Human rights violations worsen in southern Africa, experts say.

"Apartheid continues to be cruel and criminal", and during the past year its effects on blacks "have worsened and have acquired inhuman and pernicious proportions", said a report of the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on violations of human rights in southern Africa (E/CN.4/1985/8). It added: The "institutionalization" of the apartheid system was continuing with the evident intention on South Africa's part of "denying blacks the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and threatening their existence as a human community".

The report, containing information on the scope of the human rights violations in South Africa and Namibia in 1984, was reviewed by the Commission during its 1985 annual session, held at Geneva from 4 February to 15 March.

Introducing the report, Annan A. Cato (Ghana), Chairman-Rapporteur of the six-member Group--which has been in existence since 1967--said one of the most serious aspects of the apartheid system was the removal of blacks from their homes and their resettlement in alien areas under inhospitable conditions. So far more than 3.5 million blacks had been resettled and nearly 2 million were due to receive the same treatment. The authorities were reportedly intending to move the entire black population of Cape Town to a barren area close to major military installations, which would enable the South African Defence Force in intimidate the communities and act swiftly and ruthlessly against any civil unrest.

The force removals were merely one aspect of the creation of "homelands" for the black population, which amounted to depriving it of Southern Afrian citizenship, he stated. The report provided examples of the effects of denationalization. The experts proposed that the International Court of Justice be asked to give an advisory opinion on the loss of citizenship from the standpoint of international law. The Commission should appeal to all States not to recognize the "homelands" and, in particular, to discourage contacts through postal, telephone and telex links.

The Group, Mr. Cato observed, welcomed the increase in black and multiracial trade unions, but regretted that their every attempt to engage in industrial action in support of improved working conditions was ruthlessly suppressed, sometimes involving deaths, injuries and arrests.

Detention without trial

He said that under the "security laws", chief among which was the Internal Security Act, the authorities had broad powers which they could use...