(Extracts)
Southern Africa
The Bureau reviewed the developments in Southern Africa since the Colombo Summit Conference of Non-Aligned Countries. It expressed its concern at the further deterioration of the situation in the area arising from the continued intransigent and repressive policies of the racist minority regimes in their desperate determination to maintain the ruthless system of colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination. Not only have the racist minority regimes broadened and intensified their oppression of the African peoples of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa but they have also become increasingly more aggressive and provocative against the neighbouring independent African States...
In South Africa, the racist regime has continued brutal violence and massive repression against the black people and all opponents of apartheid. Thousands of persons have been killed or wounded, and many hundreds, mainly young people, have been subjected to savage punishments by racist courts. A number of patriots have died in detention because of brutal torture. The apartheid regime set up the bogus independence of Transkei, in an attempt to remove the citizenship of four million Africans and is rushing plans to grant equally bogus independence to Bophuthatswana, another bantustan consisting of several isolated patches of land, progressively relegating the whole black population to these so-called homelands.
The Pretoria regime has further increased its enormous military build-up and is stepping up its nefarious activities as the pillar of racist and colonial domination in Southern Africa. Utilizing the international territory of Namibia, the regime has continued to mount systematic acts of aggression against the People's Republic of Angola and Zambia. The apartheid regime's policies and actions constitute a growing threat to the peace and security in the region and indeed a menace to all independent African States.
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that despite the mounting repression of the racist minority regimes and notwithstanding the tremendous odds facing the liberation movements, the liberation struggle has greatly advanced. The Bureau saluted the liberation movements and their freedom fighters for their courage and determination in the face of brutal violence and terrorism by the minority regimes. It paid tribute to the many martyrs who have given their lives in the cause of freedom and justice, a cause to which the Non-Aligned Movement is totally committed....
The Bureau expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in South Africa resulting from the policies of apartheid practised by the racist regime, and called for the total eradication of apartheid and for the exercise by the people of South Africa of their inalienable right to self-determination. It strongly condemned the continued massacres of the African people by the racist regime and hailed the brave freedom fighters who have sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom and the eradication of racism and apartheid and reaffirmed its support for their cause.
The Bureau deplored the actions of the States and foreign economic interests whose continued collaboration with the racist regime of South Africa, in contravention of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, encouraged it to persist in its inhuman policies. It welcomed the adoption by the 31st United Nations General Assembly of the Programme of Action against Apartheid as representing a landmark in the international campaign for the eradication of apartheid in South Africa...
Recalling the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 341l1 D of 28th November 1975 condemning the establishment of Bantustans by the racist regime of South Africa, the Bureau rejected the so-called declaration of "Independence" of the Transkei and declared it invalid. It called upon all Governments to deny any form of recognition to this or any other such phantom State....
The Bureau endorsed Security Council Resolution 402 (1976) of 22nd December 1976 and appealed to all States to provide immediate financial, technical and material assistance to Lesotho so that it could carry out its economic development programme and enhance its capacity to implement fully the United Nations Resolutions on apartheid and Bantustans.
The Bureau, recognizing the role of the Front Line States, as the strategic rear base for the liberation movements in Southern Africa, reaffirmed its solidarity with those States and urgently called upon the international community to provide them with all necessary support to enhance their ability to contribute effectively to the fight for liberation and overcome the persistent acts of aggression, harassment and intimidation posed against them by the racist minority regimes.
The Bureau considered that effective international action is more imperative than ever in order to stay the hands of the racist regimes, to enable the oppressed peoples to secure their liberation and thereby secure freedom and peace in southern Africa. The Bureau reiterated that support for the total liberation of southern Africa from colonialism, apartheid, and racial discrimination is a matter of utmost priority to the Non-Aligned Movement as a whole. It called for a total isolation of the racist minority regimes and drew particular attention to the decisions of the Fifth Summit Conference of Non-Aligned Countries calling for the imposition of a mandatory and comprehensive arms embargo against South Africa, for economic and other sanctions against the Pretoria regime and for the scrupulous enforcement of the mandatory sanctions against the illegal racist minority regime in Zimbabwe as well as the extension of such sanctions to cover all the measures provided for under Article 41 of the United Nations Charter.
The Bureau called for increased assistance to the liberation movements of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa at this crucial phase of their struggle. And in this connexion the Bureau noted with satisfaction the contributions made to the Non-Aligned Support and Solidarity Fund for the liberation of Southern Africa and called upon countries who have not contributed so far to make their contributions at any early date.
The Bureau, conscious of the importance of mobilizing all necessary international support to the liberation struggle in southern Africa, encouraged all governments and organizations to cooperate in ensuring the success of the International Conference in Support of the Peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia to be held In Maputo, Mozambique, from 16 to 21 May 1977, and the World Conference for Action against Apartheid, to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, from 22 to 26 August 1977. It hoped that the conferences would help in generating all necessary international support to the liberation movements.
The Bureau decided to send a mission with the mandate to express the solidarity of the non-aligned countries with the Frontline States and the liberation movements concerned. The mission would also acquaint itself of the situation with a view to giving the fullest possible support to their cause.