The adverse consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to colonial and racist regimes in southern Africa.
| Publisher | UN Commission on Human Rights |
| Author | UN Commission on Human Rights (45th sess. : 1989 : Geneva) |
| Publication Date | 23 February 1989 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | E/CN.4/RES/1989/7 |
| Reference | 45 |
| Cite as | UN Commission on Human Rights, The adverse consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to colonial and racist regimes in southern Africa., 23 February 1989, E/CN.4/RES/1989/7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f22e1c.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
1989/7. The adverse consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to colonial and racist régimes in southern Africa
The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3382 (XXX) and 3383 (XXX) of 10 November 1975, 31/33 of 30 November 1976, 33/23 of 29 November 1978, 35/32 of 14 November 1980, 36/172 A to P of 17 December 1981, 37/39 of 3 December 1982, 39/15 of 23 November 1984 and 41/95 of 4 December 1986, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, and 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 3171 (XXVIII) of 17 December 1973, relating to permanent sovereignty over natural resources of both developing countries and territories under colonial and foreign domination or subjected to the apartheid régime, and 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975, Bearing in mind its resolutions 7 (XXXIII) of 4 March 1977, 6 (XXXIV) of 22 February 1978, 9 (XXXV) of 5 March 1979, 11 (XXXVI) of 26 February 1980, 8 (XXXVII) of 23 February 1981, 1982/12 of 25 February 1982, 1983/11 of 18 February 1983, 1984/6 of 28 February 1984, 1985/9 of 26 February 1985, 1986/5 of 28 February 1986, 1987/9 of 26 February 1987 and 1988/13 of 29 February 1988, Taking into account, in particular, the relevant decisions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its twenty-third ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 27 to 29 July 1987 (A/42/699, annex II) by the Council of Ministers of that organization at its forty-sixth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 20 to 25 July 1987 (A/42/699, annex I), and by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its twenty-fourth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 25 to 28 May 1988 (A/43/398, annex II), Taking into account Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities resolution 1985/3 of 27 August 1985, Taking note of the updated report prepared by the Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on the adverse consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to the racist and colonialist régime of South Africa (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1988/6 and Add.1), Reiterating its appreciation of the opinions, restated by the Group of Three members of the Commission appointed under article IX of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, that the actions of transnational corporations which operate in South Africa come under the definition of the crime of apartheid and that article III of that Convention could apply to the actions of such transnational corporations (E/CN.4/1986/30, para. 36), Reaffirming that any form of assistance given to the racist régime of South Africa constitutes a hostile act against the oppressed people of southern Africa in their struggle for freedom and independence and obstructs efforts aimed at the elimination of colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination in South Africa and Namibia, Reaffirming that the utmost priority must be accorded to ensuring the full implementation of international instruments as well as the resolutions of the United Nations for the eradication of racism and apartheid and the liberation of the people of South Africa and Namibia from the racist and colonial régime, Noting with Profound concern that the major Western and other trading partners of South Africa continue to collaborate with the racist régime, disregarding United Nations decisions relating to the total isolation of South Africa, and that their collaboration constitutes the main obstacle to the liquidation of that racist régime and the elimination of the inhuman and criminal system of apartheid, Deeply concerned about the ever-increasing investment of foreign capital in the exploitation of uranium and wet gas in Namibia and South Africa, Considering that such collaboration promotes the illegal occupation of Namibia and gross violations of human rights in southern Africa and enables South Africa to acquire the means necessary to carry out acts of aggression and blackmail against independent African States, thus increasing the threat to international peace and security, Concerned that the persistence of certain banking and international financial institutions in scheduling Pretoria's international debt and the granting of new loans are hostile acts against the oppressed in South Africa and pose a major challenge to the Governments and peoples of the world committed to the speedy eradication of racist minority rule in that country, Alarmed at the continued collaboration of certain Western States and Israel with the racist régime of South Africa in the nuclear field, Regretting that the Security Council has not been in a position to take binding decisions to prevent any collaboration in the nuclear field with South Africa, Conscious of the continuing need to mobilize world public opinion against the political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to the racist régime of South Africa, Welcoming the establishment of the Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism and Apartheid Fund (AFRICA Fund) by the Eighth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held in Harare from 1 to 6 September 1986, and the launching of the Fund following the AFRICA Fund summit meeting, held in New Delhi on 24 and 25 January 1987, Taking note of the Tripartite Agreement between Angola, Cuba and South Africa signed on 22 December 1988 with a view to implementing Security Council resolution 435 (1978) of 29 September 1978,1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the oppressed peoples of South Africa and Namibia to self-determination, independence and enjoyment of the natural resources of their territories;
2. Again reaffirms the right of those same peoples to dispose of those resources for their greater well-being and to obtain just reparation for the exploitation, depletion, loss or depreciation of those natural resources, including reparation for the exploitation and abuse of their human resources;
3. Vigorously condemns the assistance rendered by the major Western countries and Israel to South Africa in the political, economic, financial and particularly the military field, expresses its conviction that this assistance constitutes a hostile action against the people of South Africa, Namibia and the neighbouring States, since it is bound to strengthen the military capability of the racist régime, and demands that such assistance be immediately terminated;
4. Condemns the continuing nuclear collaboration of certain Western States, Israel and other States with the racist régime of South Africa and urges those States to cease and desist forthwith from supplying South Africa with nuclear equipment and technology, which enable it to develop a nuclear weapon capability, threaten peace and international security, obstruct efforts to eliminate apartheid and maintain its illegal occupation of Namibia;
5. Strongly condemns the activities of all foreign economic interests operating in Namibia under the illegal South African administration which are illegally exploiting the resources of the Territory, and demands that transnational corporations engaged in such exploitation comply with all relevant resolutions of the United Nations by immediately refraining from any new investment or activities in Namibia, by withdrawing from the Territory and by putting an end to their co-operation with the illegal South African administration;
6. Notes with appreciation the recent measures taken by some States, parliamentarians, institutions and non-governmental organizations in order to exert pressure on the racist régime of South Africa, and calls upon them to redouble and intensify their efforts to force the racist régime to comply with resolutions and decisions of the United Nations on Namibia and South Africa;
7. Calls once again upon all Governments that have not yet done so to take legislative, administrative or other measures in respect of their nationals and the bodies corporate under their jurisdiction that own and operate enterprises in South Africa and Namibia with a view to putting a stop to their trading, manufacturing and Investing activities on the territory of South Africa as well as in the Territory of Namibia illegally occupied by the racist Pretoria régime;
8. Calls again upon the same Governments to take measures to end all technological assistance or collaboration in the manufacture of arms and military supplies in South Africa and Namibia, and in particular to cease all collaboration with South Africa in the nuclear field;
9. Rejects all policies which encourage the racist régime of South Africa to intensify its repression of the people of South Africa and Namibia and escalate its acts of aggression against the neighbouring States in defiance of the resolutions and decisions of the United Nations;
10. Welcomes the request of the General Assembly that the Security Council urgently consider complete and mandatory sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations against the racist, colonial régime of South Africa, in particular:
(a) The prohibition of all technological assistance or collaboration in the manufacture of arms and military supplies in South Africa;
(b) The cessation of all collaboration with South Africa in the nuclear field;
(c) The prohibition of all loans to, and all investment in, South Africa and the cessation of any trade with South Africa;
(d) An embargo on the supply of petroleum, petroleum products and other strategic goods to South Africa;
11. Demands that South Africa cease forthwith its acts of aggression aimed at undermining the economies and destabilizing the political institutions of neighbouring States;
12. Appeals to all States, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations to extend all possible co-operation to the liberation movements of southern Africa recognized by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity;
13. Welcomes the establishment of the Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism and Apartheid Fund, and appeals to the international community to contribute to that Fund;
14. Urgently requests all specialized agencies, particularly the International Monetary Fund, to refrain from granting any type of loan or financial assistance to the racist régime of South Africa;
15. Calls upon States, specialized agencies, regional intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue and intensify their campaign to mobilize international public opinion for the enforcement of economic and other sanctions against the Pretoria régime;
16. Calls upon the parties to the Tripartite Agreement and South Africa in particular to adopt specific and effective measures to implement the Tripartite Agreement for the immediate and unconditional independence of Namibia;
17. Calls upon the international community to facilitate the implementation of the Tripartite Agreement;
18. Expresses its appreciation to Mr. Ahmed Khalifa, Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, for his updated report;
19. Decides to consider this matter at its forty-sixth session under the agenda item "The adverse consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of political, military, economic and other forms of assistance given to colonial and racist régimes in southern Africa".
35th meeting23 February 1989
[Adopted by a roll-call vote of 31 to 8, with
4 abstentions. See chap. VII.]
