Question of Territories under Portuguese administration

XXV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2707. Question of Territories under Portuguese administration

The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Territories under Portuguese domination, Having heard the statements of the petitioners,[1] Having examined the chapter of 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 relating to the question of Territories under Portuguese domination,[2] and the report of the Special Committee's delegation of observers to the International Conference in Support of the Peoples of Portuguese Colonies, held at Rome from 27 to 29 June 1970,[3] Bearing in mind the views expressed by representatives of national liberation movements of the Territories under Portuguese domination, including those expressed to the Ad Hoc Group of the Special Committee which visited Africa in 1970 to contact leaders of liberation movements,[4] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as those adopted by the Special Committee, Recalling further the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970 containing the programme of action for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Gravely concerned at the defiant attitude of the Government of Portugal towards the international community and the persistent refusal of that Government to recognize the inalienable right of the peoples of the Territories under its domination to self-determination and independence and to implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, Deeply disturbed by the increasingly explosive situation created by the measures of oppression carried out by the Government of Portugal and, in particular, by its intensified military operations in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau), Deeply concerned at the continued and intensified activities of foreign economic, financial and other interests which are impeding the realization by the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination of their legitimate aspirations for self-determination and independence, contrary to the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, Deploring the continued assistance received by the Government of Portugal from its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and from other Governments, which it uses to pursue its policies of colonial domination and oppression of the peoples of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau),

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of Angola, Mozambique, Guinea (Bissau) and other Territories under Portuguese domination to self-determination and independence, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), and the legitimacy of their struggle to achieve that right by all necessary means at their disposal;

2. Strongly condemns the persistent refusal of the Government of Portugal to implement resolution 1514 (XV) and all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, and the colonial war being waged by that Government against the peoples of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau) which also threatens the security and violates the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the independent African States, in particular those States bordering the Territories;

3. Condemns the collaboration between Portugal, South Africa and the illegal racist minority régime in Southern Rhodesia, since this is designed to perpetuate colonialism and oppression in southern Africa;

4. Condemns the intervention of South African forces against the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination;

5. Calls upon the Government of Portugal to apply without further delay to the peoples of the Territories under its domination the principle of self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, and ‘in particular:

(a) To cease forthwith all acts of repression against the peoples of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau) and to withdraw all military and other forces employed for this purpose;

(b) To cease immediately all practices which violate the inalienable rights of the indigenous population, including arbitrary eviction of the African population and the settlement of immigrants in the Territories;

(c) To proclaim an unconditional political amnesty, to restore democratic political rights and to transfer powers to freely elected institutions representative of the population, in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV);

(d) To refrain from all attacks on, and violations of, the security and territorial integrity of neighbouring sovereign countries;

(e) To release the men and property of those sovereign States now being held by Portugal following the attacks and violations committed against them;

6. Calls upon the Government of Portugal to treat the freedom fighters of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau) captured during the struggle for freedom as prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, of 12 August 1949,[5] and to comply with the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949;[6]

7. Reiterates its appeal to all States, particularly to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to withhold from Portugal any assistance which enables it to prosecute the colonial war in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau), and in particular:

(a) To desist forthwith from the training of Portuguese military personnel which encourages that Government to continue its repression of the African peoples in the Territories under its domination;

(b) To prevent the sale or supply of weapons, military equipment and material, including aircraft, helicopters and vehicles, to the Government of Portugal, as well as all supplies enabling it to manufacture or maintain weapons and ammunition which it uses to perpetuate its colonial domination in Africa;

(c) To desist from any collaboration with the ground, air and naval forces of Portugal which might thwart the achievement of the objectives contained in resolution 1514 (XV);

8. Calls upon all States to take all effective measures to put an end to all practices which exploit the Territories under Portuguese domination and the peoples therein and to discourage their nationals and companies from entering into any activities or arrangements which strengthen Portugal's domination over, and impede the implementation of the Declaration with respect to, those Territories;

9. Calls upon the Government of Portugal not to use chemical and biological methods of warfare against the peoples of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau), contrary to the generally recognized rules of international law embodied in the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925,[7] and to General Assembly resolution 2603 (XXIV) of 16 December 1969;

10. Welcomes the action taken by the financial groups in certain States to withdraw their participation in the Cabora Bassa project, but requests the Governments which have not yet done so to withdraw from the activities relating to the Cabora Bassa project in Mozambique and the Cunene River Basin project in Angola and to take all the necessary measures to prevent the participation therein of any companies or individuals under their jurisdiction;

11. Invites all States and the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, in co-operation with the Organization of African Unity, to render to the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination the financial and material assistance necessary to continue their struggle for the restoration of their inalienable rights;

12. Draws the attention of the Security Council to the grave situation in the Territories of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea (Bissau) created by the continued violation by Portugal of its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and the growing collaboration between Portugal, the racist Government of South Africa and the illegal racist minority régime in Southern Rhodesia, which constitute a threat to international peace and security;

13. Recommends that the Security Council should continue to give special attention to the problems of Portuguese colonialism in Africa and of the collaboration between Portugal and the racist minority régimes of southern Africa, and to take effective measures, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter, to ensure the full implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and its own resolutions relating thereto;

14. Invites the Secretary-General, in the light of General Assembly resolution 2557 (XXIV) of 12 December 1969 and in consultation with the specialized agencies and the Governments of the host countries, to develop and expand training programmes for the indigenous inhabitants of the Territories under Portuguese domination, taking into account their needs for qualified administrative, technical and professional personnel to assume responsibility for the public administration and the economic and social development of their own countries, and to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth session on the progress of these programmes;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the present resolution to all States and to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth session on steps taken or envisaged by States in the implementation of the various provisions contained therein;

16. 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 to keep the situation in the Territories under review.

1928th plenary meeting,
14 December 1970.

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-fifth Session, Fourth Committee, 1888th, 1889th, 1892nd and 1897th meetings. [2] Ibid., Twenty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/8023/ Rev.1), chapter VII. [3] Ibid., annex H. [4] Ibid., Supplement No. 23B (A/8023/Rev.1/Add.2), annex II. [5] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75 (1950), No. 972. [6] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75 (1950), No. 973. [7] League of Nations, Treaty Series, vol. XCIV (1929), No. 213 8.