United Nations FOURTH COMMITTEE, 1878th GENERAL MEETING ASSEMBLY Friday, 9 October 1970, at 3.35 p.m. TWENTY-FIFTH SESSION Official Records NEW YORK
Chairman: Mr. Vernon Johnson MWAANGA subjected to forcible removal from one place to another in (Zambia). order to provide room for the expansion of the European area. The means used for that purpose included deprivation of water and sanctions against sanitary arrangements. The In the absence of the Chairman, Mr. Sadry (Iran), new townships into which Africans were being squeezed Vice-Chairman, took the Chair. were tightly surrounded by barbed wire fences, with only one gate facing the city. Whenever they entered or left a township, residents were required to show twelve or more AGENDA ITEM 62 passes to the armed policemen stationed at the gate. The police had master keys which enabled them at any time of Question of Namibia (continued) the day or night to enter any premises in which they (A/8023/Add.2, A/C.4/127/Add.1 and 2) suspected an African of committing the criminal offence of allowing relatives or friends to stay with him for seventy HEARING OF PETITIONERS two hours. No African lawfully residing in a town by virtue of a permit issued to him was entitled to have his wife living 1. The CHAIRMAN recalled that at its 1875th and 1876th there with him. According to reliable sources, the death meetings the Committee had decided to grant a number of rate had tripled in the new townships as a result of requests for hearings concerning Namibia. He suggested that ill-health, suicides and murders. several petitioners should be heard at the present meeting. 5. In the rural areas, Africans were being removed from one reservation to another. The notorious Odendaal Com At the Chairman's invitation, Mr. Veiue N. Mbaeva and mission had been appointed in 1962 to study ways and Mr. Mburumba Kerina, representatives of the South West means of partitioning an insignificant, arid portion of Africa National United Front (SWANUF) (A/C4/727/ Namibia into reservations known as "homelands" for the Add. I}, and the Reverend Michael Scott, representative of respective African ethnic groups. The rest of the country, the International League for the Rights of Man ( A/C.4/ with its mineral resources, industries, farming areas and 727/Add.2}, took places at the Committee table. ports, would be annexed by South Africa. Moreover, the South African Parliament, interpreting the Constitution, 2. Mr. MBAEV A (South West Africa National United would retain broad powers in the homelands, leaving the Front (SWANUF)) said that it was a great honour for the so-called autonomies control of the courts in matters representatives of the Namibian people to be able to affecting "non-whites" only. All laws passed by the acquaint the Committee with the situation in Namibia, so-called assemblies of the various homelands would have to· which was deteriorating rapidly. SWANUF would continue have the assent of the South African President. Attention to do everything in its power to facilitate the work of the should be drawn to the fact that the racist colonial United Nations in its efforts to help the struggling people of Government of South Africa had now embarked on new the world, particularly the Namibian people, to attain programmes, through which it intended, by using new freedom and self-determination. methods, to implement all those recommendations. 3. By resolution 2145 (XXI) of 27 October 1966, the 6. The Ovamboland Bantustan had been established General Assembly had terminated the Mandate exercised on with a population which was 99 per cent illiterate, socially behalf of His Britannic Majesty by the Government of the isolated and lacking any political maturity. According to Union of South Africa, which therefore no longer had the local newspapers, the head of that Bantustan, whose right to administer Namibia. By resolution 2248 (S-V) of external affairs were the responsibility of the South African 19 May 1967, the General Assembly had established the Government, opposed the struggle of the Namibian people United Nations Council for Namibia and had authorized it for freedom and self-determination. Okavango, which was to administer the Territory until independence, with the the next area to be converted into a Bantustan, was even maximum possible participation of the Namibian people. worse than Ovamboland from the point of view of political The United Nations Council for Namibia had not been able awareness. All its progressive leaders had been imprisoned to proceed to the Territory, as requested in resolution or killed by the South African police or forced to flee to 2248 (S-V), because of the refusal of the colonial Govern the Republic of Zambia. The other peoples were being ment of South Africa and its condemnation of United forced to accept their Bantustans and sometimes even to Nations resolutions relating to Namibia. change their nationality, in other words, to drop their own name in favour of the term Coloured, and to adopt 4. The situation in the Territory was going from bad to Afrikaans, the official language of the Boers. The Hereros, worse. In the urban areas, Africans were continually being who had resolutely rejected any type of Bantustan, were
25 A/C.4/SR.l878 ------26 General Assembly -Twenty-fifth Session - Fourth Committee the chief victims of the forcible measur ~s enacted by the of militant nationalism which South West Africa was colonial Government against the Namibian people. They experiencing at the present time. Throughout his life he had were being deprived of water in order to force them to fought to defend the rights of the Namibian people, leave their reserve. The South West AfriCI National United irrespective of their ethnic origins, and it was thanks to him Front (SWANUF), the only revolutionary movement which that the case of Namibia had been one of the most had tackled the problem of Namibia by halting dissension important questions to be brought before the United and uniting Namibian forces against thee 1emy, did not yet Nations and the International Court of Justice. He had enjoy the support of the international community, particu striven sincerely, prudently, selflessly and valiantly, without larly, the Organization of African Unit~· and the United lowering himself to petty matters which occasionally Nations. It needed such support in oder to unify the destroyed great causes. He had represented the homo Namibian people. The United Nations Council for Namibia, geneity of his people because he had identified himself with which was the legal Government of the Territory, could them and knew what they needed and what they expected provide the best possible means of unify .ng the Namibian of him. On 31 July 1970 SWANUF had sent the Herero people by convening a conference tc which all the people a message in which it had urged them to observe the Namibian liberation movements would be invited. It should traditional period of mourning, to unite in order to put an be noted that, if the Council had been able to enter end to the sufferings inflicted on them by the South Namibia, the first and foremost task incurr bent on it as one African Government and, after the period of mourning, of its responsibilities would have beer to organize a unanimously to elect a successor to Chief Kutako, a national convention. The Council's inability to enter the successor who would represent national unity and would Territory should not have prevented it f1 om beginning to follow in the footsteps of the father and hero of the discharge those of its responsibilities whic 1 were within its Namibian people. means, it should, in particular, convene a conference of Namibian representatives to decide on: tht~ participation of 10. On behalf of his colleagues, he expressed the shock the Namibian people in the work of the United Nations and sorrow felt by his people at the death of President Council for Namibia and in the discharge of the duties of Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic. He asked the Commissioner; the planning and oq anization of an the Chairman of the Committee to convey their condol effective educational and training programme for the ences to the people and Government of the United Arab Namibian people; and the support to be given to the Republic. liberation struggle of the Namibian people. 11. The history of South African racist rule in Namibia 7. SWANUF recommended that the proposed conference was one of the blackest pages in the history of European should be held at Lusaka, since the majority of Namibian colonization of the African continent. The treatment exiles were in Zambia. Those who proposed that it should inflicted on Namibians by the racist South African Govern be held in Europe were claiming to be participating in the ment was no different from that which his people had liberation struggle of the Namibian peo Jle in order to endured under the German Government. A Government obtain subsidies for their own ends at the expense of the which removed Namibians from their traditional lands by Namibian people and revolutionaries who were fighting on force to settle them in areas of the Namib and the Kalahari African soil. SWANUF was grateful for anr effort directed deserts and which continued to deny Namibians their towards the liberation of Namibia, but it thought that those fundamental human rights was unworthy to be a Member who wanted to contribute to its liberatior should consult of the United Nations and thus to share in the honour it instead of submitting their proposals dire ;t to the United enjoyed by all nations dedicated to the task of making the Nations. SWANUF had no intention of leav ng the question world a worthy place for all humanity. of Namibia for others to take up, nor did it intend to make Namibia a base for future military or political operations 12. SWANUF wished to show the world that apartheid, against neighbouring countries. which continued to be a subject of major concern to the United Nations, represented the depraved brutality of 8. In conclusion, he called on the Unil ed Nations to South African racism in the international territory of convene a conference of the Council for l'1amibia and Namibia. The South African Government continued to representatives of all the Namibian liberatioll movements to destroy the Namibian people because it feared those whom be held at Lusaka, and to urge all NamJ bian liberation it hated; those who propagated apartheid had no con movements to participate in it. science, because they did not wish to think. Their minds were warped and distorted by a futile and strange fanatical 9. Mr. KERINA (South West Africa Nation:tl United Front hatred of the African people in southern Africa. SWANUF (SWANUF)) thanked the Committee for giving him an considered that the South African Government bore the opportunity to speak on behalf of SWANlfF. It was with overwhelming responsibility for the situation. At times it deep sorrow that he informed the Committ !e of the death sympathized with the Afrikaners, who had been misled by of Chief Hosea Kutako at the age of one hur dred years. His the policy of apartheid of their Government which had death was a great loss to the Namibian people. The life of filled them with hatred for the African people. The the Chief, whose wisdom and physical strength had beer. liberation of Namibia from South African racist colonialism reflected in his deeds, was identified with a large part of the would be necessary to liberate the South African Govern written history of South West Africa. He had given his high ment from the yoke of apartheid. That must be done by office of national leadership a form which vras particularly putting an end to South Africa's illegal occupation of suited to his distinctly African talents and character. Chief Namibia and instituting United Nations authority in the Kutako, whom South Africans had, with bitterness at Territory. The creation of stable and representative govern times, termed "incorruptible", was responsible for the·era ment would consolidate the independence of Namibia, but 1878th meeting- 9 October 1970 27 that would be possible only if conditions were such as to treaties on African States. SW ANUF considered that there permit the development of an atmosphere of mutual were various steps that should be taken at different levels. confidence and security among the Namibian people. The First of all, it felt that no African Government should effects of a century of colonialism could not be minimized authorize the establishment of contacts with that Govern and the African people who had suffered under the South ment in any form whatever and it asked that South Africa African Government would continue to harbour feelings of should be suspended from membership of the United bitter hatred and mistrust. It had to be admitted, too, that Nations and the specialized agencies until such time as the South African Government's fear and hatred of Namibia was independent of South African colonial ad Namibians was likely to increase with the approach of ministration. freedom and independence. 16. SWANUF urged the Fourth Committee to authorize 13. SWANUF regarded the independence of Namibia as an the United Nations Council for Namibia to establish a essential condition for the reconstruction of the national sub-committee instructed to make an in-depth analysis of life of Namibians. It believed in the creative potentialities the presence of the Federal Republic of Germany in the of the Namibians, who, once they were free, would be able social, economic, cultural, political and educational affairs to develop their languages and thus better understand their of Namibia. The Government of the Federal Republic of African heritage; develop African legal thought in order Germany would of course claim that all Germans residing in best to express the intuitions, concepts and traditions Namibia were South African citizens who happened to be peculiar to the legal consciousness of Africa and the of German origin, an argument which was the classic reply. conditions in which they might be integrated into the new The number of German nationals residing in the Territory life of Narnibians; develop the study of African history in had increased, however, and their presence there was a order to appreciate to the utmost the greatness of the major factor in the formulation of South African racist African past and its contribution to the present and to the legislation and the consolidation of the illegal presence of formation of the Namibian national awareness; and develop the South African colonial regime in the Territory. The the political thought of the Namibian people so that they proposed analysis should enable the United Nations Council could create their own form of democracy and adapt it to for Namibia to draw up a programme of action against the the imperatives of their new responsibilities. detrimental effects of the presence of the Germans in Namibia. 14. SWANUF, reflecting the national will of the Namibian people, declared that its first objective was to obtain 17. On 26 August 1970 the o(fice of SWANUF at the effective political indeptndence for Namibia. The Namibian United Nations had addressed an important communication people were ready to accept the responsibilities of govern to the Secretary-General in which it had commented on the ment. It was not their intention to begin their life as an projected international conference on Namibia. SWANUF independent African State with a declaration of hostility had expressed serious reservations regarding the effective and animosity towards Europeans iri their country who ness and success of an international conference which wished to remain citizens of Namibia. The militant mem would not offer Namibians an opportunity to meet in order bers of SWANUF desired freedom for Namibia, which to resolve certain fundamental problems; it was precisely meant refusal of the South African Bantustans and refusal the presence of non-Namibians acting as international of the presence of South Africa in Namibia. The Bantustans experts which had served to impede the work of the United were contrary to life; Namibian manhood would never be Nations Council for Namibia. The experts in question were fulfilled through them. The bad will of South Africa could Europeans whose sole source of information was the not be denied; for example, when representatives of States African peoples, in respect of whom they claimed to be in East and Central Africa had drawn up the Lusaka experts and on whose misfortune they had built their Manifesto, 1 in which they had provided a new possibility professional careers. He asked whether there could be any for the peaceful solution of the problems of southern better experts on Namibia than the Namibians themselves, Africa, including that of Namibia, the South African ·and on Africa than the Africans themselves. Government had turned a deaf ear and had not even deigned to study the declaration. 18. In its recommendations concerning the convening of the conference, SW ANUF had asked that it should be 15. South Africa had decided to offer a so-called non convened by the Council for Namibia and that the theme of aggression pact to the African States. Unfortunately, at the the conference should place the emphasis on the Namibians same time it continued to threaten African Governments, as themselves; it had urged and it urged once again that the could be seen from a speech by Mr. Vorster, the South conference should be held at Lusaka. The point of holding African Prime Minister, in which he had said: "If terrorists an international conference was not to launch a publicity intruded into South Africa and then fled, we shall pursue campaign but to seek a solution to the problems of the them right into the countries whence they came". African Namibians. Governments could scarecely be expected to be convinced of South Africa's sincerity when, on the one hand, that 19. He expressed the gratitude of SWANUF to all the country refused to accept well-meaning declarations by the African Governments which had taken the risk of request African States and United Nations resolutions on Namibia ing an advisory opinion from the International Court of and, on the other hand, it sought to impose non-aggression Justice on certain legal issues arising from the illegal presence in Namibia of the South African colonial regime. During the past few months SWANUF had been encour 1 Manifesto on Southern Africa. For the text, see Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-fourth Session, Annexes, agenda aging African Governments Members of the United Nations item 106, document A/7754. to bring about the suspension of the South African 28 General A sst mbly - Twenty-fifth Session - Fourth Committee ------Government from the exercise of the rights and privileges important. The dispossessed and refugees did not count of membership, under Article 5 of the Cilarter. That was until they did something desperate such as hijacking aircraft the only way to force South Africa to give serious to call attention to their unendurable situation; and then consideration to the United Nations resolutions on Namibia explosives were rained down on their shanty towns and and to co-operate with the Organization. moral indignation was directed towards those acts of piracy which brought down luxury travellers to share the life of 20. In conclusion, he informed the Committee that, as a refugees in the desert. Furthermore, the small countries result of the death of Chief Hosea Kut 1ko, the Herero were imitating the big ones. If South Africa felt threatened people were in consultation regarding the election of their by African unity, it would supply arms and ammunition new leader. As soon as a leader had b'~en elected, the and money to the minorities in certain African States such United Nations Council for Namibia wo 1ld be informed as Nigeria. It would infiltrate liberation movements and officially. Lastly, he expressed SWANUF'~ appreciation of would seek to corrupt them or win them over. If it felt the work which the Council had performed during the past threatened by Arab unity, it would send arms and money year. to southern Sudan and Biafra. There were mercenaries in southern Sudan whose lives had been spared at the request 21. The Reverend Michael SCOTT (International League of the Organization of African Unity and the Pope on for the Rights of Man) recalled that a few months condition that they never returned to Africa. The United previously he had come to the United Nations to make Kingdom was supplying technicians and military advisers to certain proposals regarding Namibia to :he Council for the small Arab States in the Persian Gulf because oil cost Namibia and the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee of the Security 6 cents a barrel in Kuwait and 9 cents a barrel in Saudi Council which he had hoped to see in the report of the Arabia, whereas it cost 62 cents in Venezuela and $1.51 in Council for Namibia before the debate on the question of the United States and because it was making £200 million a Namibia in the Fourth Committee began. Despite his recent year profit on its £1,000 million investment in the Persian visit, he had decided to come again to deft nd the cause of Gulf. the Namibians in the United Nations partly because eminent Namibians fighting for the liberation of their 26. The United Nations itself, which received each year a country could not do so themselves, or b~~cause they had never-ending stream of petitions and appeals for justice, died or because they had not submittt d requests for seemed to be losing control over the situation. The great hearings. and the powerful were silent about the misdeeds committed in their names and about the travesties of law directed 22. He paid a tribute to the memory of Chief Hosea against justice and civilization in Africa. Was it then Kutako of the Hereros, who had lived through different surprising that youth was losing faith in the great univer periods of colonial tyranny when the Terri1 ory of Namibia sities and institutions of learning which were being used in had been under German domination, under the Mandates the pursuit of war and mass destruction? Young people in System and finally under the responsibilitr of the United the United States were claiming that the universities of Nations within the framework of the intemttional Trustee Michigan, Berkeley and Harvard were helping to master ship System. That outstanding African fi~ ure, like
32. With regard to the establishment of a United Nations 34. Those proposed areas of activity did not preclude the administration for Namibia, Mr. Leonard lazar proposed possibility of other activities being undertaken by the that the Council for Namibia should be given all the powers Council, such as the issue of passports or other documents, of a sovereign and independent State. A major problem but they were the two areas in which practical results were would be its inability to exercise control within the most likely to be achieved within the immediate future. territory of Namibia. In the external sphere. however, the Council would be able to wield consid )rable power, The petitioners withdrew. provided that its areas of operation were cazefully chosen. Furthermore, it should be able to perform ce1 tain functions Organization of work relating to internal Namibian matters, althc ugh with less certainty of effectiveness; the results would depend on a 35. The CHAIRMAN suggested that, in order to expedite variety of circumstances, such as the pressur1~ which could work, the list of speakers in the general debate on agenda be exerted directly or indirectly on the persons and officials it(.ms 62, 63 and 64 should be closed at 6 p.m. on Monday, involved. Mr. Lazar was not at that stage ~ uggesting the 12 October. If there were no objections, he would assume establishment of an independent international body, which that the Committee adopted that suggestion. might well become possible in time. That egal problem should be left in abeyance; what was needed 1t the present It was so decided. time was practical results. The United Nations Council for Namibia should be given all such powers-executive, legis 36. The CHAIRMAN said that the general debate on items lative and judicial-as were necessary for the effective and 62, 63 and 64 should if possible be concluded before just government of the people of Namibia. In Mr. Lazar's Monday, 19 October, in order to enable members of the view, the Council should concentrate on powers which Committee to attend some of the meetings of the General could be effectively exercised. Two types of measures Assembly during the commemorative session. He therefore would be particularly suitable. The first was the licensing asked all members who wished to speak on items 62, 63 and control of companies engaged in the search for or and 64 to bear that time schedule in mind as far as possible exploitation of mineral resources within the territory of and requested delegations which intended to submit draft Namibia, including the revenues of such co npanies and resolutions to start their consultations without delay, so their personnel. The Council could issue a law requiring all that the texts could be circulated in good time. companies and persons to obtain a licence for their activities involving the search for and commncial exploi- The meeting rose at 5.25 p.m.