UNITED NATIONS: India has urged the world community to continue applying full pressure, including effective and vigorous sanctions, on South Africa to force it to completely eliminate racial discrimination.
Asserting that measures taken by Pretoria to dismantle apartheid are yet to become irreversible, Indian ambassador C R Gharekhan told the United Nations general assembly Thursday that “to relax pressure on South Africa at this stage would be premature, inappropriate and imprudent”.
Expressing concern over the “escalating violence” in Natal and elsewhere, Gharekhan said this was primarily the result of Apartheid policies and practices pursued by South Africa.
He asked the Pretoria regime to “discharge its responsibility” to stop killings, to stop taking sides that only encourages violence and to work for urgent restoration of normalcy.
(It is ironic that India is going through a crisis perhaps worse than Apartheid could have brought about. The Hindu society heavily caste ridden is fighting it out in the streets even as you read this— ED)
Participating in the debate on apartheid in South Africa, Gharekhan said most of the measures required to be taken by the South African government for the creation of a climate for meaningful negotiations are yet to be fully implemented.
“Thousands of political prisoners still continue to languish in jails and several, including children, remain in detention. Despite the removal of bans, political organizations are still not able to engage in free political activity because of several restrictions.
“The state of emergency has not been lifted in Natal and repressive legislation such as the internal security act remains not only in force but also in use,” he said.
The “pillars of Apartheid, such as the group areas act, the land acts and the population registration act, remain intact”, he added.
The international community, Gharekhan said, must not deviate from the unity of purpose and commitment to eradicate apartheid and should pursue its efforts until the final objective is achieved.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 21, 1990
