Arizona sun., 1951-12-14
u, 5. Fails To Vote
Invitation To South
African Committee

States last Wednesday abStained
from voting for the United Ma
tons Trusteeship Committee to ex-
tend an invitation to a representa-
tive of oppressed native African
tribes in Southwest Africa to ap-
pear and expires stheir grievances
against the Union of South Africa.
Despite opposition by European
colonial nations and with South
Africa continuing to boycott the
Trusteeship Committee, the invi-
tation wa sadopted by 41-to-O
vote, with the United States and
ten other nations not voting.
TIE invitation was extended TO
the Rev. Michael Scott to testify
as an expert on Southwest Africa,
pending arrival of tribal chiefs, who
sppear to be having travel diff
culties.
Only a few hours earlier, Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt, American dele
safe, proposed that the UN Social
Committee adopt two separate
binding covenants on human rights
-one covering the political and
social field, and the other on eco
nomic, social and cultural issues.
Mrs. Roosevelt denounced the
Systematic an deliberate" viola
ton of human rights by some gov
ernmentS which she did not iden-
tify. The UN, she said, must move
ahead to develop new methods for
advancing human liberty "by adopt
ing the two treaties.
The actio ncf Francis B. Sayre,
United States representative on the
1ruSteeship Committee, seemed to
have little relation to Mrs. RooSe-
velt's address. He expressed oppo-
sltio nto hearing the representatives
of the African tribes by joining rep
resentatives of Britain, France, Bel
GUM, the Netherlands, Australia,
Canada, Denmark, New Zealand,
Israel, and Norway in abstaining.
The approved resolution, sub
mitted by Lebanon, invites the Rev.
Mr.. Scott, and English missionary
with credentials to speak for the
Herero tribes of Southwest Africa,
to address the committee.
The committee voted on Novem-
ber Is to give hearing to dele
cation of Herero tribal chieftains,
but thus far they have not re-
ceived passports from the South
African government. The United
States also abstained on that vote,
just as it had refused to support
UN consideration of a complaint of
Arab nations accusing France of
violating the human rights of the
Moroccans.
In a letter to the General AS
sembly president, South Africa said
the invitation to the Herero chief
tains was illegal and that it would
tske no further part in the delib-
erations of the Trusteeship Com
mittee.
South Africa has repeatedly de-
fled UN resolutions asking it to-
place Southwest Africa, a former
German colony, under the UN trus-
teeship system. South Africa ad-
ministers the $4,000 square mile
territory under a League of Ma
tions mandate and has refused to
comply with UN Charter require
ment for annual reports on non
self-governing territories. The ter
ritory has a population of 100000
natives and 10000 whites.
Opposing the invitation to the
Herero spokesman, John N. S. Bu--
chan Nord Tweesmuir) of the
British delegation, said the Trus-
teeship Committee was "an as
sembly of states and could not be
addressed by an individual. Repre-
sentatives of the other colonial ma
tions said an invitation was unnec-
essary because the committee. al
ready had invited the Herero
chieftains.