International Conference for Independence of Namibia calls for mandatory sanctions against South Africa.

International Conference for Independence of Namibia calls for mandatory sanctions against South Africa

The International Conference forthe Immediate Independence of Namibia, held from 7 to 11 July in Vienna, has called for the immediate adoption and imposition by the Security Council of "comprehensive mandatory sanctions", under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, against South Africa.

The Conference also called for the"immediate implementation without precondition or modification" of the United Nations plan for the independence of Namibia, as embodied in Council resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978). (For background on plan, see p. 33).

The Conference was attended by128 Governments. Also participating were representatives of United Nations organs, specialized agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), SWAPO, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), as well as international and national non-governmental organizations.

The Conference acted after reviewingand analyzing in depth the prevailing situation in and relating to Namibia and obstacles to Namibia's transition to genuine independence and other factors. It adopted by acclamation two documents: a 37-paragraph Programme of Action and a 25-paragraph Declaration.

"The struggle of the peoples ofSouth Africa and Namibia has reached an acute turning point", the Conference stated in its Programme of Action. "In this twentieth year after the General Assembly terminated South Africa's mandate over Namibia, the United Nations must take all necessary measures to bring about the immediate independence of Namibia."

It invited the General Assembly atits forthcoming special session on Namibia, scheduled to be held from 17 to 20 September in New York, to "consider and adopt effective action to secure the immediate independence of Namibia".

The Conference appealed to theUnited States and the United Kingdom, "permanent members of the Security Council, which have thus far prevented the Council from acting effectively, to reconsider their position" regarding imposition of sanctions.

Governments were called on "torender sustained and increased moral and political support, as well as financial, military and other material assistance to the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in its legitimate struggle for the liberation of Namibia".

In its Declaration, the Conferenceaffirmed the immediate independence of Namibia decreed by the United Nations. The United Nations plan for Namibian independence was "unconditional", it stated. (The plan foresees a cease-fire in the Territory under United Nations supervision to be followed by a withdrawal of South African forces and free elections supervised by the Organization. A United Nations peace-keeping force would also be sent to the Territory).

"Namibia's independence cannot,therefore, be held hostage to the global political and economic designs of some Powers, and the convenience of a universally condemned regime", the Conference stated in the Declaration. "The determination and courage of the Namibian people must be invigorated by complementary international action for freedom, independence and human dignity, which is what the Conference . . . stands for."

Six substantive agenda items wereconsidered: consideration of the situation in and relating to Namibia; review of progress and problems encountered during two decades by the international community in its effort to implement General Assembly resolution 2145 (XXI), terminating South Africa's Mandate over Namibia; concrete proposals for new initiatives aimed at implementing that resolution and recommendations to accelerate the achievement of independence for Namibia; measures for securing the early implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence; solidarity with and assistance to the people of Namibia in their struggle for self-determination and independence; and a comprehensive study on and economic map of Namibia.

'Clear message of support'

At the opening session, Secretary-GeneralJavier Perez de Cuellar said the international community as a whole should use the Conference to "send a clear message of support to the people of Namibia and to the Government of South Africa, an expression of its determination to continue its struggle for the independence of Namibia".

Conference President BenjaminMkapa, foreign Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, said the Conference was another initiative in a series designed to "reawaken the conscience of the international community to the plight of the Namibian people and to their cause."

General Assembly President Jaimede Pinies of Spain said the continued illegal occupation of Namibia not only denied the right to self-determination of Namibians, but was an important source of instability and conflict in the region. The people of the area had made it abundantly clear that they were no longer prepared to live under the abhorrent and unjust system of apartheid.

Council for Namibia President PaulJ.F. Lusaka (Zambia) said the international community must render increased assistance of every kind to the Namibian people in their struggle for self-determination and independence under SWAPO.

SWAPO President Sam Nujomasaid he hoped the Conference would encourage the Namibian people and further strengthen the continuing international campaign to end South Africa's illegal occupation of their country.

Ibrahima Fall, Foreign Minister ofSenegal, speaking for the President of the OAU, Senegalese President Abdou Diouf, said the international community must use the opportunity provided by the Conference to go beyond oral indignation to concrete measures to hasten the demise of the segregationist South African regime. He called for the complete isolation of that regime by gradually breaking all the ties which still linked it to certain Powers.

Eduardo Faleiro, Minister of Statefor External Affairs of India, on behalf of the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, said that a regime which subscribed to racism and was afraid of the people must not be sustained by Powers outside.

Suchati Chuthasmit (Thailand), onbehalf of Security Council President Birabhongse Kasemsri (Thailand), said that the Council had recognized the unique responsibility of the United Nations in furthering the interests of Namibians and remained firm in its commitment to discharge its responsibilities in this regard.

Peter Jankowitsch, Foreign Ministerof Austria, said peace in the crucial region of southern Africa would remain an elusive goal as long as Namibia had not joined the ranks of the sovereign and independent nations of Africa. Namibians had been victim for over a hundred years of the "politics of postponement". There was a chance now for South Africa to arrive at a solution to its problems and to achieve its transformation into a viable, democratic, multi-racial and open society, based on the fundamental principles of human rights.

Closing statements: On 11 July,Conference President Mkapa said the international community could not countenance any attempt from whatever quarters to undermine the authority of the United Nations over Namibia. South Africa's friends and allies must bring their policies in line with that of the overwhelming majority of States.

SWAPO President Nujoma said theConference's work had been crowned with success. Those who had come to express support for SWAPO could leave determined to implement the Declaration and the Programme of Action and act to impose comprehensive sanctions against South Africa.

Council for Namibia President Lusakahoped that those States which had resisted comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against Pretoria would now join the international consensus and clear the way for the Security Council's adoption of comprehensive sanctions.

If revocation of South Africa's mandateover Namibia had been enforced 20 years ago, there would today have been a generation of free Namibians voting for a Namibian government, he stated. That Namibians were still not free was to the eternal regret and shame of the community of nations.

Programme of Action

In its Programme of Action, theConference stated that, considering the "fast deteriorating situation created by the racist regime of South Africa poses a grave danger to peace and security in the region, as well as a growing and direct threat to international peace and security", there should be an "immediate, effective and comprehensive response" by the international community.

The denial of the national rights ofthe Namibian people and the continued illegal occupation of the Territory by South Africa was "a key factor in the growing turmoil in the southern African region", the Conference stated.

States were called on to exert everyeffort towards the immediate and unconditional implementation of Security Council resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978), "which remain the only internationally accepted basis for a peaceful settlement of the Namibian question". They should also oppose attempts by the United States and South Africa "to link the implementation of the United Nations plan (for the independence of Namibia) with irrelevant and extraneous issues, such as the presence of Cuban troops in Angola".

The international community wasurged to reject "all manoeuvres aimed at interpreting the present conflict in southern Africa as an East-West confrontation and at diverting attention from the central issue of the decolonization of Namibia".

Maximum pressure should be exertedon South Africa to withdraw from Namibia. "The so-called policy of constructive engagement" with South Africa was categorically rejected, and the Conference appealed to the United States to abandon that policy.

The creation in Namibia by SouthAfrica of "the so-called interim government" was condemned, and...