INTERNATIONAL TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LU'PHER KING, JR. Published by the United Nations Centre against Apartheid Department of Political and Security Council Affairs. INTERNATIONAL TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. UN UBRARY Record of the Special Session of the Special Committee against Apartheid held in Atlanta, on the 16 January, 1979, to pay tribute to the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the occasion of his 50th birthday. UNITED NATIONS r/ New York, 1979 All material in this publication may be freely reprinted. Acknowledgement, together with a copy of the publication, would be appreciated. CONTENTS STATEMENTS One of the world's foremost The Honourable George Busbee, spokesmen on civil and Governor of the State of Georgia .. human rights Oppression of any people The Honourable Maynard H. anywhere is the oppression of Jackson, Mayor of the City of At- all people everywhere lanta ......................... 2 The issue to him was H. E. Dr. Kurt Waldheim, Secre­ freedom-not token freedom, tary-General of the United Nations 4 but total freedom His ideas have lived on and H. E. Mr. Olla Ullsten, Prime. inspired millions of people Minister of Sweden ............ 8 Martin Luther King, Jr: A vi­ H. E. Mr. Knut Frydenlund, sion of justice and human Minister for Foreign Affairs of equality Norway ...................... 13 He roused the hopes of the H. E. Mr. Felix Pita Astudillo, broad masses of North Amer­ Deputy Permanent Representative ican blacks of Cuba to the United Nations ... 14 A brilliant and dynamic apos­ H. E. Mr. Alex Quaison-Sackey, tle of peace Ambassador .of Ghana to the United States . 15 He is alive and real in the H. E. Mr. Rikhi Jaipal, Permanent hearts and minds of his people Representative of India to the United Nations and Special Repre­ sentative of the Prime Minister of India ......................... 18 A crusader and a pioneer of H. E. Mr. 0 Jolaoso, Ambassador sorts of Nigeria to the United States ... 19 He will continue to inspire us H. E. Mr. Abdirizak Haji Hussen, all Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations ... 21 He envisaged a world free of Mr. Mohamed Osman, Representa- racial injustice, poverty and tive of Sudan ................. 21 war An in,piring example to the H. E. Mr. Paul Bomani, Ambassa­ liberation struggle the world dor of the United Republic of Tan­ over zania to the United States and Per­ sonal Representative of the Head of State . 23 A champion for equality and Mr. Mohamed Tayyab Siddiqui, human dignity Representative of Pakistan 25 A luminous example for the Dr. Francis Norman, Representa- human family tive of the Holy See ........... 26 A source of inspiration H. E. Dr. Ahmed Esmat Abdel Meguid Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations and Chairman of the African Group for the month of January 1979 ...... 27 He struggled for the freedom H. E. Mr. Isao Abe, Permanent and dignity of all peoples Representative of Japan to the United Nations and Chairman of the Asian Group for the month of January 1979 ............... • • • • 28 He unmasked the inseparable H. E. Vladimir N. Martynenko, link that racism and coloni­ Permanent Representative of the alism have with aggressive Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Repub­ wars lic to the United Nations and Chairman of the East European Group for the month of January 1979 ..................... · · · · · 32 He belonged to all people H. E. Mr. George A. Griffith, Per­ everywhere manent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations and Chair­ man of the Latin American Group for the month of January 1979 34 He cared for every human H. E. Mr. Hugo Scheltema, Per­ being in need of justice, peace manent Representative of the and social progress Netherlands to the United Nations and Chairman of the Group of Western European and other States for the month of January 1979 .... 36 Martin Luther King, Jr. and H. E. Mr. Andrew Young, Perma­ the tradition of non-violence nent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations . 37 An uncompromising defender H. E. Mr. Yury E. Fokine, Deputy of equal rights and universal Permanent Representative of the peace Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the United Nations .......... 38 He lives in the struggles of Mr. Romesh Chandra, President of every people for peace the World Peace Council ....... 40 His concern for humanity Miss Herschell Challenor, Repre­ recognized no boundaries sentative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul­ tural Organization (UNESCO) in Washington . 43 A source of inspiration and Mr. Charles H. Weitz, Representa­ courage tive of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 45 He fought for the liberation of Reverend L. John Collins, Pres­ the oppressed all over the ident of the International Defence world and Aid Fund for Southern Africa 46 Martin Luther King Jr.' s sig­ Reverend Gabriel Seteloane, Rep­ nificance today resentative of the African National Congress of South Africa ....... 48 One of the most courageous Dr. Erett Radebe, Representative freedom fighters of our times of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania . 51 A pioneer in the struggle H. E. Mr. Leslie 0. Harriman against apartheid (Nigeria) Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid .... 53 Let us make his dream a Mrs. Coretta Scott King, President reality of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Centre for Social Change ....... 56 MESSAGES RECEIVED BY THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ~k,,;1gl· from II. E. :\tr. J. R. Jaycwan.knc, l'rc,idcnt of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 56 ~k...-.agc from 11. E. Mr. Pham Van Dong, !'rime :\tini-.tcr of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam . 57 ~k...-.;1gc from Mr. Francis Blanchard, Dircctor-Cicncral of the International Labour Organisation . 57 ~k...-.agc from Mr. Yves Lambert, Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organi- 1ation .................................... • • • • • • · · · · · 57 ~k,,agc from the British Anti-Ar)(Jrthcid Movement .......... • • 58 :\k-....agc from Mr. Otto Kersten, Secretary-General of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ................................... • • • • · 58 :\fcssage from the Secretariat of the Women's International Demo- cratic Federation ................................... • • • • · · · 58 Message from Mr. Jan Kulakowski, General-Secretary of the World Confederation of Labour • • • • 90 List of Participants . 60 ONE OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST SPOKESMEN ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS Statement by the Honourable George Busbee, Governor of the State of Georgia It is appropriate that this Special Committee against Apartheid meets in Atlanta, home of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the world's foremost spokesmen on civil and human rights. An essential aspect of Dr. King's struggles for human rights was its non-violence. Dr. King denounced using violent methods to further human rights, because he realized that it was a contradiction to destroy one group for the benefit of another group. Your Committee should take this important fact into account as you review the human rights struggles around the world. The most successful and beneficial change cannot come through guns and violence but through negotiation. We must insure that the gaining of rights by one group does not destroy the rights of another group because then the job of ending injustice is not furthered, but belittled. As terrorism continues to instill fear in the hearts of all men, your Committee should make it a basic goal to work toward ending this method of social change. Dr. King's life was a testimony to this precept. Dr. King was a supporter of human rights, being one of the first respon­ dents to your Committee's founding in 1963. Rev. King abhorred apar­ t he id and racial inequality in any form, likening the American civil rights struggle of blacks to other such struggles in South Africa, Asia and Latin America. He wrote in 1958: The determination of Negro Americans to win freedom from all forms of oppression springs from the same deep longing that motivates op­ pressed peoples all over the world ... so in a real sense, the racial crisis in America is a part of the larger world crisis. Only when apartheid and racial iqjustice are eliminated will we as people be able to fully guarantee human rights for all. This Special Committee against Apartheid deals with very serious questions of basic human rights, not only in southern Africa but in other countries as well. Your job is not an easy one, but one that has to be done. The Martin Luther King Center for Social Change has adopted a comprehensive human rights agenda. Basic human rights is something I hope can be achieved in our lifetimes. I But it will takc c:on-.idcrahk cffort on the part of many people, and as Dr. King .... aid in 1%5, .. It is not hlac:k people struggling against white people, it i" j11 .... tic:c ....iruµglinµ against injustic.:e." Every rnan. wornan and child has a right to expect freedom of expres­ "inn. c:11lt urc and pur-.uit of education, food and basic necessities. But un- 1c.: ........ thi" Spec:ial Committee against A1i11rtheitl. the King Center and other" c:onc:crned with human rights continue to press for the basic rights of all. thc peopks of some countries can only expect terror, hunger, illit­ eracy. and disease. The State of Georgia is honoured to host a group such as yours, and as Ciovernor of this State, I want to personally thank you for coming to our State anti wish you success in the days ahead. OPPRESSION OF ANY PEOPLE ANYWHERE IS THE OPPRESSION OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE Statement by the Honourable Maynard H. Jackson, Mayor of the City of Atlanta We are delighted to welcome to Atlanta what clearly has to be one of the most distinguished gatherings in the history of our city.