World Conference calls for universal system of mandatory economic sanctions against South Africa.

World Conference calls for universal system of mandatory economic sanctions against South Africa

A Declaration calling for a worldwide, comprehensive system of mandatory economic sanctions against South Africa--aimed at bringing to an and that country's apartheid system, its illegal occupation of Namibia and its attacks on neighbouring States--was adopted by acclamation on 20 June by the World Conference on Sanctions against Racist South Africa.

The Conference, held from 16 to 20 June in Paris, was timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Soweto uprising in South Africa.

Abdou Diouf, President of Senegal and current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), said the aim of those sactions would be to avoid a "bloodbath'. South Africa's "continued defiance of reason and law' had created "an ever more explosive situation' in the region and the continent.

Conference President Allan Wagner, Foreign Minister of Peru, said the international system had emerged stronger because of the Conference's call for comprehensive mandatory sanctions to prevent South Africa from "persisting in its obstinate defiance of the peoples of the world and the mandate of civilization'.

The Conference, organized by the Special Committee against Apartheid in co-operation with the OAU and the Non-Aligned Movement, also adopted a Message of Solidarity with the Struggling People of South Africa (see box).

By the Declaration, the Conference urged the Security Council to identify policies and actions of South Africa's apartheid regime as "a grave threat to international peace and security', which would then make the regime liable for imposition of binding sanctions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

In calling on the Council to impose such sanctions, the Conference stated that they constituted the most effective peaceful means available to the international community to end apartheid. "The alternative to sanctions is escalating violence and bloodshed.' The situation "brooks no delay', it said.

The declaration urged the Western Powers which still opposed sanctions against South Africa--especially the United States and the United Kingdom--and which had exercised their power of veto in the Security Council to prevent the imposition of sanctions, "to reassess their positions and co-operate in, rather than hinder international action'. It further urged all Governments to exert their influence to secure the co-operation of those Powers.

The policy of "constructive engagement', according to the Declaration, had not contributed to the abolition of apartheid, but had allowed it to continue, while South Africa had maintained its illegal occupation of Namibia and its policy of aggression, subversion and destabilization of neighbouring States.

The Conference stressed the need for strictly maintained embargoes against South Africa regarding three areas: military and nuclear equipment and technology; supply and transport of oil and gas; and investments, loans and financial concessions. The importance of voluntary steps to be taken by individual States, "not only for their direct effect on the situation in South Africa, but as one of the means to promote mandatory action by the Security Council for universal implementation', was also stressed.

The Declaration stated that a sanctions programme must be accompanied by a programme of assistance to the front-line States, as well as to the oppressed people of South Africa and Namibia through their national liberation movements. Attempts to interpret the situation in southern Africa as part of East-West or other conflicts must be opposed; the rendering of assistance to subversive groups instigated by South Africa in other southern African States was condemned. In particular, it appealed to all States not to provide any assistance to "the UNITA criminal bandits' in Angola.

The only reservation expressed at the time of the Declaration's adoption was by Australia, which said it did not support the recognition, in the section on assistance to liberation movements, of "the right of the people of South Africa and Namibia . . . to choose their means of struggle'.

In its analysis of the situation in South Africa, the Declaration stated that South Africa was the "only regime that practices racism as its official policy'. The regime had enshrined racism in "its so-called "constitution'', and was rooted in "the same racist and bellicose ideology that provoked the Second World War, and caused untold deaths and destruction'. Appeasement, therefore, could "only have the same disastrous consequences'.

The Conference stated its conviction that apartheid could not be reformed and that no encouragement should be given to any so-called reform. The destiny of South Africa must be decided by all the people of the country, exercising their right to self-determination --irrespective of race, colour, sex or creed--on the basis of complete equality.

The Conference identified as the primary objectives of international action: assisting the South African people in eliminating apartheid and building a non-racial, egalitarian and democratic State; securing the independence of Namibia, without further delay, in accordance with United Nations resolutions, in particular, Security Council resolution 435 (1978); and restoring peace in the region, thus ensuring the maintenance of international peace and security.

The "indispensable prerequisites' for a negotiated, just and lasting solution in South Africa, the Declaration stated, were: acceptance of the objective of the speedy and total elimination of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial democratic society; immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners; abrogation of bans on political organizations and measures which prohibited full and free political organization and expression; an end to censorship; and negotiations with genuine leaders of the oppressed people of South Africa.

The Security Council should reinforce its 1977 mandatory arms embargo against South Africa by calling on all States: to end all military and nuclear collaboration with South Africa; to cease the sale or supply of "dual purpose' items, such as computers, radar and other electronic equipment and related technology to South Africa; to terminate all investments in corporations manufacturing military equipment or supplies in South Africa; and to take steps to discourage or prevent the enlistment of their nations in the South African military forces and to assist those who resisted conscription or recruitment.

The Conference urged the Council to make mandatory its request to all States, contained in resolution 558 (1984), "to refrain from importing arms, ammunition of all types, and military vehicles produced in South Africa', and to extend the embargo to cover all components and related materiel originating from South...