CM/Res. 259(XVIII)
RESOLUTION ON RHODESIA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Eighteenth Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 14 to 19 February 1972,
Having heard the Statement made by His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I, at the opening of the Eighteenth Session of the Council of Ministers,
Having heard the exhaustive statements made by the Head of the Delegation of Somalia on the results of the work of the special session of the Security Council held in Africa from 28 January to 4 February 1972, appreciative of the support given to the just cause of the people of Zimbabwe by the Asian and the Latin American and representatives from other regions in the United Nations,
Welcoming the important part played by the three African countries, members of the Security Council, namely, Somalia, Sudan and Guinea, and
Gravely concerned by the dangerous political situation in Southern Rhodesia, as characterized by the recent killings, woundings, arrests and detention of the African population by the Security forces of the illegal regime,
Recalling previous decisions of OAU and UN on Southern Rhodesia especially Security Council resolutions 232 (1966) and 253 (1968) which established mandatory sanctions against Southern Rhodesia,
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the struggle for freedom carried out by the valiant people of Zimbabwe to recover their right to independence in conformity with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV),
Noting with grave concern that the measures taken so far have failed to bring the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia to an end,
Deploring the fact that some States, contrary to United Nations Security Council resolutions 232 (1966) and 253 (1968) and to their obligations under Article 25 of the Charter, continue to trade with the illegal regime of Southern Rhodesia,
Noting further that the Governments of South Africa and Portugal have continued their defiance of the United Nations by intensifying their assistance to the illegal minority regime of So uthern Rhodesia, thus diminishing the effects of the measures decided upon by the Security Council,
Considering the overwhelming rejection by the African people of Zimbabwe of the proposals for a so-called “settlement” regarding the future of the territor y of Southern Rhodesia decided upon between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the illegal regime of Southern Rhodesia,
Reaffirming the primary responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom in creating the necessary conditions to enable the people of Zimbabwe to exercise fully their right to self - determination and independence,
Taking note of the fact that the United Kingdom has used her right to the veto to prevent the Security Council from adopting a positive resolution during its special session in Africa,
REAFFIRMS that the grave situation in Southern Rhodesia constitutes a threat to international peace and security;
VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNS the failure of the United Kingdom, as the Administering Power, to bring the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia to an end and deprecates the present maneuvers aimed at conferring legal status to the minority regime in Southern Rhodesia;
CONDEMNS the recent killings, woundings, arbitrary arrests and detention of defenseless civilians carried out by the illegal regime of Southern Rhodesia;
CONDEMNS the persistent use of the veto in the United Nations Security Council by the United Kingdom designed to perpetuate the minority regime of Southern Rhodesia;
CALLS UPON the United Kingdom, as the Administering Power, to honour its obligations by taking all appropriate measures to safeguard the lives and property of the African people of Southern Rhodesia against further brutal acts and repressive measures by the illegal minority regime;
CALLS UPON the United Kingdom Government, as a matter of urgency, to desist from implementing the “settlement” proposals agreed upon between the United Kingdom Government and the illegal rebel regime, taking into account the overwhelming African opposition to those proposals;
FIRMLY BELIEVES that a solution to the situation in Southern Rhodesia requires that a constitutional conference should be convened without delay, in which the African people, through their genuine representatives, would be able to participate in the formulation of new proposals for the political and constitutional future of their country;
CONSEQUENTLY CALLS UPON the United Kingdom Government to convene such a constitutional conference as a matter of urgency;
CALLS UPON ALL STATES to take more stringent measures in order to assure full implementation of sanctions and to prevent any circumvention by their nationals, organizations, companies and other institutions of their nationality, of the decisions taken by the Security Council in resolutions 232 (1966) and 253 (1968), all provisions of which shall remain fully in force;
CALLS UPON the Security Council to strengthen and widen the scope of sanctions imposed upon the illegal regime of Southern Rhodesia; and to impose sanctions upon all those Governments which have blatantly refused to carry out the mandatory decisions of the Security Council;
DEMANDS the immediate withdrawal of South African police and armed forces from the territory of Southern Rhodesia;
RENEWS its total support to the valiant people of Zimbabwe and urges them to pursue and intensify their struggle for liberation and congratulates them for their overwhelming rejection of the so-called proposals for settlement;
DECIDES to enhance the contribution of the Organization of African Unity to the freedom struggle and once again appeals to all the liberation movements of Zimbabwe to close their ranks so as to effectively pursue the struggle until final victory is achieved;
APPEALS to the international community to grant maximum support to the liberation struggle in the territory;
SUPPORTS unreservedly all the efforts being exerted by the three African countries on the Security Council;
RECOMMENDS to the Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government due to meet in June 1972 in Rabat that it considers measures necessary for the liberation of the people of Zimbabwe.