unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (08/24/89)
SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 5
Mr. AGUS TARMIDZI went on to say that South Africa could not hide behind
the ploy of demanding impartiality on the part of the international community
as a means to silence international condemnation over those gross violations
of the terms of the transition process and South Africa's obligations.
Indeed, as the occupying Power, South Africa must not be allowed to evade its
responsibility to the international community for its attempts to subvert and
manipulate the implementation of the United Nations Plan in order to continue
its colonial hold over Namibia.
He wished to commend the constructive attitude of SWAPO, particularly its
peaceful and orderly nation-wide mobilization campaign, despite the continued
existence of repressive and discriminatory laws, in order to ensure that they
understood the electoral process. The rights of SWAPO to engage in political
activity, including the mobilization of its supporters must be safeguarded.
Likewise, all Namibian refugees should be enabled immediately to return to
Namibia in dignity and safety and be provided with the necessary humanitarian
assistance. The electoral process must be free of fraud and manipulation.
The Namibian people must be assured that they would be able to exercise their
franchise free of fear and intimidation, he said.
The only way to put an effective end to the illegal occupation of Namibia
by South Africa and to bring about the orderly decolonization of the Territory
was by scrupulously implementing resolution 435 (1978), he said. Any issues
which arose in the implementation of the resolution must be resolved in light
of that single, overriding consideration. In the face of South Africa's open
defiance, he trusted that the Security Council would act urgently to re-assert
its authority. South Africa must be compelled to comply with all of its
obligations in the transition process. The United Nations actions had the
sole responsibility of supervision and control over the transition process and
the realization of the United Nations Plan in its original and definitive form
L. YVES FORTIER (Canada) said that six months after the Council's
enabling resolution 632 had launched Namibia's transition to independence, a
stock-taking was timely. After the long years when implementation had not
been possible, and after a most difficult beginning in April, "we have indeed
come a long way in a short time," he said. Nevertheless, even the progress
thus far, important as it was, should not allow underestimation of the
continuing potential for difficulty in Namibia's long road to independence.
The recent announcement of the plans to remove former Koevoet personnel
from the territorial police was welcome news. The United Nations had long
sought that goal, and members of the Council had also played their part in
diplomatic efforts to achieve it.
Last week, he said, the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on
southern Africa had met in Canberra with Namibia high on its agenda and had
put forward four ideas. First, it had encouraged Commonwealth countries, who
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