A/44/PV.50 General Assembly

I wish to inform members that three countries - Papua New Guinea, Somalia and Uruguay - which for pertinent reasons did not inscribe their names on thl! list beforl! the deadline for the deba te on agenda item 28 ha·"p. requested that their names be inscribed at this late stage. If there are no obje:tions, I shall take it that the Assembly decides to allow the names of those three countries to be inscribed. It was so decided. Mr. STRESOV (Bulgaria): I should like at the outset bo congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly and wish you all success in the discharge of your duties. Your valuable contribution and personal commitment to the struggle against apartheid will undoubtedly facilitate our work on this agenda item. The People's Republic of Bulgaria has always follC'Med with great concern the situation in the southern part of the African continent. Its consistent position is that the system and policy of apartheid in South Africa is at the core of the conflict. This anachronistic policy is all the note s~l:iking when viewed against the background of the general improvement in the international climate and the growing confidence and active dialogue among States. The new pad tive trends in the development of in terna tional r ela tions and the new awareness of the need to resolve regional conflicts by political means have , ~esulted in suhstantial changes in the political situation in southern Africa. The selfless struggle of the people of South Africa against the apartheid regime, its condemna tion by the in terM ticnal commWlity, and tie growing polt tical, economic and social clt'isis in the country have forced the Pretoria regime to announce that ·fundamental reforms· are heil'lCj conducted. Regrettably, it is becoming clear that these hroadly advertised "reforms" do not go beyond the framework of cosmetic measures, nor do they attack the roots of the system of domination hy the white minod ty. Censorship and the propaganda campaign mounted hy the Pretoria regime cannot obscure the real condi tions in South Afdca. The aparthe!2. 1egi81a tion has remained practically unchanged. The state of emergency was extended again last July, permitting unrestrained use of the powerfUl repressive machinery. A number of ?Olitical organizations have remained outlawed. The release of Walter Sisulu and seven other political prisoners has not resolved the problem. Nelson Kandel~, the outstanding South African fighter for civil and political rights, and many othet political prisoners are still behind bars. (Mr. Stresov, Bulgaria) This year's report of the Special Committee agsint Apartheid (A/44/22) is no exception in prO\1iding abundant evidence of the repressions and violence employed by the Pretoria regime in its attempts to perpetuate the system of flpartheid. We are convinced that apartheid can be neither reformed nor changed. It should be eradicated ~, a goal th21t can be attained only through the joint efforts of the entire international community. We believe that further sanctions against the Pretor ia regime would help to resolve this problem. The People's Republic of Bulgaria has always supported the growing anti-racist democratic lOOvement in South Africa which, deBpi te the repressive measures of the apartheid regime, is winning an increasing number of followers. No one can deny the fact that the African Na tional Congress is playing a prominent and important part in ~~is movement. That is also evident from the broad international support for its peace plan for the establishment of a \l'1ited, non-racial and democratic State in South Africa, included in the Harare Declaration of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Southern Africa of the Orgalization of African Unity. Our country has always expressed its solidarity with the struggle of the peoples of SOuth Afr:ica, Namibia and the front-line States for the complete elimination of the system of apartheid. Bulgaria believes it is particularly important now to complete successfully the cecolal iza t ial process in Namib ia under the provis ions of the UnHed Na t iOfts plan, which would help to eliminate this source of tension in the southern part of Africa. We welcome the commencement <)f the ele:!tions in Namibia. The United Nations is called ullOn to carry out. a uniquely difficult and responsible mission: to guarantee the Namihicln peoi?le their right to ;:elf-&atermilla tion and i,ldependence. Oue country f'Jlly supports and h; prepared t.o assi~t 'lethel:' that "niss ion. In concl us ion I should like to declare that the People' s Republle of Bulgar la will oonUnue to contribute to the internati,')nal col1lTlunity's joint efforts aimed at turn il\9 the southern part of Africa into a reg ion of peace, security and co-operation. Mr. AL-NAS~~ (Qatar) (interpretation from Arabic) I The problem of aeartheid remains one of the principal concerns of the international community. It still occupies an important place on the agenda of the General Assenbly. The Assembly has been seized of the problem, year in and year out, since the Govecnment of SOuth Africa proclaimed its policy of apartheid in 1946~ This continued preoccupation by the General Assembly with the problem has been notiva ted by the hope that the international oonmunity will succeed eventually in br inging to an end this policy, which has dire consequences for the majority of the inhabitants elf southern Afr lea. Notwithstanding the hundreds of resolutions on the elimination of aparthe.i,d adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council, apartheid remins the b.~ckbone of the racist policy of the regime. The results of that policy, which are clear to all, are the ever-renewed state of emergency, the continued dete~tion "f the leaders of the political opposition as well as the curfews and restrictions imposed on the black m jar!ty • There have been a numer of pol itical changes with \lib tch th,:; racist regime has tried to delude the world into believing that it intends to deal in real earnest with the fundamental problem which has tormented the population for over 40 years. However world public opinion, which has beeome familiar with such trickerJ, has not allowed those purported changes to blind it b) the persistence of that regime in criminalizing oppositioo to a.eacth,~id, the continued fMdia censorship, the illeqal .letentio" and execution of pol itical opponents regardless of any appeal for (Mr. Stresov, Bulgaria) clemency from any part of the world. Under such circumstances, how can there be .t grain of credihility to the changes wit~ which Pretoria tries to deceive the world? How can Pretoria think that it can make world public opinion believe its proclamation? Apartheid is a cancer that can be cured only by ampl1t.ltion - not by paliatives or sedatives. The time has come for the regime in South Africa to realize that fact, to face reality ..,ith colJrage, and to stop trying to fly into the face of history. It knows that it.s pOUc<} is dooned. It mu.'Jt have beco~ aware th~t in the face of the heroic resistance of the people of South Africa and its leaders and their struggle to crea te a deJn)cra tic society of freedom, equali ty and jus tice in the place of the present society of repression, privation and despotism, the policy of apartheid will collapse. My delegation supports the people of South Africa in their heroic struggle and shares their desire to enjoy freedom, because in the Arab region the Palestinian people are subjected to a pol icy similolr to that of the Pretoria regime. Our people have risen in revolt against that policy and have rejected the pr~ctic~s and continuation of Israel i occupation. The General Assembly has already condemned apartheid and the Secutitt Council has imposed sanctions on the Pretoria regime because of its persistence in it~ inhuman pol ioles. In addi tinn, the ninth summi t ConEerence of the Non-Aligned Movement has coodemned Pretoria for its genocidal acts against the unarf'Md majority of the population. It also condemned very strongly the ongoing and escalating collabora tion between the two tacist regimes of South Africa and Israel, and took note of tile similarity "f the oppressive and repressive rneasures adopted by both regimes. ('tr. Al-Nasser, Qatac) The conference reiterated the call for the imposition of comprehensiYe and mandatory sanctions bv the Security Council on the apartheid regime. Wi th regard to the collaboration between the two regimes, it h as been revealed that with Israel's assistance, South Africa has manufactured a missile capable of delivering nuclear weapons, in return for the supply of weapons' grade urClt tum by South Africa to Israel. Consequently, we bel leve that the General Assembly should consider this situation, which has been confirmed in the report of the Special Conmittee on Apartheid now before the Assembly. The report draws the Assembly's attential to the economic and miUtary collaboration between Israel and SOl1th Africa. W'! fully support the reconmendations in the Committee's report, particularly those relatiB} to the prerequisites of the process of negotiation, namely the 1 ifting of the state of emergency, the unoondi tional release of Nelson Mande1a and all other political prisoners and detainees, the lifting of the restrictions on individuals and organizations opposing apartheid and the repealing of press restrictions and censorship, the withdrawal of military forces from the black townships, and the halting of all pol itical tr lats and eltecutions. We also fully support the Committee's recommenda tions which call Q1 the Security Council to impose mandatory sanctions in accordance with Chapter VII of the Chatter as long as the South African Government persists in its policy. We should also keep a close watch on the implementation of the arms embargo. Many of the problems of this world are moving towards settlement and many societies are taking a keener interest in the upholding of human rights. It is bigh time that. the South Afcican regime did the saI'M. (Mr. Al-Hasser, Qatar) Mr. IOHENFELLNER (Austr ia) I The first resolution adopted hy thi~ sel'lsicn of the General Assembly was on apartheid, and the special ses~ion on apartheid and it~ destructive consequences in southern Africd i~ scheduled for Decemher. This is significant, for it can he seen that the question of apartheid will retain priority on the aqenda of the international O?mmunity until this abhorrent ~ystem of racial d lscr i mina tion is coopIe tely eradica ted • 'Ibday we ate witnessing a relaxation of tensions, progr.ess in thp. denocra tha tion process and ma jor brea" throuqhs towards fu!l en ioyment 0 f human riqhts on a qlonal level. In this chanqing world the persi~tence of the evil of apartheid is like the remnant of a ~~l:'1c pa~t. Indeed, thi~ ~hhor.rent policy neqates the most ha~ic value co~~on to all culture~'l: re!'lpect felt" the diqnity of man. This institution.'lIi7.ed sYRtem of nchl ~i~crimination de~rives the majority population of their civil, political, economic, s:>cial and cultural riqht~. It constitutes a continuous and fhqrant violation of hUlMn rights and fundamental freedo~<;. A s)cial system that defies the essenthls of $Ociet.l1 justice can ~m;tain itself ,-,nIy by suppressio,", and the use of f.)!'ce, violence is inherent in such a system. It i~ ~ matter of deen concern for us that the state of emergency has heen extended for the fifth consecutive year. The leqal cov~r for the apptication of a r:,mge of repressi"e lneasurp.s has thereby neen prolonqed. We appp.al to the South African ("'~vernmef\t to termina te thp. ''It.l te ot emerqency immed ia tely. Sta tempnts tl1.1t the !';tate of emerqency might '1radu-311y he p.... a~ed out clearly tall !'Ihort of wtut i!'l called for. For even if the <luthori ties did nr>t apply the full I"dnqe nf extr.olordi1lilry pow"!rs pro\1idp.d for under the ~t.lte of emerqellCV, the potentirll of these repressive me;H:HJre~ would relMi~ ;) sedot1.CI thre",t tlMt coulo he C-irrip.ti OIlt at any moment as long as the sta te of emergency is not deftni tely and comprehensively ende~. Ther~fore, the repeal of t~e state of emergency clearly constitutes a prerequisite for ne90tiations. certainlY, we have welcomed the release of Walter Sisulu and seven other poll tical prisoners. It is an encouraq inq ~tgn tMt they could take up polltical activities. But, alas, hundreds of political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, are still wai tinq for an amnesty. We firmly renew our demand for an immedia te and unconditional release of all politi~l prisoners. Moreover, we demand the lifting of all hans and restrictions on all orqani?atlons and persons fiqhting against apartheid. Similarly, we call for a cessation of all political trials and politically related executions. We note with dismay that more than 40 persons have been executed in South Africa so far this year. The controversial ·common purpose· doctrine tha t has heen involved in a number of cases since the conviction of the Sharpeville Six has heightened our douhts concern ing legal proceed ings in Sou th At dCiS. For years we have apPealed to the Snut~ African Government to enter into negotiations with the genuine leaders of the majority population. Obviously SUCh negotio1tions can talCe place only w~en the necesCJary climate iA cre.ated. The demands we have just spelled out are surely among those that mUAt he fUlfilled in order to hring ahout neqotiil tinns. FUrthermore, negatia tians can he fruitful only when the parties aqtee on some haBic features of their objective. In our view, an unequivocal OJnmitment by the South African Government to ahandon apartheid and hold delrOcratic elections on the pdnciple of one man, one vote would dP.!ciRively enhance prospectB for an early negotiated solutton to the prohlems of South Africa. The news from South Africa over the past w~eks has given the impression that the Chanceq for !'S peaceful resolution ·;)f the RitIH tinn have increas~. &.It we h3\1P. (Mr. Hohenfellner, Austr ia) to state, to our regret, that the South African authorities have not yet taken the necessary steps to create the climate conducive to negotiations. And, c:erta in1y, we have not witnessed any bold steps towards the eradic:a tion of apartheid so far. However, we have taken note with interest of expressions of intent by the South African Government to set out on a new course. These signals rela te to the situation in South Africa and to the relationship with the neighbouring countries in southern Africa. The coming weeks will show whether the deeply entrenched suppression of the majority population and the long-standing policy of destabiliza tion will give way to a more co-opera tive approach. We fervently hope that th6se positive statements will soon be followed up by concrete actions. At this cri tical jlDlcture of developments in South Africa a particular responsibility devolves upon the international community. More than ever before we are called upon to use all appropriate means in order to advance prospects for negotiations. It is definitely not the time to consider any relaxation of existing pressure and sanctions. That will have to await evidence of significant and irreversible ohange. Meanwhile, existing measures should be maintained. Austria will continue to implement the concrete autonomous natialal measures it adopted in keeping with Security Council resolutions 418 (1977), 558 (1984), 556 (1985) and 569 (1985). My ~ountry will alao in the future contrihute on a regular basis to the various programmes and funds, inside and outside the United Nations framework, that are alleviating the suffering of the victims of aparth~id. We therefore again this year co-sponsor the draft resolutions on concerted interna tional aotion for the eliminadon of apartheid and on the Uni ted Na dons Trust Fund for South Africa. The front-line States will remain a priority area for Austrian development aid. (r~r. Hohenfellner, Austria) At his inauguration as State President Mr. De Klerk said. "Our goal is ~ new Sout~ Africa. a totally changed South Africa, a South Africa wh ich has rid i tsel f of the antagon isms of the past." We a9ree that a total change is necessary, for the antagonism of apartheid is the daily painful and very present experience there. The mass democratic movement has clearly demonstrated its preference for, and ability to reach, a negotiated and peaceful settlement. Now the whole world is waiting for concrete action on the part of the Government. We sincerely hope that it will take the necessary measures soon and enter into serious negotiations with the genuine leaders of the majority popUlation without further delayp for today there exists a conjuncture of circumstances which could create the possihility of p.nding ~rtheid through negotiations and transforming the country peacefUlly into a non-racial democracy. Do not let this historic chance pass byo The PRESIDENT, r now call on the r.epresentative of the Ukrainian SSR, who is a Vice-Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid. Mr. OUDOVENKO (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) (interpretation from Russian). When we look at the curre~t developments in southern Africa we are forced to realize their complexities and contradictions. In that region we see close interaction between events which show progress in the cause of the liberation of Africa and those which for a numher of years have been seriously disturbing all who cherish the principles of freedom, democracy, justice and humaneness. The Ukrainian SSR, steadfastly demonstrating its solidarity with the struggle of the Namibian people for peace and independence, views the current elections f~r the Constituent Assemhly as an important and hiatoric landmark not only in the development ()f the lengthy process of Relf-dp.termini!l tiol"l for Namihia hut al'kl in the general ~itu~tion in t~e region of ~outhern Africa. Particular significance i~ (Mr. HOhenfellner, Austria) now attached to strict compl iance by all the parties concerned with the obUga tions under the settlement plan. The example of the Namihian questi~n makes it possible to draw at least the following instructive lessons: no violence is capable of s tiflil'19 the aspira tions of peoples for freedom and independence. Political, social, racial and other conflicts must be resolved by political methods, through negotiations, as the most painless methods for all count~ies. Furthermore, we cannot overlook the fact that the primary cause of the dangerous confliCt in southern Africa has not yet been eliminated and that as long as the apartheid regime exiRts there will he neither peace nor security in that region. The situation in southern Africtl is characterized hy an intermingling of various -factors. On the one hand, the De Klerk administution is allegedly demonstrating its intention to have a political settlement of the conflict. It is settil"l9 free a few prominent poli tied prisoners and it has authorized a number of peaceful anti-apartheid demonstrations and meetings. On the other hand, it iR continuing its old policy of mass repression on the basis of racp.. The facts Provided in the report (A/44/22 and Corr.2) of the Special Committee against Apartheid convincingly illustrate that the fine-sounding promises of the Pretoria regime are not in conformity with the continuing fundamental mechaniAms of the apartheid system, with its well-estaoliahed criminal pr~cticp.s. Since 1984 no fewer than 51,000 persona have heen arrested. Political summary trials and executions of fighters 89-linst racism are continuingo Under. the lawR of tlle regime a person may he sentenced even on the hasic:; that he may have sUbscrihed to the common goals of his comrade~ in the struqgle. One hundred children are ~till in prison. The forcihle resettlement of personR in connection wit~ the (Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR) racist policy of hantustanization is continuing_ The extension of the state of e~rgency in June of t~is year for the four.th year and the increase in the hudgetary allocations for the police by 28 per cent are scarcely illustration~ of the regimeO~ intention to reduce the level of repression. Today we note that there are new threats aqainst the anti-apartheid newspaper The Nation, showing that there is c~nti~uing repression against the mass media in the Republic of South Africa. Yet, without forgetting for a moment that apartheid is alive and well, it would be a miRtake not to see the arrival of a new stage in the development of events in South Africa. The Pretoria regime is compelled to enter into contacts with the outlawed African National Congress, to liberate certain of its leaders, to authorize mass anti-apartheid mee tin9~ in Soweto and to express its readiness to ~nter into negotiations for. the purpose of resolving the conflict in the country. All this is emblematic of the important victory for the liberation movement and de facto recognitil)n of t~e failure of the attempt to put down the ever-increasing resistance of the people by force of arms and repression. Of course the landmark t~dt hdR heen reached can be vie~ed realiRtically without any eKtremes. It would he al') unfor.9 iveahle mistake ei ther to underes tima te it or. to overes tima te it. (!olr. Oldovenko, Ukra inian SSR) Not to take into account the new events in the development of the political situation in South Africa would be tantamount indirectly to denying the effectiveness of the long-standing efforts of the struggling people of that country and of the international community, and of measures aimed at isolating and boycotting the racist regime. It would be tantamount also to missing the opportunity that is emerging for a peaceful settlement of the dangerous conflict. At the same time, the Ukra in lan SSR does not agree at all 'litth those wlto, while overestimating Pretoria's encouraging steps, find it possihle to prevent the application of sanctions against South Africa. The delegation of the Ukrainian SSR hases itself on the unquestionahle fact that sanctions have heen and rema in the most eff'9ctive instrument in the hands of the international community in its efforts to move the racist regime towards negotiations on the peaceful elimination of apartheid. In this context I should like to emp!'lasi~e particlllarly the many activities of the Special Committee against Apartheid, headed hy that tireless fighter against apartheid, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, Amhassador Joseph Garba, who has made a great personal contribution to the cause of mobilizing world puhlic opinion to struggle again$t the shameful system of apartheid. The election of the Chairman of the Special Committe~ against Apartheid as PreRident of the General Assembly is a recognition of Ambassador Garba's valuable work in the struggle for the ideals and principles of the Uti ted Ni tionR. We should also like to pay due tribute to the Intergovernmental Group to ltblitor the Supply and Shippinq of Oil and Petroleum Products to South Africa for its work. The Ukrainian SSR has taken an active part in that work and considers an oil emhargo to he one of the most effective instruments in applying economic (Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR) pressure on South Atri~."l, and fully SUpports the recommendation,:; in the Group's report (A/44/44), especially the appeal to tile Security (buncH to adopt a mandatorY embargo on the supply of oil and oil products to South Africa. I should also like to refer to the effective assistance provided hy the Centre against Apartheid, headed hV Mr. &~tirios Mousouris, to the Special Committee ann other United N'l tions organs. Tllis year will undouhtedly go down in hi,:;tory as a landmark in the struggle against apartheid. rt is impo~tant to point Ollt that the new peaceful initiativ~ aimed at the political settlement of the conflict in the country was put forward hy the African N:l tional Conqress (ANC). It is precisely its prooosals tlla t were adopted and used as a hasis of the well-known Declaration of the Organization of Atrican Ulity (OAU) e)f 21 h.1gust, which contains a specific programme of action to ensure the peace ful eliminatic)n of apartheid. How can we forget these convincing words of the Secretary-General of the ANC, Wal ter Sisl11u, who was lihera ted after 26 years in prison, "The ANC throughout it~ history has been a constant adherent of the policy of peace and negotiations. We were in favour of peace in lQl2, when we estdhlished the orqanization, we stood for peace in our long-standing struggle, we ar~ for peace toda'l' and we shall he for peace tomorrow". That ~tatement qives the lie to the theRi~ of those circles that for years have heen attempting to r~:present the n;~ tional liner", tion movement al'l an adher.ent of the policy of resolving conflictq hy force alone. The OAU Declara tion has heen extensively supported h'l the interna tiol1ill crJ1nrllunity since it reflects the interests not only of the people of South Afric"" hIlt also .':lE the whole I;outhern African region~ and thp, interp.::;ts of pe1ce and s~curity in general. T"Ie Ukrainian SSR belip.ves that the 01\U DeclaratL'ln constitl1te~.l concerted and carefully weighed programme which ::>;>ens up a genuine p.lth toward::; the elimination of apartheid by political means. Fully supporting its recomw~ndations, we proceed from the premi~e that the Declaration is an objective reflection of the dict<\tes of the time. The continued policy and practice of aparthein has 110 future: it is ooomed to fa ill.1re. It leads to further mindless violence and is contrary to the vital interests of the whole of southern Africa. The extent to which the Pretoria regime's subsequent actions show an understanding of that serious fact will &cisively determine the fate of the essential negotiation:; at hand. It is quite clear that genuine negotiations can take place only if the appropriate political clinate has been established in South Africa. To that end, as a minimum, the state of emergency must be repealed; Nelson Mandela and other poli tical prisoners must be released J the ban on activi ties of indi',iduals ann political organizations opposing apartheid must be liftedJ troops must be withdrawn feom black townships; and all political trials and executions must cease. The implementation of those legi timate demands would be the litmus test of the serious intention of the new leadership of South Africa to accept a peacefuL settlement. At the present historical stage the question of strategy and tactics has taken on new urgency, the most important effective position of the United Nations and of the whole of the international community in ensuring a speedy elimination of apartheid, which is the shame of our tine. Having time and again analysed the exiflting sit\Jation, the delegation of the Ukrainian SSR believes that canprehensive mandatory sanctions remain the lOOSt efE~ctive means of.oveccoming the resistance of those circles of the nominant '~hite minority in South Africa that persist in their ~ttempt to maintain the outdated system of apartheid. The OAU Declaration, which proposes a progra~~e of action to ensure genu ine negotia tions, rightly contains an appeal to all countries of the Ne. Q.1dovenko, Ukrainian SSR) world to intensi fy their pressure upon the apartheid regime and to introduce comprehensive mandatory sanctions. Contributing in every way to the speedy implementation of the OAU Declaration is the priority taSk of the whole internal:ional community. Total support of the Declaration by the Movement of Non-Ali9ned Countries and its approval by countries of the community are important lancinarks on the way to its general approval. A special role in this responsible undertaking will be played by the special sess ion of the General Assembly in Decenber this year. Our delegation is ready to make its positive contr ibuUon t~ards ensuring the adoption of decis ions that will speed up the dismantling of apartheid by peaceful means. We are far from having any illusions. We clearly understand the difficulties in the way of the solu tion of the problem of Ciearthei.d.. through negotia Hons and political means. But today this course seems to me to be the most acceptable and rational. tn conclusion, I once again express the Ukrainian people's deep feelings of solidarity with the peoples of SOuth Aftica and the firm conviction that they will triumph and that all the peoples of good\tlill must be unitp.d in cantr ibuting to that victor'}. (Mr.. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR) 1'\1:. MlSA (Malaysia) * The question of apartheid has been hefore thiR Assembly for over four decades. it is now amongst the longest-standing iSAU'~:; before the General Assembly. During this time the black majority population of S{)f)tl"l Africa have had to endure unspeakable crimes unleashed upon them bV the heinous syste~ of institutionalized racism and raciat diAcrimlnation that i~ aeartheid. After four decades of sustained pressure both internationally and internally, we still cannot take comfort in heing able to say that at long last the beginnings of the end are in sight, that those weaned and nourished on thp. righteousness of segregation and diAcrimination will he persuaded by reaSon and humanity to recant their fundamental articles of faith. It was in 1911, with the passing of the Colour Bar Act, that the first legal discrimination was instituted in South Africa. Since then a whole unholy hody of legal instruments has heen enacted to effect a systematic perversion of all the values held eacrosanct hyall men. These statutes still renn in 01\ the books and provide the legal founda tiM far the sinqle-minded pursuit ,')f repressit'o by the practi Uoners of apartheid aga iORt the majority population of Sollth Aftie.:t. When we try to evaluate the impact of recent develo~nents in South Africa on the prospects for real proqress in the restitution of the birthright of the blacks in South Africa, we must look for th~ proof of irrevecsihle change a~ much in t~e practices and policigs of the ~- ~ist regime as in the very underpinnings of such « dehumanizing creed. Clearly the pillars of apartheid remain int-lct. TOe policy instruments designed to establ ish a permanent black ",nderclass, S$PI'.H:ilI to! and IJI'leai):tl, il"l Soutll Africa ha·."e not heen replldht~d. The Colour Bar !\et, the Native Lands Pet, the Group l\r.e.l5 Act, the ~pl1L\tton RP.qistr,"ti,.,n IIct, the policy 'Jf hantuAt.""S, a"d the l=;ei')acate educdti:1nal ~ys~m - all remain firmly trt place. I I I J Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library The :state of emergency has heen renellfed for th~ fourth consecutive year. Brutal repression continues with undiminiAhed vigour. The mass arrests, detention, forced removal of popula ticn have not abated. The hann ing of poli tical organizations, t~e restrictions imposed on former detainees, the criminali7.ation of political opposition and the ahuse of the courts to silence dissent, and official tolerance of vigilante and death SQuads - all t~rive within the criminal system of apartheid. Apartheid continues to be the cornerstone of the rulinq N3 tional Party's policy. South African President De Klerk flatly rejected the fundamental demand of the black~ for one man, one vote for the ilIimple and obllious r.eason that this ~uld lead to majority rule. Indeed the segreqated elections held on 6 September 1989 were yet another indictment of the Pretoria regime's contempt for the democratic process. The elections were clearly a sham, and many hlacks have had to pay a heavy price to demonstra te to the world that they were nothinq hut a travesty of democracy. More than 20 demonstrators died, amongst them children and elderly women. More than 1,500 were arrested, they join the thousands of poU tical prisoners langUishing under inhuman conditions in South African jails. Nelson Mandela, the embOdiment ':lE the struggle fot, freedom and justice in Sout'" Africa, remains denied of hiR fundamen~ll freedom and human rightR. South Africa will remain an ar~ of darkness so long as man continues to inflict the heinoun indignities of racism and discrimination on his fellow man. The Pretor ia regime's fecent poc;ture of apparent readines~ to introdlJce changes amounts to nothing more than frantic attempts at makinq cosmetic changes on the reprehensible face of !parthein. These political qestures have not sprung from a change of heart on the part of the racist regime, rather, t"'ey have heen forced upon it as a result ()f internation.ll anti internal pressures. The attP-mpt at (Mr. Musa, Malaysia) cultiv~ting the image of reasonableness and willingness to engage in dialogue is ~l~o intended to stave off further sanctions against the racist regime. The arms, oil, financial and economic sanctions are takinq their toll on t~e South AFrican economy. The oil embargo alone. according to the report of the Special Committee against ~artheid, has cost Pretoria $25 hillion over the p~st 10 years. The aims and justification for sanctions were clearly stated hythe Commonwealth Heads of Government at their recent meeting in Kuala Lumpur. In the Kuala wmpur Statement on southern Africa they "agreed that the only justi fica tion for sanctions against South Africa wa.c; the ~ressure they created for fundamental p-')11tical change. Their purp:>se was not punitive, hut to ab.:)lish apartheid by bringinq Pretoria to the negotiating table and keeping it there until that change was irreversihly secured." (,\/44/672, annex, para. 7) International pressures must therefore he increa~ed on the most critical areas of the apartheid economy. One such field where a tightening of measures would make a decisive impact on the economy is that of financial sanctions. Wi th a deht burden of 91.2 billion, South Afdca is in critical need of access toll international markets to draw much-needed final"lcial flows to Balv8ge it.q (Jeteri()cating economy. In this connection, the Commonwealth Heads of Government, with the excp.ption of one, also eaJ.1ed on all relevant hanks and financial institutions to im(X>se tougher measures against So:lth Afric~. My delegatiC)n helieves that sancti.')ns, complete and welt o:;-ordinated, can c1e~ve <'l"; d powerful and effective weap(')n to ecadica te in it..:t b'ltatiti this co!\cist ~istem which is ~ scouc~e dnd aftront t~ humanity. Half-hearted, selective and voluntary efforts will not ~. (Mr. Musa, ~laysia) Those th·3t still lMintain and prnfit from their ties "'it.... the racist regime must recogni?e the moral repugnance with which the interndtional conrnunity vip'wl=; their relations with South Afr.ica. Ecrually, the moral weight of international I')pinion must he hrougtlt to bear :>n those who seek b") benefit from opportunitip.s created 3f; d reRult l,f strict compliancp. with !-lanctionFl hy other States. Indeed, we must devise measures to prevent those who are morally callous from profitinq from the succes~ful implementation of sanctions. T....p. impositi~n of sanctions, while intp.nded to exett pref;sure on the racist regime to negotiate wi th genuin/.? lel:lder9 of the ma jori ty papula tion, must h~ accompanied hy concrete as~istdnce from the international oonrnunitv ~ the hlac~ population in SoI1th Africa. 'lh this end Malaysia has IMde contrihlJtions to the Tnternati',)l'lal OefenO! and Aid FUnd for Southern Africa (mM). We conrnend the qood work done by mAF in providing leqal assistance to prisOl"lers in South Africa as well as their families and dependants. We therefore call on the memhers of the interna tional com' I to increase their contrihlJtions to those in Sooth Africa engaged in the nobl~ struggle for liheration from the yoke of apartheid. The African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress \')f Tu:anL1 (PAC), as well as the mas::; democratic movement, have heen amongst tho!'le that have nad to hear the brunt l)f re~istance against ap-lrtheid. We wish to pay trihlJt(~ ~') them and t~ all vali~nt fighters against apartheid for their. fortitude and couraqe in their ;ust atruggle to enshrine equ;llibl, justice and human decency in their. l~l\d. The ~upeort and unrelentinq pressure of the international cnmmunity can makp. a valuahle contrihu tion to ~dl1ancp. the cause of Our br.-others for a un i ten , non-racial 3no ciemocrrstic South Afric~. In tl-ti'\ r.eqdrd we f;hould like to reiter.ate our unemJivocal support f,)r thp. o~cl-Jr,~tion on th~ quec;tion of Africa of the Jld The Cflmmittee on Southern Afric.=t of t.he OAU, issued ill Harare on 21 Auqu!'It 1989. (l'o1r. Musa, Malaysid) In its defence of apartheid, Pretoria has pursued policies and practices of hr,lte f'"lrce not only aqains;t the hapless majority hlaclt population in South Afr.ic"l hut also aqainst the front-line St'ltes. ACts of aqqt'es!=lion, de~tahili7.ation and State terrorism have heen systematically mounted hy South Afric~ and it~ surroqate forces against the front-line Sta tes. Sclch br.utal acts of de~tahili~.a tion .UP. unt1ertalcen in the vain hope that they will hUy time 'and ease pressure on the raci!=lt regime to dismantle apar theid. Since 1980, such destahiliza tion has resul tell in losses to the front-line Sta teA amountinq to S 45 hilli~n, with 1 mi11 ion people Icilled and several millions more disahled. The security needs of the front-linp. States must therefore be addressed to ensure their unhindered development. One way to enhance the resilience of the front-line Sta teR iR tn strengthen their economic independence. Extension of assiAtance to these States in specific areas of need would also enable them to face up to threats frem South Afdc::l. In this rega!:d, Malaysia has pledged S2 million to the Jlctinn for Rel'listing In"'.IIsion, Cblonialil'lm and Aeartheid (AFRICA) FIlM estaMished hy the Non-Aligned Movement, as our contribution to the front-line StateA and national lihe~ati~n movements in Snuth Africa. LP.t me conclude hy quotinq the SecretarV-General, who in hiA report on the wor.k of the Orqani~3tion stated. "The eradic~tion of the unju~t and anachroniAtic ~VRtem of apartheid in SnIJth Africa has heen a pr.ime responAihility and a universally <iclcnowledqed 'loal of the Unit~d Nat,i(')I'\~. ... It i~ clp.ar that a mere dilution or sottening of apar theid wi11 nl"lt "l:"lswer the p.xpect:t tions ')f the ma jodty ijf the people f)f South Afric.a nor of the worltj itS d Whole. " (Al:44/l, p. 7) (Mr. Musa, Ma lays ia) Until that g=>al is achieved we must continue to exert all efforts to support the just ~truggle of the majority population of South Africa. We must continue - and we mu....t never tire in the endeavour - to focus world attention CX\ the abhorrent ,>ystem of apartheid by di:=;cussing thi!; item aga in and aga in and aga in in the General Assembly, and indeed at any interna tional forum, until we reach the day when a new South Africa, i~ which all men can live in freedom,and equality, is upon us. Mr. MLLO~ (Albania). South Africa's !partheid policy remains one of the higqest evils of the present time and its victims, the A~an ian and Namihian p~opleg, are heing suhjected to the most inhumane rul~ hy the racist regime, which represents the interests of the small white min~titv. It is justifiahle, therefore, that thi~ agenda ttem should be the SUbject, at this session too, of general preoccupation and unanimous condemnation of racism and the forces that tolerate it. In the same manner, the sympathy and support of the peoples of the world and all progressive forces goes to the Namibian and Azanian peoples, thus providing major backing for their struggle to hreak free from the chains of racial domination. The situation in the southern part of the Afric~n continent is undergoil"lg a process of constant change, which is also reflected in internal development::; in Azania and Namihia. Despite conditions of ongoing terror, the resistance of the masses of the people in these countries con ..inues to grow and gain in strength. ThiR broad, sweeping movement comprising extp.nsi~e segments of t~e people ha~ become organized, it is sh3kinq the very found"tionR of So.lth Africa's ucist regime, deepening itq p~litical crisp.s and upsettinq the ruling authoritip.s~ Under thes~ circu~~tances, together with the traditional police violence that hag cu lminated in dRi t:Ja tion in wh ict) tt'aP. c()un try is he ing kept unde r mar tia 1 law, the Pretoria racists are engaged in a huge propaganda effort on reforms "to Change" (Mr. Musa, Malaysi~) the apartheid regime. The cosmetic content of these reforms will not deceive anyone, least of all the Azanian peopl~, for the countr.y's situation has not at all been changing for the hetter. Oui te the contrary, martial law ha~ heen extended, prisons still hold thousands of people and reprisals know no limitR or logic, sparing not even defenceless people - children, women and the elderlv. Racist laws are enforced most savaqelYi and the haRic rights of the overwhelming ma;ority of the population are trampled underfont. By placinq Pretoria's reform propaganda against the existing hitter reality, the masses of the people fully underRtand the goalR the current manoeuvres of the racists are designed to ~ttain. They aim at prolonqinq the present anti-people's rel'1ime and at perpetIJ.'! tinq racism l1nder a new cover. (Mr. Mlloja, AlbZtn la) What the r.'lcists are out to achieve is .'lpartheid by another name. These developments and the ex~rience gained in the struggle and resistance of other African peoples against colonialism and r~cism make the Azanian people even more aware that they will gain their freedom and democratic rights only through struggle ann their own efforts, and that aear theid cannot be reformed. It is a system wi th racism at its foundation and, as such, it must be uprooted. The hrutal repression of the dqhts of the Azan ian people that the racists practiRe nn the domestic level iR reflected in their foreign policy through aggression, pressure, blackmail and att~cks aqain~t neighhouring countries, which seriously endanger the independence of those countries as well as the peace and security ()f the r~gion. The expansionist policy pursued by South Africa makes it a destanili7.inq tactor in t~e region. uPheld hy its supporters and advocates - the big imperialist Powers and multinationals - South Africa stands as a real threat to the freedom of the South African peoples and to their peaceful and normal lifev The Azanian penple are not isolated in their struggle against the racist Pretoria regime. The solidarity of the peoples of the world has been a source of constant support, hut most evident has been the powerfUl support of the African peoples, particularly the front-line Sta tes. Their support stems not only from the fra ternal links as peoples of the same continent and reqion, but also from the f"3lct t~at in the past they experienced the same oppression and the same humiliation, the identical suffering and deprivation. It is not nature's crime to have made races, what is a crime is to practi~e r;,acism as prl'1ctisP.d in A?an ia and Namibia agiliMt the peoples :,f those countries. In t~ese times, ~hen human society has reac~ed high levels of civili?iltion, emancipa tion, technical and scienti fic proqresR, the existence of apartheid is .'in unjustifiable ~nachroninm, an aftront to the entire international community. The persecution, imprisonment and killinq I')f thousands upon thousands of innocp.nt coloured people for the sole reason that they demand equal rights with the white people are in contradiction with hasic human and democratic principles. Enclosing entire population g~oura in bantustans which are ruled by the law of the Cluh and the hullet, by violence and the most degrading treatment, are remini~cent of the dark practices of concentration camps. Hence, the apartheid policy, which rests on op~ression and exploitationp must be brought to an end once and for all. In our opinion, now, at the end of the twentieth century f opposi tian to ae~rtheid is a must, it is a great human obliqation for progressive peoples and forces. The Azanian people and the Namibian people should not be oppressed and murdered for aspirinq to gain the most ha~ic rights and to li~e free in their own countries. The all-round pressure of world public ~pinion, inclUding economic and diplomatic pressure, on the South African racists must be intensified and nul ti pl ied, o~ercoming in the process the schemes and conspiracies of the imperialist Powers, whiCh, serve, through political, military and economic engagements with South Africa, ser~e their neocolonialist and expansionist interests. The Albanian people and Government have maintained a ~esolute and unflagqing stand on all forms of racial and national discrimination practised aqainst any people in the world. Abiding by this principled stand, we ha~e continuously condemned the apartheid policy that the South African reqime has ele~ated into an inCJtitutionali?;ed system of one of the most brutal f()r!nS of discrimination, by the "'hi te minodtv's domina tion over the coloured fila jod ty ·~f that eOUntry' /; population. The people's Socialist Republic of Albania has never had, and does not have no"" any relations wnatsoever with South Africa's racist regime, anli it never ",ill have so 100g as the apartheid regime i~ in power and the coloured population is oppressed and deprived of its freedoms and rights. Convinced that the Azanian people's struggle will be crowned by victory, the Albanian delegation once again reiterates its ~nreserved support for their just struggle to eliminate the apartheid regime and to determine their own destiny, and foE' all the constructive efforts of the African peoples to achieve freedom, national independence and social progress. Mrs. RAKO'lONlRiiMBOA (Madagascar) (interpcetation from French), Governments in Pretoria come and go, but they all look very nuch alike - at least that is the impression we have. Mr. F. W. De Klerk came to office in the midst of a qreat pu~lic-relations campaign about his vision of a new South Africa, teasing the oppressed majority with the promise of a constitution under which all races could, with equal rights, contribute to the common future of the lard. The entire international community held its breath, waitinq for the arrival of this new South Africa of justice and eauity. However, the facts impose on us the observation that qO far Pretoria has taken no basic initiative to confirm its protestation about being eager for change. The ~tate of emergency has solidly entered its fourth year, enabling the death squads and other licensed killers to continue to suppress those opposed to that iniquitous regime, and to do so with impunity. Nelson Mandela and the majority of political prisonets are still in jail. FUrther repressive measures have been taken against liberati~n movements, particularly the trade unions, youth organizations and religious groups. A total of 88 individuals, according to the report of the special Committee against Apartheid, had been sentenced to death for political reaso~s and were awaiting execution in June 1989. Thirty-seven people have reportedly been executed. The "common-purpose" doctrine, so dear to South Afric&fi white justice, makes po!4sible the mass sentencing of individuals who have hEt" recognized to be innocent of the alleged crime. 1brture is standard practice in ,:outh African qaols and is used even aga inst childten under the age nf IS, some hundred of whom are still said to be vicUm~ of that practice. The Sou th African Government is using particularly energetic measures against the press and the mass media. World public opinion has heen shocked to learn of the suspenl;ion, bann lng, arrest and detention which Pretoria now applies to foreign journalists. 'Ib this list mu.c;t be added the townl;hips and hantllc;tans, with their burden of human suffering - with people being subjected to police vindictiveness and condemned to vegeta te in full view of the lights of Johannesburg and the carefully tailored lawns and arrogant skyscrapers of the cities built hy the white minority. Yes, these are monuments to their power but, even more, they are tragic testimony to the sweat and blood of the hlack majority. The supporters of the racist regime would present this sombre picture of reality as the first promising indication of change. Their appeal is that the new Government must be given time to show what it ccn do, that leading prisoners have already been freed and that authorized demonstrations and public transport and facili ties are now open to all. South Africa has indeed enacted cosmetic reforms in order to improve its image and avert the threats hovering over its debt rescheduling. It has freed poli tical prisoners from their small gaol cells in order to turn them loose in the great common prison of the South African Republic in which gaolers have been replaced by police terror, bombings, torchings and, more recently, the use of toxic chemicals. We are far from the image of pragmatism and moderation projected in President De Klerk' s electoral campaign. It is in a climate of continued violence that his Government would find a peaceful solution to apartheid and insist on the renunciation of violence by liberaticn movements as the first test of its good fa ith. Lt~e the Ad Hoc Committee on Southern Africa of the Organization of African Unity (OAT), my delegation is convinced that the vicious circle of violence can be broken and that apartheid can be eliminated by peacefUl means if Pretoria is prepareci to enter into genuine and sincere negotiations. Madagascar subscribes to the principles set forth in the Harare Declaration and urges the people of South Africa in its struggle to adopt a common posi tion on negotia tions to bring about the elimination of apartheid and on steps towards the transformation of the country into a non-racial dellOcracy. Like the rest of the international commmitYF we think that before any negoti~tions are undertaken it is essential to creat~ a climate favourable to their successful advancement. The time has come foe the minority regime to face up to its destiny: lif~ in Af~ica amidst Africans. Given the various economic communities of the worl~, South Africa has no alternative but to make peace with the majority of its citi~ens. That is the price of its prosperity. M1 delegation remains convinced that the imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions by the Security COUncil, Ilnder Chapter VII of the Charter, is still the most appropriate and effective means of bringing a peaceful end to apartheid. ConseQuently we support not only the rete~tion hut also the strengthening of sanctions, in particular financial sanctions, together with concerted action to implement and monitor steps taken individually or collectively by States, since the lack of co-ordination and consistency is being exploited by a qrowing number of States. In Harare, Kuala Lumpur and Belgrade, the international community has increasingly reoogn ized the effectiveness of sanctions. If any doubts still persist on this score, Mt. De Klerk himself dispelled them when he stated that South Africa could not. continue t;,.') live in isolation, that althouqh relatively riCh, it could not be economically self-sufficient. we once again urge the permanent members of the Security Council to lift the veto they have imposed. The interests they have at. stake will be more stable and bettel' protected if, thanks to increased pressure, South Africa created an egalitarian AOciety, thus ceasing to be a oountry shunned ~'.i mankind. Until then, however - and here I Quote the Malagasy Minister for Foreign Affairs in his statement before the Assembly on 12 October, "We Ree the prohlem in two parts, full recogni tion of black na tionalism a~ a factor that will determine the political, economic and social future of South AfricaJ and, as a corolla~v, eaual and full enjoyment of political, civil, economic, social and cultural dqht.CJ hy the hlack majority. "Until there is agreement on these two points, and they are transb terl into ce~lity, everything will r.emai~ at the level of good intentions. It iR very easy to deny those 90:)11 intentions 'ai mak ing exceptii')ns \")f special al'\11 emergency ~i tua tiO/lS, and then we can do nothinq tt> put an end to the cycle of cynicism, hittp.rness, impatience and violence - violence carried out for the sake of freedom, and therefore justified-. (A/44/PV.30, pp. 34-36) The Malagasy delegation conlllends the Special COnlllittee against llpartheid on the manner in which it is carrying out its responsihilities in encouraging international action against apartheid and urges all States, as wetl as intergovernmental or non-qovernmental organizations, to increase their co-operation with the Special Committee. Our delegation reaffir~q its full support for national libera tian movements, in particular L..: African N! tional Congress of South Africa, which are pursuing their noble objectives in order to end apartheid through pou ticd struggle, armed struggle and other means, and which have reaff irmed tha t they prefer to use peaceful means to achieve their legitimate goals. Our delega tion ha Us the courage, perseverance and spirit of co-otdina tion of the trade unions and women and youth organizations. We hail the entire hlack majority, which has not heen diverted hy privation, torture, or the shadow of the gallows from its qoall to live in freedom. Mr. GHAREKfilIN (India) I Thi~ is a critical time in the history of South Africa. All eyes are trained on Nlmihia. And all of us assembled here are anxious to see a successful culmination of the process which beqan ROme eight months ago - the transi tion of Namibia to complete independence. The winds of Change we have witnessed in Namihi~ do not seem to have had much of an impact across the southern border. The qituation in South Africa, a~ the ~nnual report of the Special Committee against ~artheid points out, remains as grim as ever. tklder the renewed sta te of em\~rqency, the regime pers istR il'l its repressive measures in itA attempts to curb even peaceful anti~~rtheid activitieso Wh~t it~ enforcement machinery cannot ~chieve through overt mean~ is t~ought to he accomplished through covert means, including the URe of vigilante activities. A disconcp.rtinq development in recent time~ is the increasinq use of the judiciary to eliminatp. opponent~ through the inv~tion of the ·common-purpose- doctrine and tendentious criminalization of peac@ful dissent. Some would li~e us to helieve that things have changed, that Pretoria has become more responsive. Various examples are trotted out to buttr~ss t~is argument. But iRolatet1 examples in the miasma of apartheid are lilCe rare clea r morsels in rotten fruit. (Mr. Gharekhan, rndi.) Aeclctl\eid cannot be salvaged hy intermittent meaRur~ that appear concil iatory or are forced out of the Pretoria regime throuqh the weight of world pOnlic opinion clod the resistance ~f the oppressed. We all ~now, for example, what happened to M'lngena Jeffrey Boesman, despi tP. ill unanimous resolution adopted hy the Assemhlv just it month ago. W'lat is incorriginle must he ahandonerl, to he rephced hy .'\ system that is just, humane and eQuitahle. Attemptq are heing made to suqqest that ~~~ ia in the process of bein9 reformo:!it. The idea seelM to he to preset'lt it in a rep;tclCaqed form. That, clearly, h "ot aceeptahle to the people of South 1\fric~. We in the tJnitll!C2 Nations as the wadd's conscience, as supporters :)f the dis-privlleqed and oppressed, must continue to side with those in South Africa who believe that the qrea~r contamination of apartheid cannot he cleansed with" few handfuls f)f deceptive, SQUCalled reform measures. O~r jUb here is to ensure ~rth~'s demise, nf)t its prolongation in dLsguisp.. The <t\1estion of peace, cl primary concern for us here in the Uni~ri Nations mURt also he addr@sRed. Thel:'p. can he nn peac~ in the Aoutharn African rp.qion RO lo~q ~s ~rtheid continues. Whil~ on the one hand it results in the denidl nf freedom and dignity ~~ the ma10rity of the p~plp. of So~th Afr.ica, on the other it h the ColURe of ,ictq of -iqqcp.sfJion and t~rc.:>ri$.ll aga inAt neighhour.inq indepp.ndent. States. The economic COAt of destahili?ation has h@e" p'l'Stimated to run into can never he measured in term~ :)1: money. Th,H"1! lR only on~ :;ol'Jt.ton anrt I)ne rc)OUnq -out of 02p-lr.theiri. While we ~elcome the release last month of a few political prisoners, most, including Nelson Mandela, cIJntinue to he incarcerated. Such cosmetic measures will not do. Pretor h must show a genuine deAire for real change. Jach dlJy that passeq the prospect of ~v)lenoe intensifies. The people of South Afric~ want the problem to ne resolved peacefully, to see apart"eid eliminated peacefl1lly. Thi~ i~ a laudahle Objective that we share. ~aceful transition can he aChieved only through negot:iations between Pretoria and the genuine representatives of t"e peopl~ of ~~uth ~fric~. But Pretoria has first to create a cli~te conducive to the i~i ti",Uon of AU~ a dialoCJue. This would require, thp. li fUng of the c;bte .)f elll·Hqency, the IJncondi tional release of Nelson Mandela and all other politic.... l prisoners and detainees, the ltfting of thG ha~ on individualFl and political org~nizati()ns, the repeal of press restrictions, the termination of all repressive measures, and the ending of violence all rouM. Pretor.ia must ,11so affirm unambiquously that the objective of Auch a negoti~tin9 process would he b~ dismantle apartheid an1 estahlish majority rule through universal adult franchi~~ i~ ~ united and non-fragmented South Africd, within a specified time frame. Illt, until that happens, there should be no let up in the Ro1l1ction~ aqai'll'lt Sl')uth Africa. Indeed, ~he enforcement of cf.lmprehen(;ive IMndatory Rdnctions under Chapter VII of the Charter rell'ainl'l the only t;!ffeetive llI'Jy to pressurhe th~ Pretoria regime into fulfilling t~e conditi~nl'l neceAAary for peacef~l change. There 1~ convincing evidence that :;an..~tions have w-lrlced - nl)t that we had an., <tauhts ...hout their efficacy - and the inbH'rMtinnal oonmunity mUl'lt act tn concert further t~ tighten and extend the ranqe and scope ~f the sanctions. Nothinq c~ll~ h~ more painfl!l to the people (')f &1uth I\frlc<I than t.l1e prolong.lti,')" of apartheid. They ha'"~ them~~lve!'l call~1 f·:)f ~:lncti.on9. lbw c;m the intern.ltional community (Mr. Gharekhan, India) ignore that call? Indeed, how can anyone argue against mandatory sanctions when apartheid persists as the worst possihle sanction against the vast majority in the country itself? The tOn-Aligned Movement, since its i"ceptit.,n, has been in the forefront of the struggle against apartheid. In a convincing expressio~ of its solidarity with the oppresaed, the ~m-Ali9ned M:)vement set up the Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism and Apartheid (AFYtICA) Fund to provide emergency ac;sistance to those that bear the hrunt of apartheid - the front-line States and the national liberation movements in southern Africa. The support that the FUnd has received i~ the past three years has been very encouraging, with pledges amounting to nearly half a billion dollars. 'It is our hope that such concrete acts of interna tional solidarity will he reinforced by eaually concrete sanctions by countries which ate in a position to strengthen them effectively, and whose responsibility in this regard cannot he denied or evaded. In conclusion~ I should like to reiterate India's total opposition to the policy of racial discrimination whenever., wherever and in whatever form it is practised. OUr links with the struggle in South Aff'ica date hack to the turn of the century. So "nch has changed ~ince then, SI) many nations have gained freedom and independence. But the people of South Africa remain enslaved and brutally treated by apartheid. This state of affairs must em. Ttlat apartheid persist~ ~ven today is perhaps the greatest irony of our. time, we must all act in concert to end this tragedy. Ms. CHAN (Sinqapore). Reflecting on this agenda item reminded me of an article that appeued in the Q)vernment Gazette, one of tM few relMining daily (Mr. Gharelchan, India) newspapers in South Africa. That article, which was reprinted in the New York Times on 23 September 1988, reads as fotlows: "Nearly 800 South Africans became officially members of a different race group last year, according to figures quoted in Parliament and based on the Popula tion ~gistration Act. They included 518 Coloureds who were officially reclassified as White, 14 Whites who became Coloureds, 7 Chinese who became Whi te, 2 Whi tes who became Chinese, 3 Malays who becane Whi te, 1 Whi te who became an Indian, 50 Indians who became Coloureds, 54 Coloureds who became Indian, 17 Indians who becalOO Mala?, 4 Coloureds who became Chinese, 1 Ma1ay who became Chinese, 89 Blacks who became Coloureds [andl 5 Coloureds who became Black n. This absurd but true story illustrates how virulent, resilient and adaptive aeartheid is and can be. The regime that wa-; the author of that evil system hac; not lost i~9 political will to survive and to preserve its privileges and domina tion in the face of mounting internal and in terna tional pressures. Apartheid has the quality of a political chameleon but, whatever its g~ise, its fundamental evil nature is still the same. The international commlllity cannot stand by and allow this evil and anachronistic doctrine to survive into the twenty-first century. (Ms. Chan, Singapore) In recent years we hav~ seen many changes takinq place in South Africa. More and more cracks are appearing in the legal framework of apartheid. The notorious Pass La ws were abol i she-i in 1986. In March this year the Soilth Af r i.can Q)vernmen t set ~p a mechani~m to open a handful of neighbourhoods to all r.aces. In June 1~89 salJth Africa's governing National Patty nade pUhlic a five-year plan for political refl)rm in which it "!nvisaged giving the blaclc majodty democratic participation in national government through an intricate federal system of ethnic, cultural and geographical voting blocs that would govern their local affairs and deal with na tional issues through legisla tive consensus. Following that, in OCtober thiA year the South African Government released unconditi.onally Mr. Walter Sisulu and seven other polt tical pr isoners. More recently, Mr. F. ~ De Klerk has allolJled peacefu 1 demonstrations to take place and indicated that he might phase out & national state of emergency that had been in effect !'Iinee June 1981;. For the white~ who havE! grown up in the unadulterated apartheid society those changes are viewed as major concessions. Among the black population, however, they are seen for what they are - mere cosmetic ~nd tactical changes designed to defend aparth~ir\. It would seem that the Pretoria regime has merely given up trying tD enforce what has become unworkable in it.:s complex system of aeartheid. fbwever, with each piecemeal gesture towards conciliation new contradictions appear in the enfor~ment of laws that pecpetuat~ whit~ minority rule. fbI' example, While the South African Government haS repealed the PaRS Laws, this new freedom of movement ~f plac~s hns been circumscrihed through other laws that prohibit ~quatting. Similarly, thp. National Pdrty's five-year plan for political reform is hased on the premi:=;e that I. ~cision:=; •.,f a ne,., national legi-;lature wolJld be reached by consensus, mean inlJ that minod ty grOl1p~ such aq the 4.5 mi11i on wht tes woulrl, in effect, have the ~ame power as the nlaclc majority. (Ms. Chan, Singapore) The inconsistencies are further illustrated by the case of Mt. Walter Sisulu's own family. The New York Times reported on 22 OCtober: 1989 that two days before Mr. Sisulu's release the Government hlld lifted its restrictions on poli tical activitiAs by his wife, Alhertina, but not by his son Zwelakb~, tl journalist. This meant that if the SisuLus discussed politics at the dinner table their son woutd not he able to join them. In short, at the core the chanqes do not address legitimate black South Attican aspira tions. 1'6 Rory Riocdan, the edi tor of Moni tqr, a human rights journal in Port Elizabeth, has said, -Apartheid is a much higger beast than t~e laws that regulate it w. The bedrock issue is the elimina tian ()f the apartheid system and the need to devolve political power to the country's hlack majority. we agree with this view entirely. How long can the Pretoria regime continue with its policy of reforming aparthe~ and ignoring th-a inalienable rights of the black ma jority l:n self-determination, a fundamental p~inciple of the United Nations? South A.frica must surely know that it i~ fighting a lost cause. With the growing rapprochement between the two super-Ibwers ther.e has baen an outhreak of cietente around the world. The prospect~ for p~ce in south~rn Africa look brighter now t~a~ at an~ time in the 19709. 1bday, Namibi~, which ha~ been a mere ext~nsion of South Africa's apartheid poUcieR, is on the verge of becoming independent. After Namihia'q independence it can only he a matter of time before South A.frica itself i::; 1 tbera tell from the yoke t")f taeis:'Il. Some Afrikaner~ may think that they can wit~s~~nd the pressure to di9mantle aeartneid hy ra11y1n9 hehind the modern~ay equivalent of the Voortrekkers' lagqer of circJ.f!d ox wagons. If. ,that "'era ~;o, t~e Afrtk;aner would Ileed only to lOOk acrosq his borders to nee the advance of history's tide. The tide of hhck nationa1iQm that led ~~ the birth ~f Ghana in 1957, tne end of Rhodesia in 1980, (Ms. Chan, Singapore) the independence process in Namihia aNd, in hetween, the freeing of an entire continent is now at SOuth Africa's doorstep. There is no buffer zone left. The Afrikaner stands alonG~ and in trying to preserve an untenable regime SOuth Africa haR hecome a destahilizing, isolated force in the African continent. It is only a matter of time before apartheid is consigned to the rubhish hin of history. Already there are signs of the white community's progressive fragmentation under pressure. The results of the recently held whites-only election~ in South Africa, the growing emigration of whites from that country as compared to the rapidly growing black population, and the unequivocal condemnation of apartheid hy the Dltch Reformed Church - the bastion of Afrikanerdom - are all signs that portend the eventual demise of the apartheid system. Even a legal commission appointed by the South African Government to stUdy the feasibility of a bill of rights for that country concluded in its report in March this year that it was imperative to include the right to vote for the country's di~enfranchised black ma jortty. Even whi te SOilth Atdcans are sending the Pre tor.ia reg ime the mes:;age that a~rtheid is doomed. What can the international community ~o to hasten the end of the Pretoria regime and help bring about a peacefl.11, polt tical solution in South Aftica? Besidli!s reaffirming our p:llitical Rupport foe the h1aclc struggle in South Africa we can take effective action by applying comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against the Pretoria regime. This is essential if we are to bring peaceful chanqe in South Africa. The sanctions report prepared for the Commonwealth Com~ittee of Fbreign Mi.'1l1sters On southern Africa concludes, in a passage on pages 180 and 181, as follows: (Ms. Chan, Singapore) "For the white minority, negotiating fundamental change and giving up a monopoly on power will be a long, difficult and wo' Aying process. It is a road that will be taken only when it is the only one available. Sanctions are essential to demonstrate that the option of reforming apartheid is too expensive and is internationally unacceptable. Sanctions are necessary to push Pretoria down the t >manding path to genuin":! negotiation." The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Singapore is a member, solidly supports the anti-apartheid struggle. At the MEAN Ministers' Meeting held in Brunei Darussalam on 3 and 4 July 1989 the foreign ministers of the six member States reaffirmed their condemnation of apartheid and called for the total elimination of the ~partheid system. They also expressed their solidarity with the African peopte in their just struggle for liberation and justice and demanded the early release of African nationals in South Africa, inclUding ~r. Nelson Mandela. The MEAN foreign ministers also noted that the existing economic and other sanctions against South Africa adopted by the internatio~al c.:>mmunity had already had a significant effect I)n that country and called for their wider, tighter and more intensive application. Singapore has consistently supported General Assembly resolutiQns condetning the repressive policies of the Pretoria regime. In compliance with United Nations r.esolutions calling for the complete cessation of the supply of petroleum and petroleum products to South Africa, and with the Commonwealth Accl>rd on Southern Africa the Singapore ~~vernment has decided to ban the carriage of oil to South Africa by Singapore-flagged ships with effect from 15 September 1989. Shipping companies oowned by the Singapt>r-a ~,()vernment l'/il1 include erJlj-user clauses and other conditions in their charter agreements to ensur.e compliance with the emhargo. Singapor~-register.ed ships violating this ban will have theic registrations cancellei. (~han, Singapore) I.n administcative ban on the export of oil and petroleum pr~ducts to southern Afr ica also came into effect on 15 Septenber this year. The S' ~re Government has issued a circular informing companies trading in petroleum and petroleum products in Singapore of this administrative ban. In addition, Singapote firmly discourages c~,tacts of any kind, including political, economic, military, cultural and sports contacts, with South Africa. SinCjetpore is t'eady to co-operate in any COllective international effort that will effectively prevent oil trade with South Africa and isolate the Pretoria regime. The time for easy and comfortable choices in South Afr ica has run out. Difficult and tough d!cis ions must be nade now. The Pretor ia regiroo should work seriously bowards the full integration of blacks into the country's social and political structures. When this happens, the whites in South Africa will learn, as the whites in Zimbabwe already have, that there is no reason why blacks and whites cannot 1 lve tcgethe~ to bu ild a na tion. The ach ievements of Zimbab''''e in the pnlitical, economic and social spheres testify to this fact. Black southern Africans are not opposed to whites in SOuth Africa. It is the policies of aRartheid that they oppose and will continue to oppose by all the means available ~~ them. The Commo~ealth Eminent Persons Group presented this re&llty clearly in its report, issued in 1986, when it stated: -The blacks have had enough of apartheid. They have confidence not merely in the justice of their cause, but in the inevi~bility of their victory. The ~tten9th of black convictions is now matched by a readiQess to die for thp.se ;:~lI1vlctions. They will, therefore, sustain their strl.191J1e, whatever the cost." My delegation welcomes the recent release of Mr. Walter Sisulu and seven other ?Olitlcal ~riaoners from South Africa's pti~on5. Howe~er, their release can acquit'.! real me&ning only if it is seen as a first step towards the eradica tlon of (MS. Chan, Singapore) apartheid. The South African Government should follow this up by taking the following additional action: first, release unconditionally all other political prisoners and detainee~, including Mr. Nelson Mandela, this being a necessary and crucial step towards a settlement, secondly, lift the state of emergency, thir~ly, unban national liberation movements and all political exilesJ fourthly, begin a process of dialogue with the true representatives of black South Africans, especially Mr. Nelson Mandala. These steps should be implemented immediately because for South Africa time is running out. Mr. l4cLEAN (Canada): This is the third time in four yeai:s that I have had the opportunity to stana at this rostrum to address the issue of aparthai~. Since my last statement before the Asaenb1y, in 1987, much has happened in southern Africa. Recently, I returned from Namibia. I had led the Canadian Parliamentary Observer Mission to stuay the situation and offer comments to our Government and to those with whom \le work about the future. One cannot travel through Namibia without witnessing ::lt first hand the devastating effects the system of aparthp.iil has wre&ked upon a people and a society. Even as I speak, the voters of Namibia - 210,000 on the first day - are turning O',tt in a massive display of support for a o')nstitutional process that will liberat~ that country from !£artheid and establbh a democratic Government. The success of these elections and ~f the constitutional process to follow shoulo pCQVide South Africans and others in the region with ~ v"lluable demonstration of the feasibility of fundamental change throuc,;h a peaceful, democratic and negotiated approach. N~ civili?ed nation can oount~nancp- a system which denies basic human r19hts The tyranny of racism tears at the soci~l to people because of their colour. Ultimately it destroys their economies and f.lbric of communities and nations. causes in.qtability end disorder within and beyond their borders. Only freedo:n, freedom for all, can provide a basis for economic well-being and political stabili ty. The protection and enhancemgnt of human rights is therefore a fundamental tenet of Canadian foreign policy. Canada has fought against apartheid because we believe that it is fundamentally wrong. We also believe that it is an issue on which our joining forces wi th other oa tions, here through the Uni ted Ma Hons and in the Commonwealth, has made a significant difference. We believe that, thanks to these efforts, we have reached a critical juncture. With more steady pressure, we hope that the institutionali~edsystem of racism in South Africa will soon be in retreat. However, dpspite some new and hopeful signs that some progress is perhaps bein~ made, there are still, regrettably, few indications that the South Afric~n Government is embarked on a concrete plan to dismantle apartheid. Canada, on its own initiative and in concert with others, has therefore adopted a variety of measures to convince the South African Government that it must t~ke concrete action to bring about fundamental change. We have act~d with financial and trade sanctions, an embargo Q1 the import and export Ilf ar'TIS, a hr)n on sporting contacts, support for the front-line States, assistance tn the victims of aparth"'id, programmes to encourage dialogue among South Africans of cl 11 rilces, and to refute the repugnant censorship and propaganda emanating from Pretoria. Wi thout the pressures that have been exerted on il steady ba:.:; is, in terl"lall:l within South Africa and externalLy by the int~rnatir)nal community, would there have been the unp,~cedented p&lceful marches and rallies in SO:.Jth Africa? Nould ther.:.' ha'Te beel' the re1.e.l~H! of leaders? Woul,i there have been contacts between the South African Government and ;m ti-aparth~id Church l~ ders? (~1t'. McLean, Canada) There is no question but that sa~ctions have worked. Before his resignation as Governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa last spring, the late Gerhard de Kock candidly acknowledged that South Africa was "bleeding". He warned that "1f adequate progress is not made in political and constitutional reform, South Africa's relationships with the rest of the world are unlikely to improve." Law and Order ~inister Vlok has himself admitted that "if sanctions ate introduced against us we can do nothing alone in this world." These statements, at the very least, point to a recognition of the problem, although action clearly still is wantir~.* 11 ~tr. Tellmann (Norway), Vi~-Pres id~nt, tt)ok the Chair. (r-Ir. McLean, Canada) ..... lie do not 1 i \le There are growing signR, however, that a new genera tion of SOllth Africans is Reeking change. Young, white middle~la9s students have joined with t~e blaCk majority in calling for the transformation of the Sollth African society. TM D.ltch Reformed Church, once a champion of ..,hite 8uprelllacy, is distancing itself feom apartheid. Acceptable char.ge requires dialogue, which in tu .•. t'e<:iuires mutual acceptance of legi til'lBcy by each party of the other. This depends on the acceptance of non-violence as the sole mechanism of change. In this connection, the ne90ti~tin9 post tion of tt,e African National Congress, contained in the Harare Declara tion, represents a useful contribution to tal~s. We are encouraged by ttR stress on a neCjOtiated settlement and its call fot negatia tions in the context of a nutUill. suspension of violence. This idea was also put forward bV the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group in 1986. Last month's Heads of (bvernment I1IllMtlng in Kuala wmpur, which! attended as a member of the Canadian delegation, reconfirmed that this negotiating concept rell8inA as valid today as when it W8f1 fitst put forward in 1986. We are also encouraged hV the African National COngress's recognition that discussion and co-operatiQ'l wi tb other legi t111B te voicee of oppOliIi tiM in Solith Atrica are ~orthy of pursuit. t t.hin~ it ls important to recogni~e that the contrlhution of the Commonwealth to bringing this issue to the centre staq8 of international affain in thp. paf't ~)ur years has been immense, from the i~po8ition of a sUbstantial ranqe of sanctions ~t the Nassau m~tln9B in 1985 to the tightening of measure~ in Vancouver two years later. During the past two years la,dershlp has been given hy the Special Committee of FOreign Ministers, Chaired hy Canada's Secretary of State for ~ternal Aff~its, Mr. Clark. (Mr. McIean, Osnada) At Kuala Lumpur last month Commonwealth Heads of Government reiterated their preference for a negotiated and peaceful ~ettlement. At the same time, they made the point that the constitutional system was a matte, for all the people ef South Africa to decide. They also agreed that eXistinq sanctions and pressures should be naintained and increased. Indeed, financial sanctions were tightened. Only when there is evidence of clear and irreversible change should we consider liftinq sanctions. Commonwealth Heads of Government called upon the wide~ international coRmunity to do Ul(ewise. I would .add that this applies especially to those countries with significant trade and financial links to South Africa. The Heads of Q)vernment meetinCJ in Kuala Lumpur reconfi rllled in their communiQue that the only justification for sanctions against South Africa w&~ t~p. pressure they created for fundamental political change. In this connection, it is important to note that there are many erea tive stepO that can be taken to prolb)te the impulse fbr change in South Africa. We believe, for example, that the international community should be prepared to support and encourage o~casions when prominent South Africans can discuss a futlJre without apartheid. This can help break down the isolation of the Afrikaner community and help identify ways to dissipat(\ the feats and mi:3tE'ust whiCh ,)fP. briers tu change. Canada has spent heavily on projects bl bring together South Afric~ns of diffetent races. We have supported human rights and professional organization~ trying to break down and compensatp. for the barriers of apartheid, we have promotP.d the idea of non-racial justice through the arts and popular culture, we have assisted hOth mainstream and alternative media with traininq and leqal advice, in order to make av",Uahle d true picture .If SOllth Africa, we haw~ financed succes:;fi.l ~nd effective non-racial c~mps, conferences and township ~noountp.ta b> bring ~ome (r"r. McI.ean, canada) to whi te SOUth Africans an understanding of the llvH and hopes of their hla61<" countrymen. we have tnsti t1Jted a 81.6 million DialQ9ue llUnd to support proJects along thoseUne8, in addi ticn to other project.q to aSAiRt victiM and opponents of apartheid. we also have a siqnificant progr:a_ to assist in countering South African censorship 'and propaganda. In addition to those project8 i lIIe are spendlng annuaUy about SO million for educational programmes, legal and humanitarian assistance to detainees and their faron le8, support for the trade "'Union IIIOvement and econo_ic and social development prograMes. CoInada has dellOnctcat.ed its readiness to help not lIlerely in ,",ords hut in concrete ways. In thlB context, I wish to aCknowledge the leadership ..,f Mr. Garba, Pres tdent of the A9seably, on this issue we are addresAlnq today, particularly in directing suanqell8nts for the t)pcoming sped"l session an apartheid. Qlnada wiU he participating in that sesRion, whiCh we viev as an illportant opportunity for. tile United Nations colllllunity to demon9trate its Rolid'!rity on thiB iql;ue. There have been lUny noteworthy evenu In the paRt few months. l'herp--u~ elections In NaMibia, which wi:l liberate that territory feoM !E!rtheid, therp. have been some peaceful deDOrtstrationa in ~lth Africa, an8 there is much talk ~'th inside and outRide the country of dialaque and the possihility of neqoti~tion. It is as i_portant new as ever before to teep up the international ptessute for chang~. We are today a t the edge "f hope. 'ftte lllportatlce of this debatP. is that, 1 ike the upcoMing special Aesalon, it provides a further opportunity fot the internatll')Ral CX>lIIIlunity ~B a whole to unite in expressing Ct,)ndellnation of apartheid and to call for itA speedy and early eradica tlon. This lIessage iA fundamental for the antire human tamily. (~t. Mclean, canada) Mr. WILENS!! (l6lstralia h For IIOre tha:\ 40 years the racist policies of South Africa have been discussed, debated am coodemned in the thited tettons ~t. df!spi te the united lIoral voice of the international co_unity, the system of IJR!rtheid - a systell of injustice and lnstl~tionali~ed raciSM Which is contrary to all civilized values - reaains in place in that country and repressive measures co"tinue. For more than three years the eta te of elllergency has heen iMposed and relmsx>sed by South African authorities. Basic hUMn and political rights have been refused to black SOUth Africans, who _ke up three Quarters of the population. Th~ gaoling and exile of black lMders and of others ~ho have sought to speak cut continues. The infamous Group Areas Act, with its bizarre injustices of the homeland system, reeains untouched. A racially segregated educational system, the Population Registration let, racially ReCjregated pad lall8nts - all these rem in intact. A year ago, in the plenary debate, delftC)ations co...nted on a fe", tentative steps that were then being taken by the SOuth African Q)verneent. We said at that time that, wha~ver change had occurred, it had been painfully and di.8appolntingly slow, and, while ",e1001l0, the steps re_ln.ed totally inadequate as any Big., of a oolllftitment on the part of the (bvernMnt of Sol~th Africa to put an end to the system of apartheid. We must acknowledge th~t in recent weeks we have again seen some encouraging hints that change might be coming. We have seen the unconditional release from prison on 15 October of eight political leaders, including Walter Sisulu. Pollowing those releases we have seen the holding of large rallies which have not been disrupted by the Government; and we have seen indications that a real dialogue between black and white leaders. miC]ht be possible. Rut it is still too soon to judge whether those JlWJI1es are a signal of real change or little more than cosmetic measures dasigned to we.:aken international pressure. So far what we have seen may have been straws in the wind but there has been little yet that gives real substance t() signs of changed intentions. What i~ needed now from the Government of South Africa is that it fulfil its first tentative words of peace by deeds; show courage and initiative in ca~ting aside disccedited and repressive policip.s that can never be the solution to South Africa's chronic political and economic problems; show courage and initiative in creating the conditions in which free negotiations on political and constitutional change can tak'! Flace by lifting the sta te ()f emergency, freeing uncondi tionally , Nelson Mandela and all other political prisoners and allowing free political expression and organization; and show courage and initiative by putting an end to the whole pernicious system of apartheid and seeking a reaceful path to . reconcil i.sticn a t home and abtcad. Following the release of Walter Sisutu and his colleagues from prison, the South African society has not collapsed, nor has law and order broken down. The celebratlllns and meetings which accompanied those rele3ses have been exuberant, but orderly, and have not posed any danger to the safety of the comm~.ity .t large. The worst fears of the racist South African society have not been realized. The waters have been tested and the way ahead shown cle~rly for the South African Govern.'1ent. No more excuses can be accepted for fail.Ire to take the pat~ forward. (~r. Wilenski, Australia) The Australian Government believes that whatever positive steps are being taken by the South African Government are a response to internal and external pressures for reform. This means that the international community continues to have a significant role to play in maintaining those pressures for the elimination of apartheid. One very effective form of pressure is, of course, the application of sanctions, including comprehensive mandatory economic sMctions, which my Government is on record as being willing to support. The Australian Government believes that the justification for sanctions against South Africa is the pressure they create for fundamental political change. Their purpose is not to bring Pretoria to its knees but to bring it to its senses, to bring it to the negotiating table and keep it there until change is irreversibly secured. Even leading SOUth African Government figures have acknOWledged the pressures brought by sanctions on the South African eoonoJl¥. On 5 May this year Finance Minister Barend du Plessis said that austerity measures were necessary to enable the country's foreign exchange reserves to withstand what he called lithe economic onslaught against SOuth Africa·. A few days la ter the late Gerharl.i de Kock, then South Afric"n Reserve Bank Governor, acknowledged in a public speech that international pressures, particularly financial sanctions, had crippled South Africa's ability to deliver sustained economic growth. This trend could not be reversed without ·adequate progress in the field of political and constitutionai reform. South Africa's economic future", said de Kock, "is inextricably entwined with its political future." So the message of sanctions has been understood. Austral ia~. at the rne~ting of the Commonwealth Heads .")1: Government in Kuala Lumpur last month, strl)ngly .:mncut'reo in the oommon view that this was not the time to consider any relaxation of existing sanctions and pressures, that this would have to await evidence of clear and irreversible cilange, and that in the rne~ntime all exi'iting sanctions and measures should be maintained. The Australian Government believes that, in particular, financial sanctions ap?lied by the private sector, Governments and non-governmental organizations have been and continlle to h.1 one .,f the ,nost effective forms of pressure on Pretoria, hy denying the flow of new capi tal needp.d to', finance South Africa's growth and mak ing it har'~er for South Afri(~a to $upport financially the hugely expensive Government appara tus of apar th~id. A meeting of the Commonw~jlth Committee of Foreign Ministers on southern Africa, of which Australia is a member, chaired by the Canadian Foreign Minister and hetd i" Ca:~berra in AU'lust I")f t.his ~;ear, called for a tightening of conditbns for debt repayrne"t, the imposi tion of; further restrictions on tra& finance, and t~e monitoring of a ban on medium- and long-term lending. The recent mP.~tlng of Commonwealth Heads of Government in Kuala Lwnpur sirnilar 1y reco'3nhed the ilnp,Jrtdnce of pressure on Sout.h Afr ica 's ~al ings with the international financial community and went on to discuss the development of new forms of pressure through the extension of and intens ification of financial sanctions, in pdrti~ular by calling on all releva"lt banks and financial Lllsti. tl.1tions tl.J impose tougher allloi tinns en liay-t(l-day trade fi nancing, speci fically through r~)dlJcing the rtaxi mum crelii t term to 90 days) and calling on rp.tevant G:>verniDents tl) make trade credits hariJer to get hy taking South Afric", "off cover" with official C"JQvarnroo:lt .'lgencies for ,)fficit'!l trade credit .3rld insura'lce purposes. My delegation notes and welcomes the inclusion of those measures in the new draft resolution on international financial pressures on the apartheid economy of South Africac which we are to consider in a f~1 days time. As a result of discussion at the Commonwealth meeting, the Government of Australia has offered to provide substantial initial funding for an l~dependent agency to review and report on a regular basis on South Africa's international financial links and to gather and publicize factual infornation on financial flows ta, and financial policies concerning, South Africa. Beyond this, Australia takes a prominent and determined stance against apartheid and its injustices in a full range of areas, in some cases on our own, and in other cases in company with other like-minded countries. Some of our measures have been aimed particularly at white South Africans to bring home to them the personal costs of apartheid and to encourage them to be ihstruments of change within South Africa: namely, our ban on representative sports exchanges between Australia and South Africa, the cessation of air links, and our withdrawal of consular facilities for visa issue from South Africa. Other measures have a wider purpose and have been taken together with our Commonwealth partners. Australia has implemented all the measures agreed by Commonwealth leaders in Nassau in October 1985 and in London in 1986. All these measures are now established in Australian law and policy. We believe that there are also post tive measures that Governments can take to encourage and support change in South Africa and to strengthen the stand of the international community against apartheid. For example, since 1983 the Australian Government has sponsored a wide-ranging visits programme that enables prominent opponents of apartheid to visit Australia and discuss issues with Government agencies, private groups and the media. (Mr. Wilenski, Australia) We also maintain a wide range of contacts with representative strands of black opinion in both South Africa and Australia, where the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azan ia (me) maintain offices. Within South Africa, Australia has an extensive and expanding range of contacts with the mass democratic movement, Churches, trade unions, professional groups and the many other human rights and community gr:oups which so br:avely and consistently challenge the forces of apartheid. The Australian Government has also expanaed its development assistance to those countries facing military ana economic destabilization by South Africa as a result of their support for the international campaign against aparth~, and funds extensive education and training programmes for South Africans disadvantaged by apartheid. There can be no doubting the determination of the United Nations to end apartheid, even if so far it has not yet led to the attainment of that. goal. aut, inevitably, apartheid's days are numbered. Inevitably, justice will prevail. We cannot and must not reqard these debates a~ repetitive rituals. We must maintain th~ pr~ssure. South Africa must be given the unmistakable message that ....: apartheid policies cannot and shall not be tolerated~ 'They are anathema to the basic tenets ,of ~ civilized world. Mr. DOWEK (Israel): There are issues on which one's stand and beliefs are ~o obvious, so natural, so clear that one does not feel the need to find new approaches or new formulations to state his position. This is the case of my delegation when it comes to apartheid. My delegation states with force, without the slightest hesit~tion or afterthought: Israel and the Jewish people reject and condemn apartheid in the most categorical and uneauivocal manner, both as an ideology and as a political system. Together, with the entire community of nations, they call upon South Africa to abolish apartheid, to desist from any kind of racial discrimination and to grant full equal rights to all its citizens - black, white and coloured. Israel and the JewiSh people tell Africa and the world, forcefully: we are with you in the just struqgle to eliminate apa~theid and all forms of racial discrimination. Our commitment is not motivated by politieal or tactical considerations. It is unconditional and absolute. It is not only our dnty as decent and enlightened human heings, it is ~lso part of ou~ innermost being and ~eflects our deepest bp.liefa. We support and shall continue to auppo~t all peoples striving fo~ justice I'lnd racial eQuality beyond any political considerations and rega~dlesa of their stand aA to out own strugqlp. for national survival. From time immemorial, IAcael and the Jewish people have had an inborn atavistic repulsion and ahhorrence for any form of racial discrimination. They (Mr. Wilenski, Austt~) I&tand, and hllve .,lway~ f;tood, for the absc,luteo eOlJality of all races - social, ~udatA~ l~ indeed t~e first ~"d oldest monotheistic religion from which ChrL~tianity and Islam f;tP.~. It i~ the reliqion that gave mankind the Ten CntMandllftntR ~nd rr;nst nr the social norms ant'l valup.s that are steering the ~\villzed world to this Ye~y day~ and have done so long before anyone else dreamt .,r adopting .lnd compilin9 humanj ~,':dan instruments. ThE' people who brought to the ~rld th~ divine messaqe that men, all men, have been created in the image of God and at~ eaually hl~ heloved f;ons cannot but have the utmost repugnance for each and everv ~nifp~tation of racism. Hif;t~rically, the Jewish pp'ople have always been at the for~ftont of all !lItrm;qle~ for liMrty, eauality and peace. They have suffered -or~ than any oth~r pe~ple on the face of the Earth from the darkest racism and worftt formft of r~cial di~crfminatto" culminatinq i~ the atrocious holocau~t of It "'Ill ion .lew.- l1urina thp r.econd ~orld W"tr. FurtherJll()re, from thp dawn of timp., the .lp-vlllIh ,>p.opJeo h,lV~ hep.n, and they remain, an ethnic~lly multi-rC'tcial [>p.ople and Ane'~ty, fro~ pale whitp to ebony hlack and pasRlnq throogh the wideRt ranqe of ~ll ')e1tI!'ihl~ l"hade8. No "lnqan. ftC) Unitp.t'I TJationA resolution, no h,flammatory speech ean Chanq~ theRp. sharply evident f~cts. It i5 wlt~ l1-.ep Farrow that ~y delegation has to point out that the just and nl)hl~ .-truftql@ 8::1.1fnflt apltrthpid and uciaJ. discrimin.lti"n is once aqain harnessed, fl"..~l~"Rly, to the unholy diplt)matic jihad waqed aqainst Israel and the Jewish ~t.~~. ~f i!fP.R1Rtihlp politi~~l \pvp-raqe, make con~iRtent hut rather fruitlp.ss r.fIi"lu~tnn:; :dMlin'l (lilt J~r"pl In fPhtion to SOllth ~f.rica. f'urtherm')r:'~, in (Mr. Oowek, I~rael) complete disreqarrl of minimal common Ren~e and well-documented facts, they try to create the impression that the ~ituation prevailing in that country is similar to the one pr~~~iling in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district. My delegation finds no need and no point to enqaqe in a f.ull-fledged arqument with those delegations as it did in the relevant Committees. Their goals ann t~ctics are so transparent, ~o evident, that they necessitate no comment or refutation. Indeed, my deleqation prefers to addrC!s~ itself to the African c'Ip.legationR and, thr.ough them, to the peoples of Africa and all the peoples and Governments that genuinely strive to eradicate aparth~~ from the face of the Earth and refu~e to let themselvp.s be manipiJlated hy anti-Semitic manoeuvres. IRrael fervently hopes that no one will b~ ~110wed to weaken and stain the noble cause of the struggle aqainst apar.theid by misusing it as a propaganda gadget or as a tool to promote other forms of racism. Apartheid is too qreat an evil to he manipnlated cynically. Aearthp.i~ is the scum of the Earth. Apartheid is a scourge that is to be ~radicated from the root, toqether wi th all other forms of racism, anti-Semi tta", - and t mean by anti-Semitism the hatred of the Jew - and all sorts of di~crimination on ethnic, r.acial or religious qrounds. Racism, as terrorism, is indivisihle. One cannot OPpOl';P- it in one part of the world and support or ""cQuip-scp. in it in another. One cannot condemn racial discrimination a~ain~t one's people and race and instigate racial discriminntion aqainst other pe~ples an~ races. 7.ionla~, the national liberation movement of the JewiSh people, and racism are two opp.")sit":s~ Raci~m lA the absolllte oppnsitp. of everything for -.rhich the people of tsrael ~t~nd for: ~ewi~h tradition and histncy, the Torah and the moral values of .Tudaism from -.rhich ~ioniRm Flt,?lnc;. It is hardly a coincidence that those who (Mr. Dowek, Israel) have the audacity to speak in the same ~reath of racism, Zionism and nazism are the very same who advocate openly racist and anti-Semitic ideas and reject expressly the two most salient symbols of Zioni~n: the right of the Jewish people to return to the land of Israel and the very concept of democracy - genuine, true democracy - as the corner-stone of freedom and s~cial progress. (Mr. Oowek, Israel) ~Iany of them have the worst record of viohtions of human rights against their own citizens. Some maintainp.d up to the last decade as a legal and rightfuL social system slavery - yes slavery - the buying and selling of human beings as if they were cattle to be disposed of. One of them went so far as b) use lethal gas in its implacable repression of one of its defenceless minorities, at the cost of t~ousands of innocent victims. Let me now come to the allegations .'lgainst my country. Israel es diplomatic ties with South Africa and its very limited commercial relations with it in no way imply supporting or condoning aeartheid. The Government of Israel has repeatedly stressed before the South African Government its total rejection of a2,artheid and of all regula~ions baqed on racial discrimination. tsrael has never ceased calling forc~lfully upon South Africa to rescind all measures that contravene the basic liherties of all its citizens. Furthermore, it is no secret that Israel's economic relations with South Africa are relatively insignificant. Its investme~t cepresents 0.1. per cent of the overall investment in South Africa. tUlow me to remind the Assembly that theca is 99.9 per cent that is still unaccounted for. As for trade, international Monetary Fund statistics show in the most ir.refutahle manner that Israel accounts for less than one h3lf of 1 per cent toUl volume of South Africa's exports and three quarters of 1 per cent ~f its imports. These sama statistics show that South Africa's trading partners are sCltterer.l everywherp. - in Europe, America, Asia, the Arab world, th~ Soviet bloc iind even in Africa. tn aU, South Africa has 140 listed commerchl partners - not 11, as some United Nati'Jns reports would lilte us to believe. Yet only Israel is singl~d out hy the Arab propaganda machine and branded as !'Juppl)rting aeartheid. It is not Israel that sells oil to S,)Uth Afric'i. Isral!l, r-.Y:Irettably, has no oil. St1Jdi~::; by the Shipping ~se.1Cch Bureau in Amsterdam confirm beyood doubt that J!I()::lt :>f St>.lt.h Afdc3's l'U imports CO~ from Arab (~r. Dawek, Isrdel) countries and that this percentage is constantly increasing. Mr. T. Froysnes, Norway's Minister for Foreign Affairs in 1985, stressed these crude facts in a statement befor~' ehe Norwegian ParI iament, saying: "Ninety-five per cent of the oil supplied to South Africa comes fr~m Arab .t;tates on the Persian Gulf - one half of this in direct shipments". In spite of the complacent silence of the world cOJlltllmity, everyone knO\\ls that this annual trade amounts to billions of dollars. Yet the ~rab countries are at the forefront of those who exert unbearable pressure on all parties to single out Israel in relation to South Africa and to adopt resolu tions condemnin') it: repeatedly. Clearly this is part of their pol itical warfare against Israel. It has nothirq to do wit.I-) the struggle agalnst aeartheid and against the scourge 'If racism. In spreading the "Big Lie", the myth of an imaginary "alliance" bet~een apartheid and Zionism, they are trying - without success - to impart to Israel the spurious image ,)£ being beyond the pale of civil hed nations. The r.eality is different. It is nuch IIOre sober and nuted. In this respect Isr:lel is no b~tt~r - nut .11c;0 no worse - than any other country. The sing1 ing out of Israel and the unsuhstantiated resol'Jtions against it are one nore striking example of the douhle sta.\dards, or shO'...Ild I say the absence of standards, imposed on the world community by the Arab bloc ill its relentless ~fforts to weaken Israel 'I'; internati:)nal position. 'l'he anti-Isrdeli tit.Jals ~ilrried out in this arena, under Arab prompting, w::nJld have been merely laughahle were they not l!lderminil1<J the jl,t; t struggle a':Jainst apar.theid and becomirlg ..~ menacil1g CI:lr!catllre which, put in Orwell 1 s "mobile truth" and "douhlp. thi n!c", not only make::; pe,,>ple ~."a'l the oppo:;i te of what they kilO'''' i.:; the truth, hut ~ve:l iIIake~ t:,em think the oP?)f.;it~ of ""hat everyone knO\\ls to be the truth. (tolr. Dowek, Israel) Th~ current tragic events in South Africa, which are takir¥;l their daily t(')ll in h~man 1if~, cannot but move Israel to call once again foe an end to the racist system of apartht?id. A policy based on racial discrimination can lead o:lly b, instability, bloodshed and the !;IJffecing of innocent pp-ople. Only socLp.ties ba5ed on equality and h~man dignity call g~drantee peace, security and well-bain] to all their components. 'I''''i:~ positi-.")n has the wi{~st p")ssib1e !'iupport not only in Israel but .1150 among the Jewish per>pl~ at larqe. The Jewish community in SOuth Africai tself has always stood aqainst apartheid and recently has once again called officially foe its elimination. 't'he \'lortd ,T~wi~l) Conqeess, at it::; meeting in Vienna, declared solennly that it "Reaffirms the ~dication of world Jewry 'lt large to the struqgl~ ;qain~t "1.1 forms of racism and racial discrimination, including the age-old scourge of the Je-..ish p~ople, alti-semitismt an,1 the State-pcolloi{ed form of racisr'l, dPartheid. It rec<llls t"at thi!3 struggle again!'it rAcism and racial disccimination was one of the principal goaL'] for whit::h tha World Jewis\o} Congress was creat~d in 1~36, ~onforming to th~ ethical and moral heritag~ of ,Juda ism... l';r.'r.lel's greatest hope i... that tl1p. Government of S,uth Afr ica, in pursuing thp. longed-for path of Pa.:lCl? am) dialogue, will eschew biqotry and create condi tioon that", ill I!nahle it;:; people b> li',e in fIla equ<lli ty, mutual respect and peace. For Isra~l, the only possible soLation, the only !'iolution that 'AJill br.ing pe1ce an,1 harmony t:.> all !'lp.ctors of thp. South Afeic",n POPLlt'lt.it"m, to;; indeed thp. b")tal abol i tion of apilrthp.id by law and thp. p.rf:ldic,~ t.l.on ,)f any and 0111 forms .")f di::;criminatl"n in daily lH·~ in South Africa. It: i~~ alRo Israel's belief that the South African Gollernment sho'Jld b,.:! ell(;Oucaqf!d 1:0 movp. in the dir~ction :")f .1 (··lr. Dowel(, Israel) permanent and constructive dialogue, on a national as well as an intetn~tional level. On 11 August 1985, in his capacity as Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Shimon Peres issued an official statement declaring that the Israeli Government was unconditionally opposed to the policy of apartheid in South Africa, that .asattheid was completely contrary to the very fOWld&tions upon which Jewish life was based and that Israel would not agree to any discr iminati.on on the grounds of race, religion or colour, or on any other groundA. Since then thi.s staunch position has been reiterated in decisions and statements at the very highest level of the Israeli Knesset and C"JOvernment. From this very rostrum the present Prime Minister, Mr. Yltzhak Shamif saids (Mr. Dowek, Israel) "These and other isaues rema in unresolved, however, and they demand serious and responsibJG attention. First among these is the repugnant reign of aeartheid in South Africa. "Israel, founded upon basic moral and democratic values, cannot remain silent in the face of racial discrimination, wherever it may occur. We reject and condemn apartl!!!.!! as a political, social and economic system." In Israel's opinion, apartheid is not reformable and must be abolished. "Israel also believes that violence is not the path to reform in South Africa. We must urgently foster a climate that will tacilitatp. a political settlement if we are to avoid a further drift towards economic chaos, suffering and bloodshed. We hope responsible leaders on all sides will act to create such a r.:lilllalte and that the Government of South Africa will initiate ne~otiations ~~at will satisfy the legitimate political aspirations of all South Africans •••• (~.) Only a few datS ago, President Chaim Herzog said. "Israel has denounced and continues to denounce the foolish pol~C1 of apartheid. It contra~enes Israeles principles as a democratic State, and especially the Torah and Jewish trp,di tion. Dr. Herz! wrote as long ago as 1902 that~ after he suco&eded in his efforts bo liberate ~he Jewish people, he would devote his time to libera ting the African no1 tion. Hpwever, with the hypocrisy that characterizes the t:eatment of the issue of South Afric~ and its connections with Israel, the world's application of a douhle standard reaches new heights." ThE-: unwavering conmit.'1'Ient of Israel to the strugqte against apartheid and racism is byt a logical reflection in modern times of the long-standing beliefs of (~r. Dowek, Israel) the Jewish ~eople, dating from the very outset of its millenary history as embodied il'\ its mst sacred t9achings: "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then do we deal treacherously every man against his brothe.r... " (The Hol'{ Biblp., Malachi 2:10) "Why did the Creator form all life from a single ancestor? So that the families of mankind shall not lord one oyer the other in the belief that they have s~run9 from superior stock, and so that all men recognize their cornroon kinship in the collective human family." (The Talmud Tosefta Sanhidrin 8:4» In conclus ion, t shall add one fundamental axiom, which I would like our African friends never, never to forget. Here I quote again the former Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Pares, who stated in a speech before British Members of Parliament, ":srael will never make a compromise on apartheid or condone any kind of racial discrimination. The Jewish person Who would do so thereby ceases to be Jewish. It is as simple as that." Mr. YADAB (Nepal), The annual debate on thiR item in the General Assembly pro·,ides the international community with an opportunity to reaffirm its solidarity with the majority people nf South Africa in their struggle for equality, Uberty and justice. Year after year the General Assembly has, reviewed the 9it~ation in South Africa. It has ado~ted resolutions condemning apartheid as ~ crime against humanit1. It has denounced the brutal repression I)f the majority people by the racist regime of South Africa. Despite all this, the racist regime continues to ignore w~rld public opinion and persist~ in the universally condemned pel icy of apar theid. (Mr. Dowek, Israel) Recent developments in international relations have increased hope for: a peaceful solution of regional conflicts. In southern Africa the process of independence for Namibia is well under way. International pressure was one of the important reasons why South Africa was persuaded to accept the agreement on Namibia. The international community must remain vigilant until Namibia emerges as a fully independent country. Namibia presents an example of what the international community, acting in unity, can achieve in forcing South Africa to change its universally condemned policies. The present climate of international relations makes this the most opportune moment for increasing pressure on South Africa. As the report of the Special Committee ~gainst Apartheid mentions, sanctions and boycott are hurting the minority regime in South Africa. The action taken by the countries of the world against South Af~ica are as yet not co-ordinated. Even so, leaders of the minority regime have started to talk about reforming apartheid so as to crea te a new South Africa. Recently, some positive steps have also been taken by the G'Jvernment of South Africa. I would mention in this context the release of eight long-term political p~isoners. But the fact remains that apartheid cannot be reformed; it must be totally eliminated. The release from prison of Mr. Walter: Sisulu and seven other leaders of the struggling people of South Africa has been welcomed by all , but many other leaders of the people, including Nelson Mandela, remain in prison. Many are facing lif~ sentences just because they had the courage to speak out against a..e.artheid and for. equality and justice. Police brutality against political dissent has not decrea.~ed, nor has the han on such dissent been lifted. Vigilante groups continup to terror ize the opponents of the regime. As recently as last Septerrber the r:acist (roir. Yadab, Nepal) regime held ele.-:tions for a segregationist Pad iament despi te o"erwhelming opposition to such elections. Discriminatory laws are still on the statute book. These stark facts reveal the duplicity of the South African authoritieR. Unless the Government released all political detainees, repealed all discriminatory and repress ive laws and ended the sbte of emergency, it would be prenature to expect real change in South Africa. Only such measures can reassure the world that the South African Government is serious when it talks about a new South Africa. (Mr. Yadab, Nepal) The racist regime is coming under increasing pressure hoth within South Africa and from the international community. In spite of the repression, more and more people are speaking out against apartheid in South Africa. I wish to take this opportunity to pay a tribute to the heroic men, women and children of South Africa who have staked everythinq for the sake of freedom, justice and dignity. Their~ is a dream of a non-raci~l, democratic South Africa. Leaders of the oppressed people have time and again rei terated their commitment to such a goal. This goal can he achieved if the minority regime is willing to dismantle barriers to the heginning of a genuine dialogue with the leaders of the majority people. The struggling people of South Africa ha~e made great sacrifices for this dream, the international community owes them firm support in every possihle .y to enable them to attain this noble objectiv~. I wiRh also to take this opportunity to pay our trihute to.the front-line States on the great sacdfices they have made. Despite the campaign of destahilhation and aggression waged by the racist regime, they have not wavered in their support of the struggling majority of South Africa. Tha Pretoria regime shows no siqn of willingness to negotiate with the leaders of the majority for the estahlishment of a non-r~cial democratic society in South Africa. The only option left for the internatl.onal oolMlunity to force South Afric.. to heed reason is imposition of mandatory and comprehensive sanctions against the racist regime. ~q 1 mentiofied earliar,even an unco~rdinated boycott and limited sanctions have produced some posi the reaul ts. The actions taken by Nordic countries deserve special appreci~tion. Implementation of the oil embargo has to he tiqhtef'led and strictly monitored. SimilarlY p lQ.")pholes in the arm.q embar<;J<) urgently need to he closed. Tr~de embarqoes and disinvestment measures taken hy individual countries will have far qreati!r effect if they-are co~rdinat:P.d and ~-j Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library (Mc. Yadab, Nepal) standardiz&i. This is eQually true of sports boycotts and cultural hoycotts. Only such co-ordinated measures by the international community can force the Pretoda regime to dismantle apartheid, thus paving the way for the estaol ishment 0 f tl society with eQual rights and opportunity for all it~ people. In conclusion, I wish to place on record the deep apprecia tion of my delegation for the valuable work being done hy the Special Committee against Apartheid. The Special Committee has heen in the forefront of the campaiqn against the Pretoria regime and has effectively co-ordinated the international struggle aqainst apartheid. Bv its work the Committee has rendered invaluahle assistance in raising inter.national consciousness aqainst the criminal system of apartheid. Mr. Pfl)()FOW (Iesotho) I The Q!neral Assembly has heen seized of the problem of apartheid for decades now. The inhuman character of the policy of apartheid has been analysed and its atroci ties catalogUed. It has subSeQuently been rejected by the world community as an affront t~ all forms of civili7.ed society and universally condemned al; a threat to international peace and a crime against humanity. The ~odification of racial discrimination into the laws of South Africa that constitutes the essence of a~arthp.id has reduced even the jUdiciary and the courts of law in that country from their noble ~tanding as defenders of people's rightR to the ignominy of being enforcers of oppression and inju~tic<:.!. WP. have over the vears heard how fundamental human ri9hts, tliken for granted elsewhere as self-evident, are still denied the majoritypoplJlation of South Africa, including the right to participatp. in the pt')titical life of their C01lntry, and how the majority of those who decide to sta~d up for their rights are subject~i to brutality and humiliation under the apartheid laws, i~ctuding torture, imprisonment and even execution. «(\\c. Yadah, Nepal) We have witnessed how a numher of well-calculated measures and devices have .,~n employed by the South African Government to entrench the privileged position of the white minority popu13tion in that country. The imposition on the black people of South Africa of so-called Hantu education, which is inferior to that given the whit~s, was intended in particular to perpetuate for ever the miserahle predicament of the black population, which as a group is entirely dependent on its white mast~rs. Dut the culmination of the policy of apartheid was the Balkanization of that country into bantlJstans, treacherously designed t() alter the population chemistry of South Africa overwh~lmingly in favour of the whites. Millions of black people of South AfriCa were systematically deprived of their citizenship, some forcibly removed from the citiPR .and other areas only to be resettled in some far-off barren enclaves called tribal homelands dotted around the circumference of the territory of South Africa. ~he architects of 8jpartheid were never concerned about the immor.aJity of Rqueezing 2'; million black South African people into only 13 per cent of the territory of South Africa while reservinQ 87 per cent of the most fertile land for thp, minority of only C; million w·,'itp.~. It is for anyhody to speculat{~ nhout the intended politj~~l p.nd~ of such an inhuman policy. For a~ in Lesotho apartheid i~ a dolily experience, a reality that confronts liS daily ~s a nation, touching at any qiven timp, the lives of famil;ps and individuals alike. Beinq a landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho cMnnot escape some form of social interaction and economic i.nterdependence with So~th Af.rica. ~n overwhelminq majority of o~r labour force depends on South African mines and other indu~tries for employment; almost all our exports necessar ily holV", to QO throuqh nOlltn A.f.rica and we dp-pend on South Africa f ..,e i t~ flI)rts, roads and rdi]. tranflport systems. We have relat j.ve~ across the border in (Mr. Phoofolo, Lesotho) South Africa, and when there is instability in that country Iesotho becomes the rtearest CtJuntry of asylum for South African refugees. As we all know, Iesotno's hist~cical depertdence on South Africa was inhecitp.d from the colonial era, when it was widely believed hy our colonizers that Lesotho would eventually be merged into It larger repuhlic of South Africa. (Mc. Phoofolo, I.esotho) . ·.~ Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library But l&t there be no doubt about the consistency and clarity of my country's policy towards apartheid. We categorically reject any notion that the system of apartheid can be reformed, for we are convinced that this inhuman system, which has rightly been universally condemned as a crime against humanity, must urgently be dismantled and uprooted, in all its forms and manifestations. We remain faithful to our Obligat10ns towards the refugees and other displaced persons in southern Africa, and our commitment to all United Nations conventions remains unshaken. In expressing our desire for peaceful change towards a democratic South Africa, we do not cease to call on SOuth Africa to fulfil its obligations to create the basic conditions conducive to dialogue, including the release of all political prisoners, the unbanning of political organizations, the facilitation of the unconditional and peaceful return home to their fatherland of all exiles and the lifting of the state of emergency. While we understand the world's indignation at South Africa's indisposition towards dismantling apartheid, and the need to exert pressure, we have publicly conceded our inability to impose economic sanctions against South Africa because of our geopolitical realities, but we have equally made it clear that we cannot stand in the way of those members of the international community that are in a position to do so. All that we have always asked for is that consideration be given to our special circumstances and that the international community should assist us to withstend the inevitable adverse impact of those sanctions on our economy and our social welfare. For us in the Kingdom of Lesotho, our involvement in the global movement resisting the apartheid policies of South Africa is a matter that we cannot avoid. His Majesty King Moshoeshoe 11, in addressing the Assembly only a few weeks ago, l~t it more ~ccurately when he s~id: (Mr. Phoofolo, Lesotho) "We owe it to our founding fathers to continue to say that there should be no discrimination bet~een our respective citi7.en$~ we owe it, as a Government, to all the b13Ck peoples, Basotho included, to join in tilis common cause with everything ",e h.'W·~ at our disposal." (A/44/PV.26, p. 14) The Government in South Africa re~lins defiant in the face of all international 1!fforts to bring about peaceful change towards genuine democracy in that country, ann cO:'ltinues to ignore the decisions and resollltions of this world body in that regard, incluning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes that every human person has the same inalienable rights, regardless of race, colour ~r religiou~ belief. We are convinced that tl'te General Assembly at this forty-fourth session would be failing in its historic responsibility if. it were not to eKpress once again its unreserved condemnation of the continuing brutality of apartheid in South Africa and to reaffirm its full F;UPpl)[t for the South African people and its authentic leaders in t!'leir legi timat.:: stcuggle for the total eradication of that IJnjust system as well as for the estalJlishment of a dern:>cratic socio?ty in which all the people enjoy the same fundament~t human rights. The ASl;embly, more than ever before, has a unique opportuni ty to advance the cause of f.reedom "lnd justice in 5r.>utl, J\fricit by intenAif'{inq pre~slJre on the Prp.toria Government to c;peet'l up the process of dismantlinq i'lpartheirl. This l1niqlll~ opportunity is prp.sel'\t~ti hy the irreversihle crisis now f.acillg apartheid in South Africa, which has in pMt been pce,::il,i.tated b'{ the effecti'Jeness r)f the pressur~$ eKected by the intr..!rnati"nal c')In.'lIunity on that '::oIJntcy. The gro"'th oC the int"'lrnal mass nal1'ncr:ltic mo'"emp.:lts and the growiwl cl.)n:~ensun, even ;uooo'1 thr.:! 'Ilhit~ p,p'Jl."ti,m in t'lat ~I)untryt, that aparthei,i i~ both (r-Ir. Phoofolo, Lesotho) irrelevant and detrimental to the welf&re of all, are beginning to *ake the South African Government into realizing that apartheid can no longer b:.: sustained against the will of the South African people. Military adventures have met ~ith resistance, and all political arrangements aimed at cosmetic reforms to side-dtep the demands of the South Afd~an people for a deJ'lt)cratic society have experienced dismal failure, attesting to the validity of the judgement of the world community that apartheid is unceformable. A scenario is unfoldi.ng in South Africa that must be correctly analysed and be viewed in its true perspective. The leaders of the rUling na tiCl'lallst party have recently changed the positions of power in that QOuntry. We have noted with interest promises of change that the new leadership has made publicQ We have note:! that eight political prisoners have been released from long detention. we have also noted the apparent relaxa tion of the violent suppress ion of poU tical demonstrations. H~ever, apart from those promises and the release of a handfUl of political prisoners, every thing that constitutes apartheid remains firmly in place. We have taken serious note that, while the new leadership is publicly call1nCJ for negotia tions, Nelson Mandela and the majority of other genuine .leaders of the black South African people relll4in incaroerated in prison. We are also deeply disturbed by the fact that those few \'Ibo have now been released are stUl subjected be> severe restrictl~ns, and that the peoples' mass political or9anl~atlons re~in baMed. We are convincec'l that the present situation stUl oreates severe problem!! f~r the ushering in of a climate conduci~e to dialogue and negotiations. As if the black people of South Africa had anything to be grateful to the South AfriC-"u Government for with te<,Jacd t~ the teleane some political prisoners, the sympathizl!rs wit.h "partheid have started to adV')Coite restra lnt by (loll'. Phoofolo, Lesotho) the international community in applying pressure on South Africa, citing this recent release of prisoners and the verbal promises as evidence of the existence of a new momentum for the eradication of aparth~id. Nb heed is given to the fact that even those fine words and promises still indicate the inte~tic;.n only to reform the system of apartheid. The people of South Africa are calling for the total eradication of aeartheid and racism in all their forms. Above all, if the Government in south Africa is seriously calling fl"')r national reconciliation and dialogue, and yet the leaders of the black peopl~ remain ..striated or in pdson, we find it difficult to contemplate that those .1r~ indeed conditions under which genuine negotiations can be conducted. Let us also not forget that the people of South Africa have heard those promises before. The Assembly will recall that SOll'.2 years ago one South African leader, J.B. Vorster, faced with increasing international pressure, aSked the world for a period of six months to implement the necessary changes in South Africa, but instead used that time to strengthen SOuth Africa'$ stranglehold in Namibi~. Nothing was delivered tQ satisfy the aspirations of the black people of South Africa. In the forefront of the fight against apartheid we have the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, to which we pay a special tribute foc its commendable efforts in preparing an excellent report and for the crucial role it has played in bringing t,) the world'c;; attention the continuing bratality of apartheid. Once again the Special Committee against Aeartheid hac;; acquitted itaelf well in dischar fJlng its noble mandate. AR in all previous y~ars, the repoct of the Special Committee against Apartheid is a catalogue of. in.:;tances of unrelenting oppresl1 ion by the South Afric~n GovernmP-nt of the majority population of that country. We hear about (r·1r. Phoofolo, tP-sotho) the contin1linfl poUtical trials, death sentences Md @xec,ltions, foref!c1 p>pubtion removals, death squads, bannings an~ press censorship. At this juncture, allow me to cong~atulate the people of Namihia on thf! occasion of the holding of its first national electi~ns. It is our hope that those elections will indeed be free and fdir anc1 that all parties will accept the verdict ')f. the ballot. Although the General Assembly meets this year in an improved world political climate, characterized by th~ relaxation of international tensions and by t.'le ~...'t 'lpparent desire for peaceful resolution of dlsputes, as manif~sted by a thaw in East-West relations, the anachronism of apartheid continues to be a sourc~ of tension and a threat to peace and stabil ity in the southern African c;ub--region. ("It. Phoofolo, IP-sotho) It la our sincere hope tbat in the light of the new i.proved world 81 tua tiOft the probl_ of South Africa "ill nOlI be viwed O\Itsi. the context of Bast~tlst ccnftcntation and that the Uber:aticn ilCWe'Mnts in that co~try vUl now be vie'fed by all as leg1. tilllte organizations <)e!\uinely fighting for the birthe ight of their Lesotho shares the universal hope foe a peacefUl change to a suble and demcratic society in South Africa. We believe that all of us in the international 00-..n1 ty have a responsibility to assist in the cceation of opportunitles for dialogue leadtl¥.J to oil peaceful change in th~t country and that we IIlUSt not fa 11 to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. The prevailing political IIOOd in SOuth Afdca, which is characterized by the growth of deaocra tic lIOVements and the increasing consensus al*)ft'J liE tho people of South Africa, black and white aUke, that apartheid Is !rrelev~t, must be supported and encouraged. We are convinced that if the South African Government can 11ft the state of e_tgency, release all poll tical priscners, and allow the black people to exercise their riCJht to come together freely in ~litical ofC)anizations of their choice, the necessary clilDlltA will be created for the opening tiP of oppottll'litiea lftadinC) to dialogue and the realb~atlon by the people of South Africa of its vision and aspiratim for. a future dellDcratic and peaceful SOUth Africa. we take courage from our knowledge that the SOuth African liberation move:aents are not wedded to armed struggle and that their resort to violent means "'48 a response to the violence of apartheid and the rejection by the South African GovernlDerlt of all overtures wi th regar:d to peaoefl.l1 dialogue. It vas Mt. Oliver Tambo, the exiled leader of the African National Congress of SOuth Africa (ANe), who said in Lusaka in Januacy thls year s "We bave not beco. slaves to the arlled struggle and we are today as ready &8 1n the past to participate 1n any lleaningful political process to achieve the objective of G non-racial de~cracy.- It wa. Hellion Mandela - a leader with whose na1ll8 we are all fa.Ubf - who as lang ago as 1961, in an appe~ to the leader:4I of the rUling as wall as the op(X')sltion patties in South Africa, said. -None of us can draw any satisfaction frOll this developinCJ criais. we tXI out part as leaders of Afrieans have put forward ser tous proposals for fA way out t)f the crisia. we have called on the Governllellt to convene an elected M eional convention of representa Uvea of all races without de];.)y« and charge that convention with the tasle of drawii'lg up a new constitution for this country which wUl be acceptable to all racial groups.- It is for us all to agree on a definitive course of action for asaisting the people of South Africa to bulld a better: futur~. The meeting rose at 1.25 p.m~ (Hr. Phoofolo, resotho)