United Nations Security Council Resolution 417 – South Africa

Resolution 417 ( 1977) of 31 October 1977

The Security Council,

Recalling its resolution 392 (1976) of 19 June 1976, strongly condcmning the racist régime of South Africa for its resort to massive violence against and wanton killings of the African people, including school children and students and others opposing racial discrimination, and calling upon the South African racist régime urgently to end violence against the African people and to take urgent steps to eliminate apartheid and racial discrimination.

Noting with deep anxiety and indignation that the South African racist régime has continued violence and massive repression against the black people and all opponents of apartheid in defiance of the resolutions of the Security Council,

Gravely concerned over reports of torture of political prisoners and the deaths of a number of detainees, as well as the mounting wave of repression against individuals, organizations and the news media since 19 October 1977,

Convinced that the violence and repression by the South African racist régime have greatly aggravated the situation in South Africa and will certainly lead to violent conflict and racial conflagration with serious international repercussions,

Reaffirming its recognition of the legitimacy of the struggle of the South African people for the elimination of apartheid and racial discrimination,

Affirming the right to the exercise of self-determination by all the people of South Africa as a whole, irrespective of race, colour or creed,

Mindful of its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security,

1. Strongly condemns the South African racist régime for its resort to massive violence and repression against the black people, who constitute the great majority of the country, as well as all other opponents of apartheid;

2. Expresses its support for, and solidarity with, al! those struggling for the elimination of apartheid and racial discrimination and ail victims of violence and repression by the South African racist régime;

3. Demands that the racist régime of South Africa:

(a) End violence and repression against the black people and other opponents of apartheid;

(b) Release al! persans imprisoned un der arbitrary security laws and ail those detained for their opposition to apartheid;

(c) Cease forthwith its indiscriminate violence against peaceful demonstrators against apartheid, murders in detention and torture of political prisoners;

(d) Abrogate the bans on organizations and the news media opposed to apartheid;

(e) Abolish the “Bantu education” system and ail other measures of apartheid and racial discrimination;

(f) Abolish the policy of bantustanization, abandon the policy of apartheid and ensure majority rule based on justice and equality;

4. Requests all Governments and organizations to take all appropriate measures to secure the implcmenta-tton of paragraph 3 of the present resolution;

5. Further requests all Governments and organizations to contribute generously for assistance to the victims of violence and repression, including educational assistance to student refugees from South Africa;

6. Requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Special Committee against Apartheid, to follow the situation and report to the Security Council, as appropriate, on the implementation of the present resolution, and to submit a first report not later than 17 February 1978.

Adopted unanimously at the 2045th meeting.