The question of race conflict in South Africa resulting from the policies of apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa

XVI. RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE
1663. The question of race conflict in South Africa resulting from the policies of apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa

The General Assembly, Recalling its previous resolutions on the question of race conflict in South Africa resulting from the policies of apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, Considering that in its resolutions 616 B (VII) of 5 December 1952, 917 (X) of 6 December 1955 and 1248 (XIII) of 30 October 1958 the General Assembly has declared that racial policies designed to perpetuate or increase discrimination are inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations and with the pledges under Article 56 of the Charter, Noting that in its resolutions 395 (V) of 2 December 1950, 511 (VI) of 12 January 1952 and 616 A (VII) of 5 December 1952 the General Assembly has successively affirmed that the policy of racial segregation (apartheid) is necessarily based on doctrines of racial discrimination, Recalling that the Security Council in its resolution of 1 April 1960[1] recognized that the situation in South Africa was one that had led to international friction and, if continued, might endanger international peace and security, Recalling further that the Security Council in its aforesaid resolution called upon the Government of South Africa to initiate measures aimed at bringing about racial harmony based on equality in order to ensure that the present situation does not continue or recur and to abandon its policies of apartheid and racial discrimination, Recalling in particular that the Government of South Africa has completely disregarded General Assembly resolution 1598 (XV) of 13 April 1961 and, far from bringing its policies and conduct into conformity with its obligations under the Charter, has continued to reinforce its racial policies in disregard of those obligations,

1. Deplores that the Government of the Republic of South Africa has failed to comply with the repeated requests and demands of the General Assembly and with the aforesaid resolution of the Security Council and has flouted world public opinion by refusing to reconsider or revise its racial policies or to observe its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations;

2. Strongly deprecates the continued and total disregard by the Government of South Africa of its obligations under the Charter and furthermore its determined aggravation of racial issues by ever-increasing discriminatory laws and measures and their ruthless enforcement accompanied by violence and bloodshed;

3. Condemns policies based on racial superiority as reprehensible and repugnant to human dignity;

4. Calls the attention of the Security Council to the provision of Article 11, paragraph 3, of the Charter,

5. Urges all States to take such separate and collective action as is open to them in conformity with the Charter to bring about an abandonment of those policies;

6. Reaffirms that the racial policies being pursued by the Government of South Africa are a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are totally inconsistent with South Africa's obligations as a Member State;

7. Reaffirms with grave concern and deep anxiety that these policies have led to international friction and that their continuance seriously endangers international peace and security;

8. Reminds the Government of South Africa of the requirement of Article 2, paragraph 2, of the Charter that all Members shall fulfil in good faith the obligations assumed by them under the Charter;

9. Calls once again upon the Government of South Africa to change its policies and conduct so as to conform to its obligations imposed by the Charter.

1067th plenary meeting,
28 November 1961.

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[1] Official Records of the Security Council, Fifteenth Year, Supplement for April, May and June 1960, document S/4300.