General Assembly

United Nations FOURTH COMMITTEE, 1442nd GENERAL MEETING ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 8 October 1963, at 10.40 a.m. EIGHTEENTH SESSION Official Records NEW YORK CONTENTS one vote", the United Kingdom had now decided to turn Page over to the settlers control of the Federal army and air force. The settlers for their part had chosen a path Agenda item 75: from which there could be no turning back. Every day Question of Southern Rhodesia: report of the that passed was a day in their favour; they had already Special Committee on the Situation with re seized most of the land by force, and they monopolized gard to the Implementation of the Declaration the country's resources and means of production; they on the Granting of Independence to Colonial had consolidated their hold by erecting prisons and de Countries and Peoples (continued) tention camps for those who werefightingforthe right Hearing of petitioners . • . • • • . • . 53 of self-determination. Realizing that those injustices General debate (continued). • . • • • • . 56 would eventually goad the African masses into action, Hearing of petitioners (continued) . • . 59 the settlers were now asking for an army and an air force with which to wage a ruthless campaign to sup Chairman: Mr. ACHKAR Marof (Guinea). press the African nationalist movement. 4. Furthermore, the settlers were now also working out the most subtle plans to put into effect a policy of AGENDA ITEM 75 apartheid thinly disguised under the name "community Question of Southern Rhodesia: report of the Special development". In most developing countries, that term Committee on the Situation with regard to the Imple applied to programmes aimed at promoting develop mentation of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde ment through self-help schemes. In Southern Rhodesia, pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (A/5446/ however, the term meant something quite different: Rev.l, chap. Ill; A/5448 and Add.l-5; A/C.4/603; according to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Local A/C .4/606) (continued) Government and African Education, who was responsi ble for the implementation of the plan, it constituted a political philosophy based on the existence of different HEARING OF PETITIONERS cultures and recognizing that the social integration of At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. Robert MugR.be, people differing in race and culture did not conduce representative of the Zimbabwe African National Union to harmony. In its pamphlet entitled "Community (ZANU), took a place at the Committee table. Development", the Rhodesia Front advocated apart heid, stating that the process in question was one 1. Mr. MUGABE (Zimbabwe African National Union) whereby each community-whether European, African, thanked the Committee for having authorized him to Euro-African or Asian-defined its needs, made its submit his petition on behalf of his party and of the plans, carried out those plans with its own resources, people of Zimbabwe. The latter fully appreciated the and secured outside assistance where necessary. That Committee's interest in the question of Southern theory accordingly provided for the establishment of Rhodesia and the position which the Committee had t:acial communities separated by rigid social, eco adopted in that connexion, and hoped that United Nations nomic and political barriers with the sole object of action would facilitate its accession to independence. preventing the Africans from t-ncroaching upon the 2. The last six months had been an extremely difficult social, political and economic rights and privileges period in Southern Rhodesia, because of the stringent which were now enjoyed by the settler minority. Three measures taken by the settlers to limit political activi hundred and fifty Africans were already being trained ty. Realizing that the situation was bound to grow worse to carry out those "separate development" schemes. and conscious of the feeling of frustration among the The Government of Southern Rhodesia had affirmed oppressed masses, the nationalist leaders had on four that it was determined to implement its policy, despite different occasions sent delegations to the United King all opposition. dom Government in the hope of persuading it to take 5. No further evidence was needed to prove that the positive steps to solve the crisis. Yet, despite those settlers, if left to themselves, would definitely turn the efforts and the resolutions of the United Nations, the country into a second South Africa; it was impossible United Kingdom refused to take the necessary action, to make them listen to reason, for they had lost all arguing that it was powerless to intervene in the inter sense of judgement on vital political issues and loudly nal affairs of Southern Rhodesia, which was a self proclaimed the principle of equal rights for all civi governing territory. lized men, while reserving to themselves the right to 3. Instead of discharging its obligations towards the decide who was civilized and who was not. It was too Rhodesian people by applying General Assembly reso much to expect that they, having so long monopolized lution 174 7 (XVI), which requested it, as the adminis privileges and political power, would suddenly bestow tering Power, to guarantee the Mricans the exercise of equal rights and privileges upon the African inhabitants their rights and to convene a fully representative con of the country, who outnumbered them sixteen to one. stitutional conference that would ensure the rights of 6. The request made to the Government of Southern the majority of the people on the basis of "one man, Rhodesia by Mr. Butler, the United Kingdom Minister 53 A/C.4/SR.1442 54 General Assembly - Eighteenth Session - Fourth Committee responsible for Central African Affairs, that it should the United Kingdom Government; and to withhold all introduce substantial changes in the 1961 Constitution financial assistance from the settler Government. Mr. and the Land Apportionment Act before the question Butler had failed to give Z 1\NU any assurances on those of independence was discussed, had been scornfully three points, confining himself to the statement that the rejected by Mr. Field, who had described it as un army and air force would never be used to suppress the reasonable. It seemed clear that Mr. Field, and not African nationalist movement. Mr. Butler, was now master of the situation: at the 9. In the past, the Africans had never had reason to first congress of the Rhodesia Front, in September rejoice at the actions of the United Kingdom; if in 1963, 1963, the same uncompromising attitude had been at a time when the Field Government was demanding displayed and the members of the party had urged independence, the United Kingdom turned over to it con their leader to continue in his determination to gain trol of the army and air force, that could be interpreted independence unconditionally and without any changes in the 1961 Constitution. It should be noted that the as nothing but a manoeuvre to betray the African people Rhodesia Front was daily consolidating its position and and to favour the Europeans' cause. For the Africans, the United Kingdom's decision to turn over command of that it now represented the opinion of the white settlers the army and air force to the Southern Rhodesia to a much greater extent than did the Rhodesia National settlers masked the intention to grant, to the latter, Party of Sir Edgar Whitehead. He cited in that con independence as well. A minority settlers' group which nexion the reply returned by the Minister of Mines to had established its tyrannical rule and was carrying out Sir Albert Robinson, former Federal High Commis a campaign of repression against the nationalist move sioner in London, who had stated that the only way in ments, by harassing their leaders, arresting them, and which Southern Rhodesia could obtain independence imposing severe prison or even death sentences on would be through the conclusion of a negotiated settle them for minor offences, could not have any genuine ment which would have the support of the vast majority of the peoples of all races in Southern Rhodesia. In the claim to an army. view of the Minister of Mines, the settlers were faced 10. It was time to put an end to the fascist rule in the with a choice between survival and death. country, and that could be done only by establishing a government of the people. The United Kingdom had 7. The United Kingdom must compel those political nothing to fear regarding the future of the settlers. The incorrigibles, without delay and by using every means policy of the Zimbabwe African National Union was not at its command, to yield. Unfortunately for the to throw out a part of the community, but to recognize Africans, however, the United Kingdom was temporiz that all the inhabitants of Southern Rhodesia were part ing; if it had taken the action requested of it, Southern of the people of Zimbabwe, since Southern Rhodesia Rhodesia, like Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, would was an African country, on the continent of Africa, and be well on the way to self-determination. The Africans its political, social and economic institutions must found themselves struggling against the intransigence therefore reflect the will of the Africans, who con not only of the settlers but also of an administering stituted more than 96 per cent of the population. ZANU Power which was shirking its responsibility. was prepared to recognize the rights of the minorities, 8. After the United Kingdom had vetoed the draft reso but privileges based on colour and on such idle concepts lution on Southern Rhodesia in the Security Council as the philosophy of equal rights for all "civilized" men (1069th meeting), ZANU, disturbed at the administer would be replaced by a more universal philosophy of ing Power's clear intention to turn over command of equal rights for all human beings, regardless of colour, the army and the air force to the settler r~gime, had race, or creed.

Load more