Question of Southern Rhodesia

XXVIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
3116. Question of Southern Rhodesia

The General Assembly, Having examined the critical and deteriorating situation in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), which the Security Council, in its resolution 277 (1970) of 18 March 1970, reaffirmed as constituting a threat to international peace and security, Deeply disturbed that measures taken so far have failed to bring the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to an end, owing primarily to the continued and increasing collaboration which certain States, in particular Portugal and South Africa, in violation of Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations and of the relevant decisions of the United Nations, maintain with the illegal régime, thereby seriously impeding the effective application of sanctions against the illegal régime, Gravely concerned that the Government of the United States of America continues to permit the importation of chrome and nickel into the United States from Southern Rhodesia, in violation of the relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 253 (1968) of 29 May 1968, 277 (1970) of 18 March 1970, 288 (1970) of 17 November 1970, 314 (1972) of 28 February 1972, 318 (1972) of 28 July 1972 and 320 (1972) of 29 September 1972, and in disregard of General Assembly resolutions 2765 (XXVI) of 16 November 1971 and 2946 (XXVII) of 7 December 1972, Taking into consideration the programme of action adopted by the International Conference of Experts for the Support of Victims of Colonialism and Apartheid in Southern Africa, held at Oslo from 9 to 14 April 1973,[1] Deeply disturbed at recent reports of widespread violations of United Nations sanctions, including the regular operation of Southern Rhodesian aircraft for exporting Southern Rhodesian cargo to Europe and the participation of Southern Rhodesian teams at various sporting events, as well as the continued functioning of information and airline offices of the illegal régime outside Southern Rhodesia, Bearing in mind the views expressed by the representatives of the Zimbabwe African People's Union and the Zimbabwe African National Union and by the petitioners,[2] Reaffirming its conviction that the sanctions will not put an end to the illegal racist minority régime unless they are comprehensive, mandatory, effectively supervised, enforced and complied with, particularly by Portugal and South Africa,

1. Condemns the failure of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take effective measures in accordance with the relevant decisions of the United Nations to put an end to the illegal racist minority régime in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and calls upon that Government to take forthwith all effective measures to bring down the rebellious minority régime;

2. Strongly condemns the policies of the Governments, particularly those of Portugal and South Africa, which, in violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and contrary to their specific obligations under Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations, continue to collaborate with the illegal racist minority régime in its racialist and repressive domination of the people of Zimbabwe, and calls upon those Governments to cease forthwith all such collaboration;

3. Condemns all violations of the mandatory sanctions imposed by the Security Council, as well as the failure of certain Member States to enforce those sanctions strictly, as being contrary to the obligations assumed by them under Article 25 of the Charter;

4. Condemns the continued importation by the Government of the United States of America of chrome and nickel from Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in contravention of the provisions of the relevant Security Council resolutions and contrary to the specific obligations assumed by that Government under Article 25 of the Charter, and calls upon the Government of the United States to terminate forthwith all such importation and to observe faithfully and without exception the provisions of the relevant United Nations resolutions;

5. Requests all Governments:

(a) To take stringent enforcement measures to ensure strict compliance by all individuals, associations and bodies corporate under their jurisdiction with the sanctions imposed by the Security Council and to ensure the complete discontinuance by them of any form of collaboration with the illegal régime;

(b) To take effective steps to prevent or discourage the emigration to Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) of any individuals or groups of individuals under their jurisdiction;

6. Further requests all Governments to refrain from taking any action which might confer a semblance of legitimacy on the illegal racist minority régime and, in particular, calls upon the Government of the United States to take the necessary steps to put an end to the operation and activities within the United States of Air Rhodesia, the Rhodesian National Tourist Board and the Rhodesian Information Office, or any other activities which contravene the aims and purposes of the sanctions imposed by the Security Council;

7. Considers that, in view of the further deterioration of the situation resulting from the intensified repressive measures taken by the illegal racist minority régime against the people of Zimbabwe and with a view to putting an end to the illegal régime, the scope of sanctions against the régime must be widened to include all the measures envisaged under Article 41 of the Charter, and accordingly invites the Security Council to consider taking the necessary measures in that regard and, in particular, calling upon all States to take effective steps aimed, inter alia, at:

(a) The unconditional confiscation of all shipments to and from Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe);

(b) The nullification of all insurance policies covering such shipments;

(c) The invalidation of passports and other documents for travel to Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe);

8. Further draws the attention of the Security Council, having regard to their persistent refusal to carry out the mandatory decisions of the Council, to the need, as a matter of priority, to consider imposing sanctions against Portugal and South Africa;

9. Appeals to those permanent members of the Security Council whose negative votes on various proposals relating to the question have continued to obstruct the effective and faithful discharge by the Council of its responsibilities under the relevant provisions of the Charter in this regard to reconsider their negative attitude with a view to the elimination forthwith of the threat to international peace and security resulting from the critical situation in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe);

10. Requests the Special Committee to follow the implementation of the present resolution.

2198th plenary meeting,
12 December 1973


[1] Ibid. [2] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-eighth Session, Fourth Committee, 2039th and 2060th meetings.
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