources and human potential of the native population, are in flagrant violation of all human prin- ciples and values. The documents of the Special Com- mittee against Apartheid constitute an open condemna- tion of the policy of apartheid practised by the Pretoria regime and of the policy followed by all Powers allied with it, because, without the assistance given to it, that regime would be unable to exist and continue to defy the international will. The interests of those Powers are linked with the existence of that regime, to which they give military, political and economic assistance. In spite of the efforts by the United Nations to isolate the racist regime of apartheid, statistics show how trade ex- changes between the Western Powers and the Pretoria regime are being intensified. Furthermore, transna- tional corporations are playing a major role by giving the necessary aid and support to the South African economy and by exploiting the natural resources of the country. 54. The United Nations has played an important role in the denunciation of the odious racist policyand in the disclosure of its methods. The General Assembly debates on this question reached an important turning point in 1962, when the General Assembly set up the Special Committee against Apartheid [resolution /76/ (XVII)]. The effect of the General Assembly debates has been to alert public opinion to the odious racist policy of apartheid perpetrated by South Africa and to praise the African people for their heroic and legitimate struggle and their rejection of the inhuman practices to which they are subjected. The United Nations has taken a number of appropriate steps in order to reject this policy, among them the adoption of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid; the invitation, at the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly, I to the South African liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity lOA U], such as the African National 55. The international community was alerted to the danger represented by South Africa's conduct in the sphere of armaments, and particularly in the develop- rnent of its nuclear potential, when the experts who par- ticipated in the United Nations Seminar on Nuclear Col- laboration with South Africa, held in London on 24 and 25 February 1979,3 affirmed that South Africa was capable of producing reasonably sophisticated nuclear weapons. What the experts had foreseen has become almost a certainty, since the information media have in- formed us that South Africa has recently carried Out a nuclear explosion. If that report is confirmed, it willun- doubtedly constitute a serious threat to international peace and security and this situation will have very serious results for the African people in South Africa and the front-line States in particular, and for the whole world in general. 56. We should also like to emphasize an obvious fact, namely that the Pretoria regime would never have been able to achieve this superiority in the nuclear field without the technical assistance of the Western States. Consequently, the States that provide technical and material assistance to South Africa bear a direct respon- sibility for the latest developments, which threaten in- ternational security and tend to consolidate the hegemo- ny of the racist minority regime over the peoples of South Africa. 57. The United Nations, through the Secretary- General has shown on a number of occasions that the situatio~ in South Africa is worsening, thus seriously jeopardizing peace in the area and in the whole world. The Secretary-General has recently expressed his pessimism regarding the policy of apartheid in his report on the work of the Organization, when h':. said: 2 Ibid., 2281st meeting. 58. While the United Nations has expressed concern regarding the policy of apartheid pursued by South Africa, I should like to point out the other international conferences that have been held on this subject in order to express solidarity with the African people, notably the International Conference on the European Economic Community and South Africa, held at Dublin on 27 and 28 January 1979, and the special session of the Special Committee against Apartheid, held at Kingston (Jamaica) from 22 to 25 May 1979. Those meetings have led to the adoption of declarations and work programmes that reaffirm the determination of the international community to reject racism and pursue the struggle to final victory. The whole world has con- demned apartheid, not only as an odious crime against humanity, but also as a serious threat to international peace and security. That is why we must intensify our efforts to eliminate this evil. 59. At a time when world public opinion is unanimous in condemning co-operation with the racist regime in South Africa, a close and growing co-operation between the racist Pretoria regimeand the racist Zionist entity in occupied Palestine has been clearly apparent, especially during the last few years. The sim.larities betwe~n the two regimes are clear to all. They have been confirmed by General Assembly resolution 3379 (XXX), which af- firms that zionism is a form of racism; it is natural for those two regimes to collaborate. They are both found- ed on the expulsion of indigenous populations, on racism and on legislation that establishes discrimination between the settlers and the indigenous inhabitants. Both regimes pursue a policy of oppression and ter- rorism against the indigenous populaton in a desperate attempt to frustrate its struggle. But that is not all. Those two regimes attack their neighbouring countries on the pretext of pursuing those who are carrying on an honourable struggle. The clearest example of this is the aggression committed against Angola by the South African racist regime. That aggression has been con- demned by the Security Council in spite of the opposi- tion of the United States, France and the United Kingdom, an opposition that clearly show~ their ~t­ titude with regard to racism, the extent of their commit- ment to the racist regimesand the close alliance that ex- ists between them. The reports of the SpecialCommittee against Apartheid, and particularly the special report in document A/341221Add.l, contain complete informa- tion concerning the collaboration and the alliance be- tween the two regimes. The continuation of this col- laboration is a defiance of the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations and of OAU, as well as of the Move- ment of the Non-Aligned Countries which has repeatedly denounced that odious alliance. 60. Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to the Special Committee against Apartheid for the efforts it is making under the chairmanship of Mr. B. Akporode Clark, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a sister republic, and we wish that 62. This position, which wehave maintained unwaver- ingly over such a long period of time, is a justifiable source of satisfaction giving us a sense of having ful- filled our duty and of having worked for lofty goals. But we are not here to express self-satisfaction and to proclaim that we were among the first, and that we are in the vanguard of this struggle. Instead, we must see what we have accomplished, we must assess the effec- tiveness of the measures we have adopted and try to find new means of action. The fact is that, while we have achieved relatively positive results on other fronts in the struggle agains: racism, as regards South Africa - where the Pretoria Government exerts its baleful influence- time and again we have found that our efforts seem to run into a wall of vested interests that enable the racist minorities to defy the world majority represented here. 63. Not so long ago, in his report on the work of the Organization, the Secretary-General, referring to the burning issues of Zimbabwe and Namibia, complained that the situation was critical, for there could be no gen- uine settlement of the problem if the decisions of the General Assembly and the Security Council were not satisfactorily implemented - that is, if the will of the majority of the population were not genuinely expressed in the forms of government it.wished to establish. The Secretary-General went on to say: "Unless this can be done soon, there is a serious danger that all the progress made on this question will be lost in bloodshed, disorder and ruin with serious implications for the security o. the whole region." [See A/34/I, sect. Ill.] 64. Furthermore, the racists' incursions into the ter- ritory of other States, with their train of death and devastation, attest to the fact that they consider themselves exempt from any measure that would com- pel them to respect human rights and democratic prin- ciples. 65. These repeated crimes of the racists, both domestically and internationally, have a common origin ai.d go by a single name: apartheid. To put it bluntly: until the South African Government is forced by inter- national action to overhaul its whole approach to soci- ety, its racial prejudices and its monstrous governmental system, there can be no peace or security in southern Africa. And as we state this unassailable truth, there arises another serious issue, made up of many thorny questions. 67. In this connexion, I would hasten to add that the majority of Member States are not responsible for the fact that the apartheid regime is still in power. However, the same cannot be said of certain States which, con- trary to the will of the General Assembly and the Secu- rity Council, through indirect dealings, or else through legal stratagems, have been continuing to traffic with South Africa, thus giving it tacit but effective support. 68. It is disgraceful that despite Security Council resolution 181 (1963), adopted 16years ago, whereby all States were called upon to cease forthwith the sale and shipment of arms, ammunitions of all types and military vehicles to South Africa - a ban which was reiterated and reinforced in 1964, 1970 and 1972-South Africa has increased its military might. 69. )0. 1976, after the killings in Soweto and elsewhere, the Security Council, in its .esolution 392 (1976) spon- sored by my country and yours, Mr. President, once again expressed its repudiation of the racist Government of South Africa, condemning it for having resorted to widespread violence against the African people and for having engaged in the killing of schoolchildren, students and others who were opposed to racial discrimination. The resolution further reaffirmed that the policy of apartheid wasa crime against the conscienceand dignity of mankind and seriously disrupted international peace and security. 70. A year later, the same Security Council, in its resolution 417 (1977), also sponsored by Panama, demanded that the Government of South Africa put an end to its' reprehensible actions, release political prisoners, halt its indiscriminate violence against the op- ponents of apartheid, stop the killings of detainees and the torture of political prisoners, abrogate bans on the news media, abolish the whole "Bantu education" sys- tem, discontinue its policy of apartheid and ensure ma- jority rule based on justice and equality. In an effort to launch a programme of action along those lines, the Security Council called on all Governments and or- ganizations to take all appropriate measures to achieve those objectives. 71. That same year, the Security Council, pursuant to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, adopted resolution 418 (1977)-of which my country was one of the sponsors - by which it irnnosed an obligatory arms embargo against South Africa, also as part of an effort to put an end to all forms of military co-operation be- tween the Pretoria and the Smith regimes. 72. Nonetheless, the fact remains that, despite the above-mentioned resolutions, the racist South African Government is still in power: this is due to international complicity whereby, one way or the other, the willof the overwhelming majority of the Members of the United Nations is flouted. 73. More recently, the General Assembly, in resolu- tions 32/105 G of 14December 1977 and 33/183 EoI' 24 74. Obviously, if the oil embargo against South Africa were to be effective, the position of the South African racist regime would be intolerable. My delegation believes that every effort should be made to implement that resolution and to lay stress on its aims, for it surely is an effective way of wiping out the cancer of apart- heid. And let no one hypocritically say that the people of South Africa would then suffer, for there can be no greater suffering than that of the vast majority of Africans today, who do not have even the basic satisfac- tion of seeing the foundations of their oppressors' mechanical and military might being shaken. 75. Let us invite, let us call upon, let us implore the na- tions that have the power to do so, once and for all, to force the Government of Pretoria, which is responsible for all the present evils in southern Africa, to abandon its barbaric social concepts. Because of the grim myth of the superiority of one race over another that inspires th minority in power, because of the cruel ways in which its power is expressed, and because of the abominable system of apartheid which is aimed at perpetuating itself, the South African situation is one of the most ig- nominious evils of our time. 76. With the passing of the years, when the suffering and humiliation of the peoples of South Africa are no more than the dust of memory and have passed into the pages of history, it will be difficult ind~ed for future historians to comprehend how It was possible for such a regime to exist in the same era and at the same mom~nt as space ships were launched from our planet to Jupiter and Saturn and when in our laboratories science had exploded ra~ial myths and proved the common origin of our species. 77. As nationals of small countries, we can d~ litt,le ourselves to put an end to the monstrous situa!lon In South Africa. Our limited resources do not permit us to take direct and effective action in the field of economic sanctions' but wecan, In the other hand, band together and fervently urge the great nations to combine their weighty resources in order to destroy the racist regime of South Africa. 78. If those countries adopted the means available to them the fate of apartheid would be sealed without delay'. They, and only they, hold the solution in their hands' and when I say the solution, I mean a peaceful soluti~n because the other kind, that of a vast popular uprising: will surely come if things c~ntinue as they are and if the resolutions of the principal organs of the United Nations remain dead letters. 79. We must not lose sight of the fact, as the Secretary-General has said, that it i,s possible that t~e patience of the African peoples, their capacity to resist the taunts and humiliation which they constantly suffer and their innate kindness willone day be exhausted, and that the oppressed people of South Africa will decide to 81. It is our earnest hope that by adding our voice to the growing clamour of the oppressed peoples, we shall help build a future of justice and redemption for the millions of human beings whom the apartheid regime has enslaved and forced to live in conditions unworthy of twentieth-century man - the man who has already conquered outer space and to whom the very secrets of the origin of life are about to be revealed. 82. In conclusion, Panama would like to state that we support the request of the thirty-third ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of OAU, held at Monrovia from 6 to 20 July 1979, to the Secretary-General of OAU and the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid to organize an international con- ference in 1980, under the joint auspices of the United Nations and OAU, to mobilize world public opinion in support of the effective implementation of economic and other sanctions against South Africa [see A/34/552, annex I, CM/Res.734 (XXXIII)]. 83. Furthermore, my country considers that the time has come to support the efforts promoted by the Sixth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non- Aligned Countries at Havana, to strengthen and make operative as soon as possible the fund of solidarity and support for southern Africa in an effort to give effec- tive support to the liberation of the peoples of that region.

The question of the policy and practice of apartheid in South Africa has been on the agenda of the General Assembly for more than a quarter of a century. Nevertheless, the measures adopted thus far have yielded no tangible results. On the contrary, the situation has considerably worsened and poses now a grave threat not only to neighbouring coun- tries but also to the international community. 85. Apartheid is one of the most abhorrent social phenomena of our time. The racist regime of Pretoria has institutionalized racial discrimination and raised racism to the status of the official ideology and State policy. The entire political and socio-economic system in South Africa is based upon racial discrimination and exploitation of the black African population. The theory and practice of apartheid, condemned by the world community and qualified by international law as a crime against humanity, are deployed to trample upon the inalienable right of the peoples of Namibia and South Africa to self-determination, independence and social progress. 86. South Africa has been turned by the racist white minority into an enormous concentration camp for the black Africans and other Coloured people. Colour of the skin is the main criterion on the basis of which the vast majority of the population is deprived of all its civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and 87. In order to perpetuate the inhuman exploitation based on apartheid, the racist regime of South Africa has resorted to the farce of bantustanization, which has been condemned by world public opinion. Pretoria, with the help of its sponsors, is making every effort to keep the overwhelming majority of the population of South Africa and of the illegally occupied Namibia in a state of subjugation as long as possible and to interfere in the internal affairs of neighbouring African States. In this respect, I cannot but recall the recent sad experience of the latest aggressive act of South Africa against the People's Republic of Angola. Jeopardizing in this way the peace not only of the African continent but also throughout the world, South Africa constantly inten- sifies its policies of mass terror against the indigenous population. But terror and merciless repression alone are not sufficient to keep the people of South Africa subjugated. 88. The apartheid regime continues to exist primarily because it receives significant support from certain quarters. The report of the Special Committee against Apartheid points out clearly the fact th~t the continui~g collaboration of some Western States WIth the apartheid regime, in disregard of United Nations resolutions, con- stitutes the main obstacle to ending the inhuman system of apartheid. Several transnational corporations have further strengthened their economic position in the country. They are interested in the existence of the racist regime because the conditions of racial discrimination and the enslavement of the majority of the population of South Africa permit the extraction of high profits. For instance, according to a study prepared at the re- quest of the Special Committee against Apartheid,' a small handful of transnational banks holds about two thirds of the assets of the biggest 20 banks in South Africa. The study further states that the transnational banks' southern African affiliates helped to mobilize funds to build up the South African military-industrial complex. Their commercial affiliates, for example, ad- vanced almost 4 billion South African rand in various forms of credit to different sectors of the South African economy in 1975 alone. 89. With the assistance of some countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the South African regime has built up the biggest weapons arsenal in Africa. It has developed the capability of producing modern nuclear weapons and has created the strongest army of merce- naries in the continent. Owing to that continuous assistance, South Africa is tending more and more to become self-sufficient in the field of military production and to become a real threat, not only to its African neighbours but to world peace as well. ~ Corporate Data Exchange, lnc., "Bank Loans to South Africa, 1972·1978", Notes and Documents of the Centre against Apartheid, No. 5/79 (May 1979). 91. The struggle for national liberation and in- dependence isan objective lawof our time. Butcolonialism, racism and apartheid will not give up their positions if they are not forced to do so. That is why it is necessary, now more than ever before, to mobilize all ways and means for the compleIe elimination of colonialism, racism, racial discrimination and apartheid. It is necessary not only once again to focus the attention of world pub':~ opinion on the degrading living conditions of the large majority of the people under colonial and racial domination and to confirm moral solidarity with the victims of apartheid, but also to take effective measures to increase all-round support for the national liberation movements in southern Africa and for their legitimate struggle to win freedom and independence for the peoples of Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. 92. The United Nations has been appealing for a long time for the termination of all types of co-operation with South Africa, and guidelines for this have been laid out in numerous resolutions of the General Assembly and, more specifically, in the Programme of Action against Apartheid, adopted at its thirty-first session [resolution 31/6 1]. Those texts call fora boycott against the South African regime in all fields, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. 93. It is not enough to state that one is against apart- heid. The United Nations has been against apartheid for years and yet apartheid continues to exist. The Pretoria regime will not voluntarily renounce its racist policy. It must be compelled to do so by means of constant pres- sure from the international community and through the struggle within the country. It is high time that energetic measures, including effective sanctions, were adopted by the Security Council with the aim of breaking off all co-operation with the racist regime of Pretoria and isolating it completely. 94. To conclude. I should like to reiterate the firm position of the People's Republic of Bulgaria in defence of the self-determination and independence of peoples and against racial discrimination and apartheid. The special declaration adopted by the Bulgarian National Assembly on 5 July 1978 emphasized, inter alia, that " ... faithful to its principled policy of support for the struggle of peoples against imperialism, co- lonialism, racism and apartheid, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, as a member of the socialist community, has consistently rendered, and will con- tinue to render assistance and support to the national liberation movements of southern Africa in their just and legitimate struggle to throw off colonial slavery and for freedom and independence."