A/RES/37/31 GA

228 General Assembly-Thirty-seventh Session Bearing in mind that Portugal, the administering Power, has stated its full and solemn commitment to uphold the right of the people of East Timor to self-determination and independence, Bearing in mind also its resolutions 3485 (XXX) of 12 December 1975, 31/53 of I December 1976, 32/34 of 28 November 1977, 33/39 of 13 December 1978, 34/40 of 21 November 1979, 35/27 of 11 November 1980 and 36/50 of 24 November 1981, Concerned at the humanitarian situation prevailing in the Territory and believing that all efforts should be made by the international community to improve the living conditions of the people of East Timor and to guarantee to them the effective enjoyment of their fundamental human rights, I. Requests the Secretary-General to initiate consulta­ tions with all parties directly concerned, with a view to exploring avenues for achieving a comprehensive settlement of the problem and to report thereon to the General Assem­ bly at its thirty-eighth session; 2. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting oflndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to keep the situation in the Territory under active consid­ eration and to render all assistance to the Secretary-General with a view to facilitating the implementation of the present resolution; 3. Calls upon all specialized agencies and other organ­ izations of the United Nations system, in particular the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, immediately to assist, within their respective fields of competence, the people of East Timor, in close consultation with Portugal, as the administering Power; 4. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled ''Question of East Timor". 77th plenary meeting 23 November 1982 37/31. Activities of foreign economic and other inter­ ests which are impeding the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen­ dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in Na­ mibia and in all other Territories under colonial domination and efforts to eliminate colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa The General Assembly, Having considered the item entitled '' Activities of foreign economic and other interests which are impeding the im­ plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde­ pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in Namibia and in all other Territories under colonial domination and efforts to eliminate colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa'' , Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Cċmmittee on the Sit_uation with regard to the Implemen­ tation of the Declarat10n on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to this question, 36 Taking into consideration the relevant chapters of the report of the United Nations Council for Namibia, 37 36 Ibid., Thirty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/37123/Rev. I). chap. V. "Ibid .. Supplement No. 24 (A/37124). part two. chap,. IV and XI.A. Taking note of the progress report of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, 38 relating to the prep­ aration of a register indicating the profits which transnational corporations derive from their activities in colonial Terri­ tories, submitted in pursuance of General Assembly reso­ lution 36/51 of 24 November 1981 , Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, 2621 (XXV) of 12 Oc­ tober 1970, containing the programme of action for the full implementation of the Declaration, and 35/ I I 8 of 11 De­ cember 1980, the annex to which contains the Plan of Action for the Full Implementation of the Declaration, as well as all other resolutions of the United Nations relating to the item, Reaffirming the solemn obligation of the administering Powers under the Charter of the United Nations to promote the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the inhabitants of the Territories under their administra­ tion and to protect the human and natural resources of those Territories against abuses, Bearing in mind the relevant resolutions adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its thirty-seventh ordinary session, held at Nairobi from 15 to 26 June 1981, w and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Af­ rican Unity at its eighteenth ordinary session, held at Nairobi from 24 to 27 June 198 I , Taking into account the relevant provisions of the Special Declaration on Namibia;«> adopted by the International Con­ ference on Sanctions against South Africa, Reaffirming that any economic or other activity which impedes the implementation of the Declaration on the Grant­ ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and obstructs efforts aimed at the elimination of colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa and other colonial Territories is in direct violation of the rights of the inhabitants and of the principles of the Charter and all relevant resolutions of the United Nations, Reaffirming that the natural resources of all Territories under colonial and racist domination are the heritage of the peoples of those Territories and that the exploitation and depletion of those resources by foreign economic interests, in particular in Namibia, in association with the occupying regime of South Africa, constitute a direct violation of the rights of the peoples and of the principles of the Charter and all relevant resolutions of the United Nations. Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final com­ munique and other documents of the Ministerial Meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries, held at Havana from 31 May to 5 June 1982,41 Taking into account the relevant provisions of the Arusha Declaration and Programme of Action on Namibia,42 adopted by the United Nations Council for Namibia on 13 May 1982 at its extraordinary plenary meeting held at Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, Noting with profound concern that the colonial Powers and certain States, through their activities in the colonial Territories, have continued to disregard United Nations de­ cisions relating to the item and that they have failed to implement in particular the relevant provisions of General '" A/37/405. annex. ''' See A/36/534. annex I. 411 Report of the lntnnatiorwl Conferi'nce on S11nctio11.1 111(11i11st Sot4th AfriCII, Paris, 20-27 Mm· 1981 (A/CONF 107/8), sect. X.B. 41 N37/333-S/15278. annex. 42 See Official Records of the General Assemblv. Thirtv·.\"l'l'<'lllh Session. Supplement No. 24 (Al 17/24). para. 767 • • VII. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the Fourth Committee 229 Assembly resolutions 2621 (XXV) and 36/51, by which the Assembly called upon all Governments that had not yet done so to take legislative, administrative or other measures in respect of their nationals and the bodies corporate under their jurisdiction that own and operate enterprises in colonial Territories, particularly in Africa, which are detrimental to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories. in order to put an end to such enterprises and to prevent new in­ vestments that run counter to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories, Condemning the intensified activities of those foreign eco­ nomic, financial and other interests which continue to ex­ ploit the natural and human resources of the colonial Territories and to accumulate and repatriate huge profits to the detriment of the interests of the inhabitants, particularly in the case of Namibia, thereby impeding the realization by the peoples of the Territories of their legitimate aspirations for self-determination and independence, Strongly condemning the support which the racist mi­ nority regime of South Africa continues to receive from those foreign economic, financial and other interests which are collaborating with it in the exploitation of the natural and human resources of the international Territory of Na­ mibia, in the further entrenchment of its illegal racist dom­ ination over the Territory and in the strengthening of its system of apartheid, Strongly condemning the investment of foreign capital in the production of uranium and the collaboration of certain Western States and other States with the racist minority regime of South Africa in the nuclear field which. by pro­ viding that regime with nuclear equipment and technology, enable it to develop nuclear and military capabilities and to become a nuclear Power, thereby promoting South Africa's continued illegal occupation of Namibia, Concerned about the conditions in other colonial Terri­ tories, including certain Territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific regions, where foreign economic, financial and other interests continue to deprive the indigenous populations of their rights over the wealth of their countries, and where the inhabitants of those Territories continue to suffer from a loss of land ownership as a result of the failure of the administering Powers concerned to restrict the sale of land to foreigners, despite the repeated appeals of the General Assembly, Conscious of the continuing need to mobilize world public opinion against the involvement of foreign economic, fi­ nancial and other interests in the exploitation of natural and human resources, which impedes the independence of co­ lonial Territories and the elimination of racism, particularly in southern Africa, l. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of de­ pendent Territories to self-determination and independence and to the enjoyment of the natural resources of their Ter­ ritories, as well as their right to dispose of those resources in their best interests; 2. Reiterates that any administering or occupying Power that deprives the colonial peoples of the exercise of their legitimate rights over their natural resources or subordinates the rights and interests of those peoples to foreign economic and financial interests violates the solemn obligations it has assumed under the Charter of the United Nations; 3. Reaffirms that, by their depletive exploitation of nat­ ural resources, the continued accumulation and repatriation of huge profits and the use of those profits for the enrichment of foreign settlers and the entrenchment of colonial domi­ nation and racial discrimination in the Territories, the ac­ tivities of foreign economic, financial and other interests operating at present in the colonial Territories. particularly in southern Africa, constitute a major obstacle to political independence and racial equality as well as to the enjoyment of the natural resources of those Territories by the indige­ nous inhabitants; 4. Condemns the activities of foreign economic and other interests in the colonial Territories impeding the implemen­ tation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), and the efforts to eliminate colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination; 5. Condemns the policies of Governments that continue to support or collaborate with those foreign economic and other interests engaged in exploiting the natural and human resources of the Territories, including in particular illegally exploiting Namibia's marine resources, violating the polit­ ical, economic and social rights and interests of the indig­ enous peoples and thus obstructing the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration in respect of those Territories; 6. Strongly condemns the collusion of the Governments of certain Western States and other States with the racist minority regime of South Africa in the nuclear field and calls upon those and all other Governments to refrain from supplying that regime, directly or indirectly, with installa­ tions that might enable it to produce uranium, plutonium and other nuclear materials, reactors or military equipment; 7. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to monitor closely the situation in other Non­ Self-Governing Territories so as to ensure that all economic activities in those Territories are aimed at strengthening and diversifying their economies in the interests of the indige­ nous peoples and their speedy accession to independence, and that those peoples are not exploited for political, military and other purposes detrimental to their interests; 8. Strongly condemns those Western States and all other States, as well as the transnational corporations, which con­ tinue their investments in, and supply of armaments and oil and nuclear technology to, the racist regime of South Africa, thus buttressing it and aggravating the threat to world peace; 9. Calls upon all States, in particular certain Western States, to take urgent, effective measures to terminate all collaboration with South Africa in the political, diplomatic, economic, trade, military and nuclear fields and to refrain from entering into other relations with the racist regime of South Africa in violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and of the Organization of African Unity; 10. Calls once again upon all Governments that have not yet done so to take legislative, administrative or other measures in respect of their nationals and the bodies cor­ porate under their jurisdiction that own and operate enter­ prises in colonial Territories, particularly in Africa, which are detrimental to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories, in order to put an end to such enterprises and to prevent new investments that run counter to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories; 11. Calls upon all States to terminate, or cause to have terminated, any investments in Namibia or loans to the racist minority regime of South Africa and to refrain from any agreements or measures to promote trade or other economic relations with that regime; 12. Requests all States that have not yet done so to take effective measures to end the supply of funds and other forms of assistance, including military supplies and equip­ ment, to the racist minority regime of South Africa, which uses such assistance to repress the people of Namibia and their national liberation movement: 230 General Assembly-Thirty-seventh Session 13. Strongly condemns South Africa for its continued exploitation and plundering of the natural resources of Na­ mibia, in complete disregard of the legitimate interests of the Namibian people, for the creation in the Territory of an economic structure dependent essentially upon its mineral resources and for its illegal extension of the territorial sea and its proclamation of an economic zone off the coast of Namibia; 14. Calls upon those oil-producing and oil-exporting countries that have not yet done so to take effective measures against the oil companies concerned so as to terminate the supply of crude oil and petroleum products to the racist regime of South Africa; 15. Reiterates that the exploitation and plundering of the natural resources of Namibia by South African and other foreign economic interests, including the activities of those transnational corporations which are engaged in the ex­ ploitation and export of the Territory's uranium ores and other resources, in violation of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council and of De­ cree No. 1 for the Protection of the Natural Resources of Namibia, enacted by the United Nations Council for Na­ mibia on 27 September 1974,43 are illegal and contribute to the maintenance of the illegal occupation regime; 16. Calls once again upon all States to discontinue all economic, financial and trade relations with the racist mi­ nority regime of South Africa concerning Namibia and to refrain from entering into any relations with South Africa, purporting to act on behalf of or concerning Namibia, which may lend support to its continued illegal occupation of that Territory; 17. Invites all Governments and organizations of the United Nations system, having regard to the relevant pro­ visions of the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, contained in General Assem­ bly resolution 3201 (S-VI)of l May 1974, and of theCharter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, contained in As­ sembly resolution 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, to ensure, in particular, that the permanent sovereignty of the colonial Territories over their natural resources is fully re­ spected and safeguarded; 18. Calls upon the administering Powers to abolish all discriminatory and unjust wage systems and working con­ ditions prevailing in the Territories under their administra­ tion and to apply in each Territory a uniform system of wages to all the inhabitants without any discrimination; 19. Requests the Secretary-General to continue, through the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat, a sustained and broad campaign with a view to informing world public opinion of the facts concerning the pillaging of natural resources in colonial Territories and the exploi­ tation of their indigenous populations by foreign monopolies and, in respect of Namibia, the support they render to the racist minority regime of South Africa; 20. Appeals to all non-governmental organizations to continue their campaign to mobilize international public opinion for the enforcement of economic and other sanctions against the Pretoria regime; 21. Requests the United Nations Centre on Transna­ tional Corporations to complete the register called for in General Assembly resolution 36/51, indicating the profits that transnational corporations derive from their activities in colonial Territories, and to report thereon to the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implemen­ tation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence 43 Ibid., Thirty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 24 (N35/24), vol. I, annex II. to Colonial Countries and Peoples at its session in 1983 and to the Assembly at its thirty-eighth session; 22. Requests the Special Committee to continue to ex­ amine this question and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session. 77th plenary meeting 23 November 1982 37/32. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations The General Assembly, Having examined the item entitled "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations", Recalling the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen­ dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, and the Plan of Action for the Full Implementation of the Declaration, contained in the annex to its resolution 35/118 of 11 De­ cember 1980, as well as all other relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on this subject, in particular res­ olution 36/52 of 24 November 1981, Recalling also its resolution ES-8/2 of 14 September 1981 on the question of Namibia, Having examined the reports submitted on the item by the Secretary-General,44 the Economic and Social Council45 and the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,46 Taking into account the relevant provisions of the Arusha Declaration and Programme of Action on Namibia42 adopted by the United Nations Council for Namibia on 13 May 1982 at its extraordinary plenary meeting held at Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final com­ munique and other documents of the Ministerial Meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries, held at Havana from 31 May to 5 June 1982,4 1 Aware that the struggle of the people of Namibia is in its most crucial stage and has sharply intensified as a conse­ quence of the stepped-up aggression of the illegal colonialist regime of Pretoria against the people of the Territory and the increased general support rendered to that regime by the United States of America and other Western States, coupled with efforts to deprive the Namibian people of their hard­ won victories in the liberation struggle, and that it is there­ fore incumbent upon the entire international community de­ cisively to intensify concerted action in support of the people of Namibia and their sole and authentic representative, the South West Africa People's Organization, for the attainment of their goal, Deeply conscious of the critical need of the Namibian people and their national liberation movement, the South West Africa People's Organization, and of the ¿pies of other colonial Territories for concrete assistance from the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United 44 N37/177 and Add.1-3. "Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-seventh Session. Supplement No. 3 (N37/3), chap. VI, sect. D. 46 /bid., Supplement No. 23 (N37/23/Rev.1 ), chap. VI.

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