Observance of the 25th Anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania

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Alternative title Notes and Documents - United Nations Centre Against ApartheidSpecial Issue Author/Creator United Nations Centre against Publisher United Nations, New York Date 1984-10-00 Resource type Reports Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) Coverage (temporal) 1984 Source Northwestern University Libraries Description Statements made at the 542nd meeting of the Special Committee against Apartheid, held on 6 April 1984: 1. H.E. Mr. Joseph N. Garba (Nigeria), Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid. 2. H.E. Mr. Leandre Bassole (Burkina Faso), Chairman of the African Group. 3. Mr. John Nyati Pokela, Chairman of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. 4. Mr. Vinay K. Verma (India) on behalf of the Movement of the Non-Aligned Countries. 5. Mr. Stephen Cletus Chiketa (Zimbabwe). 6. Mr. Zehdi Labib Terzi, Permanent Observer for the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations. 7. Mr. Enuga S. Reddy, Assistant Secretary-General for the Centre against Apartheid. 8. Mr. Farouk Al-Attar (Syrian Arab Republic) read out a messageby H.E. Mr. Farouk Al-Charea, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic. 9. H.E. Mr. James Victor Gbeho (Ghana) read out a message from the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council of Ghana, H.E. Fl. Lt. J. Rawlings. 10. Ms. Judy Jensen, Revolution in Africa Action Committee. 11. Mr. Ahmed Obafemi, National Committee to Defend New Afrikan Freedom Fighters. 12. Mr. Mike Cooper, All African People's Revolutionary Party. 13. Mr. Boji Jordan, American-South

http://www.aluka.org African Peoples' Friendship Association. 14. Mr. Michael Simanga, New Justice Movement. Format extent 18 page(s) (length/size)

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http://www.aluka.org UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS CENTRE AGAINST APARTHEID NOTES AND DOCUMENTS* Special Issue October 1984 OBSERVANCE OF THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PAN AFRICANIST CONGRESS OF AZANIA /Note: On 6 April 1984 the Special Conmittee against Apartheid held a solemn meeting in observance of the 25th anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. This issue reproduces texts and/or sumaries of statements made at the meeting./ 84-25185 *All material in these Notes and Documents may be freely reprinted. Acknowledgement, together with a copy of the publication containing the reprint, would be appreciated. United Nations, New York 10017

CONTENTS page Statements made at the 542nd meeting of the Special Committee against Apartheid, held on 6 April 1984 1. H.E. Mr. Joseph N. Garba (Nigeria), Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid ...... 1 2. H.E. Mr. Lfandre Bassole (Burkina Faso), Chairman of the African Group 2...... 2 3. Mr. John Nyati Pokela, Chairman of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 4...... 4 4. Mr. Vinay K. Verma (India) on behalf of the Movement of the Non-Aligned Countries 7...... 7 5. Mr. Stephen Cletus Chiketa (Zimbabwe) ...... 11 6. Mr. Zehdi Labib Terzi, Permanent Observer for the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations ...... 13 7. Mr. Enuga S. Reddy, Assistant Secretary-General for the Centre against Apartheid ...... 14 8. Mr. Farouk Al-Attar (Syrian Arab Republic) read out a message by H.E. Mr. Farouk Al-Charea, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic ...... 14 9. H.E. Mr. James Victor Gbeho (Ghana) read out a message from the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council of Ghana, H.E. Fl. Lt. J. Rawlings ...... 15 10. Ms. Judy Jensen, Revolution in Africa Action Committee ...... 16 11. Mr. Ahmed Obafemi, National Committee to Defend New Afrikan Freedom Fighters ...... 16 12. Mr. Mike Cooper, All African People's Revolutionary Party 1...... 16 13. Mr. Boji Jordan, American-South African Peoples' Friendship I(, Association...... 16 14. Mr. Michael Simanga, New Justice Movement ...... 16

H.E. Mr. Joseph N. Garba (Nigeria), Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid I declare open the 542nd meeting of the Special Committee against Apartheid - a special meeting organized in co-operation with the Organization of African Unity in observance of the 25th anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate, on behalf of the Special Committee the Chairman and the representatives of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania present here, and through them all members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and convey to them our best wishes in their sacred struggle for liberation and assure them of our unswerving support. While we congratulate the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania for its struggle for freeddm and self-determination for the oppressed people of South Africa, we also pay tribute to all the South African freedom fighters who have sacrificed their lives for the very same noble objectives. It may be recalled that in March 1978 the Special Committee held a meeting to pay tribute to the memory of Mr. , the late president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, who had passed away in February that year. It was Mr. Sobukwe who, in his inaugural speech, expounded the view that "there is only one race to which we all belong, and that is the human race". Yet, it was he who spent six years on the infamous Robben Island under the notorious "Sobukwe clause", a law passed specially to enable his detention without trial. The Special Committee is deeply appreciative of the role played by the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania in the Positive Action Campaign and the Sharpeville uprising in 1960. It is mindful of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's role in the massive black students' unrest in June 1976. We are also conscious of the fact that six political prisoners in South Africa, who are the longest-serving prisoners under South Africa's arbitrary security laws, are members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. And we cannot forget that over 108 Pan Africanist Congress of Azania activists have so far been murdered by the apartheid regime. As one of South Africa's two national liberation movements, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, now under the leadership of Mr. John N. Pokela. has been in the vanguard of the struggle against apartheid. Members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania have struggledin close-co-operation with the Black Consciousness Movement, with workers, with the newly formed National Forum, and with women and youth organizations towards the elimination of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial, democratic society. While expressing its deep appreciation of the role played by the Pan Africaniut Congress of Azania in the struggle against apartheid, the Special Committee cannot help but express its desire for the unity of the national liberation movement in South Africa. Such unity has become even more desirable in the light of recent developments in South Africa and in the region, and it is dictated by the need for unity of purpose and unity of action.

-2- The Special Committee has repeatedly called upon the international community to extend all possible assistance to the oppressed people of South Africa and their liberation movements and to isolate the apartheid regime. It has consistently recommended that mandatory and comprehensive sanctions should be imposed on South Africa to compel the racist regime to comply with the United Nations resolutions. Unfortunately, economic, sports, cultural, military and even nuclear collaboration between the apartheid regime and certain Western States has so bolstered that rfgime as to enable it to use its might to terrorize neighbouring independent African States into neutrality with a view to emasculating the national liberation movements of South Africa and Namibia. Internally, the racist regime has intensified its oppression to stifle all opposition to apartheid which it has entrenched through constitutional changes designed to mislead world public opinion, divide the black people and perpetuate apartheid. While it has propagated its so-called "constitutional reforms", which are nothing but frauds, it has intensified its policy of forced population removals and the implementation of its "homelands" policy. It has opted for violent confrontation and closed all avenues for a negotiated settlement. The oppressed people of South Africa have been, with the guidance of their national liberation movements, putting up an increasingly escalating struggle of resistance to apartheid. All sectors of the black population, including workers, youth and women organizations, have been struggling increasingly in better co- ordination and greater unity of action. In the face of the oppressed people's determination, the rotten structures of apartheid are doomed to failure and collapse. Victory for the black people of South Africa is certain. In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania on its 25th anniversary, pay tribute to all the freedom fighters of South Africa, and wish spedy success to the oppressed people of South Africa and their national liberation movements. I also take this opportunity to call on the international community to show in deeds its solidarity with the struggling people of South Africa for the noble cause of human dignity. H.E. Hr. Lfandre Bassole (Burkina Faso), Chairman of the African Group May I, on behalf of the African Group, which I have the honour to chair, warmly congratulate you on the initiative that you have taken to observe, at a solemn ceremony, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania . Twenty-five years have passed since, in Aprfl 1959, brave and worthy sons of South Africa, their patience overtaxed by the atrocities of the racial discrimination practised in that country, met in the area in order to create a movement to channel the black majority's legitimate aspirations for freedom and true independence. At the same time, on the continent that had suffered so much from more than a half century of colonial domination and exploitation of all sorts, an irresistible wind of independence and freedom was blowing.

In order to combat those scourges and to restore the long-trampledon dignity of the peoples of Africa, nationalist parties and liberation movements sprang up almost everywhere on the continent. In less than a decade, those movements were to lead more than half of the African countries to international sovereignty. Unfortunately, we are obliged to note that such is not the case for our brothers in southern Africa. Indeed, the task of the South African nationalists has been all the more difficult and perilous since they have had to combat a regime which, meticulously and methodically, had conceived and developed one of the most repressive machines of contemporary history, drawing on the most sophisticated techniques of the Nazi torturers, its mentors. It is in that so very hostile environment that the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania is striving to achieve the goals and objectives which it has set itself at the time of its establishment and which, among others, are: (a) To unite and rally the African people within a national front; (b) To fight to eradicate the system based on the superiority of one race over others; (c) To promote the social, cultural and economic progress of the black majority of South Africa. During its 25 years of existence, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania has played an active political role in the struggle which the South African patriots have launched and are unrelentingly carrying out against apartheid and racial discrimination in South Africa. Less than ten years after its founding, it helped to organize the famous days of protest which were to lead on 21 March 1960 to the sad events at Sharpeville, during which dozens of innocent persons fell under the bullets of the racist South African regime. During that brutal repression, the founder and Chairman of Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, the late Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, was arrested and arbitrarily thrown in prison, where he died in 1978. Another illustrious son of South Africa, a member of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and its first representative to the United Nations, paid with his life for his fight against apartheid. I speak of David Sibeko, cowardly assassinated in 1979 by the agents of the racist r~gime. That great figure helped to mobilize the international community in favour of the just cause of the oppressed South African people. The list of martyrs is long, and grows longer each day. To all those valiant nationalists, to those who have sacrified their lives for the liberation of their people and to those still languishing in South African prisons, Africa pays a well deserved tribute. -4- The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania is recognized by the Organization of African Unity as a national liberation movement in South Africa. It therefore receives the moral and material support of that organization. The Organization of African Unity has always adopted resolutions and launched appeals for the political freedom of political prisoners in South Africa. For example, at its most recent ministerial meeting, it adopted a resolution on South Africa in which an appeal was made to the international community to work towards the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in South Africa. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Organization of African Unity also took the opportunity to welcome the decision of the Special Committee against Apartheid to observe the twentyfifth anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, one of the national liberation movements in South Africa which are fighting desperately for the establishment of a society based on the right of all citizens of that country to live in freedom and equality. Mr. John Nyati Pokela, Chairman of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania On behalf of the oppressed, exploited and dispossessed people of Azania allow me most sincerely to thank the Special Committee against Apartheid and the Organization of African Unity for co-sponsoring this meeting to observe the 25th anniversary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. We of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, together with our struggling masses and solidarity groups, are observing this day inside the country and in many parts of the world. The founding fathers of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania deliberately chose 6 April to launch this people's movement, because it was on 6 April 1652 that Jan van Riebeeck landed near Cape Town to establish a "half-way house" for the ships belonging to the Dutch East India Company. This act initiated the colonization of our country. Since 1652, our people fought a series of wars of resistance against the colonizers, and the last major war of resistance was fought in 1906, led by the African patriot Bambata. Although Bambata was defeated and subsequently beheaded, he left the African people a profound legacy, namely, what has been lost in the battlefield can only be regained on the battlefield. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, theriefore, was formed 25 years ago as a custodian of the rich legacy of struggle of our people over the past 300 years. It was also formed to give this rich legacy a political and organizational content, so as to realize the legitimate aspirations of our people, namely, national liberation from fascist colonialism and imperialist exploitation. In the past 25 years, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania gave decisive leadership to the just struggle of our people in every field. It also played the leading role in drawing international attention to our struggle. This is no propagandist claim. With the defeat of Bambata in 1906, there set in a political climate of despondency. Challenge and confrontation by the African masses were replaced by peaceful protests. This state of affairs led to the development of a subservient mentality. Our man-made plight was described as divinely ordained. Thus, the first campaign the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania launched was the State Campaign. It was launched on 1 January 1960. It specifically aimed at removing the subservient complex which had been indoctrinated into us by the racist ruling minority, The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania stated: "...that the acceptance of any indignity, any insult, any humiliation is the acceptance of inferiority". Africans must first think of themselves as men and women, before they can demand to be treated as such. The campaign, therefore, aimed at liberating the African mind, on the clear understanding that: "...once the mind is free, the body will soon be free, and once white supremacy has become mentally untenable to our people, it will become physically untenable toot" This campaigh, therefore, was an important prerequisite if the struggle for national liberation was to be seriously and vigorously pursued. This campaign was soon followed by another important campaign, the decisive final positive action against the . The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania launched and led this nation-wide campaign on 21 March 1960. Although prior to this campaign there were several anti-pass campaigns, the 21 March 1960 campaign constituted a turning pointiin the struggle or our people. The reason for this was the ideology guiding the campaign. True it was a non- violent campaign on our part, but unlike in the past, the 21 March 1960 campaign was not a protest campaign against the unjust pass laws, but a challenge to the entire fasci-colonial system in our usurped country. The fact that the campaign received overwhelming response and that the r6gime felt threathened for the first time since the establishment of the all-white Union of South Africa in 1910, testifies to the fact that it was qualitatively different from the past campaigns. This time, the trigger-happy police reacted with typical brutality and gunned down 69 unarmed men, women and children at Sharpeville. Moreover, for the first time since 1910 the regime was compelled to declare a state of emergency and ban national liberation movements. Not only did the campaign led by the Pan Africanlat Congress of Asania directly challenge the racist-colonial regime; it also terrified international investors and exploiters in our country. Record capital left the country in the week following the campaign, and only massive financial aid from American banks saved the racist regime from total collapse. It is true that 21 March 1960 campaign was, on our part, a non-violent campaign. However, because it was a campaign that directly challenged the rigime, it ushered in the era of armed struggle as the principal form of struggle. After the Sharpeville massacre, no one in our country could preach non-violence and expect to enjoy political support. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, in respbnse to the new situation, was the fIrst to form an armed wing, Poqo. It was formed in 1961. According to an article in the Rand Daily Mail of 6 February 1984, "The largest and most sustained insurrection by a black movement in South Africa in modern times was mounted by Poqo, the underground wing of the outlawed Pan Africanist Congress of Azania". The same article went on to conclude: "The persistence of the movement over a relatively long time-span and over large geographical area, qualifies.Pogo to lay claim to being the most sustained insurrectioU by blacks in modern times". -6- The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, from its very inception, was a mass- oriented movement and we continued to jealously guard this fundamental revolutionary principle. However, for an organization to be truly mass-based, it must not only represent the genuine aspirations of the oppressed, exploited and dispossessed people, but must consciously organize and mobilize the people for the struggle. It was this conscious political decision that eventually led to the 16 June 1976 national uprising, commonly known as the uprising. Participating in this nation-wide uprising were workers, youth, students, women, churchpersons and the landless peasantry. This major national uprising once more challenged the regime and attracted international attention to the explosive situation prevailing inside occupied Azania. During the June 1976 uprising, more than 800 Azanians were killed, with the first victim, Hector Pietersen, being just 12 years old. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania was formally charged for the 16 June 1976 uprising in what is known as the Bethal 18 Secret Trial, in which the veteran Pan Africanist Congress of Azania leader, Comrade Zephania Mothopeng, was accused number one. Writing in the London Guardian, correspondent John Kene- Berman revealed: "The trial, which is being held in camera and which is now drawing to a close after more than 150 days, is one of the longest political hearings in South African history. The indictment covers Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's activities which allegedly took place between 1963 and 1977 in seven South African cities and in three foreign countries. Among the people listed as co-conspirators is the late Mr. Robert Sobukwe, founder leader of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. Finding Mr. Mothopeng guilty on two counts... the judge said that Mr. Mothopeng's activities were not altruistic, but that he had acted to sow the seeds of anarchy and revolution which led to the 1976 riots. The riots which he had predicted and encouraged had eventuailt taken place in Soweto on 16 June 1976 and in Krugersdorp the following day". It is an acknowledged fact that the 21 March 1960 and the 16 June 1976 campaigns were the two major mass-oriented actions inside Azania in the past 25 years, and both played decisive roles in awakening the political'consciousness of our people and drawing the attention of the international community to the plight of our people and our just struggle. Today both these dates are internatdonally observed.. In both these mass-oriented campaigns, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania played the leading role. In the 1950s, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania rescued the struggle of the Azanian people from being hijacked and turned into a civil-right struggle. The formation of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania ensured the continuation of the struggle for national liberation and self-determination.

In the 1960s, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania paved the way for the introduction of the qualitatively higher form of struggle - the armed struggle. In the 1970s, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania organized and mobilized the Azanian masses. These are important prerequisites for waging a successful liberation war. Consequently, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania has declared, with revolutionary confidence, the 1980s as the Decade of the Azanian Revolution. This important appointment with history, the oppressed, exploited and dispossessed people of Azania are determined to keep! Moreover, permit me to utilize this opportunity to clarify some very basic issues concerning the nature of our struggle and manoeuvres to hijack the legitimate struggle of our people. In some circles, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania has been accused of being "anti-white". In his inaugural address to the founding congress, Comrade Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe said: "Politically, we stand for the government of the Africans, for the Africans, by the Africans, with everybody who owes his loyalty only to Africa and accepts the democratic rule of an African majority, being regarded as an African". He went on to add that the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania opposed exclusiveness and group compartmentalization. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, therefore, was the first national liberation movement in Azania to unequivocally expound and practice nonracialism. It strongly rejected, from its very inception, both racism and multi-racialism, because the former propounded blatant race superiority, whilst the latter propounded race exclusivity. Moreover, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania made it abundantly clear from the very outset that the cornerstone of the liberation struggle in South Africa is the repossession of the usurped land and the establishment of a democratic and socialist society. Our people are firmly convinced that the meee removal of the obnoxious apartheid laws from the statute books or cosmetic constitutional changes cannot lead to genuine independence and liberation. It is also our firm belief that liberation of our country and people from fascist colonialism can only be realized by waging a planned, sustained and protacted armed struggle with the full participation of the masses. We of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania are committed to waging an armed struggle to liberate our usurped country. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and the people of Azania know full well that ours is an ardous struggle and that we are faced with Africa's most vicious and brutal enemy. We are also aware of the manoeuverings of the racist rigime with the active connivance of the Reagan Administration. The racist regime, in recent years, has been actively engaged in a systematic military, political and economic destabilization campaign against the Front-line and neighbouring States. The aim is to terrorize and subjugate these independent States into its own hegemonistic plan for southern Africa, euphemistically called the "constellation of southern African States". The hIerican policy of "constructive engagement" is the twin brother of this plot.

-8- The racists claim that the area needs stability and peace. Stability ana peace area common desire of all, but there can be no stability and no peace as long as there exist injustice and fascist colonialism. The sole cause of instability and tension in southern Africa is the policies of the racist colonial regime in apartheid South Africa. Peace and stability can only come to the region with the complete destruction of the racist rigime. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania would also like to take this opportunity to extend our principled solidarity with the people of Namibia and the people of Palestine. Their just struggle for national liberation is our struggle as well. Just as we are confident of our victory, we are also confident that they too will triumph over racist and zionist colonialism. We also wish to express our solidarity with the peoples of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala who are engaged in a principled struggle against United States-- sponsored reactionaries. Finally, we wish to appeal from this forum for international support and assistance to the struggling peoples of Azania. This meeting itself is a concrete demonstration of your support, but we feel we must urge you to increase moral and material assistance to us to carry out our noble mission. We most sincerely thank you. Mr. Vinay K. Verma (India) spoke on behalf of the Chairman of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries As the representative of the Chairman of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and of my own Government I am honoured to associate myself with all of you, distinguished delegates, on this occasion when we have gathered to bbserve the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. We render homage to all the South African patriots who have fallen in the just struggle to eradicate the obnoxious system of apartheid. We express our deep sympathy to the families of the heroic martyrs and the countless men, women and children who have sacrified their all, including their lives, for the cause of freedom and human dignity. Apartheid is a crime against humanity and a threat to international peace and security. The international community must take positive steps to put an end to this barbaric system. The racist r6gime of South Africa has continued to enact draconian legislation, to intensify repression, and to crush the rights of the majority population. Every day brings news of fresh acts of savagery,brutal and widespread killings and repression. The imprisonment and incarceration of leaders and activists continue, and brutal torture and death in detention are becoming the order of the day. The brutal policy of the racist Pretoria regime of creating so-called "bantustans" under the Bantu Homeland Citizens Act of 1970 has further dispossessed the African majority of its inalienable rights, and deprived it of its citizenship. Millions of people have been uprooted, causing immense hardship and suffering.

The so-called constitutional proposals ef the racist South African regime are an insult to the conscience of mankind and an outrage against the oppressed people of South Africa, as well as against the principles and resolutions of the United Nations. The recent referendum on the socalled "constitutional proposals", like the one on the tepublic in 1961, makes a mockery of democratic norms. The racist referendum limited to white voters can have no legitimacy. The aim of the so- called constitutional proposals is primarily to entrench and strengthen the racist base of the Government. By a policy of "divide and rule", an attempt is being made to divide the population on racial lines. The so-called "proposals" have added another dimension to an already volatile situation. They are in fact, a prescription for futher conflict. The so-called Coloureds and people of Indian origin will, under the new proposals,become subject to conscription in the racist armed forces and be liable to be used by the racist Government against their black brothers. It is heartening to note that the so-called proposals have been opposed not only by the African people, but also by the Coloureds and people of Indian origin. For many decades, the Coloureds and people of Indian origin have fought shoulder to shoulder with their African brothers in the common struggle against apartheid. Opposition to the new proposals has proved to be yet another unifying bond amongst the Africans, the Colouredd and the people of Indian origin. The fact that the apartheid regime found it necessary to ban meetings against the proposals is sufficient evidence of the strong feelings that the proposals have aroused. At the seventh Non-Aligned Summit held in New Delhi, the Heads of State or Government had, and I quote: "noted with indignation the introduction by the South African r~gime of so called constitutional reforms and unreservedly condemned that act as yet another device to divide the oppressed people of South Africa and consolidate and perpetuate apartheid and white minority rule. Whilst congratulating those of the socalled Coloureds and people of Indian origin for categorically rejecting the so-called constitutional reforms, it warned the unrepresentative elements in the Labour Party and the South African Indian Council against being party to the bogus constitutional arrangements". India's sympathy and support for the valiant people of South Africa flows from a shared experience of domination and colonial exploitation. It is hardly necessary for me to restate the historical fact that the Father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi, under whose dynamic leadership the people of India attained their independence, first raised the banner of revolt against injustice and oppression not in India, but in South Africa where he tested and sharpened the weapon of mass civil disobedience which he later effectively wielded against the British rulers in India. Mahatma Gandhi's political heir, Jawaharlal Nehru, once described the abhorrent system of apartheid as the "greatest international immorality for a nation to carry on". The United Nations first began consideration of racism in South Africa at the request of the Government of India. At the same time, the Government of India imposed comprehensive sanctions against South Africa.

-10- It is a mockery of human faith and ideals that some of the affluent and industrialized nations of the world which claim to be champions of equality, freedom and human rights, have helped to strengthen the foundations of the South African regime. This is in part responsible for the blatant disregard shown by the illegal South African Government of international opinion as expressed by various resolutions adopted by the United Nations against the uncivilized and barbaric policy of apartheid. This collusion between the racist regime and certain Western countries, as well as with Israel, is responsible for preventing the isolation of South Africa which would be so disastrous economically for the rfgime. All countries profess disapproval of the policy of apartheid. How is it then that the Security Council is prevented by the actions of a fdw from imposing comprehensive sanctions against the racist r~gime? Is there any explanation for the continuing supply of armament and military technology to South Africa despite the existence of a supposed arms embargo against that country? From where has Shuth Africa obtained its nuclear weapons capability? The answers to these questions are known to us all. The racist minority Government of South Africa and all those who support them would do well to heed these words of the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi,and I quote: "A struggle for freedom can be suppreesed, its soldiers killed, imprisoned, humiliated, but the idea of freedom cannot be stamped out. Some spark will persist to burst into flames somewhere sometime to light the way and illuminethe hearts and ultimately lead to success. ,Neither colour, not caste, not sex make some people superior or inferior. No matter what laws South Africa devices for itself, history cannot be denied, not will the inexorable march of the future be halted". My delegation has no doubt that however long and ardous the struggle of the people of South Africa may be, the ultimate victory will be theirs. On the occasion of the observance of the International Day for the n1imination of Racial Discrimination held on 21 March 1984, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India and the current Chairman of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries,stated that: "History is witness that a determined people cannot be subjugated for long. Racism is in retreat and its high priests have now taken resort to increasing violence through desperation. The people of South Africa are struggling for their freedom. In this worthy cause they deserve and need the Shole-hearted support of the people everywhere. India and other nations of the Non-Aligned Movement are with them".

-11- Mr. Stephen Cletps Chiketa (Zimbabwe) We would wish to take this opportunity and congratulate you Mr. Chairman on your election to the chairmanship of the Special Committee against Apartheid. Your commitment and dedication, and that of your country,Nigeria, in the fight against colonialism,racism and apartheid are-well known. We are satisfied and confident that under your guidance and leadership more victories against apartheid will be registered. You can count on Zimbabwe's unwavering and unstinted support in your efforts. Zimbabwe and Nigeria enjoy a mutually fruitful and friendly relationship and have common interests in our support of the objectives of the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Aligned Movement. We would also like to thank you and the Special Committee against Apartheid for the honour you have bestowed upon our young Republic of Zimbabwe by inviting us to participate in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, We are reminded through these celebrations of the wisdom and insight of the founders of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, the cause end noble objectives for the founding of the Organization,the sacrifices (which should neither be in vain nor forgotten), and the commitment of those forebearers in their attempts to realize the set objectives, the progress of lack of it, and are called upon to re-evaluate and plan additional strategies (or reject irrelevant ones) as we rededicate ourselved to fulfill those objectives which today have the support of the majority of the progressive international community. We feel honoured and privileged to be called upon to Join you in this celebration and in this exercise. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's cause is a noble cause, it is a just cause, and it enjoys the support of Zimbabwe, the Organization of African Unity and indeed the majority of the world community. Secondly, we would like to congratulate the Pan Africanist Congress of Azasia on this day and wish the Organization success in its noble objective - the eradication of the notoriously obnoxious and oppressive apartheid system and its replacement with a just, democratic and non-racial one. We too suffered for years under a racist and bigotted minority rigime whose last leader had not wished to see democracy introduced into the country for as long as, if not for more than, 1,000 years. We too fought against injustice and oppression, and today, through the policy of reconciliation, a non-racial society is being moulded into a harmonious nation in spite of the attempts at sewing seeds of disunity by the apartheid r~gime that has a pathological fear of our success that would expose the fallacy of and spell doom to apartheid. We had many enemies during our struggle, we still have enemies now, but our struggle then as our struggle now was for a just cause, and we will win our war to create a just and harmonious society, just as we won the political liberation war. The people of Azania are no exception, they will, through their dedicated leadership, liberate themselves. We know and we say: vox populi, vox dei. Though the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania is a comparatively young organization in terms of years, the cumulative experiences and hardships you have confronted have ironically seasoned you into experienced and hardened veterans of the liberation struggle that in spite of the diplomatic, material and moral support given to the r~gime by the capitalist world, and in spite of

-12- the vast economic and military power at the disposal of the minority r~gime of South Africa, we again say: victoria esse - victory is certain. Campaigns by the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania against passes led to the Sharpeville and Langa hassacres and the Soweto studentsuprising showed how the united determination of the Azania people can easily succeed in bringing about a change in South Africa. Both those two incidents in South Africa by South Africans shook the complacency of the world, and while Sharpeville massacre resulted in the adverse consequences to the economy and the ostracism of the South African political leadership, the Soweto student uprising resulted in the passage of unanimous Security Council resolutions that were highly critical of South Africa. These are some of the lessons to draw from the past and which can and should be utilized especially today, as we witness the unfotding of the attempts by South Africa to victimize the neighbouring independent Aftican States. The cosmetic changes in the form of the so-called "constitutional reforms" or dispensation aimed at further dividing the people and giving a new lease to the regime, will only result in the masses of Azania being more determined to eradicate the unjust system. The time is ripe, the people of South Africa are unhappy and expect the leadership to organize them. As the Christian Science Monitor of 3 April 1984 said: "Blacks in South Africa are wondering if there is any room left for beltvtightening as they brace for a third winter of economic recession. And some are lashing out at the white Government for making their plight worse with what they call skewed economic priorities "Blacks have been sharply critical of the new budget unveiled by the South African Government which grants a whooping 21 per cent rise in defense expenditures. That handsome increase comes on the back of an economy that has shrunk for two years running, representing South Africa's sharpest recession in 30 years. "For whites, the recession has caused discomfort. For many blacks, it has meant a grim battle for survival. In the rural areas, for instance, blacks say the taste of meat has been all but forgotten. Corn meal has become the only food many blacks can afford and even that is in short supply because of drought... "For blacks, a downward economic cycle is made far worse by the policies of the ruling white minority. Blacks need permission from the white authorities to be in the urban areas where job prospects are best. But unemployed blacks are not allowed in the urban areas; they must be recruited from the rural sectors. So in a contracting economy, blacks are forced to sit idly by in impoverished rural settlements, Waiting for job opportunities that usually never come".

-13- These are some of the grim realities in South Africa today, and they cannot be blamed on the African independent States in the subregiou. Those idle jobless blacks need organizing. Zimbabwe supports the efforts of the Special Committee against Apartheid to exert pressure for the release of the six members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania who are among the longest--suffering political detainees in South African prisons. Zimbabwe remains committed to the principles and objectives of the Organization of African Unity and will continue to work through the international organizations for the achievement of political and economic liberation of the whole continent of Africa, and thus we oled~e our unwavering commitment to and unequivocal support for the just struggles ,of the people -of Azania. Once more, we wish the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania every success in its noble objectives. Mr. Zehdi Labib Terzi, Permanent Observer for the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations On this occasion, we take the opporunity to extend a greeting to all the struggling people of South Africa who are seeking a deep and irreversible change in their homeland, where each man would be equal, free from slavery, racism and oppression, free from the degradation and the violence of the apartheid system. We send a greeting from the Palestinian masses living under racist Zionist occupation, which have been the targets of a permanent and ever,'intensifying genocidal assault by Zionist forces from Israel and their supporters and allies, be it in Pretoria or in Washington, D.C. Our people know one another - the Palestinian people and our brothers in South Africa - because we are fighting the same enemy. Both racist entities, the rigime in South Africa and the junta in Israel, were established as outposts of imperialism, to play the watchdog of the African people and of the Arab people, and to hinder us from enjoying the fruits of our labour and our equal rights as independent peoples and nations. Last year, the world watched the intensification of retations between the two pariah, racist entitiev. The Israeli Finance Minister signed a trade and investment agreement, an agreement for further nuclear weapons research and development, and an agreement for reduction of customs duties. But even more important is that we saw very friendly relations developing between the Ciskei, the puppet-State within South Africa, and Israel. The Ciskei will have an air force trained by the Israelis in order that that condemnable bantustan would be able efficiently tovwipe out resistance to apartheid. As a further gesture of.frienaiship, a dog, which had been trained to kill, and which had participated in the bloodletting in Beirut, was given by the Israelis to the head of the Security Forces in the Ciskei. In Mozambique last June, and Israeli drone was shot down. This leaves no doubt in any of our minds of the close collaboration between the racist regimes.

-14- We would be mistaken to think, however, that this intensification of relations is based on recent develppments in our respective regions. On the contrary, the identification of interestsis deeply rooted in the development of each regime. Both rigimes were established by settler-colonialists who sought to eliminate most of the native populations and exploit the remainder, and leaving this majority outside of the structures of the so-called "democracies". The Zionists have a long and shameful history of unprincipled exploitation, not only of Palestinians, but of millions of suffering Jews. Moreover, both-racist regimes had co-operated with the Nazis. Mr. Enuga S. Reddy, Assistant Secretary-General for the Centre against Apartheid I have the honour to convey the greetings of the Secretary-General of the United Nations who, as you know,is away from the Headquarters, to this meeting. Allow me also, on behalf of the Centre against Apartheid, to greet the distinguished Chairman of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, who came out of thirteen years of imprisonment to resume the struggle. It is, of course, not an occasion for congratulations since the struggle for freedom in South Africa has not yet triumphed. But is is a time to look back at the long struggle. The contribution of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania is, of course, fully documented in the United Nations. The positive action campaign of March 1960 had a great impact in the United Nations and the international community and led to the discussion of apartheid by the Security Council for the first time. When the Special Committee began its work in April 1963, one of its first concerns was the "Sobukwe clause" and the mass arrests of Poqo members. Many Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's leaders and members are still in jail, the most notable of whom is the educator Zephania Mothopeng, who has defied prison, torture and banishment to lead the struggle. The Centre against Apartheid will continue to do what it can, under the guidance of the Special Committee, to publicize the demand for the release of all political prisoners. Over the years,I have known and appreciated the friendship of many members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. I look forward to continuing co-operation with them in the discharge of the responsibility of the Centre against Apartheid and my responsibilities. Mr. Farouk Al-Attar (Syrian Arab Republic) read out a message from H.E. Mr. Farouk Al-Charea, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid On the occasion of the commemorative meeting being held by the Special Committee Jointly with the African Group in the United Nations, I have the pleasure to address to you and to all those struggling for freedom a greeting

-15- of esteem and solidarity. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, on its own behalf and on behalf of its militant people, salutes the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its founding and reaffirms its unceasing solidarity with and firm support for the heroic struggle being waged by the people of South Africa and Namibia against the racist Pretoria r6gime and the policy of apartheid which it pursues against the indigenous inhabitants of the country. It vehemently condemns that r~gime's alliance with the Zionist racist entity in occupied Palestine. It strongly condemns also all forms of political, economic and military support received by those two r6gimes from their Western allies and their multinational corporations, which allows them to persist in defying international law and custom and all human values and to continue the pursuit of their racist practices and the infliction of barbaric modes of oppression and genocide on the indigenous inhabitants in South Africa, Namibia and the Arab and Palestinian occupied territories. The Syrian Arab Republic proclaims once again its firm commitment to its positions of principle on maintaining the struggle, together with all peaceand justice-loving peoples, against all forms of racism and apartheid and wishes the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania success in the achievement of its national goals. H.E. Mr. James Victor Gbeho (Ghana) read out a message from the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council of Ghana, H.E. Fl. Lt. J. Rawlings On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana and on my own behalf, I wish to convey through you to the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania on occasion of its 25th anniversary celebration, our sincerest felicitations. It would be almost gratuitous for me to remind the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania about Ghana's commitment to the process of the liberation of the entire African continent from colonial domination and racist oppression. However, as we salute the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania on this solemn day, I wish to reaffirm Ghana's resolute and consistent support for the struggle of the peoples of Azania for national liberation and the eradication of apartheid from their lives. The people of Ghana firmly stand by our unequivocal declaration made on the first day of our independence that Ghana's independence would remain meaningless unless it was tied with the total liberation of Africa. In these very trying moments when the racist Pretoria regime is employing every imaginable ploy to legitimize its abominable apartheid policy and thereby frustrate the liberation struggle, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and the entire people of Azania will need to be vigilant and persistent in their actions in order to undermine institutionalized racism and the muffling of international conscience. In these noble and patriotic endeavours, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania can count on Ghana's continuous support until victory is won

-16- At the invitation of the Chairman, Ms. Judy Jensen (Revolution in Africa Action Committee), Mr. Ahmed Obafemi (National Committee to Defend New Afrikan Freedom Fighters), Mr. Mike Cooper (All African People's Revolutionary Party), Mr. Boji Jordan (American-South African People's Friendship Association) and Mr. Michael Simanga (New Justice Movement) took places at the Committee table. Ms. Judy JENSEN (Revolution in Africa Action Committee) said that her Committee wished to express its solidarity with the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania in its efforts to build unity internationally and internally. The Committee pledged to work for the self-determination of the Azanian people and the defeat of the South African apartheid regime by continuing to build in the United States a movement to challenge the policy of "constructive engagement" and by opposing the notion of white supremacy which motivated the United States Government in its aggression against southern Africa. Mr. Ahmed OBAFEMI (National Committee to Defend New Afrikan Freedom Fighters) said that his organization and the movement it represented, the New Afrikan Independence Movement, again extended their solidarity to the leadership of Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and to the Azanian people in their struggle for national liberation. The movement would continue its campaign as one of the many African fronts in the Pan-Africanist struggle for freedom, justice and human rights. Mr. Mike COOPER (All African People's Revolutionary Party)reaffirmed his party's unconditional support for Pan Africanist Congress of Azania adding that the party would like to see greater unity between the revolutionary forces within the liberation movement. The two organizations were bound by ideological affinity and identical goals and by a common hatred for the enemies of the African peoples. The total liberation and unification of Africa under allAfrican Socialist government should be the prime objective of all black revolutionaries throughout the world. Mr. Boji JORDAN (American-South African Peoples' Friendship Association) said that his organization was determined to help free the people of occupied South Africa by any means. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's positive action campaign had changed the general focus of the South African struggle from negotiation to confrontation. His organization associated itself fully with the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania's struggle to destroy apartheid and emancipate the people of Azania. Mr. Michael SIMANGA (New Justice Movement)said that his movemept extended its solidarity to the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and wished to express its firm commitment to establishing stronger relationships between the liberation movements in southern Africa and the liberation movements of African-American people for self-determination and justice. The African-American people were resolute in their support of the African revolution and were convinced that the African movements would continue to support the struggle of their people for liberation and justice.