The policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa

XXIV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE
2506. The policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa

A

The General Assembly, Taking note of the report of the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa[1] and the report of the Committee of Trustees of the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa,[2] Bearing in mind its resolutions calling on the Government of South Africa to liberate all persons imprisoned, interned or subjected to other restrictions for their opposition to apartheid, Noting with grave concern that the Government of South Africa has continued to persecute the opponents of apartheid, that detainees are subjected to brutal treatment and that several such persons have died following this inhuman treatment, Convinced that such actions further aggravate the deteriorating situation in South Africa,

1. Condemns the Government of South Africa for its refusal to comply with the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council calling for an end to the oppression and persecution of all persons opposing the policies of apartheid;

2. Further condemns the Government of South Africa for its repressive acts against the political movement of the oppressed people of South Africa and, in particular, for its enactment of the Terrorism Act, 1967;

3. Urges all States and organizations to exert every appropriate effort to secure the unconditional release of all political prisoners and persons subjected to restrictions for opposing apartheid;

4. Reiterates that freedom fighters who are taken prisoner in the course of their legitimate struggle for liberation should be extended humane treatment in accordance with the humanitarian principles laid down in the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 12 August 1949;[3]

5. Expresses solidarity with all those persecuted in South Africa for their opposition to apartheid.

1816th plenary meeting,
21 November 1969.

B

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions and those of the Security Council on the question of apartheid, Having considered the report of the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa,[4] Noting with concern that the Government of South Africa continues to intensify and extend beyond the borders of South Africa its inhuman and aggressive policies of apartheid and that these policies have resulted in violent conflict, Noting further that the Government of South Africa, in collaboration with the illegal racist minority regime in Southern Rhodesia and the Government of Portugal, continues to defy the United Nations and denies the peoples of southern Africa their inalienable right to self-determination, equality and independence, Convinced that the policies and actions of the Government of South Africa are contrary to the obligations of a Member State and constitute a grave threat to international peace and security, Noting with regret that the collaboration between the Government of South Africa and its main trading partners and certain financial and economic interests has encouraged that Government to pursue its policies of apartheid, thereby nullifying all efforts made so far by the United Nations to solve the problems, Recognizing the obligations of the United Nations to take urgent and effective measures to resolve the situation in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter, Noting with interest the Manifesto on Southern Africa,[5] adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its sixth ordinary session, Noting that the Security Council has not considered the problem of apartheid since 1964,

1. Reaffirms its resolution 2396 (XXIII) of 2 December 1968 and its other resolutions on the question of apartheid,

2. Reiterates its condemnation of the policies of apartheid practised by the Government of South Africa as a crime against humanity;

3. Reaffirms its recognition of the legitimacy of the struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa for the exercise of their inalienable right of self-determination, and thus to attain majority rule based on universal suffrage;

4. Urges all States and organizations to provide increased assistance to the national movement of the oppressed people of South Africa against the policies of apartheid, in the light of the recommendations contained in the report of the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa;

5. Invites all States, in recognition of their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and in support of the legitimate struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa:

(a) To desist from collaborating with the Government of South Africa, by taking steps to prohibit financial and economic interests under their national jurisdiction from co-operating with the Government of South Africa and companies registered in South Africa;

(b) To prohibit airlines and shipping lines registered in their countries from providing services to and from South Africa and to deny all facilities to air flights and shipping services to and from South Africa;

(c) To refrain from extending loans, investments and technical assistance to the Government of South Africa and companies registered in South Africa;

(d) To take appropriate measures to dissuade the main trading partners of South Africa and economic and financial interests from collaborating with the Government of South Africa and companies registered in South Africa;

6. Calls upon all States to implement fully and scrupulously the provisions of the Security Council resolutions concerning the embargo on the supplying of arms and other military equipment to the Government of South Africa;

7. Calls upon all States to desist from providing the Government of South Africa with technical and other assistance for the manufacture of arms, ammunition and military vehicles;

8. Calls upon all organs of the United Nations, the specialized agencies and other international organizations to refrain from extending facilities to banks and other financial institutions which provide assistance to the Government of South Africa and to companies registered in South Africa;

9. Draws the attention of the Security Council to the grave situation in South Africa, and in southern Africa as a whole, and recommends the Council to resume urgently the consideration of the question of apartheid with a view to adopting effective measures including those under Chapter VII of the Charter, to eliminate the threat to international peace and security,. posed by the situation;

10. Urges all specialized agencies and other inter national organizations to withhold the benefits of international co-operation from the Government of South Africa so long as it persists in its policies of apartheid;

11. Invites all States and organizations to observe with appropriate ceremonies the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March 1970 - the tenth anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre - in solidarity with the oppressed people of South Africa, and to make special contributions on that day in support of the struggle against apartheid;

12. Requests the Special Committee:

(a) To take additional steps to promote assistance to the national movement of the oppressed people of South Africa against the policies of apartheid, in consultation with the Secretary-General of the Unite Nations and the Organization of African Unity;

(b) To hold consultations with representatives of this movement on various aspects of the question;

(c) To take further steps, including the holding of joint meetings with other appropriate organs of the United Nations, to increase its co-operation and co ordinate its efforts with such organs;

(d) To continue its co-operation with the specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations concerned with the problems of southern Africa;

13. Requests the Secretary-General and Member States to intensify dissemination of information on the problems of the policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa, in the light of the recommendations set forth in paragraphs 155 to 160 of the report of the Special Committee.

1816th plenary meeting,
21 November 1969.

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[1] Ibid., Supplement No. 25 (A/7625/Rev.1). [2] Ibid., Twenty-fourth Session, Annexes, agenda item 34, document A/7715, annex. [3] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75 (1950), No. 972. [4] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/7625/Rev.1). [5] Ibid., Twenty-fourth Session, Annexes, agenda item 106, document A/7754.