S/PV.2735 Security Council
In accordance with decisions taken at the previous
meetings on this item, I invite the representatives of Algeria, Angola, Egypt, the
German Democratic Republic, Guyana, India, Kenya, Morocco, Nicaragua, Pakistan,
Senegal, South Africa, the Sudan, Uganda, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,
the United Republic of Tanzania, Yugoslavia and Zimbabwe to take the places
reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.
At the invitation of the President, Mr. Djoudi (Algeria), Mr. de Figueiredo
(Angola), Mr. Badawi (Egypt), Mr. Ott (German Democratic Republic), Mr. Karran
(Guyana), Mr. Dasgupta (India) Mr. Kiilu (Kenya), Mr. Bennouna (Morocco),
Mr. Icaza Gallard (Nicaragua), Mr. Ahmed (Pakistan), Mr. Sarr& (Senegal),
Mr. Manley (South Africa), Mr. Adam (Sudan), Mr. Kibedi (Uganda), Mr. Oudovenko
(Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic), Mr. Chagula (United Republic of Tanzania)r
Mr. Djokic (Yugoslavia) and Mr. Mudenge (Zimbabwe) took the places reserved for
them'at the side of the Council Chamber.
I should like to inform members of the Council that I
have received letters from the representatives of Czechoslovakia, Kuwait, Sweden
and Togo in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of
,the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I
propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to
participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the
relevant provisions of the Charter and ,rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules . . Of procedure.
There being no objection, it is so decided.
At the invitation of the President, Mr; Ceskr (Czechoslovakia), Mr. Abulhassan
(Kuwait), Mr. Ferm (Sweden) and Mr. Kouassi (Togo) &ok the places reserved for . them at the side of the Council Chamber-
I should like to inform members of the'Counc3.1 that I
have received a letter dated 18 February 1987 from the Permanent Representative Of
Yemen to the United Nations~which reads as follows*
"In,my capacity as Chairman of the Croup of Arab States for the month of
February, 'I have the honour to request that, during the Council's discussion
of the item presently on its agenda, the Security Council extend an invitation
under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to his Excellency '. Dr. 'Clovis Maksoud, Permenent Observer of the League of Arab States to the
United Nations."
That letter has been published as a document of the Security Council under the . symbol S/18700.
If I-hear no objection , I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to
extend an invitation to Mr. Maksoud, in accordance with, rule 39 of its provisional
rules of procedure.
There being no objection, it is so decided.
Yhe Security Council will now resume its consideration of the item on its , agenda.
The first speaker is the representative of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his
statement.
(The President) .
Mr. OUDOVRNKO (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) (interpretation from
Russian)t Mr. President, I should like first to welcome you;a seasoned diplomat
and an esteemed representative of an African country well known for its active
stance in international affairs, including the matter now under consideration by
the Security Council - namely, the situation in South Africa. May I congratulate
you, Sir, on occupying the responsible post of .President of this Council-
I wish also to pay tribute to the Permanent Representative of Venezuela for
his very skilful conduct of the work of the Security Council last month.
The delegation of the Ukrainia'n SSR feels that the initiative of the Group Of . African States in requesting the Security Council to consider the situation in
South Africa is timely, and we fully support it=
The question of the inhuman policy of apartheid has been on the agenda of the
United Nations for far too long. Numerous resolutions have been adopted by the
General Assembly and the Security Council , all of which have roundly condemned the
system of apartheid as a' threat to peace and security and a crime against mankind;
its immediate elimination has been demanded.
In its resolution 418 (1977) the Security Council adopted partial mandatory
measures against South Africa - an embargo on the supply of arms and military
equipment. When the Ukrainian SSR was a member of the Council, I had the honour to
discharge the functions of President at the time resolution 569 (1985) was adopted,
urging that even more far-reaching measures be taken against South Africa.
However, the situation in South Africa has not changed for the better; on the
contrary, the crisis in that part of the world in recent days has been sharply
aggravated. Since it is no longer able to govern the country, the racist regime in
South Africa is desperately stepping up its repressions: one state of emergency is
succeeded by another which is even more severe. In the country of apartheid they
both secretly and publicly kill completely innocent persons. It is not only the
leaders who are thrown into gaols but also the rank-and-file members of the
national liberation movements and even children. In a vain attempt to maintain and
Perpetuate their domination, the racists of.Pretoria are extending their acts of
aggression, sabotage and destabilization against independent African countries,
Particularly the front-line States.
The escalation of violence by the criminal apartheid regime has led to.
stiffening popular resistance and intensification of the liberation struggle. The
(Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR)
the leadership of the African National Congress of
South African people, under
South Africa, is resolutely
struggling for the creation in South Africa of a single
democratic State which will
firmly eschew racism and at the same time guarantee
equal rights for all citizens , regardless of the colour of their skin. At the
beginning of January the whole world celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of
the ANC - the vanguard, the true spokesman for and protector,of the interests of
the South African peoples.
When the Chairman of the Group of African States spoke in the debate, as also
the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid - two representatives of
African countries - and many other representatives all quite properly emphasized
that the policies and practices of apartheid are the main reason for the crisis in
South Africa, and it is.not through any mere cosmetic reforms which were described
here with such hypocrisy by the representative of South Africa but only as a result
of the complete and final elimination of apartheid that justice, peace and
stability in that part of the world can be guaranteed.
The increasing severity and aggressiveness of the racist r&ime, both in South
Africa and beyond its borders, have caused serious alarm throughout the world. The
international community is demanding more firmly than ever before that effective
steps be taken against apartheid. The World Conference on Sanctions against Racist
South Africa, which was held last year in Paris, stated the following in its . declaration:
I) . . . the overwhelming majority of States and world public opinion are now in
favour of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against the apartheid rbgime.=*“*
(S/18185, para, 29)
The Conference also stressed that:
* . . . the racist r6gime of South Africa, the only r6gime that practises
racism as its official policy and has enshrined it in its so-called
(Mr. Cudovenko, Ukrainian SSR)
constitution, has its roots in the, same racist and bellicose ideology that . . provoked the Second World War and caused untold deaths and destruction.
Appeasement of the racist r&ime therefore can only have the same disastrous,
consequences...n (S/l8185, para. 14)
The following conclusion is found in the report of the United .Nations Special
Committee against Apartheid:
. . . . sanctions remain the most effective peaceful means for transition
from apartheid to a non-racial and democratic society in South Africa.'
W/41/22, para. 212)
It is indeed reprehensible that in these circumstances certain Western
countries - in the forefront the United States - continue to give the racist dgime
various types of political, economic , military and other assistance, and to pursue
their so-called constructive co-operation with it, thus blocking the imposition
against South Africa of comprehensive mandatory sanctions in accordance with
Chapter VII of the Charter.
The Ukrainian SSR urgently appeals that an end be put to any assistance to the I Pretoria rCgime, as indicated in its reply of 12 May 1986 in connection with
General Assembly'resolution 40/64 I, entitled 'Concerted international action for
the elimination of apartheid": ,
"The Ukrainian SSR supports all United Nations decisions and recommendations
condemning apartheid and aimed at eliminating it and securing the boycott and
isolation of the South African racist &ime, it faithfully abides by them; it
maintains no relations with South Africa in the political, economic, military
or any other field." (A/41/506, p. 27)
(Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR)
Since it supports the complete isolation'of the South African racists and the
cessation of all forms of relations with the apartheid rt$gime, the Ukrainian SSR
fully concurs in the demand to the Security Council made by the African and other
non-aligned countries, which was supported by the General Assembly, concerning the
adoption of mandatory comprehensive sanctions against South Africa, in accordance
with Chapter VII of the Charter.
I thank the representative of, the Ukrainian Soviet
Socialist Republic for the kind words he addressed to me.
The next speaker is the representative of Algeria. I invite him to take a
place at the Council table and to make his statement.
Mr. DJOUDI (Algeria)(interpretation from French)t It is a great pleasure L
for me to see you, Mr. President, a worthy son of Africa, guiding the proceedings
of the Security Council at a time when it is examining a matter so crucial for the
future of our continent. Indeed, to your well-known competence and highly esteemed
experience is added the commitment of your country, Zambia, all of whose actions
and initiatives attest to its deep dedication to the restoration of law wherever it
has been infringed and of justice wherever it has been challenged.
To your predecessor, our'friend Ambassador Andres Aguillar of Venezuela, 1
should like to express our,great appreciation for the objective and dispassionate
way in which he ,discharged his functions as President of the Council last month.
A year ago the Security Council was considering the gravity of the situation
in southern Africa because of apartheid and the hegemonistic policy of the Pretoria .
r8gime: Since then the region has witnessed only the escalation of repression in,
South Africa, oppressive domination in Namibia, and aggressive adventurism against
the front-line States.
(Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR)
Since then, too; world public opinion has constantly and unanimously condemned . . the rdgime and called for the adoption of energetic measures. At the World
Conference on Sanctions, the Conference on the independence of Namibia, the
meetings of the Organization of African Unity, the meetings of the non-aligned and
the special session of the General Assembly on Namibia of last year the world
community has amply shown that apartheid incarnates everything it repudiates.
!Fhis series of meetings ,of the Security Council is not intended to deal with
any new problem, and therefore it will not be sufficient for the Council to content,
itself with expressions of censure of the kind so often given here.'
On the strength of the rights it has acquired through the sacrifices of its.
peoples in the southern part of the continent, and with the support of other
international,bodies, Africa has called for the convening of the Council to demand
that justice be done.and that this crime against humanity be duly punished.
By highlighting the situation in South Africa, Africa is once again
proclaiming that the violation of people's rights and the threat to stability and
security throughout the region derive from the existence and persistence of
apartheid, Indeed, the echoes that we hear each day attest to that truth. BY
exporting its domestic tension to neighbouring areas as the national resistance of
the South African people grows, the Pretoria r&gime has proved that its
hegemonistic designs are all part of an attempt to ensure the survival of apartheid.
Pretoria's recent stepping-up of aggressiveness in South Africa and its -
extension of that aggressiveness to the region vindicates all those who maintain
that it is incapable of mending its ways. The daily actions of.the racist regime
make that amply clear.
(Mr. Djoudi, Algeria)
By maintaining the myth of possible reform , apartheid. has managed to get the
necessary breathing space to endow itself with the means of tadicaliring- its policy
of apartheid and’imposing on South Africa a generalised state of emergency designed
to crush the nationalist struggle.
As a result - as happened in the recent past in Soweto - thousands of people
have died and thousands have been thrown into prison, including children.
Apartheid has scaled new heights of horror with mass slaughter, thus revealing
to those who still have any lingering doubts that it is- essentially.genacidal in
nature.
BY .repeating its delaying tactics , which have held up the independence qf
Namibia, the Pretoria rdgime has given abundant proof that it intends to use that
Territory as a shield to protect apartheid. And in the process it has already
extended apartheid to that country. The same objective of consolidating racial
domination is manifest in the aggression, destabilization and subversion that has
spread to the whole of independent southern Africa.
tie fact about apartheid is, then, unmistakably clears being rooted in the
cult of hegemony, it is essentially violent and aggressive in nature and incapable
of transformation, and hence any respite granted it can only mean tolerance of its
persistent illegal actions., * It is hardly original to point out that even the delay in taking measures .
against it has encouraged the apartheid r&ime in its pursuit of the policy of
’ aggression and domination.
The bitter struggle of-the South African people to regain their freedom means
that they must make increasing and incommensurable sacrifices.
To the heroic struggle of the Namibian people for its independence, Pretoria
responds only by prolonging its martyrdom.
(Mr. Lrjoudi, Algeria)
The determination of the independent peoples of southern Africa to exercise
their sovereignty in solidarity with the oppressed means that they must pay heavy
tribute to South African belligerence , which costs &hem thousands of innocent lives
and .billions of dollars in material damage.
This provides a reminder, if one were needed, that there can be no
justification for any hesitation in the face of the need to adopt sanctions against
Pretoria. Pending their immediate adoption, the peoples of southern Africa insist
that the international community ,take energetic measures against apartheid.
If ,the demand for sanctions has already met with some response in the
sanctions adopted individually by certain States, it is nevertheless.urgent for
” those timely isolated actions to be endorsed here in the Security Council-
It has now been made abundantly clear that the dangerous situation prevailing
,in southern Africa can be restrained only through the adoption of sanctions against
the apartheid r&ime; but if such measures are to be effective there ‘must be a
collective decision and collective support. There must be a collective decision
because individual actions will only give Pretoria time for evasive tactics, as in
the past. Here in the Security Council the world community must be united in
adopting binding measures. There must be collective support because it is also the
international community’s duty to commit itself to increased support for the
legitimate struggle of the South African and Namibianpeoples and the self-defence
efforts of the front-line States.
The Non-Aligned Movement has tirelessly proclaimed its endorsement of the
struggle insouthern Africa, and once again, in this exercise of solidarity, it has
taken
the first resolute step: at its eighth Summit, in Harare, it mobilized the
means
to be used in the struggle against apartheid.
: : . . . . ., ,, . . . I. ,.
(Mr. Djoudi, Algeria)
In JanUarY last, in New Delhi, an action fund was established for resistance
to invasion, colonialism and apartheid in southern Africa. It is'open to
contributions from all. This is another indication of the determination of the
. non-aligned countries to play a significant part in this decisive ‘phase of the
struggle of the peoples of that region.
In addition to the sanctions already adopted voluntarily and to the solidarity
fund that has been established, we are entitled to hope that the Se&rity Council
Will provide the decisive support that Africa and the entir-e internatSona1
community.nw expect of it.’ It has within its grasp the means of actton in the
terms of the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter,
The situation that prevails in South Africa and its extension throughout
southern Africa demand actions commensurate with the cha-llenge aparthei‘d poses to
the whole of international society. And we need action much more than we- need
speeches and condemnations.
I thank the representative of Algeria for the kind words
he. addressed to me.
The next.speaker is the representative of Pakistan. I .iriv$te- hiin to take-a
place at the CouncU table and to make his statement.
(Mr. Djoudi, Algeria)
Mr. AHMED (Pakistan); It is a special pleasure for me to congratulate
you, Sir, on your assumption of the'presidency of the Security Council for the
month of February. With the privilege of my close association with 'you, I have
come to recognise your deep understanding of personalities and events and your
diplomatic acumen, which will be valuable assets to the Council in the discharge of
the great responsibilities before it. It is also most appropriate that this
burning question of South Africa be considered in the Council during the presidency
of Zambia, a front-line State which is fully engaged in the epic struggle in
southern Africa and which for 20 tireless years has directed the thrust of
multilateral diplomacy for the independence of Namibia.
May I also take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the
Ambassador of Venezuela, His Excellency Mr. Andres Aguilar, for the skill and
efficiency with which he conducted the deliberations of the Council during the past
month.
My delegation spoke at this table one year ago to the month, when the Security
Council was considering significant developments in South Africa and the
subregion. Another long year has since melted away, heightening the prospect for
an even sharper decline into the violence and bloodshed of a racial conflagration
amid warnings from men of goodwill of the compelling urgency genuinely to redress
the rapidly deteriorating situation. In the circumstances a grave and heavy
responsibility devolves upon the Council, under its obligation to protect and
promote the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.and as the
guardian of international security, to discharge its duties for the maintenance of
peace and stability and to exert its full authority to ensure a democratic,
multiracial solution to the complex problems of the region so that the curtain is
finally rung down on the saga of human tragedy there.
,
The woes and tribulations that afflict southern Africa spring from one and
only’one umistakable source , namely, the abominable philosophy of apartheid that
permeates and rules all the major impulses of the minority r6gime of Pretoria-
, . Repression at home, through an abhorrent system that demeans and dehumanizes and
that is fuelled by brutality, and aggression abroad; whether through the illegal
Occupation of Namibia, violence towards its people and plunder of its resources,
or, indeed, through the systematic and intensified campaign of intimidation,,
.destabilisation, economic disruption and blatant military invasion against
front-line States, are but ‘complementary strands in the service of the same policy
of apartheid. Pluck out this rooted evil of apartheid, and the fever and
convulsion that grip the body politic will dissipate to yield place to its normal
health and vitality.
The march of time and the lessons of history seem to be entirely lost on an
arrogant r6gime which is hung up on the distortions of its own cynicism and
Self-righteousness. The so-called reforms trumpeted by Pretoria as the agents of
peaceful change have been thoroughly exposed-as the cosmetic and transparent
stratagems that they are; The state of emergency was reimposed only three months
after having been lifted, and the basic pillars of apartheid, notably the homelands
policy,.the Population Registration Act and the Group Areas Act, still remain on
the statute books and,are active areas of State policy and action. The path to a
genuine solution lies, quite to the contrary, through a broad national dialogue
amongst all ,South Africans, irrespective of distinction, towards a democratic,
multiracial society which upholds eguality, justice and human dignity. The steps
taken by Pretoria are mere subterfuges and must be viewed against the background Of
its firm determination to retain white control. The wave of violence that is now
-
(Mr. Ahmed, Pakistan)
sweeping across southern Africa , wreaking death, destruction and deprivation, is a
living repudiation of the manoeuvres and machinations of Pretoria.
When we speak of the Outrage of apartheid we are talking about discrimination
on the basis of race and the denial of inalienable rights, fundamental freedoms and
liberties - indeed, about the birthright of human equality and dignity which We
elsewhere take for granted like the bounties of sunshine and fresh air. Those
values are universally acknowledged to be universal and indivisible.
The core and content and the dogma and practice of apartheid remain unchanged,
and the terror and tension they unleash percolate in ever-widening circles. The
Council cannot remain a silent spectator of Pretoria’s defiance of the’weight of
internatinal opinion and its stubborn refusal of the numerous resolutions and
injunctions of our world body. The commitment of the dispossessed masses of
humanity in South Africa, their zeal and spirit of sacrifice inspired by
Nelson Mandela who, through decades of captivity, uplifts his people, ensure the
success of the epic struggle for human dignity in its ultimate phase. The Security
Council is called upon to play its designated role, including the application of
provisions contained in Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. Pakistan
has long advocated the application of comprehensive mandatory sanctions as the
remaining method to compel peaceful change in South Africa.
The continued illegal occupation of Namibia for 20 years and its colonisation
for over a century must now be brought to a speedy end. The blueprint for Namibian
independence is available in Security Council resolution’435.(1978), which has the
agreement of all concerned, including Pretoria, and the Secretary-General’s report
deemed that all impediments have been cleared in the path of Namibian
independence.. Since only Pretoria’s intransigence and stubbornness stand between
Namibia .and its independence, it has become necessary to place a time frame for the
(Mr. Ahmed, Pakistan)
accession of Namibia to independence and to take calibrated measures to compel
Pretoria into compliance,
Pakistan has an abiding interest in the security and welfare of southern
I Africa, and its historical commitment to African causes is well known. We pledge
again today our full and unequivocal support to the' fraternal people of southern
Africa and to their respected leadership in their just struggle for the restitution
Of their human, national and democratic rights,
I thank the representative of Pakistan for the kind words
he addressed to me.
The next speaker is the representative of the United Republic of. Tanzania. I
invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement-
Mr. CHAGULA (United Republic of Tanzania)r First of all, I should like.
to extend our warmest congratulations to you, Sir, and to your delegation on Your
assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of February. My
delegation is pleased to see a distinguished diplomat from a country with which we
have a lot in common presiding over the deliberations of the Council on an issue
that has challenged the whole of mankind for almost four decades. Your country,
Zambia, as one of the front-line States has since independence stood firmly for the
abolition of minority rhgimes in.southern Africa. We still have fresh memories Of
thk sacrifices your country made during the entire period of the unilateral
declaration of independence in Rhodesia until 'Zambia obtained its independence in
1980.' We are confident that your great skills and long experience in diplomacy
will guide our discussions to a successful conclusion+
(Mr. Ahmed, Pak-istan)
I should like also to pay a tribute to your predecessor, Ris Excellency
Mr. Andres Aguilar, Permanent Representative of Venezuela, for the able and
effective manner in which he directed the proceedings of the Council last month.
It is now more than one year since the Council was seized of the question of
the situation in southern Africa, rapidly deteriorating as a. result of the evil
policies of apartheid in South Africa. At that time we came to the Council in the
wake of the racist r&gime’s threats against its neighbours and the front-line
States, mainly because those countries were giving sanctuary to South African
refugees who, in fact, were fleeing the scourge of apartheid. Cn‘that pretext, the
racist rggime carried out wanton military attacks against the front-line States and
an economic blockade against Lesotho, a country completely surrounded by the
territory of the apartheid tigime. We all know what subsequently happened in that
country, and it is not necessary to go into details. Military attacks by the
aPartheid.rCgime against Angola are an almost daily occurrence.
We have’been compelled to come back to the Security’Council simply because the
situation in southern Africa has continued to deteriorate as a consequence of the
intensification by:the apartheid regime of its repressive rule through the
imposition of a state of emergency which allows its security forces to crush down
any resistance through such mechanisms as arbitrary arrests, detention without
trial, torture and genocidal violence against the black population, and the almost
complete muzzling of the news media to prevent the world from knowing about the
extreme violations of human rights by that r6gime. It is known that so far more
than 30,000 people have been imprisoned - without trial, of course - and as many as
2,500 have been killed in South Africa during the past 20 months. .
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
The root cause of’the violence in South Africa, as we all know, l$es in the
evil policies Of apartheid, whose survival depends on the continued violation of
the basic human rights of the black majority and their daily massacre, which, really
amounts to genocide. It is for.that reason that the international community has
unanimously condemned apartheid as evil and an affront to human conscience and
dignity. The condemnation of the apartheid rdgime by the international Community . has, however, so far gone unheeded , and the racist r&gime over the years has
systematically continued to-enact laws that have relegated the majority of; the
people of South Africa to’the.status of foreigners.in their own country.
Initially, up to 1960, the struggle of the people of South Africa was peaceful, but
thereafter they were forced to resort to other means in order to counter
effectively the evil policies and State violence of ppartheid; That radical change
came after the March 1960 Sharpeville massacre, from which time the racist regime
has resorted to the banning.of all political activities by the non-white citizens
of South Africa and the imprisonment of fheir leaders, including Nelson MandeW
without ‘trial.
However,‘-the Sharpeville massacre did not deter the peopleof, South Africa
from fighting for their inalienable rights, but rather strengthened further their
resolve to end apartheid. As Is generally known, the, struggle in South Africa has
intensified both internally ,and externally. The Soweto uprising of 1976, which was
triggered by high school students, followed by the spontaneous national resistance- .-
of 1984, has dealt a heavy blow to the racist r&We, The determination of the
People Of South Africa to end apartheid has reached the point.of no-return. Today*
national resistance in South Africa against.digct.iminatory apartheid! laws and State . terrorism, as well as against increased house rents and forced removals, has . : :- ,: ; 1.: :. ,.; .:. :’ :.-.,,;; __ (,, ‘.. j -. :, :.:” i, i .. ,, ,.,- .,-;- ..1 -:;.,, (. .~ .’
(Mt. Chagula, United l&pub-lit of Tanzania)
rendered the apartheid system unworkable and South Africa itself ungovernable. AS
a reaction, the racist r&ime has become more desperate and aggressive, leading to
the imposition of more Draconian laws against the black majority in South Africa.
The apartheid r&ime has also intensified its military aggression and
destabilisation against its neighbours and the front-line States., The most recent
and tragic event was the shocking and mysterious death inside South Africa of
President Samota Moises Machel, which happened in October last,. The international
Community is still anxiously awaiting reliable and credible information on the
cause of the plane crash, which so far has remained elusive. liotiever, what we know
iS that the racist r&ime has all along been engaged in a strategy of weakening its .3 neighbours politically and’controling them economically. The r&ime has been able
to do so by training, arming, financing and otherwise supporting dissident groups
such as #@NAM0 in Mozambique and the UNITA bandits in Angola. These ”
destabilization activities by the racist r&gime have had negative effects on the.
political and economic stability of the front-line States, especially Angola and
Mozambique. In that connection, United Nations Children’s Fund sources have
recently revealed that about 140,000 children died through South African
destabilisation activities last year in Angola and Mozambique alone, and the figure
could be higher this year. Thus, it is obvious.that the racist ‘r&ime has also
indirectly embarked on genocide in the front-line States.
As if that were not enough, the apartheid r&gime, through its RENAMO and UNITA
surrogates, has caused huge losses .to the front-line States and the countries of :/. the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC) by continually
sabotaging their transport routes to the seaports ‘of Mozambique and Angola; it is.
estimated that for the period 1980-1986 the SADCC member States incurred a loss of
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
not less than $15 billion in terms of higher transport costs, extra defence
expenditures and other materiaL damage.
These military attacks and destabilization measures by the racist r6gime
against the front-line States are intended to cow those States and make them
dependent upon the racist regime , with a view to perpetuating apartheid. That is.
part of the racist rQgime*s so-called total strategy and,complements the
intensification of its internal oppression of the,majority of its POpulatiOn.
However, this so-called tot@1 strategy will not work in the long runl for the
oppressed peoples of South Africa and the front-line States have already crossed
the Rub&on, and what they now urgently need is the:fulJ and unreserved moralr
political, diplomatic and material support of the international co,mmunity as a
whole, in- order completely to isolate the apartheid r~gime,.politiCallY~
diplomatically, economically, militarily, socially and culturally.
. .
.
.
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
Yesterday my colleague the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe gave the
Council an example of how effective the social and cultural isolation of South
Africa dan be in the dismantling of apartheid, and I fully concur with what he said.
That brings me to the crucial issue of what the international community should
and must do in order to hasten the end of apartheid and pave the way for a
non-racial democratic government in South Africa which will respect human rights
and other international norms of behaviour. I fully realise I am not treading on
virgin ground, for the General Assembly and many other past and recent
international forums, both inside and outside the United Nations system, have
pronounced themselves very loudly and clearly on this issue. However, as the
current Chairman of the African Group, the Permanent Representative of Egypt*
stated before the Council two days ago - and I fully agree with him - as the organ
charged with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security
under the United Nations Charter, the Security Council has a crucial role to play
in the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. But so far the Council appears to
have abdicated its responsibility in this regard.
We are participating in these meetings of the Security Council in order to
assist the Council to regain its lost credibility as an organ for maintaining
international peace and security, particularly as regards apartheid in South
Africa, on which many resolutions of the General Assembly have provided the
explicit views and guidance of the international community as a whole. We
sincerely hope that the Council will promptly take this opportunity to regain its
lost credibility, before it is too late.
The question ist where do we go from here and what is our advice to the
Security Council? At present there are two options. The first is to continue with
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
the so-called constructive engagement and dialogue with racist South Africa, and
the second is to impose comprehensive mandatory sanctions against Bouth.Africa
under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
With the miserable demise of the Comnionwealth Eminent Persons Group, on which
I need not enlarge, and following last year’s imposition of selective economic
sanctions against South Africa by the United States, the European Economic
Community and Norway, Finland, Canada and.other countries - not to mention the Call
.for comprehensive mandatory.sanctions against South Africa under Chapter VII of the
United Nations Charter by’the Paris International Conference on Sanctions against
Racist South Africa. the most recent Summit Conference of the Organisation of
African Unity, the Eighth Summit Conference of Beads of State or Government of the
Non-Aligned’ Movement, in Barare last August, the recent disinvestment policies of
an increasing number of Western multinationals,iand the resolutions of the
forty-first SehiOn of the General Assembly - it is our view that the question of
continuing a dialogue with the South African racist r&isle is impracticable, as it
has already been overtaken by many events. These events include the,
recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on South Africa, appointed by united
States Secretary of State Shultz, which has emphasised the importance;of
co-ordinatfng international efforts in the sanctions movement against South
Africa. We fully concur with those recommendations as outlined in the statement by
the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe yesterday. But I should: like to add that
the statement made by the representative of racist South.Africa on- Tues~day very
clearly shows the South African apartheid r&ime#s arrogance, intransigence and
defiance of the international community, which, logicallyr leaves- no room for
dialogue or constructive engagement with it. That should .once and for all end the .
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
policies of those countries which still hope that dialogue with racist South Africa ’
could bring about the dismantling of its apartheid policies.
In my statement f shall not go into details as to what the international
community has so far done regarding sanctions against racist South Africa and what
remains to be done, as this was very effectively outlined by; again, the Permanent
Representative of Zimbabwe in his statement yesterday. I fully &cur with what he
stated. We should like sincerely to thank all those Governments, specialized
agencies, non-governmental organizations and individuals that have so far
contributed to the present international public opinion concerning racist South
Africa and what should be urgently done about it.
As my colleague and brother the Permanent.Representative of Zimbabwe informed
the Council yesterday, we are here now to put an end to the practice of sending
conflicting signals to the racist regime -of South Africa and to harmonize the
positive measures which various Governments and regional groupings have already ,
adopted in order to send signals to the Pretoria racist r6gime in respect of its
apartheid policy. Our primary objective in coming to the Security Council is to
seek the unification of these international efforts so that the whole international
community can send to Pretoria one clear, unambiguous message under one global.
umbrella.
fn this regard, although both the Organization of African Unity and the Eighth _
Summit Conference of the non-aligned countries, in Rarare last August, decided that
the only effective peaceful option left to persuade the racist rggime of South
Africa. to abandon its apartheid policy was the immediate imposition of
comprehensive mandatory sanctions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter,
as my colleague the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe stated yesterday we have
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
been convinced by many of our friends and sympathizers that we should first seek to
establish a baseline for further international action in accordance with the
initiatives which have 60 far been taken by various Governments, regional and
’ subregional groupings and non-governmental organisations.
‘In this regard, as again my colleague the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe
has already stated, we have been persuaded that the measures that have already been
taken by the United States Congress against South Africa form a reasonable basis
.for the international community to begin with, on the understanding that, through
the Security Council, it could later on mount further and more-severe Sanctions
should these selective mandatory sanctions against South Aftica prove ineffective -
it is not necessary for me to list these measures since they are already Well known
to members of the Council. In doing this, the Council would have as its.aim
bringing all the different sanctions already taken in this connection by various
individual Member States, groupings of Member States and non-governmental
organizations under one umbrella and giving them a global unambiguous context under
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
It is our very sincere hope that members of the Security Council will not find
it unreasonable to endorse this transitional proposal that is now before the
(Mr. Chagula, United Republic of Tanzania)
The -PRESIDENT: I thank the representative of the united Republic of
Tanzania for his kind words addressed to me.
The next speaker is Mr. Mfanafuthi Makatin,i, to whom the Council extended an
invitation at its 2733rd meeting under rule 39 of its provisional rules Of
procedure.
I invite him to take a place at the Council table and tc make his statement.
Mr. MAKATINIr The delegation of the African National Congress of South
Africa (ANC), on behalf of the oppressed and st&ggling people of South Africa,
expresses its appreciation of the invitation extended to it by the Council.
We take comfort, Sir, in seeing the Council presided over by’you, our
dedicated brother, the son of beloved Zambia, a country that has offered itself as
a haven to al1 genuine freedom fighters in the region. The people, the Party and
the Covernment of Zambia, under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, have, in . accordance with the commitment of the rest of the front-line States, given
selflessly to the cause of freedom in South Africa and Namibia, We feel confident,
Sir, that under your presidency the urgency that the front-line and other
independent African States attach to the speedy eradication of apartheid and its
replacement by a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa will be addressed
and translated into concrete action.
MY delegation also takes this opportunity , to congratulate your predecessor,
Mr. Andres Aguilar, of truly anti-apartheid Venezuela, on the skilful manner in .
Which he handled the Council’s affairs last month. We recall with pride that not
so long ago our President, Oliver Tambo, had the honour of receiving on behalf Of
Nelson Mandela the Simon Bolivar Award, an illustrious award that our colleague
shares with His Majesty King Carlos of Spain.
The African National Congress of South Africa has come to urge the Council to
take
immediate and effective action in accordance with the Charter against the
Pretoria r&ime, whose intensified brutal repression of a defenceless population,
the carnage it has caused among that population and its freguent armed aggression
against the neighbouring States constitute a threat &a peace and international
security.
Since the Council last met on this question the situation’internally and in
the region has deteriorated &lar&ngly. The r6gime has proclaimed two Draconian
states of emergency in less’than two years. It has detained without-trial more
than 30,000 compatriots, 40 per cent of whom are children under 18, including
several hundreds under 13. Through its security forces and surrogates, the
vigilantes, it has murdered over 3,000 patriots, many.of whom are youths, children
and infants. It has imposed a news blackout, thereby becoming the sole‘ source of
information.
The rggime has directly and through its surrogates,. the local vigilantes,
RENAMO and UNITA, carried out wanton acts of terrorism against the people of South
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and, Zimbabwe. It
has deployed more than 34,000 troops to.occupy 96 townships as well as various
labour compounds and schools throughout ,the country. It has detained thousands of
youths in the so-called reeducation centres, obviously designed. to effect
behaviour modification, most probably for future use in the furtherance of
State-promoted and so-called black-on-black violence.
(Mr.. Makatbni)
Further to the ‘electrification of the border,fences and the fencing of the . . townships, the t6gime has embarked on a hideous programme of building a wall around’
Soweto, an act &rally viewed by our people as intended to facilitate complete
control, if not acts of genocide. It has repeatedly contravened,fnternational law,
violating the sanctity of its neighbours g international borders ‘and abducting
refugees, accusfng them of being members of the ‘ANC or ANC sympathizers.
The r&ime, which has arrogated to itself the right to intervene militarily in
all African countries, made open threats to Samora Machel three days before his
untimely, tragic death, whose cause is yet to be established.
m days ago the representative of the Pretoria r&ime, in what I believe was
his maiden speech in the Council, insulted the intelligence of the Council and the
international community by stating:
“Power in South Africa resides in the hands of the moderate majority. That
moderate majority includes blacks, whites, Asians and Coloureds.” (S/m?. 2732,
P- 231
What a preposterous untruth! Has not the United Nations since its inception been .’ seized of the South African problem, which is to this day characterized by the
denial of,basic political rights to the majority of its population, which enjoys no
right to vote or to be elected to the law-making institutions?
Permit me to tell the Council of a Uifferent voice from the privileged class
in South Africa - that of the leader of a group.of students from Stellenbosch
University, that bastion of Afrikanerdom, of which P. W. Botha is Chancellorr
“We are a generation that has been fed on a gospel of lies by our so-called
leaders.”
(Mr. Makatini) ’
Having met the ANC leadership in Lusaka, and .being convinced of the sanity of the
ANC programme, as reflected in the Freedom Charter, those students returned to
South Africa and published a pamphlet in which they demanded that the regime
negotiate with the ANC. The students thus became part of an ever-growing
constituency, whose representatives have been trekking to Lusaka to meet and hold
discussions with the ANC, a group that includes eminent businessmen in South
Africa, religious leaders, black business leaders and English-speaking and
Afrikaans-speaking students.
(Mr. Makatini)
.
I shall not subject this Council to a tedious, irrelevant and unnecessary . rebuttal of the Alice-in-Wonderland expose of apartheid South Africa's alleged
commitment to reform. It is perhaps too early to expect the newly arrived
representative of the Pretoria r&gime to recognise that apartheid cannot be
reformed but must be destroyed. As our President, Oliver Tambo Saidt "Apartheid
either is or is not. And it must not be." However, we look forward to his
enlightenment by his exposure to the international community and we will welcome
his defection to join his former colleagues who, like a growing number in the
country, have resigned high-ranking government posts and are distancing themselves
today from P. W. Botha and his so-called reforms.
Inasmuch as the people of the world became outraged and made common Cause
against nazism in Germany and fascism in Italy, we believe that the people6 of the
world today UIUSt embark on a similar concerted Onslaught against apartheid. The
fact that apartheid is an offshoot of nazism is made abundantly clear by the
statement made by John Vorster in 1942 when he was detained for his role a6 a
general in the fifth column, a secret organization, the Osswabrandwag. I am I referring here to the former Prime Minister of South Africa,
John Balthazar Vorster, who said:
"In South Africa we stand for Christian nationalism. It is called
fascism in Italy and national socialism .in Germany."
Consequently, the philosophical underpinnings of the rggime do not lend
themselves to meaningful reform or change.'
fn his Statement marking the Seventy-fifth anniversary of the AN!,
Oliver Tambo said:
"In its permanent light all can see clearly the nasty brutishness of the
external relations which our oppressors have sought to maintain, relations
(Mr.'Makatini)
based on racial superiority and domination, oppression, war and murderr
underhand dealings and lies.
“The time has come when the world, especially the United States, the
United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of C&many, France and other major
Western powers, must finally no longer associate themselves with and encourage
the pursuit of such relations and the commitment of these crimes. surely the
time is upon us when the democratic movement of our country should everywhere
take its place as the rightful representative of our people-”
fn its bid towards the liberation of South’ Africa and Namibia, the United
Nations General Assembly has, since 1962, adoptednumerous resolutions .calling for
the imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa. This
noble effort by the overwhelming majority of mankind still awaits endorsement by
this Council. Furthermore, the international community, outraged by the
criminality and brutality of the apartheid system, has for some y.ears now been
exerting pressure on respective Governments. It was the result of such pressure
that the Bahamas Commonwealth Summit established the Eminent Persons Gr6upr which
called on the Pretoria r&ime to dismantle apartheid, lift the existing state of
emergencyI release Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners, lift the ban on
the ANC and other political qrganizations , and also called for the simultaneous
suspension of violence in order to begin the process leading to a negotiated
settlement in South Africa,
Although convinced that the Pretoria r&ime was not amenable to such a ‘*
rattonal. position, it should be recalled that the ANC, true to its pragmatismr
agreed to co-operate and to give the negotiated concept of the Eminent Persons
Group a chance. The Pretoria rggime, for its part, unleashed a virulent attack
against the Eminent Persons Group during its visit in South Africa and, on :
(Mr . Makatini).
19 May 1986, a few hours before a scheduled meeting in Cape Town, carried out
unprovoked attacks against civilian targets in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
thereby torpedoing the Commonwealth initiative. The Eminent persons Croup arrived
at conclusions in favour of sanctions. About the same time, the World Conference
on Sanctions against South Africa, meeting in Paris, also arrived at conclusions in
favour of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa. That historic
Conference also triggered a greater momentum in favour of sanct-ions against the
Pretoria regime throughout the world, including the United States of America.
We salute the peoples of the world, the natural allies of the oppressed people
Of South Africa ‘and Namibia. We commend the anti-apartheid people of the United
States of America who are opposed to the policy of constructive engagement, and
also those congressional leaders who have accurately assessed the mood of the times
and the wide, consensus within their country and have waged a bipartisan campaign
that resulted in the enactment of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986. Xn
this connection, we urge those forces to remain vigilant against bogus withdrawals
by some corporations and to campaign for the inclusion of so-called strategic
minerals in the list of items not to be imported from South Africa.
The’AfriCan National Congress is today more convinced than ever before of the
urgent need for the international community to exert maximum pressure, including
the imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against the Pretoria r&gime.
It is for that reason that we join those who have preceded us in commending the.
conclusions of the Advisory Committee estabiished by Secretary of State
George Shultz on 19 December 1985, which declared that “the most effective external
Pressure will come from a concerted international effort”. The Committee.contfnues,
(Mr. ‘Makatini) ’
“We recommend that the President begin urgent consultations with our alliesi
especially Britain, Canada, West Germany, France, Japan and Israel, to enlist
their support for a multilateral programme of sanctions drawn from the list of
measures included in the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986.”
We.urge Member States to support the draft resolution submitted bythe
non-aligned countries as the first important step towards the desired international
action.
(Mr. Makatini)
We seize this‘opportunity to reaffirm our position as expressed by our . President in a statement delivered on the occasion of ANC's seventy-fifth
anniversary ,and in keeping with our conviction that South Africa belongs to all who
live in it, black and white, and that no Government can justly claim authority
unless it is based on the will of all the people. In pursuing this pointr
President Oliver Tambo declared:
"For us, it is of special importance that the new reality should
reinforce and entrench what we are accomplishing now, in struggler the
building of a nation of South Africans. It must reflect and enhance our
oneness, breaking down the terrible and destructive idea and practice of
defining our people by race, colour or ethnic group. The revolution will
guarantee the individual and equal rights of all South Africans, without -- -
regard to any'of those categories , and include such freedoms as those of
speech, assembly, association, language, religion, the press, inviolability Of
family life, and freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention without trial.*
The PRESIDENT8 I thank Mr. Makatini for the kind words he addressed to I me.
There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. The next meeting of the
Security Council to continue consideration of the item on its agenda will be held
this afternoon at 3.30.
I should like to remind members that there is a long list of speakers for this
afternoon - eight so far - and it is possible that the number will increase by the
time we convene. We must therefore start our business promptly this afternoon,
The meetinq rose at 12.55 p.m.
(Mr. Makatini) '