Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including policies of racial discrimination and segregation and of apartheid, in all countries, with particular reference to colonial and other dependent countries and territories

XXI. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
2144. Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including policies of racial discrimination and segregation and of apartheid, in all countries, with particular reference to colonial and other dependent countries and territories

A

The General Assembly, Noting Economic and Social Council resolution 1164 (XLI) of 5 August 1966, Confirming that the United Nations has a fundamental interest in combating policies of apartheid and that, as a matter of urgency, ways and means must be devised for their elimination, Bearing in mind the obligation of all Member States under Article 56 of the Charter of the United Nations to take joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization for the achievement of the purposes set forth in Article 55, which include the promotion of universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Convinced that gross violations of the rights and fundamental freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights continue to occur in certain countries, especially in colonies and dependent territories, involving discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, language and religion, and the suppression of freedom of expression and opinion, the right to life, liberty and security of person and the right to protection by independent and impartial judicial organs, and that these violations are designed to stifle the legitimate struggle of the people for independence and human dignity, Recalling the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Deeply concerned by the evidence of persistent practices of apartheid in the Republic of South Africa and South West Africa and the racial discrimination practiced in the colonies of Southern Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea, Cabinda, São Tomé and Príncipe, brought to its attention by the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, such practices constituting, according to General Assembly resolutions 2022 (XX) of 5 November 1965 and 2074 (XX) of 17 December 1965, crimes against humanity, Taking note of the conclusions and recommendations of the Seminar on Apartheid,[1] organized under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights and held at Brasilia in 1966,

1. Reaffirms its strong condemnation of the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms wherever they occur, especially in all colonial and dependent territories, including the policies of apartheid in the Republic of South Africa and the Territory of South West Africa and racial discrimination in the colonies of Southern Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea, Cabinda, São Tomé and Príncipe;

2. Regrets the policy pursued by colonial Powers in order to circumvent the rights of peoples under their rule through the promotion of the systematic influx of foreign immigrants, and the dislocation, dispossession, deportation and eviction of the indigenous inhabitants;

3. Further regrets the actions of those States which, through political, trading, economic and military collaboration with the Governments of South Africa and Portugal and the illegal régime in Southern Rhodesia, are encouraging them to persist in their racial policies;

4. Urges all States which have not yet done so to comply with the relevant General Assembly resolutions recommending the application of economic and diplomatic measures against South Africa and with the relevant Security Council resolutions calling upon all States to impose an arms embargo against South Africa;

5. Calls upon all States to strengthen their efforts to promote the full observance of human rights and the right to self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and to attain the standards established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

6. Urges all States to take effective measures, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, the General Assembly resolutions pertaining to human rights, and the relevant Security Council resolutions, for the suppression of the policies of apartheid and segregation and for the elimination of racial discrimination, wherever it occurs, especially in colonial and other dependent countries and territories;

7. Appeals to all States, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and individuals:

(a) To support the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa and voluntary organizations engaged in providing relief and assistance to victims of colonialism and apartheid;

(b) To encourage judicial associations and other appropriate organizations, and the public in general, to provide such relief and assistance;

8. Urges Member States to take all necessary measures, in accordance with their domestic laws, against the operations of propaganda organizations of the Government of South Africa and of private organizations which advocate apartheid and policies of racial discrimination and domination;

9. Invites States to become parties as soon as possible to all conventions which aim at protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including in particular the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;

10. 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, the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Commission on Human Rights to take appropriate measures for the implementation of the present resolution as it affects the responsibilities of these organs;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to assist in the implementation of the present resolution and to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-second session;

12. Invites the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Human Rights to give urgent consideration to ways and means of improving the capacity of the United Nations to put a stop to violations of human rights wherever they may occur;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a unit within the Secretariat of the United Nations to deal exclusively with policies of apartheid, in consultation with the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, in order that maximum publicity may be given to the evils of those policies;

14. Further decides to place this item on the provisional agenda of its twenty-second session.

1452nd plenary meeting,
26 October 1966.

B

The General Assembly, Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution 1164 (XLI) of 5 August 1966, Having adopted resolution A above, Bearing in mind the various recommendations embodied in the report of the Seminar on Apartheid,[2] organized under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, Noting that all the General Assembly recommendations on apartheid have so far been ignored by the Government of South Africa and the authorities in Southern Rhodesia, Convinced more than ever that apartheid in South Africa constitutes a menace to international peace and security,

1. Appeals to the Security Council urgently to take effective measures with a view to eradicating apartheid in South Africa and other adjacent territories;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Security Council with all the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on the question of apartheid, at the present session and at previous sessions, together with all the reports available on this item.

1452nd plenary meeting,
26 October 1966.

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[1] ST/TAO/HR/27, para. 138. [2]