Question of South West Africa

XV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
1568. Question of South West Africa

The General Assembly, Hazing recommended, in previous resolutions, that the Territory of South West Africa should be placed under the International Trusteeship System, and having repeatedly invited the Government of the Union of South Africa to propose, for the consideration of the General Assembly, a trusteeship agreement for South West Africa, Having accepted, in resolution 449 A (V) of 13 December 1950, the advisory opinion of 11 July 1950 of the International Court of Justice on the question of South West Africa,[1] Taking note with deep regret of the refusal of the Government of the Union of South Africa to modify its administration of the Territory in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to enter into negotiations with the United Nations, through the Committee on South West Africa, with a view to placing the Mandated Territory under the International Trusteeship System, Noting with grave concern that the administration of the Territory, particularly in recent years, has been conducted in a manner increasingly contrary to the Mandate, the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice and the resolutions of the General Assembly, Considering that all the efforts of the United Nations to induce the Government of the Union of South Africa to modify the present principles and practices of that administration and to ensure the well-being and security of the indigenous inhabitants of the Territory have been of no avail, Considering with concern that the present situation in South West Africa constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, Considering that most of the Mandated Territories which were placed under the International Trusteeship System have acceded or will soon accede to national independence, Recognizing that the Territory of South West Africa has an inalienable right to independence and to the exercise of its full national sovereignty,

1. Regrets that the Government of the Union of South Africa has so far failed to respond to the repeated appeals of the General Assembly asking it to revise a policy which infringes the fundamental rights and freedoms of the indigenous inhabitants of South West Africa and imposes upon them disabilities of various kinds, hindering their political, economic and social advancement;

2. Deplores and disapproves the policy practiced by the Government of the Union of South Africa contrary to its obligations under the international Mandate of 17 December 1920 for South West Africa;

3. Deprecates the application, in the Territory of South West Africa, of the policy of apartheid, and calls upon the Government of the Union of South Africa to revoke or rescind immediately all laws and regulations based on that policy;

4. Invites the Committee on South West Africa, in addition to its normal tasks, to go to South West Africa immediately to investigate the situation prevailing in the Territory and to ascertain and make proposals to the General Assembly on:

(a) The conditions for restoring a climate of peace and security;

(b) The steps which would enable the indigenous inhabitants of South West Africa to achieve a wide measure of internal self-government designed to lead them to complete independence as soon as possible;

5. Urges the Government of the Union of South Africa to facilitate the mission of the Committee on South West Africa;

6. Requests the Committee on South West Africa to make a preliminary report on the implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its resumed fifteenth session;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to provide facilities for the execution of the present resolution.

954th plenary meeting,
18 December 1960.

---

[1] International status of South-West Africa, Advisory Opinion: I.C.J. Reports, 1950, p. 128.