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GV UN Apartheid Committee in session.
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CU Nigerian Ambassador Leslie Harriman speaking. (3 shots)
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GV Committee
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SCU PAN Africanist Congress speaker David Sibeko speaking.
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TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 2: HARRIMAN: "The apartheid regime has not only defied the unanimous resolution of the highest organ of the United Nations, and threatened to show its fist to the world, but has proceeded to commit new crimes. The regime is to be judged by the gruesome scandal of the inquest over the death of Steve Biko. It has murdered patriots; it has condoned acts of terrorism against opponents of apartheid, including the murder of Professor Richard Taylor last Sunday, another banned white South African, which justified the prompt exit of Donald Woods from the infected land after gunshots were fired into his room.



It has instituted new trials of patriots under notorious laws providing for the death penalty. I feel certain that the members will agree with me that any delay of further action will only lead to greater crimes by the apartheid regime, which has shown no inclination whatsoever to abide by the resolutions of the Security Council."



SEQ. 4: SIBEKO: "In this international year of action against apartheid, we must put compromise in dealing with this evil behind us, and take resolute action in support of the valiant people and the liberation movement. It has to be borne in mind that the General Assembly has declared that the Azanian people and their liberation movement are a special responsibility of the United Nations. Against Vorster's all-out drive to crush the Azanian people's resistance therefore, a good and meaningful starting-point would be the imposition of all-out economic, diplomatic, cultural, trade and other sanctions against apartheid in South Africa by the Security Council under Chapter Seven of the United Nations charter, so that the sanctions become legally, as well as morally, binding on all countries and on all people on earth."



Nigeria has just begun a two-year term on the Security Council. Mr. Harriman, President of the council this month, says he will follow an activist line. He wants to see an oil embargo on South Africa, a watchdog committee set up to ensure the already-operating arms embargo is enforced, a new debate on South Africa's apartheid policy and the council to take action to denuclearise the African continent. The General Assembly, in its session that ended last month, called for an oil embargo and a ban on investment, but the Western powers declined to support either.




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The President of the United Nations' Security Council, Nigerian Ambassador Leslie Harriman, has called for urgent action by the United Nations over the forthcoming trials in South Africa of several opponents of apartheid. The case involves a former leader of the banned Pan African Congress and 17 other black South Africans, who face a variety of charges under South Africa's Terrorism Act. The Security Council is expected to meet later in January to consider a number of South African questions, including Nigeria's proposal for mandatory oil embargo on the country.

SYNOPSIS: Mr. Harriman was speaking to the General Assembly's special Committee against apartheid.

Mr. Harriman, the Committee chairman, was supported by Pan Africanist Congress speaker, Mr. David Sibeko.