S/PV.2574 Security Council

(htterp~tation from French): In accordance with decisions taken by the Council at its 2J7lst meeting, 1 invite the representative of Guinea to take a place at the Council table; 1 invite the rcpresentatives of Democratic Yemen. South Africa, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Republic of Tanzania and Viet Nam to take the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. At the invitation of the Resi&nt, Mr. To& (G&tea) took a place at the Council table; Mr. AI-AI/I (Democratic Yemen), Mr. von S&n&g (South Aftica), Mr, I3Fattal (Syrtan Arab Rep&c), Mr. Lweno (United Republic of Tanson@ and Mr, Le Kim Chung lViet Nom) took the places reserved for tkem at the skie of the Council chamber.

Members of the Council have before them document S/l7013/Rev.l, which contains the text of a revised draft reJdution submitted by Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, Madagascar. Peru and Trinidad and Tobago, 3. I shall now make a statement in my capacity a’ repte. sentative of MADAGASCAR. 4. Since the entry into force of a so-called new constitution, the Pretoria authorities have been stepping up their delaying tactics to pewtuate the white minority’s domination and power. 5. That is why the Pretoria regime, anxious to improve its image in the eyes of the international community and to break out of its isolation, announced a series of lpforms which appeared to be in the interests of the black population and proposed to the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) the beginnings of a conditional diilogue. Regional bodies and municipal councils. ilected by a small minority, have been set up in order to give the impression that black South Africans will be exercising their political rights through these new institutions. In the same way, it is intended to establish an “infomlal forum” which would enable black to discuss their political future. Another example of this was the decision to gralu 16 ghettos their own police units, which would relieve white police oflicers of their increasingly d&red&d role in the alleged maintenance of order. 6. Finally, we must recall the recent oNer to release Nelson Mandela and other South African political prisoners on the condition that they renounce violence as a political means. even though the United Nations, in many resolutions, has urged the Pntoria authoritk to release without prior conditions all those imprisoned under the arbitrary State ncurity laws and all those detained for their opposition to the apartheti r&me. 7. Naturally, the black population and its leaders, the black trade unions and all opponents of upor&& have rejected these alleged reforms. Indeed. all these vague reformist gestures are designed only to strengthen the domination of white State power over the non-white majority, both in the political and economic spheres and in all other areas. 8. Thus. it is hardly surprising to see a strengthening of the black population’s resistance to the oppressive opprrheld r&me. This resistance takes several forms. Schoolchildren continue to shun the teaching system imposed upon .them: labour unions issue strike orders; and the action launched by the miners’ unions on 5 and 6 November I984 bears witness to the vitality of their movement. Ghetto dwellers refuse to be moved by force to “concentration camps” and rebel openly against the racist r&lime. I IO. The forced displacement of the inhabitants of the townships is part of the policy of bantustanitation. whose ultimate goal is to prevent the formation of a South African nation, to dispossess the majority of their land, and to strengthen the political and economic domination of the white minority. I I. Worse still, on Ig February the racist authorities of South Africa, casting off their mask of pcacefuhtess and new dialogue, arrested eight leaders of the United Democratic Front (UDF). Those leaders have now joined their e+ht companions-in-struggle who have been languishing in gaol since August 1984. At the same time, labour union leaders, students and leaders of mass organizations have been detained. Sixteen of them have been charged with high treason and therefote ate liable to the death penalty. Titus, almost 30 years after the notorious trials of South African patriots, the methods of the racist regime have scarcely changed. 12. The international community cannot remain indifferent to the dangerous developments in South Africa. In the face of the inttartsigenee, cruelty and continuous brutality of the uponircld *me, we can only teatlirm the legitimacy of the struggle of the South African people for liberation and renew our total support for the struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa, under the leadership of its national liberation movement. It is encouraging to see that public opinion in the countries that are held to be allies of South Africa is becoming aware of the plight of the South Aftican people and bringing pressure to bear on the leaders of those countries with a view to securing the effective implementation of United Nations resolutions designed to isolate South Africa. 13. My delegation isstill convinced that the present situation in South Africa derives from the continued imposition of the policy of aprfheti and racial discrimination by the South African minority r&me, as well as from its contemptuous dismissal of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The members of the Council were not fcloled by the arrogant and hypocritical statement of the representative of South Africa [257/r/ mpermrrl, who denied the justification for the agenda of the present meeting. The Pretoria agent even insulted the wisdom of the Council by his sly. underhand criticism of the countries sponsoring the draft resolution before the Council. But those countries have nothing to learn from the exponents of racial discrimination and oppression. If racist South Africa wishes to be readmitted to the comity of crvilized nations, it must completely eliminate the practice of apartheid, which is a crime against mankind. IS. I now resume my functions as PRESIDENT. 16. The reprcsentativc of Guinea wishes to make a statcment as Chairman of the Group of African States for the month of March, and I now call on him. 17. Mr. TOUR& (Guinea) (kterpretation from French): With the permission of the Council, we should like to extend to the Soviet delegation. on behalf of the Group of African States and on our own behalf, deep sympathy on the death of the President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The death of Mr. Konstantin Chernenko is a gtvat loss to the Soviet people and the peoples of the entire world. Africa has lost in Mr. Chernenko a friend in the African people’s struggle against the policy of apartheid of the racist South African regime. We ask the Soviet delegation to be kind enough to extend to the family of the deceased and to the people and Government of the Soviet Union our deepest condolences. 18. Having said that, we wish at this stage, on behalf of the Group of African States, to thank the delegations that contributed, during the intensive consultations that took place following last Friday’s meeting [ibid..] of the Council, to the revision of the draft resolution which we hope will be adopted unanimously by the Council. The unanimous adoption of the draft resolution by the Council will, we are sum. be a message reflecting the international community’s indignation and its condemnation of the barbaric acts committed by the racist regime against the African majority and reallirming the right of the people of South Africa to struggle by all means to regain their legitimate rights.

It is my understanding that the Council is prepared to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution now before it. I I hear no objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote. 20. First, I shall call on members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting

The fact that for the fourth time in seven months the Council is considering a draf! resolution on South Africa reflects the turmoil which continues in that country. We have recorded the United Kingdom’s views during the adop tion of Council resolutions 554 ( 1984), 5% t i984) and 558 (1984). The further spate of deaths, injury and violence. this time focused on the community of Crossroads, has provoked uniform condemnation. Likewise. the continuing exclusion of black South Africans from political life, the denial to the large majority of the population of South 22. At the same time, we in the United Kingdom have acknowledged that some highly significant developments are taking place in South Africa. It is impossible to tell where they will lead but. equally, it would be prejudicial to pretend that they are not happening. In his important speech of 25 January, the South African State President indicated greater flexibility and a commitment to a fuller dialogue between his Government and black opinion in South Africa. The Council should encourage dialogue between the South African Government and a fully representative cross+ection of black South African opinion. The Council must not rule out peaceful change, but must press for the fundamental reforms which will be needed to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of South Africa’s black majority. We therefore do not interpret the reference to the legitimacy of the struggle as relating to armed struggle or extending to the use of force. 23. My Government’s concern about the recent arrest of leading members of the UDF, a non-violent organisation, is a matter of public record and has been expressed directly to the South African Government. It would of course be wrong for the Council to prejudge the outcome of legal proceedings, or to take action which could have an adverse etfect on those concerned. That is not the purpose of the draft tesolution. which in its nvised form simply appeals for the charges of high treason to be dropped. 24. In the klief that a message from a divided Council would have been counter-productive, my delegation has worked hard with other members to try to secure a consensus. While I must reiterate my Government’s previous reservations about certain aspects of the draft resolution, including the tendency to exaggerate an already serious situation, I must also express our satisfaction that, thanks to the constructive spirii on all sides, a consensus ha9 been achieved which reflects the broad concerns of the Council. 25. Like others who are looking for rapid and peaceful change in South Africa, the Rritish Government hopes that the ideas outlined in Resident Rotha’s speech will k followed, at a very early date, by the implementation of major reforms; and that we shall forthwith see an end to violence and repression, and the urgent initiation of a genuine dialogue within South Africa.

I shall now put the draft resolution contained in document S/I70IYRev.I to the vote. A vote wus taken by show of hands.

The Government and the people of the United States share the deep sense of concern expressed by other member: of this body in mgard to a number of recent developments inside South Africa, in particular the continuing civil unrest in various parts of the country and the arrest of I6 opposition leaden on charges of high treason. We share also. therefore, in the general sentiments contained in the resolution we have just adopted and in the deep feelings of those who put it forward. 29. The view of the United States Government on the question of a@teid is very clear. We have stated it frequently, forcefully and at the highest level: we abhor upurtheid. Institutionalixed racial discrimination is contrary to those ideals which animate political and economic life in our country. It is contrary to everything our country stands for and believes in. We have made our feelings on uprtheid known, moreover, not in rhetorical flourishes and by hurling insults and condemnations, but in direct and forceful discussions with the South African Government itself. 30. Our goal has been to promote reform in South Africa. We seek to encourage the transformation of South Africa into a society that provides equal opportunity for all its people4 society that provides all people the opportunity to live in dignity and to enjoy the full social, political and economic beneftts of the land of their birth. We seek this transformation through peace, not through violence; through evolution, not revolution. We have committed ourselves and our influence to this endeavour. 31. The pocesr of transformation4 transformation that can lead to a government fully tep,esentative of all South Africa’s peoples and based on the consent of the governed-is a process in which all South Africam should be involved. The prm is complex and is bound to be arduous. Our role is to encourage and, to the extent possible, to facilitate the process of change. It is our judgement that a genuine process of reform is under way in South Africa and that the Government of that country has made its decision to move away from a~r/he~. This has created a new dynamic of change. Further change is not only desirable, it is inevitable. Important decisions and commitments have already been made and we recognize these. At the same time, much more must be done. 32. It is our strongly held view that a dialogue among all South Africans is a key step-indeed, an essential stepin the process ot dorm. it is in this context that we deeply mgret the arrest of I6 opposition loaders in South Africa and the decision to press charges of treason against those individuals. It is not for us to take a position on the validity of these charges, since as yet the trials have not begun and no evidence has been presented. There is a real 33. The continuing civil unrest in South Africa is also a matter of deep concern to the United States. Our sympathy of ame goes out to the homeless, the jobless, to those unable to acquire an adequate education and to the other downtrodden elements of that society, In South Africa, as &where, we tecognize the need to remedy the injustices of the past and, especially, to put an end to those that continue. We can only reiterate our encouragement and our willingness and determination to help in any way we can. It is our deepst desire that the changes that must come. and will come, to South Africa be undertaken without recourse to further bloodshed, and that dialogue replace confrontation, We call on the Government of South Africa to move forward with all possible haste on the reforms it has outlined, to move forward with the upgrading of Crossroads and its transformation into a permanent residential area, to move forward to end all fotced removals. to move forward with the expansion of tesidency rights for all its people and, indeed, to move forward towards the society of equal justice under law that we all wish to see. 34. aSpite our strongly held views on the need for change in South Africa, there are specific formulations in the tesolution which we have just adopted to which we must take some exception. ln particular, we have objected to the prejudghtg of the judicial process in South Africa. We tegtet that the tesolution neglected to call for observance of jttdiiial due process, including such important elements aa a speedy trial and access to legal counsel. We afso tagmt deviations from language proper to a Security Council molution. 33. In spite of these reservations, our strongly held views on the situation in South Africa have led us to join with otheta in consensus within the Council.

Permit me first of all to exptess the heartfelt sympathy and condolences of my delegation to the representative of the Soviet Union and his delegation on the sad passing away of Mr. Konstantin Chcmenko, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. As our Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, stated m his message oi condolence, President Citernenko dedicated his life to the welfare of his country and served the people of the Soviet Union from a young age in many diffeerent and responsible capacities. In the international field too, President Chernenko took many initiatives for peace and to contain the nuclear arms 37. 4110~ me also to take a moment to convey my gratitude to the many speakers here this morning and earlier this month who have made many kind references to my country and to me personally for my conduct of the presidency of the Council for the month of February. May I also take this opportunity to felicitate you, Mr. President. on your exemplary conduct of our proceedings and to renew to you our fullest support in the discharge of your onerous responsibilities. 38. The Council has just adopted resolution S&)0( 1985). It has done so unanimously. The sponsors of the resolution-But kina Faso, Egypt, India. Madagascar, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago-feel gratilied that the spirit oftlexibility and accommodation displayed by them in agreeing to a number of amendments has helped secure unanimity in support for the text from members of the Council. 39. With this resolution the Council has sent a clear and unequivocal message to Pretoria-a message which reiterates the universal condemnation of the policies of the mcist minority @me, a message which categorically affrms that the Council and the international community cannot and will not countenance the continued practice of agc&eid. that it will not tolerate the killing of defenceless people, that opposition to and struggle against uprtheid is not treason but, quite on the contrary, entirely legitimate, to be commended and deserving of support. The Council has called directly on South Africa to withdraw the charges of high treason against the UDF offtcials concerned and immediately and unconditionally to release them, as well as all political prisoners and detainees in South Africa. 40. To the many freedom-loving persons now languishing in South African prisons, the message is that they and the millions of opptessed and dispossessed people of South Africa are not forgotten in their plight and ptcdicament. The Council’s resolution is a beacon of hope and a manifestation of the international community’s solidarity with and support for them in their noble cause and just struggle. 41. The arrogant statement of the representative of South Africa to which you, Mr. President. speaking as representative of Madagascar a few minutes ago, referred, deserves an appropriate rebuttal. The resolution now adopted by the Council represents just that. 42. The Council has spoken with one voice. The significance of this fact will. we are sure, not be lost on the Pretoria r&hne.

The Soviet delegation expresses its deep thanks to the representative of Guinea, who spoke also as the Chairman of the Group of African States. and the representative of India, who I Mr. Chernenko. L!tboinUnltdNUhme.NoarYorlt 00300 90&439-JMIK 1994--I.925