United Nations Security Council draft resolution S/10489
Date: 1971-12-30 (meeting 1623)
Agenda: Question concerning the situation in Southern Rhodesia
Vetoed by: UK

UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY
COUNCIL
Distr.
GENERAL
S/10489
30 December 1971
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Burundi, Sierra Leone, Somalia and the Syrian Arab Republic:
draft resolution

The Security Council,
Having considered the 'proposals for a settlement' agreed upon by the
Government of the United Kingdom and the rebel régime in Southern Rhodesia on the
political and constitutional future of the Territory,
Having noted that these proposals were not negotiated in consultation with
the accredited political leaders of the majority of the people of Southern
Rhodesia,
Taking note of General Assembly resolution 2877 (XXVI),
Reaffirming Security Council resolution 288 (1970) of 17 November 1970, and
in particular its operative paragraph 2 in which the Council called upon 'the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the administering Power,
in the discharge of its responsibilities to take urgent and effective measures to
bring to an end the illegal rebellion in Southern Rhodesia and enable the people
to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the Charter of
the United Nations and in conformity with the objectives of General Assembly
resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,'
Mindful of the conditions necessary to permit the free expression of the right
to self-determination,
Recalling Security Council resolution 202 (1965) of 6 May 1965 which endorsed
the request of the General Assembly, addressed to the United Kingdom, to obtain:
(a) the release of all political prisoners, detainees and restrictees,
(b) the repeal of all repressive and discriminatory legislation, and in
particular the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act and the Land Apportionment Act,
(c) the removal of all restrictions on political activity and the
establishment of full democratic freedom and equality of political rights,

71-29774
/...


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S/10489
English
Page 2
Recognizing, without prejudice to the primary role of the administering
Power, the special responsibilities of the United Nations towards the people of
Southern Rhodesia in securing their inalienable rights,
1. Decides that the terms of these proposals do not fulfil the conditions
necessary to ensure that all the people of Southern Rhodesia would be able to
exercise freely and equally their right to self-determination;
2. Rejects the 'proposals for a settlement' as they do not guarantee
the inalienable rights of the majority of the people of Southern
Rhodesia;
3. Considers that the principle of universal adult suffrage for the
people of Southern Rhodesia without regard to colour or race must be the basis
for any constitutional and political arrangements for the Territory;
4. Urges the United Kingdom, pursuant to paragraph 3 above, not to accord
any form of recognition to an independent State of Southern Rhodesia which is not
based on majority rule or on the will of the majority as determined by universal
adult suffrage;
5. Calls on the United Kingdom to ensure that in any exercise to ascertain
the wishes of the people of Southern Rhodesia as to their political future, the
procedure to be followed will be by secret referendum on the basis of one-man-
one-vote without regard to race or colour or to educational, property or income
considerations;
6. Further calls on the United Kingdom, after having ensured the
establishment of conditions under which all the people of Southern Rhodesia are
able to exercise freely and equally their right to self-determination on the basis
of paragraphs 3 and 5 above, to facilitate the participation of a United Nations
team of observers during the preparation for, and in the actual conduct of, any
exercise to ascertain the wishes of the people of Southern Rhodesia as to their
political future;
7. Decides to continue with the imposition of political, diplomatic and
economic sanctions on Southern Rhodesia until the rebellious régime in that
territory is brought to an end;
8. Requests the Government of the United Kingdom not to transfer under any
circumstances to its colony of Southern Rhodesia, as at present governed, any of
the powers or attributes of sovereignty, but to promote the country's attainment
of independence by a democratic system of Government in accordance with the
aspirations of the majority of the population.


Voting result: 9 yes, 1 no, 5 abstentions
Votes by member:
country: Argentina
vote: Y
country: Belgium
vote: A
country: Burundi
vote: Y
country: China
vote: Y
country: France
vote: A
country: Italy
vote: A
country: Japan
vote: A
country: Nicaragua
vote: Y
country: Poland
vote: Y
country: Sierra Leone
vote: Y
country: Somalia
vote: Y
country: Syrian Arab Republic
vote: Y
country: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
vote: Y
country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
vote: N
country: United States of America
vote: A