United Nations FOURTH COMMITTEE, 1363rd GENERAL MEETING ASSEMBLY Friday, 26 October 1962, at 3,45 p.m. SEVENTEENTH SESSION 0 f/icial Records • NEW YORK CONTENTS failed to appreciate the seriousness of the crisis Page threatening Southern Rhodesia. Agenda item 56: 3. During the forty years which had elapsed since Question of Southern Rhodesia: report of the the first Constitution had been granted to the settlers Special Committee established under Gen­ in 1923, the Government of Southern Rhodesia had eral Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI) (con­ done practically nothing to prepare the people for tinued) self-government. Now a new Constitution was about to General debate (continued). • . 221 be introduced in order to perpetuate white domination for centuries to come. The people of Southern Rho­ Chairman: Mr. Guillermo FLORES AVENDANO desia had shown great tolerance during the longyears of white minority rule, but no self-respecting people (Guatemala). would be content with fifteen seats in the legislatl}re to represent 3 million as against fifty seats for the 250,000 white settlers. Over the years the white In the absence of the Chairman, Mr. Nabavi (Iran), settler Parliament in Southern Rhodesia had enacted Vice-Chairman, took the Chair. many repressive laws which had turned the country into a police State in the heart of the peaceful African continent. The Africans in Southern Rhodesia were AGENDA ITEM 56 subjected to economic exploitation; their wages were Question of Southern Rhodesia: report of the Special Com­ kept below subsistence level and certain positions mittee established under General Assembly resolution were reserved for the Europeans alone. Racial dis­ crimination was practised in education, in housing and 1654 (XVI) (A/5238, chap. II; A/C.4/560, A/C.4/561, in access to public places. A pattern similar to that A/C.4/564, A/C.4/565, A/C.4/568, A/C.4/569) (~ of South Africa was slowly emerging in Southern tinued) Rhodesia. 4. The situation, though serious, was fortunately not GENERAL DEBATE (continued) yet out of control, but Algeria's example was there 1. Mr. EL A WAD (Sudan) recalled that by resolution for all to see. It was disturbing to note how little the 1747 (XVI) the General Assembly had endorsed the colonialists learned from experience. The only way finding of the Special Committee on the Situation with out of the present crisis in Southern Rhodesia was to regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on redress the legitimate grievances of the majority of the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries the people. The 1961 Constitution did not fulfil their and Peoples, established under General Assembly aspirations and should therefore be repealed. He ap­ resolution 1654 (XVI), that Southern Rhodesia was a pealed to the United Kingdom Government to convene Non-Self-Governing Territory within the meaning of a new constitutional conference, with the participation Chapter XI of the Charter. He regretted that the United of the African leaders of Southern Rhodesia. Kingdom Government had not hitherto responded to 5. His delegation would support any draft resolution that resolution. In the meantime the Southern Rhodesian which would promote the legitimate national aspira­ authorities had banned the Zimbabwe African Peoples tions of the people of Southern Rhodesia. Union (ZAPU), which had been the spokesman for the majority of the people, and had detained Mr. Nkomo, 6. Mr. ISSA (Niger) welcomed the new members of its leader. He still hoped that the United Kingdom Gov­ the Committee whose countries had recently been ad­ ernment would reconsider its attitude and comply with mitted to the United Nations. It was particularly satis­ the provisions of General Assembly resolution 1755 factory to the Fourth Committee to include among its (XVII). members the representatives of Algeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. 2. The situation in Southern Rhodesia, as could be seen from the statements and answers by the peti­ 7. It had now been proved beyond dispute that in tioners representing ZAPU, was indeed alarming: a accordance with the terms of Chapter XI of the Char­ small minority of European descent, not more than ter Southern Rhodesia was a Non-Self-Governing Ter­ 250,000 in number, controlled the lives and freedom ritory. The statements of virtually all representatives, of 3 million people and blocked their road to inde­ endorsing the conclusions of the Special Committee, pendence. It would be impossible for the Southern no longer left any doubt about the serious responsi­ Rhodesian Government or for its mouthpieces, the bility of the United Kingdom for solving the problem petitioners of the multiracial group, to convince the of Southern Rhodesia. In the face of such unanimity world that Southern Rhodesia's Africans lived a happy there was no justification for the attitude taken by life. In point of fact the five petitioners in question the United Kingdom. The Constitution of 6 December had demonstrated by the ingenious manner in which 1961 was an affront to human dignity and an insult to they had replied to the questions put to them that they the conscience of the world. It was regrettable that 221 A/C.4/SR.1363 222 General Assembly - Seventeenth Session - Fourth Committee the United Kingdom, one of the original signatories 13. His delegation had joined in sponsoring the draft to the Charter, should so disregard fundamental hu­ resolution which would shortly be submitted by the man rights. Nevertheless, there was still hope that African-Asian group and which he hoped would receive the United Kingdom would take vigorous steps in time the Committee's unreserved support. to bring to reason the white settlers, who would stop at nothing to preserve their privileges. 14. Mr. BINGHAM (United States of America) re­ called that at the 1116th plenary meeting of the Gen­ 8. His delegation had listened with great interest to eral Assembly, held during the resumed sixteenth the clear and objective statements made by the peti­ session, he had described his country's objectives tioners of the nationalist party. It had also listened with regard to the question of Southern Rhodesia as to the emissaries of Sir Edgar Whitehead, who had being a progressive liberalization of the franchise vainly endeavoured to confuse the issue. leading to universal adult suffrage at an early date, further and faster progress towards the elimination 9. There was no ready-made solution which would of racial discrimination, and peaceful and mutually apply to every problem. The problem of Southern beneficial relations between Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia required an appropriate solution embodying its neighbours. His delegation was still being guided a minimum of justice and respect for human dignity. by those considerations. It had been repeatedly asserted both in the Fourth Committee and elsewhere that the new Constitution 15. Having listened to the petitioners representing was a great step towards the democratization of the the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) and the political, social and economic structure of Southern multiracial group, his delegation had come to the Rhodesia. Unfortunately nothing of the kind was to be conclusion that the overriding need in Southern Rho­ found in the text. Needless to say, the Constitution desia was for mutual confidence between the various could not be revised until there was an African ma­ communities and parties. jority in the Legislative Assembly. In view of the 16. The European community seemed desperately to present composition of that Assembly, the most opti­ need confidence that the Africans would recognize the mistic could hardly anticipate that there would be an mutual interdependence of the various communities African majority for several centuries. in the country and would not attempt, when they ob­ tained the majority in Parliament, to drive out the 10. Sir Edgar Whitehead and his accomplice were Europeans or to subject them to the type of discrimi­ using the most flimsy excuses to suppress the attempts natory treatment which they themselves had suffered of the African inhabitants to obtain their rights. How in the past. Having listened to the representatives of could ZA PU encourage the Africans to take violent ZA PU, he had gathered the impression that they recog­ action when they had been entirely disarmed? How nized those realities; such recognition provided the could they attack buildings when the police kept con­ soil in which the seeds of trust could grow. stant watch over them?· The police of Southern Rho­ desia were faced not with material violence, which 17. On the part of the African leadership there was could easily be suppressed, but with a formidable an equally great need for confidence that the white moral violence, before which the most intransigent minority now in power would not attemnt to cling to its imperialists had been forced to give way. However position and privileges. While the expressed personal that might be, the Rhodesian Government was deter­ readiness of the petitioner, Mr. A. D. Butler, to see mined to crush the opposition, with the support of an African majority in the Southern Rhodesian legis­ the famour "unholy alliance" based on the immense lature within two years provided grounds for such monopolist consortium from which certain Govern­ confidence if it was representative of majority opinion ments derived their strength. in the European community, it was unfortunately clear from statements by ZAPU leaders that they did not 11. Sir Edgar Whitehead had introduced severe trust the white minority. The tragedy of the situation measures prohibiting the establishment of any new was that the authorities in Southern Rhodesia. had done African party whose programmes included certain nothing, or practically nothing, to instil such con­ claims made by ZAPU, in particular the campaignfor fidence, but on the contrary had increased the severity universal suffrage.