Question of Southern Rhodesia

XVII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORT OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
1760. Question of Southern Rhodesia

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, the provisions of which are fully applicable to the Territory of Southern Rhodesia, Recalling its resolution 1747 (XVI) of 28 June 1962, by which the General Assembly affirmed that the Territory of Southern Rhodesia is a Non-Self-Governing Territory within the meaning of Chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations, Confirming the inalienable rights of the people of Southern Rhodesia to self-determination and to form an independent African State, Having considered the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,[1] Hazing adopted resolution 1755 (XVII) of 12 October 1962, Having heard the petitioners, Noting with deep regret that the administering Power has not yet taken steps to carry out the request, contained in resolution 1747 (XVI), to undertake urgently the convening of a constitutional conference, in which there shall be full participation of representatives of all political par-ties, for the purpose of formulating a constitution for Southern Rhodesia, in place of the Constitution of 6 December 1961, which would ensure the rights of the majority of the people, on the basis of "one man, one vote", in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, embodied in resolution 1514 (XV),

1. Reaffirms its resolution 1747 (XVI);

2. Considers that the attempt to impose the Constitution of 6 December 1961, which has been rejected and is being vehemently opposed by most of the political parties and the vast majority of the people of Southern Rhodesia, and to hold elections under it will aggravate the existing explosive situation in that Territory;

3. Requests the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take the necessary measures to secure:

(a) The immediate implementation of resolutions 1747 (XVI) and 1755 (XVII);

(b) The immediate suspension of the enforcement of the Constitution of 6 December 1961 and cancellation of the general elections scheduled to take place shortly under that Constitution;

(c) The immediate convening of a constitutional conference, in accordance with resolution 1747 (XVI), to formulate a new constitution for Southern Rhodesia;

(d) The immediate extension to the whole population, without discrimination, of the full and unconditional exercise of their basic political rights, in particular the right to vote, and the establishment of equality among all inhabitants of the Territory;

4. Requests the Acting Secretary-General to lend his good offices to promote conciliation among the various sections of the population of Southern Rhodesia by initiating prompt discussions with the United Kingdom Government and other parties concerned, with a view to achieving the objectives set out in this and all the other resolutions of the General Assembly on the question of Southern Rhodesia, and to report to the Assembly at its present session as well as to the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples;[2]

5. Decides to keep the item entitled "Question of Southern Rhodesia" on the agenda of its seventeenth session.

1163rd plenary meeting,
31 October 1962.

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventeenth Session, Annexes, agenda item 25, document A/5238. [2] See note on item 56, p. 44.