CM/Res.1135 (XLVII) RESOLUTION ON SOUTH AFRICA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Forty-seventh Ordinary Session, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 22 to 27 February 1988,
Having considered and examined the Executive Secretary and Standing Committee on Policy, Information and Defence concerning the situation in South Africa,
Having also heard statements by the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) on the grave situation in South Africa as well as on their activities generally,
Noting with concern the ever-increasing repression of the oppressed people of South Africa as exemplified by the continuing State of Emergency, arbitrary arrest and detention judicial murders, and further curbs on press freedom,
Noting further with concern the masterminding of the so-called black on black violence by the racist South African regime as part of its efforts to divert attention from its obnoxious apartheid system,
Taking note of the release of Mr. Govan Mbeki, Mr. John Nkosi and others from prison and also taking note with concern of the restrictions placed on their free movement and action,
Noting with appreciation the growing militancy in the resistance of the oppressed as characterized by strikes and boycotts,
Bearing in mind the solemn commitment of all Member States of the OAU to eliminate apartheid by all means possible:
COMMENDS the oppressed people of South Africa and their vanguard movements for their resillience and courage in the struggle for freedom
and EXHORTS them, workers in industrial mines, farmers, students, the employed as well as the unemployed to increase the tempo of their resistance;
CALLS ON all Member States of the OAU to step up their assistance to the struggling people of South Africa through their National Liberation Movements recognized by the OAU and on the occasion of the Twenty- fifth Anniversary of the OAU, to organize fund-raising activities to support the Liberation struggle;
FURTHER CALLS ON all Member States, in conformity with ILO and OAU Labour Commission’s decisions, to discourage their nationals from working in South Africa;
URGES all OAU Member States and the international community to impose comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against South Africa as that remains the only peaceful weapon to avert a blood-bath;
VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNS the Reagan Administration, the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany for their persistent opposition to sanctions against South Africa;
REQUESTS the Current Chairman and the Secretary-General of the OAU as well as all Foreign Ministers of the Member States to make representations to those countries opposed to sanctions about Africa’s concern that their opposition to sanctions only serves to embolden the Pretoria regime in its defiance of the international community, its campaign of state terrorism in South Africa and Namibia and in its destabilization of the Frontline and neighboring States;
WELCOMES the release of Govan Mbeki, John Nkosi and others from long prison term sentences but STRONGLY CONDEMNS the Pretoria regime for the restrictions imposed on them and on their movements, and DEMANDS the immediate removal of the restrictions;
VIGOROUSLY CONDEMNS the death sentences imposed on over 40 patriots including the Sharpeville six and APPEALS to the international community to exert pressure on the racist regime to rescind the sentences;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General of the OAU to disseminate widely to the international community the important conclusions of the Arusha Conference;
DEMANDS ONCE AGAIN the immediate release of Nelson Mandela, Zephania Mutopeng and all other political prisoners;
VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNS the racist South Africa regime for the acts of massacre against the black population by its sponsored Inkatha Movement with the help of the racist police force;
FURTHER STRONGLY CONDEMNS the racist South African regime for being responsible for the so-called black on black conflict and calls upon the oppressed people of South Africa to close ranks and stop dissipating their energies on such unproductive conflict.
Reservation expressed by: Tunisia : Operative Para 5