Questions of Southern Rhodesia

XXVII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2945. Questions of Southern Rhodesia

The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Having examined the relevant chapters 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,[1] Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on this item,[2] Having invited, in consultation with the Organization of African Unity and through it, representatives of the national liberation movements of Zimbabwe to participate in an observer capacity in its consideration of the situation in the Territory, and having heard the statements of the representatives of the Zimbabwe African People's Union and the Zimbabwe African National Union,[3] Having heard the statement of a petitioner,[4] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and its resolution 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, containing the programme of action for the full implementation of the Declaration, as well as all other resolutions relating to the question of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) adopted by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Special Committee, Reaffirming the inalienable right of the people of Zimbabwe to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV) and the legitimacy of their struggle to secure the enjoyment of their rights, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in conformity with the objectives of resolution 1514 (XV), Bearing in mind that the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power, has the primary responsibility for putting an end to the illegal racist minority régime and for transferring effective power to the people of Zimbabwe on the basis of the principle of majority rule, Noting with satisfaction the rejection by the African population of Zimbabwe of the "proposals for a settlement" agreed upon between the Government of the United Kingdom and the illegal régime,[5] and mindful that those "proposals for a settlement" had been negotiated without consulting the genuine political leaders of the African population of Zimbabwe, Reaffirming that any attempt to negotiate the future of Zimbabwe with the illegal régime on the basis of independence before majority rule would be in contravention of the inalienable rights of the people of that Territory and contrary to the provisions of the Charter and of resolution 1514 (XV), Deeply deploring the arbitrary and unlawful imprisonment and detention of, and the denial of fundamental human rights to, political leaders and other individuals of Zimbabwe by the illegal racist minority régime, Deploring the persistent refusal of the Government of the United Kingdom to co-operate with the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in the discharge of the mandate entrusted to it by the General Assembly, Deeply disturbed by the continued presence and intervention of South African forces in the Territory, which assists the racist minority régime and seriously threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring African States, Mindful of the conditions necessary to enable the people of Zimbabwe to exercise freely and fully their right to self-determination and independence,

1. Reaffirms the principle that there should be no independence before majority rule in Zimbabwe, and affirms that any settlement relating to the future of the Territory must be worked out with the full participation of the genuine political leaders representing the majority of the people of Zimbabwe and must be endorsed freely and fully by the people;

2. Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland not to transfer or accord, under any circumstance, to the illegal régime any of the powers or attributes of sovereignty, and requests that Government to ensure the country's attainment of independence by a democratic system of government in accordance with the true aspirations of the majority of the population;

3. Urges the United Kingdom, as the administering Power, to convene as soon as possible a national constitutional conference where the genuine political representatives of the people of Zimbabwe would be able to work out a settlement relating to the future of the Territory for subsequent endorsement by the people through free and democratic processes;

4. Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom to bring about the conditions necessary to enable the people of Zimbabwe to exercise freely and fully their right to self-determination and independence, including:

(a) The unconditional release of all political prisoners, detainees and restrictees;

(b) The repeal of all repressive discriminatory legislation;

(c) The removal of all restrictions on political activity and the establishment of full democratic freedom and equality of political rights;

5. Condemns the continued presence and intervention of South African forces in the Territory in violation of the decisions of the Security Council and calls upon the administering Power to effect the immediate expulsion of all such forces from the Territory;

6. Further calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom to ensure that, in any exercise to ascertain the wishes and aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe as to their political future, the procedure to be followed should be in accordance with the principle of universal adult suffrage and by secret ballot on the basis of one-man one-vote, without regard to race, colour or educational, property or income considerations;

7. Requests all Governments, the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, in consultation with the Organization of African Unity, to extend all moral and material assistance to the people of Zimbabwe;

8. Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom to comply with the provisions of the present resolution and to report thereon 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 and to the General Assembly at its twenty-eighth session;

9. Requests the Special Committee to keep the situation in the Territory under review.

2102nd plenary meeting
7 December 1972


[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/8723/Rev.1), chaps. II, III and VIII. [2] A/8759 and Add. 1. [3] See Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Fourth Committee, 1988th meeting. [4] Ibid., 1990th meeting. [5] See Official Records of the Security Council, Twenty-sixth Year, Supplement For October, November and December 1971, document S/10405.
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