Press Statement No. 547
August 1975
NAMIBIA DAY
Acting Foreign Minister, Mr Whitlam, reiterated
today Australia's moral and material support to the people
of Namibia. In a statement to mark Namibia Day on 26 August the
Acting Minister said that Namibia Day had been designatdd by
the United Nations at the General Assembly session in 1973 as
an annual reminder of the illegal jurisdiction of South Africa
over the territory. The Australian Government, he said, was particularly
concerned about the deprivation of basic human rights and the
exte-iision of the policy of apartheid and the homelands ( Bantustans)
policy into the territory by South Africa.
The Minister recalled that in 1966 Australia had
supported a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly
terminating South-Africa's mandate, and in 1972, 1973 and 1974
had supported resolutions of the General Assembly and Security
Council reaffirming the decision of the International Court of
Justice that South Africa should withdraw from Namibia.
In May 1974 the Australian Government had protested to
South Africa over the mass arrests of members and supporters of
the indigenous political organisation, SWAPO ( South West African
Peoples Organisation), which it regarded as a denial of legitimate
political rights.
Australia's concern for the people of Namibia was
further demonstrated on 1 January 1975 when it became a member
of the United Nations Council for Namibia, a body established by
the United Nations General Assembly to administer the territory
until it achieves independence. / 2
2.
The Australian Government had given material assistance
to Namibia by contributing $ 10,000 to the United Nations Fund
for Namibia in 1974/ 75 and would be contributing $ 25,000 in
1975/ 76. Mr Whitlam said that the swiftly changing situation
in Africa, due to the independence of former colonial territories,
as well as the increasing activity of various national liberation
groups, had given new impetus to the struggle by the peoples of
southern Africa for self-determination and independence.
The Australian Government called on the Government of
South Africa to recognise its international obligations, to
relinquish its illegal jurisdiction over Namibia and to facilitate
the transition to majority rule and independence.
The longer the problem of Namibia remained unsolved,
said Mr Whitlam, the less was the chance that the final solution
would be achieved peacefully.
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