A/37/PV.62 General Assembly

The Internationa] Conference on Sanc- tions against South Africa, held in Paris in 1981, declared that this year should be the Internationa! Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa. I It gives me great pleasure to praise the efforts of the Special Committee against Apartheid·-chair~d by my brother Mr. Maitama-Sule, of Nigeria-aimed at doing away with ~ha~ crimina! system. We express our appreciation to the members of the Special Com- mittee for the efforts that have led to implementa- tion of the programme for this year. 2. Once again 'we are considering the question of apartheid, which our Organization has considered every year since its inception and with regard to whi~h it has adopted .numerous resolutions aimed at eliminating that abominable policy. South Africa, however, has responded to the efforts by the United Nations and other agencies and bodies concerned with utter defiance and contempt. 3. Moreover, with the passage of time, the racist regime is increasing its .arrogance and implementing strict racist- laws aimed against the national inhab- itants, depriving them of all their fundamental human rights and freedoms and placing them in prisons and detention camps, as well as directing a wave of terrorism and violence against the national move- ments. 4. Despite the condemnation by the international community of the policy of bantustanization, the racist regime is hastening to implement that policy in order to split up and isolate the black majority so that the apartheid regime can, without opposition or resistance, thwart all the aspirations of the indige- nous inhabitants to exercise their fundamental rights. The regime is proceeding steadily with the implementation of that policy. At the end of last year, the so-called independence of the Ciskei was announced, and in recent months we have· had news that Kwandebele is demanding independence as a new bantustan. NEW YORK 5. The abominable racist policy is an insult to humanity and forthcoming generations will never forgive us if we fail to eradicate it, since it denies the humanity of people not because of any particu- lar faith or creed, but merely because there is a dif- ference of colour. 6. The racist regime is attempting to mislead world public opinion with its so-called reforms, hiding its real intention to preserve its Tacist policy. The Qest proof of this was the announcement by Pretoria last July of constitutional amendments concerning the establishment of a separate parliament for Coloureds, while at the same time asserting that ther? was no hope whatever for any possible participation by the black inhabitants in political life. 7. Perhaps this could provide the incentive for all countries that co-operate with the racist regime and claim to believe in the possibility of the gradual-reform of that racist policy to refrain from such co-operation. 8. The policy of constructive co-operation adopted by c~rt~in States as regards South Africa hasnot borne fruit. It is clear that there will be no positive response to that policy from South Africa. 9. The international community has condemned South Africa's racist policy and adopted resolutions and programmes aimed at eliminating it. Some were adopted at the Paris Conference at which it was de- cided to make 1982 International Year of Mobiliza- tion for Sanctions against South Africa.. Also, last May, the Manila declaration [see A/37/265] imposed sanctions against South Africa. So far, however, the necessary measures have not been taken to ensure the total isolation of South Africa because some States have not participated in implementing them. In view of their vast potential, these States could play a decisive role in the elimination of apartheid through the imposition of mandatory sanctions. We appeal to all the Western permanent members of the Security Council, which have a special responsi- bility, to respond to the wishes of the international community, not to impede the imposition against the South African regime· of mandatory sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter. 10. In this context, we wish to draw the attention of Members to the study on the European Parliament and South Africa that was published by the Centre against Apartheid last July, in which it was con- cluded that the European Parliament had adopted numerous resolutions condemning apartheid and the aggression perpetrated by South Africa in southern Africa, and that some of those resolutions called for the implementation of United Nations resolu~ions concerning embargoes and economic sanci.ions. We call on the States concerned to heed those appeals. A/37/PV.62 42. The Bulgarian delegation, which has always sup- ported and continues to support the efforts of the world Organization to eliminate this inhuman policy onc.e and for all, would like to deal with some of the main reasons for the existence of this anachronistic racist regime, which has for so long been doomed to perish. 43. It is a secret to no one that the policy of apart- heid is based on the ~omprehensive and generous sup- port which 5s lavished on the racist regime in Pretoria by imperialist forces, in particular by certain member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO], with the United States in the forefront, so that they can achieve their own selfish strategic interests. It is for this reason that they have not only failed to put an end to, but have indeed stepped up, their political, economic and military co-operation with Pretoria. Further evidence of this is to be found in the reports ofthe Special Committee againstApartheid and the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, as well as the report which was drawn up by the Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and the Protection of Minorities. It is through this strategic co-operation, particularly in the military and nuclear areas, that South Africa has been able to build up a tremendous military potential that will permit it to manufacture nuclear weapons itself. This turn of events is a seri- ous threat both to the African continent and to inter- national peace and security in general. Furthermore, this threat is increasing alarmingly as a result of the , acts of aggression which have been committed by the racist regime of South Africa against sovereign neighbouring States. 44. This entire policy is intended to destabilize the progressive Governments in those countries and to stifle the national liberation movements in that part of the world. The co-operation between certain West- ern countries and Israel with South Africa has mate- rially contributed to strengthening the apartheid ••... We are unreservedly on the slue or tnose peoples struggling for their national independence. We provide them with political, moral and mat.erial assistance. This support is the expression of our sense of justice, our internationalism and our humanism. In our Constitution, the spreading of racial hate was declared to be a crime even before the United Nations adopted the international Convention on this matter." 51. The Bulgarian delegation is convinced that the Namibian people will achieve the exercise of its legitimate right to self-determination and indepen- dence, despite the attempts of certain Western coun- tries to remove the search for a solution to this question from the framework of the United Nations and link it to inadmissible and unacceptable condi- tions. The Bulgarian delegation is firmly convinced tbat the base and inhuman policy of apartheid will be eradicated once and for all and declares its readi- ness to co-operation actively for the speeding up of that process.

The problem of apartheid in South Africa has been a major issue preoccupying the people of Africa and the whole world. This is not only because the very existence of the racist regime of South Africa is a mockery of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations but also because in recent years, with the connivance and support of imperialism, this regime has not only not she·wn the slightest restraint in its reactionary arrogance but has even intensified its Fascist suppression of the just struggle of the South African people against racism. It has continued to keep Namibia under its illegal'occupation and made repeated armed provoca- tions against, and military incursions into, neigh- bouring countries, thereby posing ~ serious threat to the security and stability'of St ..them Mrica and the world at large. It is the view of the Chinese delegation that such a state of affairs must not be allowed to continue any longer. 53. This infamous racist regime has long pursued a parbaric policy of apartheid and racial discrimination and has turned South Africa into a veritable hell on earth. In order to tighten its rule, the white racist regime has strengthened its machinery of suppression by lavish military expenditures and arms procure- ments. It has illegally pushed through hundreds of racist decrees or ordinances denying freedoms and civil rights to 20 million Africans, who make up 70 per cent of the population. The white minority occupies over 80 per cent of the more fertile land of the coun- 55. The S':>uth African authorities have long pur- sued a policy of brutal racial oppression characterized by arbitrary arrest, imprisonment and murder of leaders of nationalist movements and ordinary Afri- cans. According to news agency reports. several hundred thousand Africans are being held in prison, the majority of them having been arbitrarily arrested for participating in the struggle against racism. In the secluded Robben Island prison alone, there are 1,000 so-called political prisoners, including leaders and activist; of the African National Congress of South Africa [ANC], the Pan Mricanist Congress of Azania [PAC] and other nationalist organizations. The South African authorities have not only wilfully ill- treated and tortured these "political prisoners" but also subjected many of them to capital punishment on trumped-up charges. These are heinous acts. Nelson Mandela, a leader of South African nation- alists, has been held for some 20 long years and has not yet been released. Even as we meet here today, three young patriots still in their twenties are awaiting execution in South African prisons. They were in- criminated by the South African authorities simply because they had. participated in activities to free their country and people from minority rule and op- pression. 56. World opinion has time and again pointed out that the struggle of the South African people for freedom and liberation is a just struggle. The South African authorities must immediately and uncon- ditionally release all political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. 57. Pretoria seems to believe that by means of guns and imprisonment it can force the people to give up the struggle against racism. But wherever there is oppression there is bound to be resistance. The people of South Africa have carried on a pro- tracted struggle for freedom and liberation. Fretoria seems to believe that by putting Mandela 'and others in prison it can bring the people to their knees. Facts,~ however, point to the contrary. The names ofMandela and his comrades have been a source of inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people, impelling them to join in the struggle to overthrow the system of apartheid. In recent years, a mass movement with students and workers as its main force has been developing vigorously. The struggle against oppression has grown both in scale and in strength, and there countri~s such as Angola and Zambia, and has carried out unbridled threats and subversive activities against neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozam- bique and Botswana. Last year it even master-minded a mercenary attack a~ainst the R~public of Seychelles. All these acts of aggression by the South African authorities have grossly violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of those African States, threatened their stability and security and caused heavy losses of life and property to their people, thereby menacing the peace and security of the world at large. 59. The South African racist regime has been so reckless because it has had the support and con- nivance of certain Western countries, especially of a certain super-Power. In order to maintain their vested interests in southern Africa, particularly their eco- nomic interest, certain forces in the West have offered the South African regime economic assistance, mili- tary equipment and even collaboration in the nuclear field, in total disregard of the just demands of the African people and the international community. By so doing they not only have placed themselves in opposition to the African countries and peoples, inflated Pretoria's arrogance and further destabilized the situation in southern Africa, but have also provided an opportunity for outside forces to meddle in the affairs of that region. 60. The just struggle of the people of South Africa has always drawn support and attention from the inter- national community. In order to support the South African people's struggle and win independence for Namibia at an early date, the African countries, espe- cially the front-line States, have m~'de unremitting efforts and even endured heavy national sacrifices. Their dauntless spirit in upholding justice has won the appreciation of the peoples of the world. The Special Committee against Apartheid, of which Mr. Maitama- Sule of Nigeria is Chairman, has done a great deal in mobilizing world opinion to support the just cause of the South African people and has pu~ forward many recommendations and proposals as regards the mea- sures to be taken by the United Nations to combat the policies of apartheid pursued by the Government of South Africa. The Chinese delegation appre~iates and supports the work of the Committee ana will 66. My delegation welcomed the visit by the Chair- man of the Special Committee against Apartheid to our country hist May and his expression of ap- preciation, on behalf of the Special Committee, to the Government and people of Indonesia. During his talks with President Soeharto, Mr. Maitama-Sule was reassured that Indonesia, in close co-operation with the members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations as well as other countries in Asia and Africa, would continue to contribute to its utmost to the just struggle of the people of South Africa. 67. As a member of the Special Committee, my delegation is fully aware of the fact that the inter- national community's solidarity with the oppressed people of South Africa has not been enough to force the Pretoria regime to aba.qdon its apartheid policy. We believe that the only remaining means to that end is the imposition of comprehensive :::nandatory sanc- tions. This has been our position in the past and it continues to be so today. Therefore, my Government 73. But the situation has not changed, because the racist Pretoria regime continues to practise more arrogantly and obstinately its odious racial discrimi- 107. The racist gang in Pretoria must realize that the situation in South Africa and the apartheid policy do not require marginal or gradual changes but radical changes which would root out the racist regime and create a just and democratic society guaranteeing the majority its legitimate rights, fre~dom and sover- eignty, rights that will be restored, however long it takes, through the heroic struggle and national resis- tance launched at the prese"nt time by the people of South Africa. 108. The past year saw a great event, whi{:h is indeed a historic turning-point in the escalation and inten- sification of international action to do away with apartheid policies in South Africa. We are referring to the convening in Paris of the International Conference on Sanctions against South Mrica. The Paris Decla- rationl emphasizes the importance ~d the necessity of implementing international sanctions against the racist South African regime, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in order. to ensure that South Africa abides by the resolutions of the Organization, and notes that the choice is between an escalation of the conflict and the imposition of inter- national sanctions, if all other attempts to reach a settlement faiL The Declaration also urges those Powers that have thus far opposed sanctions to heed the views of the majority of the international com- munity, to change their policies towards the racist regime in Pretoria, and to conform to United Nations resolutions. The objective of imposing sanctions against South Mrica is to oblige the South African Government to put an end to its racist policy and to set up a non-racist society where all have equal rights, without distinction of race, colour or religion. As an urgent step in the direction of the intensifi- cation of international solidarity with a view to dealing with the deteriorating conditions in South Mrica, the General Assembly endorsed the Paris Declaration in resolution 36/172 Band also announced that 1982would be the International Year of Mobilization for Sanc- tions against South Mrica and called on all Govern- ments, organizations and bodies to give effective and positive support to implementing the programme and objectives of the International Year, in collabora- tion with the United Nations. 109. My country's delegation is of the view that the various activities and efforts that have been carried out at international, regional and national levels within the framework of the celebration of the Inter- national Year have helped to enlighten world public opinion about the terrible effects of the situation in South Africa and to mobilize the efforts and support needed to remedy the deteriorating situation. r "•• p n" ~ _ legit~mate struggle. 132. In this connection the Declaration of the Paris 138. The rulers of that country, which is the real Conference on Sanctions against South Africal stated testing ground for apartheid and racism, persist in that: practising their anti-people policy, which is an in- tolerable affront to the elementary foundations of "The continuing political, economic and mili- contemporary international, legal and political thinking tary co-operation ofcertain Western States and their and the rights, conscience and dignity of mankind. transnational corporations with the racist regime of In the eyes of the peoples of the whole world, this South Africa encourages its persistent intransigence is a ·misanthropic policy of black deeds by the white and defiance of the international community and Africans in that country. constitutes a major obstacle to the elimination of the inhuman and criminal system of apartheid in South 139. There has long been an urgent need for the inter- Africa and the attainment of self-determination, national community to adopt effective sanctions freedom and national independence by the people against South Africa. It is important to note that the of Namibia." General Assembly proclaimed this y1ear, 1982, the 133. South Africa's nuclear ambitions are particu- International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions larly alarming. South Africa, by circumventing the against South Africa. international system of safeguards, has created its own, 140. The Soviet Union fully endorses the proposals nuclear potential, which, specialists have determined,. of the African countries to have the Security Council has placed it on the very verge of manufacturing its adopt comprehensive sanctions against South Africa own nuclear weapons. In this connection it should as stipulated in Chapter VII of the Charter of the be recalled that, as recently as 1977, South Africa United Nations. We favour strict observance by all was nearing the culmination of its work on creating States of the sanctions already imposed by the Secu- a nuclear weapon and carrying out immediate prepara- rity Council against the Pretoria regime. tions to test it. South Africa's blank refusal to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weap- 141. The Soviet Union maintains no relations, with ans and place all its nuclear activities under the South Africa in the diplomatic, economic, trade, 137. Three main accusations can be levelled by man- kind against the South African regime: its ignominious system ofapartheid, its colonial occupation ofNamibia and its continued aggression against neighbouring independent African countries. Anyone of these would be quite sufficient reason for the United Nations to take extremely forthright action against this criminal regime-a demand which has been voiced by an over- whelming majority of the States Members of the United Nations. 152. Apartheid is a crime against humanity. It is a colonialist policy of a regime devoted to domination, exploitation, repression and intolerable humiliation of the vast majority of the people of southern Africa. It is a brazen policy of institutionalized racism. Apartheid is also a crime against peace. The apartheid regime is not only responsible for the unspeakable hardships imposed upon the people who are directly under its domination but also a constant source of disturbances, acts of aggression and destabilizationin other countries in neighbouring areas. 153. What is particularly serious is that the monstrous regime of apartheid in South Africa has deliberately and insolently committed those crimes for decades, and indeed does so even today, notwithstanding the opposition and unanimous condemnation of all those devoted to peace and justice. The question is, how is it that this regime has calmly defied the relevant resolutions ofthe United Nations, continuingto occupy Namibia; how has it managed to get away with those acts of aggression and invasion against neighbouring .sovereign countries; how has it managed to continue to 155. As is well known, those Powers, primarily the United States, which, individually or collectively, have already imposed sanctions against a number of other countries, have constantly opposed similar measures against the racist regime of South Africa and have even strengthened their collaboration with it. By their abuse of the right of veto, those Powers have reduced the Security Council to impotence in the face of the Pretoria regime's repeated acts of aggression, thus undermining United Nations authority and aggravating the situation in southern Africa. 156. The Special Committee has even gone so far as to express its "dismay over the policy of the United States Government in that connection" [ibid., para. 325]. 157. In addition, as a leader of ANC has recently declared, the present peril is posed by the Pretoria- Washington axis. This alliance, which has been proclaimed "strategic" but which also shows certain ideological affinities, has manifested itself, inter alia, in the realm of nuclear arms and in the concept of a new South Atlantic alliance along the lines of the notorious NATO. 158. In this connection, it is significant that the United States and certain other Western Powers opposed the resolution adopted not long ago by the General Assembly which condemned the $1.1 million loan by IMF to South Africa, for the most powerful Western countries reap enormous profits from their investments in South Africa. Hence responsibility for the maintenance and strengthening of the in- human regime in Pretoria rests squarely with the imperialist, colonialist, racist and hegemonistic forces, which have common interests on a number ofeconomic or strategic aspects. 159. That handful of countries are particularly dan~ gerous because of their great economic and military potential and their ability to abuse their dispropor- tionate influence in certain international economic and financial organizations. 160. To put the matter in perspective, let me cite the following passage from the Paris Declaration on Sanctions against South Africa: I I 174. In this spirit, my delegation welcomes the" con- clusions and recommendations of the Special Com- mittee against Apartheid aimed at a redoubling in 1983 of the efforts of the international community to encourage campaigns for the complete isolation of the South Mrican racist regime, unreserved support for the liberation struggle in South Africa and Namibia, the unconditional release of all imorisoned South African patriots, solidarity with the black labour movement, the boycotting of educational, cultural and sports acti- vities sponsored by the apartheid regime and the attain- ment of other objectives approved by the General Assembly. 175. My delegation wishes in particular to express its strong support for the recommendations of the Special Committee concerning the monitoring of the implementation of recommendations on military and nuclear collaboration with South Africa and the mobilization of public opinion against such collabora- tion. My delegation wishes to stress the need for the Security Council to impose a mandatory embargo on oil supplies to South Africa and to grant prisoner-of-war status to the combatants ofANC and SWAPO captured by the apartheid regime, in keeping with the relevant provisions of the 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 regarding the protection of victims of war. 176. It is also in this spirit that my delegation is prepared to support any draft resolution advocating effective action to support the liberation movements in this last bastion of colonialism in southern Africa and the elimination of the apartheid regime of South Africa, that shameful blot on world civilization. 177. We are convinced that the just cause of the peoples of South Africa, Namibia, the front-line States and Africa as a whole, with the firm support of all progressive mankind, will certainly be crowned with success. This will also be a victory for the noble .struggle of the international community as a whole for the independence of peoples, peace, democracy and human dignity, a struggle in which the United Nations must shoulder its heavy responsibilities under the Charter.

The policies and practices of apartheid pursued by the Government of South Africa represent an intolerable challenge to all mankind and constitute a threat to international peace and security. They arouse the indignation and con- demnation of the entire international community. ,182. During the past year the situation in South Africa has continued to be a matter of great concern. As can be seen from the report of the Special Com- mittee against Apartheid, there has been no improve- ment in the situation. The racist regime has neither changed its attitude nor shown any intention what- soever of changing its policy. On the contrary, it has reinforced its repressive measures against the oppo- nents of apartheid and persisted in the policy of ban- tustanization. The only changes were further attempts to modify the face of apartheid and to introduce so- called gradual reforms, with the aim of adjusting and improving the apartheid system so that it might better serve the needs of economic development in the inter- est of the white minority and the perpetuation of its rule. 183. It is indeed both saddening and shocking that some Governments consider this a constructive action by Botha's regime and suggest that such gradual improvements should be encouraged by the Assembly as the effective way of bringing about non-violent changes in South Africa. 184. The oppressive character of the system of apartheid finds its extension in the policy ofa position of strength, the policy of threats and destabilization pursued by the Pretoria regime against neighbouring African States. In the period which has elapsed since the last session of the General Assembly, the aggres- sions of the racist regime have increased in both scope and frequency. The People's Republic ofAngola has continued to be the primary object of the aggres- sion, but Mozambique, Zimbabwe and other States were also the victims. Thus the .. apartheid regime constitutes a permanent source of tension and insta- bility in the southern part of Africa. The territory of Namibia, which the South African regime continues to occupy illegally, resorting to every possible manreuvre to maintain its colonial rule over it, has been used as a springboard for most of these aggres- sive actions. 186. It is well known who is opposing the applica- tion of sanctions against South Africa and, as the President of the General Assembly stated last Friday when opening the special meeting of the General Assembly devoted to the observance of the Inter- national Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa, "universally applied sanctions are the only peaceful means available to the world com- munity to end the criminal system of apartheid." [56th meeting, para. 3.] 187. ' Poland wishes today to reiterate again its firm commitment to the struggle against any form of racial discrimination, particularly against apartheid, the disgrace of our times, and to the struggle for the inalienable rights of all peoples to self-determination and independence, and for their human rights. 188. We stand and call for full and universal imple- mentation of and respect for the provisions of all pertinent United Nations resolutions. Poland also supports the just demand of the African States for the application of mandatory sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. 189. We reaffirm our full solidarity with and support for the struggle of the South African people and of the people of Namibia, a struggle whose legitimacy is reaffirmed by numerous United Nations resolutions, and our solidarity with and support for their organiza- tions, ANC and SWAPO. We are confident that with the support of the progressive peoples of the world the resistance they are leading will be victorious. 190. We fully share the opinion of the African coun- trie~ that as long as millions of Africans are still living under the oppression of the racist apartheid regime, and as long as this regime illegally occupies Namibia, and until the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples for the accelerated social develop- ment and economic independence of the continent under conditions of peace and security are fulfilled, Africa can hardly be regarded as truly free. 191. Before concluding, my delegation wishes to commend the Special Committee against Apartheid for its tireless efforts to stimulate and promote con- certed international action in combating apartheid. In our view, the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee, as contained in its report, deserve most serious consideration and support by the General Assembly. 1 message at the dawn of our history. He went as far origin at present in South Viet Nam and also against as to claim that the Jewish people and the State of the population of Chinese origin, forcing the latter to i Israel were in the vanguard of every struggle against leave Viet Nam in hundreds of thousands. i the evil of racism, recailing the Nazis, their Jewish 205. Secondly, Viet Nam continues to invade and I victims and so on. occupy Kampuchea, just as the South African authori- \ 198. Israel no doubt believes that the strongest ties continue the illegal occupation of Namibia. weapon it has is emotional blackmail, and over a period 206. Thirdly, the Vietnamese occupation of Kam- ! of three decades it has exploited the guilt complex puchea constitutes a threat to peace, stability and secu- I about what it calls the holocaust, guilt which it wishes rity in South-East Asia and is similar to the policy of I to impose on all the peoples of the world. The intel- aggression of the racist Pretoria regime against the ~''o--'~::'~'~'~_"!!_.'''"'_@I!''~~~-~~~~~~~_~!lIJ!'!!!I!M_ 3 See A/AC.llSIL.S73.