Evening star., 1948-09-26
South Africu's Protest to U. N.

A strong protest by the South African
delegation to the General Assembly, in
cluding a warning that the South African
Union might quit the United Nations If
the protest goes unheeded, raises an issue
of basic Importance. The issue is con-
stitutional one 1t consists of a dispute
over the jurisdictional prerogatives of the
United Nations under the Charter and the
sovereign rights of its members.
The immediate occasion for the present
dispute is the status of the East Indian
element in Natal, one of the Unions
provinces. The warm climate and rich soil
of Natals coastal strip favor the raising
of tropical products. To get experienced
workers for its plantations, Natal, then
separate colony OF Britain, imported In
dentured laborers from India, mostly
Hindus. BY the close of the last century,
this indenture system was discontinued,
but many OF the immigrants preferred to
remain rather than be repatriated, and
high birthrate has swelled that original
nucleus to a community numbering some
100000.
Meanwhile, Natal had joined the Union
of South Africa, federation in which the
members retain large measure OF states
rights The other provinces did not desire
to have the Natal Indians migrate into
their territory and restrictive legislation
was passed to this effect. BY this time,
most of the original immigrants from India
had died, so that the Natal Indians were
virtually all South African born. Nevertne-
less, the growing nationalist sentiment IN
India took cogniZance of the dlscrlmlna-
tions suffered by the South African MI
grants and Mohandas Gandhi acquired
his early fame by going thither as their
champion. For nearly half a century, the
status of the Natal Indians has affected
the relations between India and South
Africa, and when India became a member
of the U. n it promptly raised the issue,
claiming that it was within U. N. Jurlsdlc-
ton as matter threatening good relations
between two of its members.
South Africas reply was that, since the
Natal Indians were Union nationals, tnlS
was an internal matter, specifically exemp-
ted under the Charter from U. N Jurlsolc-
tion. Nevertheless, the General Assembly
passed a resolution, over South AFRICA s
nrotest. bidding the Union compose It's
differences with India. And now 1nola Is
asking the Assembly to take action over
the Unions refusal to comply with the
resolution. 1t is this action which prompts
the Union delegation to protest ana
threaten walkout from the U. N. II What
it considers to be it's sovereign rlgh1s are
further contravened and ignored IN
South African eyes, the AssemblyS actlon
is as unwarranted as if it had admonlsheo
the United States to compose its differences
with Liberia, if that country had COM
n1ained about determinations against the
Negro element in this country. the Union
delegation goes on to say that the General
Assembly is being used for "ldeologlcal
propaganda for poisoning relations between
European and nonEuropean races OF tfe
world" And it stands up vigorously 1or
what it deems the sovereign rights OF all
II N. members, small as we'll as great.
Obviously, this is case involving a COM
MEX of legal, political and ideologlcal
factors which are in sharp conflict How
to reconcile them under the Charter Will
require statesmanlike handling II un1ortu-
nate consequences are to be aVerteo.