Resolution 47/82
(December 16, 1992)
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming its faith in the importance of the implementation of the
Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and
Peoples contained in its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,
Reaffirming also the importance of the universal realization of the
right of peoples to self-determination, national sovereignty and
territorial integrity and of the speedy granting of independence to
colonial countries and peoples as imperatives for the full enjoyment of all
human rights,
Reaffirming further the obligation of all Member States to comply
with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the
resolutions of the United Nations regarding the exercise of the right to
self-determination by peoples under colonial and foreign domination,
Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) and all relevant resolutions
concerning the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of
Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,
Considering the urgent need of Namibia for assistance in its efforts
to reconstruct and strengthen its fledgling economic and social structures,
Recalling with satisfaction the adoption at Harare on 21 August 1989
of the Declaration of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Organization of African
Unity on Southern Africa on the question of South Africa 1/ and its
subsequent endorsement by the Ninth Conference of Heads of State or
Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Belgrade from 4 to 7 September
1989,2/ as well as the report of the Monitoring Group of the Ad Hoc
Committee of the Organization of African Unity on Southern Africa,3/
and the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in
Southern Africa,4/ adopted by the General Assembly on 14 December
1989,
Welcoming Security Council resolution 765 (1992) of 16 July 1992,
and Council resolution 772 (1992) of 17 August 1992 which, inter alia,
provides the basis for action by the Secretary-General in South Africa in
order to assist the people of South Africa in ending the violence in that
country,
Recalling the Abuja Declaration on South Africa, adopted by the
Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African
Unity at its twenty-seventh ordinary session, held at Abuja from 3 to 5
June 1991,5/
Reaffirming that the system of apartheid imposed on the South
African people constitutes a violation of the fundamental rights of that
people, a crime against humanity and a threat to regional peace and
security,
Deeply concerned that, in spite of the National Peace Accord signed
on 14 September 1991,6/ acts of assassination of members and leaders
of national liberation movements in South Africa are still continuing,
Recalling its resolution 46/79 A, adopted by consensus on 13
December 1991, in which, inter alia, it reaffirmed the need for the full
implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its
Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa that were not yet fulfilled,
Noting with concern that, while significant legal and political
measures in the right direction have been undertaken by the Government of
South Africa, there remain various pieces of security legislation that
restrict the possibilities for free and peaceful political activity, and
that apartheid remains in place,
Noting also with concern that political trials and the detention of
opponents of apartheid continue in South Africa in total disregard of the
provisions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences
in Southern Africa,
Deeply concerned about the current wave of violence in South Africa
resulting from the continued existence of apartheid policies, practices and
structures as well as from actions of those forces opposed to the
democratic transformation of the country,
Gravely concerned that a number of South African patriots remain on
death row,
Welcoming the signing of the General Peace Agreement for Mozambique, 7/ at Rome on 4 October 1992, which provides for the termination of
the armed conflict in that country,
Reaffirming the national unity and territorial integrity of the
Comoros,
Recalling the Geneva Declaration on Palestine and the Programme of
Action for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights, adopted by the
International Conference on the Question of Palestine,
Considering that the continuation of the Israeli oppressive measures
and the denial of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to
self-determination, sovereignty, independence and return to Palestine
constitute a serious threat to international peace and security,
Bearing in mind United Nations resolutions related to the question
of Palestine and the rights of the Palestinian people,
Deeply concerned and alarmed at the deplorable consequences of
Israel's acts of aggression against Lebanon and its practices in and its
continuing occupation of parts of southern Lebanon, as well as its refusal
to implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, in
particular resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978,
1. Calls upon all States to implement fully and faithfully all the
relevant resolutions of the United Nations regarding the exercise of the
right to self-determination and independence by peoples under colonial and
foreign domination;
2. Reaffirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for
independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from
colonial domination, apartheid and foreign occupation, in all its forms and
by all available means;
3. Reaffirms also the inalienable right of the Palestinian people
and all peoples under foreign occupation and colonial domination to
self-determination, national independence, territorial integrity, national
unity and sovereignty without foreign interference;
4. Calls upon those Governments which do not recognize the right to
self-determination and independence of all peoples still under colonial
domination, alien subjugation and foreign occupation to do so;
5. Calls upon Israel to refrain from the constant, deliberate
violations of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, which
constitute an obstacle to the achievement of self-determination and
independence by the Palestinian people and the ongoing efforts towards
comprehensive peace in the region;
6. Urges all States, the specialized agencies and organizations of
the United Nations system, as well as other international organizations, to
extend their support to the Palestinian people through its sole and
legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, in its
struggle to regain its right to self-determination and independence in
accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;
7. Urgently appeals to all States, the organizations of the United
Nations system and other international organizations to render assistance
to Namibia in order to enhance its efforts to promote democracy and
economic development;
8. Reaffirms its rejection of the so-called "tri-cameral
constitution" of 1983 as null and void, and reiterates that peace in
South Africa can be guaranteed only by the establishment of majority rule
through the full and free exercise of adult suffrage by all the people in a
united and undivided South Africa;
9. Strongly urges the Government of South Africa to take additional
steps to implement fully the provisions of the Declaration of the Ad Hoc
Committee of the Organization of African Unity on Southern Africa on the
question of South Africa,1/ and the Declaration on Apartheid and its
Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa;4/
10. Calls for an immediate end to violence and calls upon the
Government of South Africa to exercise its responsibility to end it
through, inter alia, strict adherence to the National Peace Accord;
11. Calls upon all signatories to the National Peace Accord to
manifest their commitment to peace by fully implementing its provisions and
calls upon all other parties to contribute to the attainment of its
objectives;
12. Strongly condemns the establishment and use of armed groups with
a view to pitting them against the national liberation movements;
13. Demands that the Government of South Africa repeal the security
legislation that remains in force, which inhibits free and peaceful
political activity;
14. Requests the Secretary-General to act speedily to implement
Security Council resolution 772 (1992) in its entirety, including those
parts pertaining to the investigation of criminal conduct and the
monitoring of all armed formations in the country;
15. Demands the full application of the mandatory arms embargo
against South Africa, imposed under Security Council resolution 418 (1977)
of 4 November 1977, by all countries and more particularly by those
countries which maintain military and nuclear cooperation with the
Government of South Africa and continue to supply it with related materiel;
16. Expresses its deep concern about the actions by certain
countries whose premature relaxation of existing measures against the South
African regime, in flagrant violation of the United Nations consensus
declaration, encourages the regime to persist in its oppression of the
Black majority with regard to their right to self-determination;
17. Strongly urges the international community, pursuant to General
Assembly resolution 46/87 of 16 December 1991, to continue to extend
maximum assistance to Lesotho to enable it to fulfil its international
humanitarian obligations towards refugees;
18. Pays tribute to the Government and people of Angola for their
noble contribution to the evolving climate of peace in southern Angola;
19. Demands that the Government of South Africa pay compensation to
Angola for damages caused, in accordance with the relevant decisions and
resolutions of the Security Council;
20. Demands also that the Government of South Africa pay full and
adequate compensation to Botswana for the loss of life and damage to
property resulting from the unprovoked and unwarranted military attacks of
14 June 1985, 19 May 1986 and 20 June 1988 on the capital of Botswana;
21. Calls upon the international community to extend its generous
support to the ongoing efforts aimed at ensuring respect for and the
successful implementation of the General Peace Agreement for Mozambique 7/
and at assisting the Government of Mozambique in the establishment of
lasting peace and democracy and in the promotion of an effective programme
of national reconstruction in that country;
22. Fully supports the Secretary-General in his efforts to implement
the plan for the settlement of the question of Western Sahara by
organizing, in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity, a
referendum for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara;
23. Notes the contacts between the Government of the Comoros and the
Government of France in the search for a just solution to the problem of
the integration of the Comorian island of Mayotte into the Comoros, in
accordance with the resolutions of the Organization of African Unity and
the United Nations on the question;
24. Strongly condemns the continued violation of the human rights of
the peoples still under colonial domination and alien subjugation;
25. Calls for a substantial increase in all forms of assistance
given by all States, United Nations organs, the specialized agencies and
non-governmental organizations to the victims of racism, racial
discrimination and apartheid through anti-apartheid organizations and
national liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African
Unity;
26. Reaffirms that the practice of using mercenaries against
sovereign States and national liberation movements constitutes a criminal
act, and calls upon the Governments of all countries to enact legislation
declaring the recruitment, financing and training of mercenaries in their
territories and the transit of mercenaries through their territories to be
punishable offences and prohibiting their nationals from serving as
mercenaries, and to report on such legislation to the Secretary-General;
27. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all persons
detained or imprisoned as a result of their struggle for self-determination
and independence, full respect for their fundamental individual rights and
compliance with article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
under which no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment;
28. Expresses its appreciation for the material and other forms of
assistance that peoples under colonial rule continue to receive from
Governments, organizations of the United Nations system and other
intergovernmental organizations, and calls for a substantial increase in
that assistance;
29. Urges all States, the specialized agencies and other competent
organizations of the United Nations system to do their utmost to ensure the
full implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to
Colonial Countries and Peoples and to intensify their efforts to support
peoples under colonial, foreign and racist domination in their just
struggle for self-determination and independence;
30. Decides to consider this question at its forty-eighth session
under the item entitled "Right of peoples to self-determination".
* * *
1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh
Session, Annexes, agenda
Sources: The United Nations |