Recommendations submitted by the African National Congress to the meeting of the Sub-Committee of the U.N. Special Committee on apartheid held in Lusaka

18 August 1969

Mr. Chairman and Distinguished Members,

We welcome the presence in Zambia of the Special Sub-Committee on Apartheid especially because, as we understand, its mission is more of a fact-finding nature rather than an exercise in publicity. Earlier efforts at publicity by way of travels to these parts of Africa by U.N. missions have in our view been notable only for the expense involved. We would humbly suggest that the U.N. considers the question whether this practice has not outlived its usefulness. In our view it would be less expensive and more in accord with a recognition of the legitimacy of the liberation struggle if the United Nations invited to the U.N. Headquarters, at its expense, delegations from genuine liberation movements to attend meetings of the relevant U.N. committees or the General Assembly and assist in discussions and decisions.

In this era of armed struggle in Southern Africa we are pleased to note that we are not called upon to belabour your Committee, Mr. Chairman, with a repetition of known facts; but are expected to deal more with the role of the United Nations and what we expect of it. In a way, we have in earlier memoranda dealt with this at some length; and are happy to note that the Special Committee has given full attention to the views we have expressed.

Since 1946, when the question of apartheid was first raised at the United Nations by the Indian Government, the South African regime has persisted in its apartheid policies. Annual U.N. debates on these policies led to the UN's decision that the policies of race discrimination and apartheid were not the concern only of the Govern­ment of South Africa alone, but affected the international community as a whole. It recognised in these policies the germs of a major world conflict. And in decisive terms South Africa was condemned for pursuing such nefarious policies. Condemnation was followed by active denunciation. South Africa was to be isolated by the world community. Member States were called upon to apply economic, diplo­matic, military and cultural sanctions against the White minority regime of South Africa.

However, Mr. Chairman, it is common cause that there has so far been both a failure in implementing U.N. decisions to isolate South Africa, and a contemptuous disregard of these decisions on the part of the South African regime. While we do not expect the U.N. to fight our battles, we are nevertheless entitled to expect that decisions taken by the U.N. shall be respected by all its members. In this connection, we believe that U.N. action against South Africa in the form of eco­nomic sanctions, the arms embargo and similar measures are of vital importance if a threat of a serious breach of peace in Africa and the world is to be avoided.

In other areas of U.N. action against the racist regime and in support of the cause of the oppressed people of South Africa we would summarise our views as follows:

Sir, in general, we humbly suggest:

  1. The U.N. should consider measures against South Africa's main trading partners, including countries violating the arms embargo.
  2. The U.N. should give material aid to the Southern African liberation movements.
  3. Adopt appropriate measures to enforce the U.N. decision calling on the South African Government to release all political prisoners.
  4. Intensify measures aimed at exposing the evils of apartheid and its effects on its victims.
  5. Member States of the U.N. should undertake to give liberation movements facilities on radio net-works; programmes to be directed by the respective liberation organisations.
  6. To consider the issuing of passports by the U.N. to freedom fighters as well as refugees.
  7. Closer co-operation between liberation movements and various agencies of the world body.
  8. The U.N. Educational Programme to work in co-operation with the liberation movements.
  9. ILO, UNESCO and other agencies of the U.N. to issue pamphlets, etc. on apartheid for international distribution.
  10. Films (documentaries) on South African conditions to be made for distribution to schools, universities, social clubs, television stations etc. on an international scale.
  11. Extracts of the court addresses of Mandela, Fischer, Sisulu and other leaders to be made into an L.P. record for inter­national sales. Proceeds of which to be donated to liberation and Anti-Apartheid movements in Southern Africa.
  12. To ensure that freedom fighters captured in battle are treated as prisoners-of-war in the fighting arenas of Southern Africa.
  13. To create at U.N. Headquarters and the various agencies of the U.N. employment opportunities for qualified South Africans recommended by the A.N.C.

In brief, Mr. Chairman and distinguished Members, these are but few of the suggestions and recommendations we make. We wish to re-emphasise and reiterate our confidence in the U.N. as a vital international forum and also commend the U.N. Special Committee on Apartheid for the magnificent work carried over the years to further expose the atrocities and barbarous conditions obtaining in South Africa. In particular we would like to mention the recent publicity given the Lenkoe case, the Natal trials and general practices of torture in South African gaols. The Committee, however, should continue to give more publicity to the plight of political prisoners, detainees, banned and banished people, and other victims of apartheid.

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICA,
P. O. Box 1791,
LUSAKA, Republic of Zambia.
August 18, 1969.