Assembly urges Security Council to impose mandatory oil embargo against South Africa.

Thirteen texts adopted on apartheid, Namibia issues

The General Assembly has urged the Security Council to impose a mandatory oil embargo against South Africa and has asked States, pending action by the Council, to adopt measures to broaden the scope of a 1979 oil embargo imposed by the Assembly by now ensuring the "complete cessation of the supply and shipping of oil and petroleum products to South Africa and Namibia, whether directly or indirectly".

The creation of an 11-member inter-governmental group to monitor the supply and shipping of oil and petroleum products to South Africa was also decided upon by the Assembly in its resolution 41/35 F. The resolution was approved by a vote of 136 in favour to 5 against (France, Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 15 abstentions.

Urgent appeals for comprehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa were also made in other resolutions adopted following separate debates in the Assembly plenary on two related items - South Africa's policy of apartheid (5-10 November) and the question of Namibia (12-14 November).

On 10 November, the Assembly adopted eight texts relating to apartheid; on 20 November, it approved five more on Namibia, including a 79-paragraph omnibus text. Among additional subjects covered were "collaboration" by certain States with South Africa, the situation of the front-line States - Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and support for national liberation movements. Other topics related to prisoners, implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence, the work of the United Nations Council for Namibia - the legal Administering Authority for the Territory - and the status of the 1985 International Convention against Apartheid in Sports.

In voting on the drafts on apartheid, the Assembly invoked the use of its provisional rule of procedure 85, deeming the matters under consideration not "important questions", and thus not requiring a two-thirds majority for the passage of the texts.

As a result of separate recorded votes, a reference in resolution 41/35 A to United States policies in the region was retained. A reference in resolution 41/35 B to Israeli nuclear collaboration with South Africa was also retained, as was a reference to the United States, the United Kingdom and others in connection with their opposition to the application of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against Pretoria.

The United States, after the vote, said it would not accept name-calling directed against it. It regretted that the tone and thrust of nearly all the apartheid resolutions flew in the face of dialogue.

In voting on the drafts on Namibia, the Assembly invoked another rule requiring a two-thirds majority for adoption when voting on questions relating to reports and petitions concerning Namibia. All specific references to the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel with South Africa were removed in the omnibus text (41/39 A) and the draft on the United Nations plan for Namibia (41/39 B) as a result of separate recorded votes. Provisions affected related to sanctions against South Africa and the use of the veto in the Security Council to block them, involvement in Angola's internal affairs, support to South Africa and UNITA, policies of "constructive engagement" and "linkage", and collaboration by certain countries with South Africa.

The United States, after the vote, said it disagreed with the language contained in the resolutions on Namibia, which would make a peaceful solution of the Namibian problem more elusive.

Reports: The Special Committee against Apartheid reported (A/41/22) that sanctions remained the most effective peaceful means for transition from apartheid to a non-racial and democratic society in South Africa. If the international community failed at this time to act, "spiralling violence, bloodshed on an unprecedented scale and even more far-reaching breaches of peace and security in the region" could be expected.

South Africa had no intention of negotiating with anyone "except its puppets and on the conditions of its own choosing", the Committee stated. That instransigence foreshadowed the failure of the "bankrupt policy of |constructive engagement', a policy that has had the effect of stiffening the obdurate resolve of the Botha regime to entrench apartheid further and to escalate its acts of aggression against, and destabilization of, neighbouring States". Certain Western countries, Israel and some transnational corporations, by continuing to collaborate with Pretoria, encouraged it in its policy.

During the past year, the situation in South Africa had been marked by "an unparalleled campaign of terror and virtual genocide unleashed by the apartheid regime against the black population", the Committee said. Thousands of opponents of apartheid had been detained and many had been "shot on the streets, tortured, tried, banned or otherwise persecuted", it went on. Death squads, secret assassins and arsonists had been used to terrorize people and to eliminate opponents of apartheid.

Despite militarization, many black townships were now virtually outside Pretoria's control. Pretoria's so-called reforms had been rejected by the oppressed people. South Africa's destiny must be decided by all the people exercising their right to self-determination on the basis of complete equality. Apartheid must be totally dismantled and destroyed. The Committee condemned any attempt to interpret the present conflict in southern Africa as "an |East-West' conflict".

Namibia report: The Assembly also reviewed the report of the United Nations Council for Namibia (A/41/24), covering its activities from 1 September 1985 to 31 August 1986. Council President Peter Zuze (Zambia) reported that the Council had intensified its activities during the year to mobilize concerted international action to speedily terminate South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia. Certain Western countries that continued to collaborate with the racist regime were responsible for that occupation. South Africa had stepped up its acts of aggression against its neighbours. It again had resorted to inhuman and repressive measures aimed at forcibly suppressing the legitimate aspirations of Namibians. Only strengthened international pressure would compel South Africa to accede to Namibia's speedy independence.

The Assembly in its discussion also considered the results of three major world meetings held in 1986 on issues related to apartheid and Namibia - a conference on sanctions (Paris, July); a conference on Namibian independence (Vienna, July) and a special session of the General Assembly on Namibia (New York, September).

Apartheid resolutions: By resolution 41/35 B, adopted by 126 votes to 16, with 13 abstentions, the Assembly called on the Security Council urgently to act under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter with a view to applying comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against South Africa and urged the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and others opposed to such sanctions to reassess their position and facilitate their imposition by the Council. The policy of "constructive engagement" and "similar policies of appeasement", as well as the activities of transnational corporations and financial institutions that continued to collaborate with South Africa, were condemned.

The Security Council was urged to strengthen its 1977 mandatory arms embargo. Grave concern was expressed at the continued violation of that embargo as well as the nuclear collaboration by certain Western States and Israel with South Africa. States that had not done so were asked, pending action by the Security Council, urgently to adopt measures to ensure South Africa's total isolation. United Nations bodies were called upon to ensure the total isolation of South Africa and of transnational corporations, banks, financial and other institutions that were collaborating with South Africa.

The Secretary-General was asked to undertake a study on the relationship of United Nations bodies with banks and financial institutions that conducted business in, or with entities in, South Africa.

In resolution 41/35 A, the Assembly demanded a halt to existing death sentences and further executions of "freedom fighters and patriots". It affirmed that southern Angola's occupation by South Africa was "in large part facilitated by the policies pursued by the United States Administration in the region, especially its support for the armed criminal bandits of UNITA and its policies of |constructive engagement' and |linkage"'. The continued collaboration with South Africa by certain Western and other countries, transnational corporations, banks and other financial institutions, was condemned.

The world body appealed for increased assistance to the "oppressed people of South Africa" and their national liberation movements, and for stepped-up support to the nine member States of the Southern African Development and Co-ordination Conference (SADCC) - the six front-line States and Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland.

The vote was 130 in favour to 8 against, with 18 abstentions.

The Assembly, in resolution 41/35 H, strongly condemned South Africa for the killings, arbitrary mass arrests and the detention of members of mass organizations and individuals for opposing apartheid and the state of emergency. South Africa's aggressive actions against neighbouring States and refugees from South Africa and Namibia were condemned.

The Assembly demanded that South Africa release immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners, detainees and restrictees; immediately lift the state of emergency; abrogate discriminatory laws and lift bans on all organizations and individuals, as well as restrictions and censorship of news media; grant freedom of association and full trade union rights to all workers; initiate without pre-conditions a political dialogue with genuine leaders of the majority population; eradicate the bantustan structures; and immediately withdraw troops from Angola and end the destabilization of frontline and other States.

The Assembly also urged the Security Council to take steps for the strict implementation of the 1977 mandatory arms embargo and of the arms embargo requested in resolution 558 (1984) and to secure an end to military and nuclear co-operation with South Africa and the import of military equipment or supplies from South Africa.

The Assembly appealed to States that had not done so, pending mandatory Security Council sanctions, to consider measures "to increase the pressure" on South Africa; and to Governments and organizations to cease academic, cultural, scientific and sport relations with South Africa, as well as relations with individuals, institutions and bodies endorsing or based on apartheid.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 149 in favour to 2 against (United Kingdom, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cote d'Ivoire, Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Lesotho, Malawi).

Adopting another resolution (41/35 C) by a vote of 102 in favour to 29 against, with 26 abstentions, the Assembly strongly condemned the continuing and increasing collaboration of Israel with South Africa, especially in the economic, military and nuclear fields; demanded that Israel desist from and terminate all forms of collaboration with Pretoria, particularly in the military and nuclear fields; and called on Governments and organizations to exert their influence to persuade Israel to desist from such collaboration.

The Assembly, by resolution 41/35 D, supported the efforts of the Special Committee against Apartheid to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Declaration of the World Conference on Sanctions against Racist South Africa (16-20 June, Paris), and authorized it to organize or co-sponsor conferences, seminars and other events; to hold consultations with and send missions to Governments and non-governmental organizations; and to promote the international campaign against apartheid. The vote was 145 in favour to 2 against (United Kingdom, United States), with 10 abstentions.

An appeal was made to those States that had not done so to sign and ratify or accede to the 22-article 1985 International Convention against Apartheid in Sports in resolution 41/35 E, adopted by a vote of 131 in favour to none against, wih 24 abstentions.

An appeal was also made for increased contributions to the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa and for direct contributions to the voluntary agencies assisting victims of apartheid and racial discrimination in South Africa and Namibia in resolution 41/35 G, adopted without a vote.

Namibia omnibus: Resolution 41/39 A, the omnibus text on Namibia, was approved by a vote of 130 in favour to none against, with 26 abstentions. The Assembly endorsed the Declaration and Programme of Action on Namibia, adopted by the International Conference for the Immediate Independence of Namibia (7-11 July, Vienna), and urged the international community to implement them.

It expressed its dismay at the Security Council's failure to discharge effectively its responsibilities for the maintenance of peace and security in southern Africa, owing to the vetoes of two of its Western permanent members; urged the Council to take immediate action to ensure that the United Nations plan for Namibian independence, embodied in Council resolution 435 (1978), was fully implemented; called on the Council to declare categorically that Walvis Bay was an integral part of Namibia; and urged Governments not to exercise their veto in the Council against the imposition of comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against South Africa.

The continuing collaboration between South Africa and certain Western countries in the political, economic, diplomatic and financial fields was strongly condemned. Grave concern was expressed at the acquisition of nuclear-weapon capability by South Africa, and an immediate end to the continuing military collaboration of certain Western countries with South Africa was called for.

The policies of "constructive engagement" and "linkage" were strongly rejected. South Africa was called upon to desist from linking Namibian independence to irrelevant and extraneous issues such as the presence of Cuban troops in Angola. Deep concern was expressed at the depletion of Namibia's natural resources as a result of their plunder by South Africa and certain Western and other foreign economic interests, and the immediate withdrawal from Namibia of all foreign economic interests that were illegally exploiting the Territory's resources was demanded.

The Assembly called on: Member States and United Nations bodies to render material, financial, military and other assistance to South West Africa People's Organization; the European Economic Community to strengthen and extend urgently its economic sanctions against Pretoria; and all specialized agencies, in particular the International Monetary Fund, to terminate all collaboration with, and assistance to, South Africa.

The world body asked the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which operate the Urenco uranium-enrichment plant, to have Namibian uranium specifically excluded from the Treaty of Almelo, which regulates Urenco's activities.

Other texts: Resolution 41/39 B, on implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence, was adopted by a vote of 133 in favour to none against, with 25 abstentions.

In addition to strongly condemning the November 1985 use of the veto by two Western permanent Security Council members to block imposition of sanctions against South Africa, it also called on the Council's Western permanent members to support imposition of "enforcement measures" by the Council "in order to ensure South Africa's compliance with Council resolutions".

The Assembly reiterated that Security Council resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978), embodying the United Nations plan for Namibian independence, constituted the "only internationally accepted basis for a peaceful settlement of the Namibian problem" and demanded their immediate and unconditional implementation.

The Assembly demanded that South Africa immediately rescind its installation of the so-called interim government in Namibia. Manoeuvres by South Africa and its allies aimed at diverting attention from the central issue of Namibia's decolonization by introducing an East-West confrontation were rejected. The cessation of all co-operation with South Africa in the political, economic, diplomatic, military, nuclear, cultural, sports and other fields was called for.

By resolution 41/39 C, the Assembly expressed strong support for the efforts of the Council for Namibia, both as the legal administering authority for Namibia and as a policy-making organ of the United Nations. It decided that Namibia, represented by the Council, would participate as a full member in all conferences and meetings organized by the United Nations to which all States were invited, and approved the Council's report, making adequate financial provisions for implementation of its recommendations. The Assembly also decided that the Council would hold extraordinary plenary meetings in southern Africa in May 1987.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 151 in favour to none against, with 7 abstentions.

The Assembly, by resolution 41/39 D, decided to intensify its international campaign in support of the cause of Namibia, and asked the Council for Namibia to focus its activities towards greater mobilization in Western States, particularly the United States, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany. The Council was also asked to counteract the "campaign of slander and disinformation carried out by South African agents from the so-called information centres established in several Western countries".

The vote was 135 in favour to none against, with 23 abstentions.

By resolution 41/39 E, adopted by a vote of 152 in favour to none against, with 6 abstentions (Canada, Fiji, France, Federal Republic of Germany, United Kingdom, United States), the Assembly decided that the United Nations Fund for Namibia would be the primary source of development assistance to Namibians, and allocated to the Fund, as a temporary measure, $1.5 million from the regular United Nations budget.

New Commissioner for

Namibia appointed

Bernt Carlsson, Under-Secretary of State for Nordic Affairs in the Government of Sweden, has been appointed by the General Assembly as the new United Nations Commissioner for Namibia, beginning on 1 July 1987. Mr. Carlsson will replace Brajesh Chandra Mishra of India, who has held the post since 1982.

Anti-Apartheid Notes

Council for Namibia to meet

in southern Africa in 1987

The United Nations Council for Namibia has decided that in 1987 it will hold an extraordinary plenary meeting in southern Africa. It will also organize an international seminar with most participants from the Latin American region, and four workshops - in the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States - to discuss an international campaign to boycott products from Namibia and support for imposition of mandatory sanctions against South Africa.

Barclays Bank withdrawal from South Africa

called |important advancement'

The Special Committee against Apartheid on 24 November said that the decision of Britain's Barclays Bank to withdraw from South Africa constituted an "important advancement" of the international divestment campaign.

The Committee recalled that the Bank's Chairman had stated in March 1986 that Barclays would not "be party to any formal debt rescheduling until ... there are changes which confirm an end to the bankrupt policy of institutionalized racial discrimination". It also hoped that the action the Bank had taken would cause other banks and businesses to review the situation and cease their collaboration with South Africa, thereby strengthening the world-wide cause of combating apartheid in South Africa and Namibia.

Secretary-General calls for release of

children in South Africa

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar on 17 December called on South Africa to end the state of emergency and release the large numbers of children detained under the emergency regulations as well as other political detainees.

The call was made following a meeting the Secretary-General had on 16 December with Cape Town Archbishop Desmond Tutu at Headquarters. Archbishop Tutu said many of the detained were under the age of 15 and had been made to share accommodations with "hardened criminals".

The Secretary-General, expressing deep concern, said that South Africa had reported that 256 children between the ages of 11 and 15 were being held under emergency regulations. That was most deplorable, he said, and parents should be granted immediate and unimpeded access to their children.

Archbishop Tutu, at a pres conference, told reporters that Pretoria's claim that the detained children threatened the State and its attempt to justify holding them since June without due process had overshadowed South Africa's claim that it was a last bastion against communism.

The issue of detained children would lead the world to question South Africa's policies, he said, referring particularly to Western countries which would surely object if Zimbabwe were discovered to be holding white children in prisons.

Agreement reached on ways to counteract

press censorship in South Africa

The Special Committee against Apartheid and the Commonwealth Committee on South Africa have agreed on measures to counteract "severe censorship" of press coverage of events in South Africa and its "intensified propaganda" and to attract increased television and radio coverage of resistance within South Africa. The agreement came at a meeting of representatives of the two Committees at United Nations Headquarters on 11 and 12 November 1986.

Among proposals made were co-sponsorship of a seminar on the impact of sanctions against South Africa; and joint production and translation of, and distribution through United Nations and Commonwealth channels of publications and audio-visual material designed to counteract South African propaganda directed at mass media, secondary schools, business leaders, educators, trade unions, emigration offices and travel agencies.

The Special Committee against Apartheid condemned the "further measures of press censorship" announced on 11 December by South Africa's apartheid regime.

The Committee Chairman said that those measures were "aimed at concealing all news of political unrest and the regime's brutal response". The "oppressive press restrictions" showed that the regime had opted for confrontation with the people rather than dialogue.

While unauthorized reporting of actions of security forces and of so-called "subversive" statements were already prohibited under the current state of emergency, the Committee pointed out, the "sweeping new restrictions" were designed to "ensure total suppression of news of all types of resistance to apartheid including public statements, strikes and boycotts of schools, buses of white businesses".

Committee shocked at assassination 

of activist and wife

The Special Committee against Apartheid on 4 December expressed "shock and sadness" at the assassination on 1 December of Dr. Fabian Ribeiro, a prominent anti-apartheid activist, and his wife, Barbara Ribeiro, sister of the late Robert Sobukwe, founding president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC). They had been shot and killed in front of their home in Mamelodi township, near Pretoria. Their teenage son had also been fired upon but escaped death.

Dr. Ribeiro, whose house had been petrol-bombed twice before, had been widely known as the "people's doctor". He had blamed those attacks on the South African regime's so-called security agents. Winnie Mandela's house had also been destroyed in similar attacks. The Committee strongly condemned such barbarous acts committed by the regime or its agents to suppress opposition to apartheid.

Attempt to destroy PAC office

in Tanzania condemned

The Special Committee against Apartheid on 19 December strongly condemned what it termed a "vicious attempt" to destroy the Headquarters of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) in Tanzania by a parcel bomb. Committee Chairman Joseph N. Garba (Nigeria) said that in the light of previous such attempts, the "criminal act of terrorism" had no doubt been instigated by the "racists in South Africa".

The Committee stated it had learned with shock that a parcel bomb said to contain enough explosives to destroy the PAC office completely had been posted from Manzini in Swaziland to the PAC Administrative Secretary. "Only his vigilance and prompt attentive action by Tanzanian security forces prevented a tragedy", Mr. Garba added.