OCTOBER 11, 1990
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
We are once again gathered here to observe the Day of Solidarity with the South African Political Prisoners, which, since 1976, has become an annual event of our Organization. In expressing our solidarity this morning, we, the members of the international community must reaffirm our unanimous demand for the release of all political prisoners and detainees in South Africa.
The members of the international community may wish to be reminded that one of the features of the obnoxious system of apartheid has been the systematic incarceration of thousands of persons opposed to the inhuman policies of the regime. Many political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela have spent or are still spending most of their valuable and active years of lives in various prisons inside South Africa.
However, since February this year, the situation in South Africa has, for the first time in many decades, witnessed positive developments. Notably, some political prisoners including the Deputy President of the ANC, Mr. Nelson Mandela, were released. Due note should, however, be taken that although the released political prisoners are indeed freed from prison walls of the apartheid regime, they are regrettably still not integrated into the South African society as they remain unable to vote and be voted for in that country.
The Declaration on Apartheid adopted last December at the 16th Special Session of the General Assembly, was a landmark in the efforts of the international community and it is indeed of particular importance for the Special Committee because, for the first time, members of the international community were firm and unanimous in their determination to see an end to the obnoxious system of apartheid through peaceful means. The urgent and comprehensive implementation of the provisions of that Declaration is, therefore, one of those priority tasks the Special Committee will continue to vigorously champion.
Since the report of the Secretary-General was issued in July this year, further progress has been made in South Africa. For instance, the talks between the representatives of the ANC and of the de Klerk government which culminated in the Pretoria Minute of August 6, 1990, have now afforded an opportunity for the release of political prisoners in a phased process. Indeed, since September 1, 1990, nearly one hundred political prisoners were released and it is expected that by April 1991, all political prisoners will be freed. It must be noted that an estimated two thousand others remain in exile in different parts of the world awaiting to return to their country of birth. The Special Committee against Apartheid sincerely believes that all political prisoners should be allowed without any further delay to return to South Africa without any pre-conditions and participate freely in the political activities of their country of birth.
The international community should indeed not shy away from the fact that despite the serious progress being made, far more remains to be done for apartheid to be done with in South Africa. The basic pillars of apartheid have pretty remained in place and continue to cast doubt on the willingness of the Pretoria regime to implement all the requirements of the Declaration to ensure that the changes will indeed be irreversible. It was precisely for this reason that one month ago, at its resumed 44th Session, the General Assembly adopted yet another consensus resolution (A/RES/44/244) which took note of some significant measures in the right direction in South Africa and called for the remaining steps to be taken to implement profound and irreversible changes. The resolution also urged the international community and the Secretary-General to provide all possible assistance to facilitate the reintegration of released political prisoners as well as those exiled. The Special Committee wishes to once again call on the international community to maintain existing sanctions aimed at encouraging the South African regime to move with greater speed in the eradication of apartheid and condemns the actions of some countries that have deviated from this consensus.
These cases of deviation are seriously viewed by the Special Committee, especially against the background of sporadic violence in the Natal province which has unfortunately claimed over eight hundred lives in the last few months. The Special Committee believes that the source of the violence in South Africa is primarily anchored on the continued existence of apartheid policies, practices and structures as well as the actions of right-wing groups opposed to the democratic transformation of South Africa. There is also evidence that the South African security forces have not been impartial in the conduct of their duties. It is imperative for the South African authorities to adopt effective measures which will ensure the impartiality of the security forces in the country and in particular, the Natal province. In this connection, I wish to reiterate the call of the Special Committee of August 31, 1990, that all the parties concerned must seek a mechanism that will end this senseless violence to enhance the possibility of an early national reconciliation.
Finally, it is the hope of my delegation and indeed that of the Special Committee that this may be the last year that members of the international community will be called upon to observe the Day of Solidarity with South African Political Prisoners. This hope is neither out of place nor wishful if the de Klerk government maintains faith in the Pretoria agreement reached on the 6th of August, 1990.