A/RES/1596(XV) GA

General Assembly-Fifteenth Session RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE CONTENTS !'age 1593 (XV). Appeal to Member States which ha":e particularly clc!se an? continu- ous relations with the Government of the Umon of South Afnca, with respect to the situation in the Territory in South West Africa (16 March 1961) (item 43) ..................................................... • •.. 7 1596 (XV). Question of South West Africa (7 April 1%1) (item 43) . . . . . . . . 7 1605 (XV). Question of the future of Ruamla-L'runcli (21 :\pril 1961) (item 45) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1606 (XV). Land tenure and agrarian reform in Ruanda-Unmdi (21 April 1961) (item 45) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1607 (XV). Dissemination of information 011 the United Nations and the Inter- national Trusteeship System in Trust Territories (21 April 1961) (item 46).. 10 1608 (XV). The future of the Trust Territory of the Cameroons under United Kingdom administration (21 April 1961) (item 13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1609 (XV). The future of Tanganyika (21 April 1%1) (item 13) . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1610 (XV). Report of the Trusteeship Council (21 April 1961) (item 13) . . . . . . 11 1611 (XV). Offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabi- tants of Trust Territories (21 April 1961) ( item 47) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1593 (XV). Appeal to Member States which have particularly close and continuous relations with the Government of the Union of South Africa, with respect to the situation in the Territory of South West Africa The General .Ass,imbly, Recalling the many resolutions adopted, since its first session, on the auestion of South \Vest Africa, and especially resolution 1568 (XV) of 18 December 1960, Noting with concern that up to the present time the Government of the Union of South Africa has ignored those resolutions and has, instead, adopted an attitude contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Noting with special concern the refusal of the Man- datory Power to implement resolution 1568 (XV), Lil?eurise notinq with conccni the continued acts whereby, since 1950, the Government of the Union of South Africa has attempted to bring about the assimila- tion of the Territory of South \Vest Africa, and in par- ticular the so-called referendum of 5 October 1960 in which only the "European" inhabitants of the Territory were permitted to take part, Considering that the conduct of the Government of the Union of South Africa constitutes a challenge to the authority of the l,; nited Nations, Considering that attempts at the assimilation of the Mandated Territory of South \Vest Africa, culminating in the so-called referendum of 5 October 1960, are total- ly unacceptable as having no moral or legal basis and being repugnant to the letter and spirit of the Mandate, 7 Appeals to those Members of the United Nations which have particularly close and continuous relations with the Government of the Union of South Africa to bring, as a matter of urgency, all their influence to bear on that Government with a view to ensuring that it shall adjust its conduct to its obligations under the Charter of the Unit eel Nat ions and shall give effect to the resolu- tions adopted by the General Assembly. 963rd plenary mcctin:J, 16 March 1961. 1596 (XV). Question of South West Africa The General Assemb[:y, B caring in mind the provisions of the General Assem- bly's Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples,1 which declares that immediate steps shall be taken to transfer all powers to such peoples, without any conditions or reservations, in accordance with their freely expressed will and de- sire. without any distinction as to race, creed or colour, in order to enable them to enjoy complete independence and freedom, Recalling its resolution 1568 (XV) of 18 December 1960 inviting the Committee on South \-Vest Africa to go to South \~lest Africa immediately, inter alia, to in- vestigate the situation prevailing in the Territory, Noting urith deep regret, from the preliminary report of the Committee on South \Vest Africa2 called ior under the said resolution, that the Government of the Union of South Africa refuses to co-operate with the 1 See resolution 1514 (XV). 2 0 ificial Records of the General Assembly, Fifteenth Session Ann1·xcs, agenda item 43, document A/4705. ' 8 General Assembly - Fifteenth Session United Nations by facilitating the mission of the Com- mittee on South West Africa, Convinced that it is both the right and the duty of the United Nations to discharge fully and effectively its obligations with respect to the proper implementation, under its supervision, of the Mandate for South West Africa conferred upon His Britannic Majesty, to be exercised on his behalf by the Government of the Union of South Africa, Noting with grave concern the continuing deteriora- tion in the situation in South West Africa resulting from the continued application, in violation of the letter and spirit of the Mandate, of tyrannical policies and practices, such as apartheid, of the administration of the Union of South Africa in South West Africa, Reiterating its concern that this situation constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, 1. Recognizes and supports the passionate yearning of the people of South \Vest Africa for freedom and the exercise of national independence and sovereig-nty; 2. Rejects the position taken by the Government of the Union of South Africa in refusing to co-operate with the United Nations in the implementation of Gen- eral Assembly resolution 1568 (XV) as well as other resolutions concerning South \Vest Africa ; 3. Deplores the attempts at the assimilation of the Mandated Territory of South West Africa, culminating in the so-called referendum held on 5 October 1960, as totally unacceptable, having no moral or legal basis and being repugnant to the letter and spirit of the Mandate; 4. Considers that the full and effective discharge of the tasks assigned to the Committee on South West Africa in paragraph 4 of General Assembly resolution 1568 (XV) is essential to the protection of the lives and property of the inhabitants of South West Africa, to the amelioration of the prevailing conditions in South West Africa, the continuance of which is likely to en- danger international peace and security, and to the exercise of the right of self-determination by the people of South West Africa in complete freedom and of their right of accession to national sovereignty and independ- ence with the least delay ; 5. Requests th~ Committee on South West Africa, therefore, immediately to proceed to discharge the spe- cial and urgent tasks entrusted to it in resolution 1568 (XV) as fully and expeditiously as possible with the co-operation of the Government of the Union of South Africa if such co-operation is available, and without it if necessary ; 6. Requests the States Members of the United Na- tions to extend to the Committee on South West Africa such assistance as it may require in the discharge of these tasks ; 7. Decides to call the attention of the Security Coun- cil to the situation in respect of South West Africa which, if allowed to continue, will in the General As- sembly's view endanger international peace and security, and to the present resolution, the full implementation of which is necessary to bring that situation to a speedy end; 8. Takes note with grave concern of reports of the terrorization of, and armed action against, the indige- nous inhabitants, and calls upon the Government of the Union of South Africa to desist from such acts; 9. Requests the Committee on South West Africa to submit to the General Assembly at its sixteenth ses- sion a report on the implementation of resolution 1568 (XV) as well as the present resolution. 979th plenary meeting, 7 April 1961. 1605 (XV). Question of the future of Ruanda- Urundi The General Assembly, B caring in mind the provisions of the General Assem- bly's Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples,1 Recalling its resolutions 1579 (XV) and 1580 (XV) of 20 December 1960 concerning the future of the Trust Territory of Ruanda-Urundi, Having received the interim report of the United Na- tions Commission for Ruanda-G rundi a appointed under resolution 1579 (XV), Regretting the failure of the Administering Authority to implement fully and effectively the terms of resolution 1579 (XV), the resistance to such implementation liy the local representatives of the Administering ;\llthority in Ruanda-Urundi and their failure to co-operate fully and effectively with the United Nations Commission for Ruanda-Urundi, Regretting the de facto recognition by the Adminis- tering Authority of governmental bodies in Ruancla which were established by irregular and unlawful means and which cannot be regarded as fully representative of all segments of the population in the absence of free and fair elections on the basis of direct universal adult suffrage, as envisaged in resolution 1579 (XV), Regretting also the setting up of governmental bodies in Urundi on the basis of communal elections, contrary to the assurances given by the Administering Authority that communal elections were purely administrative and had no political character, S oting the several statements of the representatives of the Administering Authority conveying assurances that it will co-operate fully with the United Nations in Ruanda-Urnndi, Having heard the views of the petitioners from Ruanda-Urundi, 1. Expresses its appreciation to the members of the United Nations Commission for Ruanda-Urundi for their conscientious discharge of the duties entrusted to them under General Assembly resolutions 1579 (XV) and 1580 (XV); 2. Calls upon the Government of Belgium as the Administering Authority to ensure that the provisions of resolution 1579 (XV) are fully implemented by its representatives in Ruanda-Urundi before the legislative elections; 3. Recogni:::es that the Government of Belgium is alone responsible for the administration of the Trust Territory of Ruanda-Unmdi and accountable to the United Nations, and that its responsibilities as Adminis- tering Authority cannot in any way be abdicated to local political bodies and leaders until after appropriate democratic institutions have been set up and the Trus- • !bid., agenda item 45, addendum, documents A/4706 and Add.I.

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