GA/AP/852, 18 May 1978
Following is the text of a message by Leslie O. Harriman (Nigeria), Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid, to the World Conference for the Eradication of Racism and Racial Discrimination, meeting in Basel, Switzerland, 18-21 May. The Conference is organized by the World Peace Council, in co-operation with the Swiss Peace Movement.
I deeply regret that I am unable, due to unforeseen developments, to attend and address the World Conference for the Eradication of Racism and Racial Discrimination.
Racism and racial discrimination have been the cause of unimaginable suffering to humanity and the greatest enemies of human progress. During the era of slavery, they have caused the killing of a hundred million Africans, the despoilation and depopulation of the continent of Africa, and the dispersal of tens of millions of African men, women and children to distant lands to be sold on auction blocks.
They have caused decimation of millions of people during the Second World War, especially in Europe. They have caused genocide in many other parts of the globe.
Despite the heroic struggles of the oppressed peoples, the efforts by humanists and the numerous international declarations, the monster of racism remains alive. The people of African descent continue to be oppressed, exploited and humiliated in many lands. Hundreds of millions of other peoples share this suffering in various forms.
One shudders to think of the daily toll of racism in terms of deprivation of food, education and health services, of humiliation, and of savage repression.
It was hoped in 1945 that the United Nations, born out of the bitter experience of the Second World War, would enable humanity to take effective and urgent action to rid the world of all forms of racism and racial discrimination.
Those hopes proved largely illusory.
I may recall that the efforts to obtain effective action by the United Nations-by such leaders as Dr. W.E.B. DuBois and Paul Robeson, and later by Malcolm X-were ignored, as the dominant powers were then moved by cold war psychosis rather than their professed principles.
It was only after African States had emerged into independence, and the national liberation movements in southern Africa had advanced, that it was possible to obtain even adequate attention to the problem of racism in international forums.
The people of Africa, and the people of African descent everywhere, who have borne the brunt of racism for many centuries, appreciate the imperative need for the eradication of racism in all its manifestations, everywhere that exists. Throughout their long struggle for human dignity, they have kept up the vision of a world in which all men and women would enjoy freedom and human dignity.
It was Dr. William E.B. DuBois who made the prophetic statement at the turn of the century, on behalf of all people of African descent, that "the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the colour line".
It was not surprising that the African States took the lead in the United Nations-especially after the Sharpeville massacre of 1960-for meaningful action against apartheid, as well as all forms of racism.
Their efforts, with the support of other Governments dedicated to freedom led to the adoption of the International Declaration and the International Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
In 1973, the United Nations launched the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, and reaffirmed "its firm resolve to achieve the total and unconditional elimination of racism and racial discrimination". It appealed to all Governments and organizations for their co-operation towards that end.
Regrettably, however, at this mid-point of the Decade, there has not been adequate progress towards the final elimination of racism.
The forthcoming United Nations World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination-to be held in Geneva in August-must seriously reassess the situation and adopt effective international measures to attain the objectives of the Decade.
Nigeria and other African States have recognized that their own freedom and dignity is not complete until the whole of the African continent is liberated from colonialism and racism, and until people of African descent can walk in dignity everywhere. They attach great importance to the World Conference in Geneva as a means to concert international action, and have decided, at the last session of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), to make their full contribution towards that end.
I am happy that the World Peace Council has taken the initiative of organizing a conference at the non-governmental level-with the participation of African national liberation movements and leaders of organizations struggling against racism in many countries-in order to contribute to public awareness and public action, as well as to the discussions at the United Nations.
I recall that the World Peace Council has had the privilege of counting, among its founders and leaders, such great spokesmen and visionaries of the oppressed peoples as Dr. W.E.B. DuBois and Mr. Robeson, as well as the leaders of many African liberation movements. They have all recognized that there can be no secure peace in the world, nor genuine international co-operation, unless racism and colonialism are totally eradicated.
The Special Committee against Apartheid-established in 1963 to promote international action for the liberation of South Africa from racist tyranny-has learnt from its unceasing efforts the wider ramifications of racism.
It has found that the racist forces abroad reinforce the criminal practitioners of apartheid in South Africa, and that the alliance of racists must be destroyed by concerted action of anti-racist forces all over the world. The recent upsurge of certain racist elements in some Western countries, facilitated by short-sighted politicians, provides comfort and encouragement to the apartheid regime.
The Special Committee has recognized, on the other hand, that the eradication of apartheid in south Africa, and the liberation of the South African people, will be a decisive turning point in the struggle for the elimination of racism against people of African descent and all others subjected to that inhumanity. It, therefore, proposed the observance of the International Anti-Apartheid Year at the mid-point of the Decade against Racism.
The recent grave developments in southern Africa, culminating in the savage and cowardly aggression by the apartheid regime against the People's Republic of Angola, and the murder of Namibian refugees, underline the urgent need for decisive action by the United Nations and the international community as a whole.
The desperate efforts of the apartheid regime to impose bantustanization and deprive the great majority of the people of South Africa of their citizenship parallels and perhaps surpasses the inhuman schemes of nazi racists.
Apartheid and racism can no more be treated as aberrations or diseases. They are crimes which must be suppressed and punished.
While I appreciate the importance of public education-and commend the great contribution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) and other bodies in that respect-I wish to stress that education alone is not enough. The oppressed people cannot be expected to wait in humiliation until the racist criminals are hopefully persuaded to abandon their crimes or until some so-called liberals find the time opportune for any action.
The time for action-by Governments and peoples-is now.
On behalf of the Special Committee, therefore, I hope that this World Conference will devote itself to generating vigorous action in the struggle against apartheid in solidarity with the national liberation movement of South Africa.
I appeal to all organizations represented at this Conference to observe the International Anti-Apartheid Year as a year of action for the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action against Apartheid. I appeal to them to see that the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination succeeds in ensuring the suppression of all racist crimes and racial discrimination in this generation.