Resolution adopted by the General Assembly. Question of Namibia.

  • Author: UN General Assembly (33rd sess., resumed : 1979)
  • Document source:
  • Date:
    31 May 1979

33. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO A MAIN COMMITTEE*
206. Question of Namibia

The General Assembly, Gravely concerned at the critical situation in Namibia, Having heard the statements by the President of the United Nations Council for Namibia,[1] and the President of the South West Africa People's Organization,[2] Beating in mind its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and reaffirming the inalienable rights of the Namibian people to self-determination, freedom and independence in a united Namibia, Recalling its resolutions 2145 (XXI) of 27 October 1966 and 2248 (S-V) of 19 May 1967 and subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council relating to the question of Namibia, as well as the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 21 June 1971,[3] which emphasized both the illegality of South Africa's occupation of Namibia and the direct responsibility of the United Nations for the Territory, Recalling also its resolution S-9/2 of 3 May 1978 containing the Declaration on Namibia and Programme of Action in Support of Self-Determination and National Independence for Namibia, Indignant at South Africa's persistent refusal to withdraw from Namibia in utter defiance of numerous resolutions of the United Nations and gravely concerned at South Africa's escalated brutal repression of the Namibian people as well as the measures it has taken to destroy the national unity and territorial integrity of Namibia, Convinced that South Africa is seeking to establish a puppet régime in Namibia in contravention of resolutions of the United Nations, in particular Security Council resolutions 385 (1976) of 30 January 1976 and 435 (1978) of 29 September 1978, Strongly reiterating its support for the national liberation movement of Namibia, the South West Africa People's Organization, the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people in their struggle by all means, including armed struggle, to achieve self-determination, freedom and national independence in a united Namibia,

1. Declares the urgent need to ensure the attainment of the inalienable rights of the Namibian people to genuine self-determination and national independence in Namibia, including Walvis Bay, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples as well as all subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, including Council resolution 385 (1976), relating to Namibia, and supports the legitimacy of their struggle by all means at their disposal against the illegal occupation of their Territory by South Africa;

2. Solemnly reaffirms the direct responsibility of the United Nations for Namibia, renews its determination to ensure the effective and complete discharge of this responsibility and, to this end, calls upon all Member States and bodies and organs of the United Nations to support fully the United Nations Council for Namibia as the legal Administering Authority for Namibia until independence in the implementation of its mandate;

3. Determines that South Africa has acted deceitfully through unilateral measures and sinister schemes within Namibia during the protracted period of talks for a negotiated settlement in Namibia to the detriment of the Namibian people and their national liberation movement, the South West Africa People's Organization, and in contravention of resolutions of the Security Council, in particular resolutions 385 (1976) of 30 January 1976, 431 (1978) of 27 July 1978, 435 (1978) of 29 September 1978 and 439 (1978) of 13 November 1978, and relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;

4. Strongly condemns the racist régime of South Africa for its arrogant and defiant actions in imposing on the Namibian people a so-called internal settlement through a fraudulent and illegal "national assembly" designed to achieve international recognition for its puppets therein in order to perpetuate South Africa's illegal occupation and its colonial and racist exploitation of Namibia;

5. Calls upon all Member States and the international community to refrain from according any recognition to, or co-operating with, the illegal national assembly or any régime which racist South Africa may impose upon the Namibian people in disregard of resolutions of the United Nations;

6. Solemnly reaffirms that a just and durable settlement of the question of Namibia is possible only with the direct and full participation of the South West Africa People's Organization, the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people, and that the parties to the conflict in Namibia are, on the one hand, South Africa, which is illegally occupying the Territory and committing aggression against the people, and, on the other, the Namibian people, under the leadership of the South West Africa People's Organization, supported by the United Nations, which has direct responsibility for the Territory until independence;

7. Strongly condemns South Africa for its escalated arrests and detentions of leaders and members of the South West Africa People's Organization, and other acts of violence against the Namibian people, as part of its attempts to frustrate the aspirations of the Namibian people for genuine national liberation, to destroy the South West Africa People's Organization and to impose a so-called internal settlement in Namibia;

8. Demands that the racist regime of South Africa immediately and unconditionally release all leaders and members of the South West Africa People's Organization and cease all violence against the Namibian people;

9. Calls upon Member States, specialized agencies and other international organizations to render increased and sustained support and material, financial, military and other assistance to the South West Africa People's Organization to enable it to intensify its struggle for the liberation of Namibia;

10. Solemnly declares that South Africa's illegal occupation of the Territory of Namibia, its consistent defiance of the United Nations, its war of repression being waged against Namibians, its persistent acts of aggression launched from bases in Namibia against independent African countries, its colonialist expansion and its policy of apartheid constitute a serious threat to international peace and. security;

11. Demands once again the immediate and unconditional end of the illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa;

12. Calls upon the Security Council to convene urgently to take enforcement measures against South Africa, as provided for under Chapter VII of the Charter in order to ensure South Africa's compliance with the resolutions and decisions of the United Nations on Namibia.

108th plenary meeting
31 May 1979


[1] Ibid., Thirty-third Session, Plenary Meetings, 97th meeting, paras. 7-32. [2] Ibid., paras. 50-87. [3] Legal Consequences for States of the Continued Presence of South Africa in Namibia (South West Africa) notwithstanding Security Council Resolution 276 (1970), Advisory Opinion, I.C.J. Reports 1971, p. 16.
Disclaimer:

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.