United Nations FOURTH COMMITTEE, 1373rd GENERAL MEETING ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 6 November 1962, at 10.55 a.m. SEVENTEENTH SESSION Official Records • NEW YORK CONTENTS 3, Mr. BOEG (Denmark) thought it would be wise for Page the Committee to take chapter IX of the report of the Special Committee established under General Assem­ Agenda item 57: bly resolution 1654 (XVI) into consideration during Question of South West Africa (continued): the debate on South West Africa, At the same time (~) Report of the United Nations Special Com­ there was a question of principle which should be mittee for South West Africa; borne in mind. The representative of Yugoslavia had (p) Special educational and training pro­ pointed out that the Fourth Committee would be faced grammes for South West Africa: report of with a similar problem with regard to chapters VIII the Secretary-General ...... 283 and XI of the report when it took up agenda item 54. Hearing of petitioners (continued)...... 283 The Danish delegation entirely agreed with the Yugo­ slav delegation that duplication of work should be avoided. There was too much overlapping and dupli­ Chairman: Mr. Guillermo FLORES AVENDANO cation in the field of work with which the Fourth (Guatemala). Committee was concerned; in fact, paragraph 152 of chapter I of the report in question touched on the matter and made certain suggestions. It might be AGENDA ITEM 57 well if there were further co-ordination of the work of the Fourth Committee with that of the plenary. Question of South West Africa (A/C.4/572) (continued): Thus if the Fourth Committee decided to consider (g) Report of the United Nations Special Committee for chapter IX of the report in connexion with the item on South West Africa, there would not be much point in South West Africa (A/5212 and Add.l-3); that particular chapter being considered also in (!!) Special educational and training programmes for South plenary session. He would therefore suggest that, if West Africa: report of the Secretary-General (A/5234 and the Committee agreed, the Chairman should take Add.l) up the matter with the President of the General Assembly. 1. Mr. COOMARASWAMY (Ceylon) referred to the suggestion made at the previous meeting by the 4. The CHAIRMAN said that if there were no objec­ representative of Yugoslavia to the effect that the tions the relevant chapter of the report (A/5238) of relevant chapter of the report (A/5238) of the Special the Special Committee established under General Committee on the Situation with regard to the Imple­ Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI) would be listed among the documents to be considered in connexion mentation of the Declaration on the Granting of In­ with the question of South West Africa. dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, estab­ lished under General Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI), It was so decided. should be taken into account during the Fourth Com­ mittee's debate on the question of South West Africa. HEARING OF PETITIONERS (continued) Since that Special Committee had simply endorsed At the invitation of the Chairman, the Reverend the conclusions and recommendations of the Special Michael Scott, representative of the Africa Bureau, Committee for South West Africa, he agreed with the Mr. Potlako K, Leballo, representative of the Pan­ representative of Yugoslavia that that should be done. Africanist Congress (PAC), Mr. Jariretundu 2. U TIN MAUNG (Burma) also supported the sug­ Kozonguizi, representative of the South West Africa gestion made by the representative of Yugoslavia. National Union (SWANU), Mr. Jacob Kuhangua, repre­ Chapter IX of document A/5238 gave an adequate sentative of the South West Africa Peoples Organi­ zation (SWAPO), the Reverend Markus Kooper, repre­ picture of the situation in the Territory and included statements by petitioners, communications from six sentative of the South West Africa United National Independence Organization (SWAUNIO), and Mr. petitioners and summaries of statements made by the Mburumba Kerina took places at the Committee members of the Committee explaining their Govern­ table. ments' views with regard to South West Africa. The majority of members of the Committee established 5. Mr. KOZONGUIZI (South West Africa National under General Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI) had Union) observed that it was now more than fifteen expressed the view that during the current year the years since the question of South West Africa had General Assembly should take firm action against come before the United Nations and more than forty the Republic of South Africa and that that action years since the Territory had changed hands from might include sanctions. It was true that the General German colonial rule to the so-called international Assembly was somewhat divided on the question of supervision which seemed to have helped to cloak sanctions, but the Fourth Committee should consider the oppressive administration of South Africa. Since all possible steps in conjunction with the previous the General Assembly had first taken up the question stands taken by the various delegations in the matter. very little progress seemed to have been made. 283 A/C.4/SR.1373 284 General Assembly - Seventeenth Session - Fourth Committee 6. The activities of the United Nations with respect 9. He had touched on the past history of the question to South West Africa could be divided into three to show that in spite of the discussions in the United parts. Firstly, there was the passage of resolutions, Nations, in spite of the petitions submitted, in spite which fell into four categories: declarations defining of repeated appeals from the United Nations, the the United Nations' position on South West Africa and South African Government had continued to implement condemning the South African administration; resolu­ the policy of apartheid in South West Africa and today tions requesting and appealing to the South African possessed military power and economic strength, authorities to do certain things and inviting the atten­ backed by strong financial interests and military ties tion of Member States to the situation in South West abroad. It claimed that its military preparations Africa; resolutions dealing with the appointment of were part of the defence of the so-called free world cdmmittees and commissions; and resolutions seek­ against Communism but in fact the arms and equip­ ing the opinions of the International Court of Justice. ment it had obtained from its friends abroad had Secondly, there were attempts by the United Nations been used to repress the struggling people of South to implement its resolutions: Committees had been and South West Africa. appointed, re-appointed, dissolved, others appointed and so forth. Thirdly, the United Nations had suc­ 10. Much had been said about the joint communiqu~ ceeded in informing world opinion of the conditions issued at Pretoria, which had denied the existence of in South West Africa. any evidence of military preparation in South West Africa. The members of SW ANU knew very well that 7. The resolutions of 1946 and 1947 had been com­ that communique was not in accordance with the pletely ignored by the South African Government, and facts. In any event, when the Chairman of the Special the 1950 advisory opinion of the International Court Committee had reached Cairo he had rejected any of Justice!/ had been rejected and its endorsement knowledge of or association with the joint com­ by the United Nations defied. South Africa had re­ munique. What was more important was the com­ fused to submit any reports on the Territory or munique's irrelevance to the issues at stake and its petitions from South West Africans, as it was re­ calculated omission of the facts. It had said nothing quired to do under the terms of the Mandate. The of apartheid, the extent of its effects on the African United Nations Good Offices Committee established population and ultimately on the country itself and in 1957 had accomplished nothing. Nevertheless, a had expressed no opinion on the denial of political fairly accurate picture of conditions in the Territory rights and the exploitation of the majority of the had been obtained thanks to the work of the United inhabitants. Those were the issues that formed the Nations Committee on South West Africa under the basis of SWANU's case against the South African chairmanship of Mr. Rodrfguez Fabre gat. The only Administration. With regard to the points mentioned response from the South African Government had in the communique, it could not have been expected, been violent attacks on the characters of the peti­ in the circumstances in which the visit had taken tioners by Mr. Louw, the South African Minister for place, that there would be any overt incidents to Foreign Affairs, and a report to the Fourth Com­ demonstrate that the situation was a threat to peace mittee at the fourteenth session by Mr. van der Wath, and security. Incidents of that kind usually took place the present Deputy Minister for South West African as a result of provocation by South African officials Affairs, giving an account of the number of bore­ and at the time of the visit those officials had been holes dug and windmills erected in the reservee. under strict orders to exercise discretion. For In 1961 the Committee on South West Africa had example, white policemen, who were usually armed, attempted to reach the Territory. Mr. Louw had had not even carried batons during the visit. Afri­ made it clear that any attempt to enter the Territory cans had been free to demonstrate and even to enter would be regarded as aggression and had implied the Grand Hotel at Windhoek, usually reserved for that it might be repelled by force. The report con­ Whites, to see the United Nations visitors. Soon after cerning the recent visit of the Chairman and Vice­ the visitors had left, however, the situation had Chairman of the Special Committee for South West reverted to normal. Africa (A/5212, part II) was now before the General Assembly. Obviously, the mission had been a dismal failure. The question now was what should be done. 11. The indigenous inhabitants of South West Africa who had approached the Chairman and the Vice­ 8. Ever since 1946 the South African Government Chairman of the Special Committee during their visit had made a number of unsuccessful attempts to de­ to the Territory had been victimized after their feat the United Nations. At the same time it did not departure; some of them had been dismissed from seem that the achievements of the United Nations employment under pressure from the authorities. The were commensurate with its authority and responsi­ forcible removal of people from the Windhoek Loca­ bility for South West Africa, although it was true that tion to Katutura had been resumed and their houses practically all Governments in the world today knew in the former area had been levelled by bulldozers. what conditions were in South West Africa and con­ demned what the South African Government had done 12. It was obvious that, having invited the Chair­ and was doing. That fact, however, had had no effect man and the Vice-Chairman of the Special Committee on the South African Government, which was in actual for South West Africa to visit the Territory, the South control of South West Africa and had achieved its African Government could not keep any troops sta­ objectives of incorporating the Territory and ruth­ tioned in South West Africa. In poiqt of fact the lessly depriving the people of their land. That had Chairman and the Vice-Chairman had been told by been done through a number of laws which had been the people that troops which had been stationed in passed by the South African Parliament and had been Ovamboland in 1961 had been removed in 1962, applied to South West Africa too. Significantly enough that point had not been mentioned by Mr. Louw in his statement. Again, the Pretoria !/ International status of South West Africa, Advisory Opinion, I.C.J. communique had made no mention of the military Reports 1950, p. 128. base at Walvis Bay, which was regarded by the people 1373rd meeting- 6 November 1962 285 of South West Africa as an integral part of their land, long suffered from oppression, would gladly bear despite the claims of the South African authorities. hardships resulting from measures which they them­ 13. It should also be remembered that modern mili­ selves had requested if they could hope that their tary methods made it unnecessary for South Africa children would live in freedom. to establish military installations in the immediate 18. Since South Africa used the bulk of its earnings vicinity of potential target areas. As all parts of abroad for the purchase of arms, SWANU had made a South West Africa could easily be reached from study of the country's foreign trade. In 1957-1959 the South Africa itself, the absence of military bases in main markets for South Africa's exports had been the the Territory did not mean that there had been no United Kingdom, the Federation of Rhodesia and militarization. The question of the militarization of Nyasaland, the United States of America, the Federal South West Africa could not be treated in isolation Republic of Germany, Belgium and Italy, in that from the military activities going on in the Republic order, while South Africa's imports had come mainly itself. from the United Kingdom, which had accounted for 14. Ministers in the South African Government had 32.6 per cent, the United States, the Federal Republic repeatedly made it clear that they regarded readi­ of Germany, Iran, Canada and Japan, in that order. ness to counter internal troubles as an integral part 19. South Africa would be unable to retaliate against of military preparedness. In 1961 South Africa's a boycott imposed by the United Kingdom, since the military appropriations had amounted to over £35 latter bought 28.8 per cent of South Africa's exports million, or the equivalent of the national budgets of and sold it only 3 per cent of its own exports. The some States, yet in 1962 they had been further in­ United States, on the other hand, sold South Africa creased to £60 million. Additional information on £88 million worth of goods and bought from it only that subject was available in a booklet entitled "The £38 million worth. A United States boycott on trade Unholy Alliance", with an introduction by Mr. Conor with South Africa might therefore affect worldprices, Cruise O'Brien, published in London by the Anti­ since the prices of primary commodities would rise Apartheid Movement. if the United States switched its purchases to other countries and the price of manufactured goods would 15. It might interest the Committee to know that drop if the goods now sent to South Africa were re­ Mr. O'Brien had written a letter to the editor of leased on the world markets. Peace News in which he had endorsed his own argu­ ment that the insertion of the words "in consultation 20. There was no doubt that the most effective form with the Mandatory Power" had been a basic weak­ of action would be an embargo on exports of oil to ness of General Assembly resolution 1702 (XVI); he South Africa. South Africa's main supplier was Iran, had indicated that those words had been inserted as which had exported £22 million worth of crude oil to a concession to the United Kingdom and that the that country in 1958. If those exports were suspended, choice of an unsuitable chairman for the Special South Africa would be unable to retaliate since Iran Committee for South West Africa had been made as bought a very small quantity of South African goods. a concession to the United States. According to Mr. The effect of an embargo on oil shipments to South O'Brien, the main lesson to be drawn from that Africa would be felt within a few weeks. experience was that resolutions, however strongly 21. South Africa was also wholly dependent on foreign worded, led nowhere if their execution was entrusted shipping, most of it British. Like the embargo on oil, to persons who did not believe in them and that great a shipping embargo would require international back­ care should be exercised when a wording was chosen ing and enforcement. A denial of landing facilities to for the purpose of gaining wider support for a given aircraft flying to and from South Africa would also draft resolution. Mr. O'Brien had also indicated that be effective, for although there were aircraft capable whereas the anti-colonialist countries had great of flying from South Africa to Europe non-stop, their voting powers in the General Assembly, the old operating costs could be much higher. colonialist Powers were much more formidable at the level of administration. The defenders of co­ 22. A lead in the economic boycott of South Africa lonialist positions were indifferent to strong declara­ had been given by the independent African States tions, for they knew how to frustrate their imple­ whose peoples had the will to act against South Africa. mentation, as was fully illustrated in the case of the Their actions had not, however, been effective be­ Congo. It was not enough for certain Powers to claim cause their trade with South Africa had been limited. that they were not supplying aircraft and other mili­ 23. The South West Africa National Union would tary equipment to South Africa. The United Nations urge individual States to take economic action against should take positive action to ensure that they did not South Africa. The United Kingdom was a case in do so. point: as a first step it might end the preferential 16. In that connexion he would welcome repudiation treatment enjoyed by South Africa on an equal footing by the West of South Africa's false claim that its with Commonwealth countries under the South Africa offensive plans against the African people were part Act of 1962. One consequence of the system now in of the defence of the so-called free world. force was that taxpayers in the United Kingdom paid South Africa several million pounds annually under 17. The South African Government's other source the sugar agreement. A campaign for the repeal of of power lay in the country's economic prosperity, the preferential treatment now extended to South which was backed by foreign investments and based Africa had already been conducted in the UnitedKing­ on the exploitation of the Africans. In SWANU's dom and he would appeal to the United Kingdom opinion the most effective weapon against South Government to agree to that step as one way in which Africa was economic sanctions. He would like to dis­ it could help the people of South West Africa in pose once and for all of the argument that the prin­ their struggle against the South African Government. cipal sufferers from economic sanctions would be the Again, the United Kingdom, which now bought £5 Africans themselves. The African people, who had million worth of South African oranges each year at 286 General Assembly - Seventeenth Session - Fourth Committee prices highly advantageous to South Africa, might be condemned for dereliction of duty, and drastic replace them by Brazilian oranges which were avail­ action should be taken to remove it from the Terri­ able at the same time of the year and were cheaper. tory so that government could be transferred to the 24. When the South Africa Act of 1962 had been people. introduced in the United Kingdom Parliament, Mr. 27. The body which would be entrusted with con­ Heath, the Lord Privy Seal, had said that the Govern­ sidering the steps to be taken against South Africa ment did not intend to ask the European Economic should be instructed to submit its recommendations Community for special arrangements for South Africa to the Security Council not later than a certain date, if the United Kingdom joined the European Common to be set by the General Assembly. Market. SW ANU had welcomed that statement. Since then, however, there had been reliable press reports 28. He was SWANU's only spokesman before the that South Africa would be given the same treatment Committee and in order to prevent any misunder­ as Australia, and the South African Minister for Eco­ standing which might arise regarding his party's nomic Affairs had said that his country would be position in relation to any resolution which the Gen­ allowed to address the ministers of the States mem­ eral Assembly might adopt, he was prepared to bers of the European Economic Community in order answer any questions members of the Committee to ask for further special arrangements. The pre­ might wish to put to him. IerePtial tariff arrangements with the United Kingdom 29. The Reverend Michael SCOTT (Africa Bureau) were now worth £7 million a year to South Africa. said that he would like to inform members that a Since they affected mainly agricultural produce, the portrait in bronze of Chief Hosea Kutako had re­ benefits accrued directly to the white farmers, the cently been made by a member of the Royal Academy section of the South African population which returned of the United Kingdom. Chief Kutako had been a the Nationalist Party to power, and not to the indige­ valiant leader of his people since the German con­ nous inhabitants. Transitional tariff arrangements quest of South West Africa but had unfortunately with the European Economic Community similar to never been allowed to come to the United Nations to those contemplated for Australia would give South speak on their behalf. He hoped that a place could be Africa approximately £30 million over a seven-year found for the portrait somewhere in the United period. What was even more serious was that the Nations building. European Economic Community would appear to be aiding and abetting policies of white domination and 30. He would like also to stress once again the need to be bolstering an economy already under pressure for an inquiry by the United Nations into the chal­ by giving financial advantages to a Government which lenge presented by the powerful industrial complex was not entitled to them. He appealed to the States existing in Central and Southern Africa. That com­ members of the European Economic Community to plex wielded more power than any State in Africa and bar South Africa from membership as part of the worked in close alliance with the Government of economic action to be taken against that country by South Africa. It was able to thrive largely as a result the Governments of the world. of the existence of cheap migrant labour. In his view, 25. In the opinion of SWANU, the task of the United the system of migrant labour was in some ways more Nations was no lcrnger to determine what conditions inhuman than the institution of slavery, under which in South West Africa were like, for everyone was there had usually been some regard for the welfare aware of the situation in the Territory. For many of the slave's family. A migrant labourer was re­ years the United Nations had done its utmost to cruited under a contract to which heavy penal sanc­ induce South Africa to negotiate a settlement but that tions were attached and which often obliged him to country had been determined to thwart United Nations work hundreds of miles away from his family, usually actions. The various committees and special com­ under degrading conditions. It was claimed by the mittees established by the United Nations over the mine-owners and by the boards set up to fix wages years had done their work, and done it well. A new that "Native" minimum wages should not be fixed on phase had now been reached. Any new body which the the basis of the value of the work or the money earned United Nations might decide to appoint should be an by the sale of the product, but must take into account action committee, which would study the ways and the fact that the labourer had been provided with a means of implementing United Nations resolutions piece of land on which his family could live,. though and plan action along the lines already discussed. that was hundreds of miles away. The situation Such a body might be a sub-committee of the Special merited investigation by a United Nations body or by Committee established under General Assembly the International Labour Organisation. Those who resolution 1654 (XVI). That, however, was a matter decided the policies of the industrial concerns should for the United Nations and not for the petitioners to be asked what future they foresaw for Africa and decide. The time for strongly worded resolutions for whether they really wanted to see the development of their own sake had passed: it was now time for a situation which would lead to the introduction of the action, both by the people of South West Africa and cold war into Africa. by the world community. In that connexion he would 31. With regard to positive action to help the people draw the Committee's attention to the account of a of South West Africa, he wished to inform the Com­ meeting of SWANU's national executive with the mittee of a project to set up a centre from which an Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Special Com­ international corps of volunteers could give their mittee for South West Africa (A/5212/Add.l, paras. assistance to the suffering people. In view of the re­ 137-145). fusal of the South African Government to seek assist­ 26. As could be seen from the report of the Special ance from the United Nations Children's Fund, the Committee established under General Assembly World Health Organization and other international resolution 1654 (XVI) (A/5238, chap. IX, paras. agencies, such a project was being considered and 68-73), he had told that Committee that the South the United Nations might have to take cognizance of African Administration in South West Africa should it. It was, however, primarily to Member States as 1373rd meeting - 6 November 1962 287 such that the petitioners now appealed to help the know whether the conditions of life of the South West South West African people and to use their influence African people were better or worse at the present to bring about their liberation. time than before the Mandate had been introduced. 32. Mr. SAID (Federation of Malaya) said that Mr. 37, Mr. KOZONGUIZI (South West Africa National Scott had spoken of an alliance of industrial concerns Union) said that it was important to study conditions in Central and Southern Africa and apparently con­ in the context of living conditions in other areas of sidered that such European-owned concerns consti­ the world. For example, there had undoubtedly been tuted the main barrier to the achievement of majority more schools built under the South African Govern­ rule in the countries of that area. At the 1364th ment's administration than under German rule, but meeting, however, the United Kingdom representative the question was whether South Africa had done had pointed out that many African and Asian coun­ enough in the matter of providing educational facili­ tries had achieved independence despite large invest­ ties to the people in the light of the availability of ments of British capital. At the 1341st meeting he such facilities in the rest of the world at the present himself had pointed out that the considerable United time. At the time of the First World War, none of the Kingdom investments in his country had not been international agencies which now existed to assist adversely affected by the granting of independence to the development of educational, health and other ser­ the Federation. He wondered whether it was not vices in under-developed countries had come into rather the attitude of the large white settler popula­ being. South Africa still refused to make use of the tion which presented the main obstacle to progress specialized agencies and of the facilities offered in Southern Rhodesia and South Africa; the settlers through the United Nations for South West African appeared to have a horror of rule by Africans and students to study abroad. The educational facilities considered them an inferior race. That inhuman atti­ provided for Africans in South West Africa were far tude found expression in South African apartheid inferior to those provided for Whites. He could not legislation, in the Bantu Education Act and in restric­ quote the figures off-hand but he knew that there were tions on the liberties of the African population. more schools in South West Africa for the 70,000 33. The Reverend Michael SCOTT (Africa Bureau) Whites than for the 500,000 Africans. Living con­ agreed with the views expressed by the Malayan ditions in South West Africa were admittedly better representative regarding the problem in Southern and now than they had been under the German occupation, Central Africa. In independent Tanganyika there were but living conditions all over the world were better. still European settlers owning estates of consider­ The point was that the conditions in which the Afri­ able size, who clearly suffered no kind of discrimina­ cans lived were not what they should be or what they tion at the hands of the Government. In the Rhodesias, would be if the Africans ruled themselves, South Africa and South West Africa, the problem was 38. With regard to the question of preparation for the endemic prejudices of the settlers and their un­ independence, it was absurd to argue that a people willingness to forgo their privileges. The political could not govern itself until the ideal had been system in force in South Africa and South West reached in the matter of educational and other facili­ Africa was in the hands of people who were guided ties, As far as economic independence was con­ by nineteenth-century ideas, by fear which rose from cerned, hardly any country could be totally free from a consciousness of guilt and by an ideology based on dependence on other countries and an independent a distortion of the Christian religion. Although it was South West Africa would naturally seek the co­ true that the system had existed and developed over operation and assistance of other friendly nations. many years, what was disturbing was the develop­ ment of South Africa as a modern industrial State 39, Mr. GONZALEZ CALVO (Guatemala) asked Mr. which was perhaps more powerful in military terms Kozonguizi whether South African troops were still than any other State in Africa. stationed in Ovamboland and other parts of the border between South West Africa and Angola and, if 34, Mr. GONZALEZ CALVO (Guatemala) asked Mr. so, to what end, Kozonguizi to give his views on the question of the revocation of South Africa's Mandate over South West 40, Mr. KOZONGUIZI (South West Africa National Africa. Union) replie

Litho in U.N. 77401-September 1963-2,475