INDIANS IN AFRICA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26887, 13 November 1952, Page 9

INDIANS IN AFRICA

U.N. Committee Resolution (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 11. The Special Committee of the General Assembly today adopted a draft resolution to establish a three-member United Nations Good OffiCes Commission to assist in negotiations between South Africa, India and Pakistan to settle the problem of Indians in South Africa. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 42 to one (South Africa), with 13 abstentions, including New Zealand, Australia, Britain, Canada, and France. The dralt resolution was sponsored b v Afghanistan, Burma, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, the Lebanon, Liberia, Pakistan, Persia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. The question of the treatment of people of Indian origin in South Africa has been before the United Nations since 1946. it concerns the future of 360,000 Asians now in the country. India and Pakistan have for the last six years been claiming lull political, economic and social rights for these people. Earlier, the committee by 30 votes to 12, with 16 abstentions, adopted a clause of the resolution calling upon the Government of South Africa to suspend the implementation or enforcement of the provisions of the Group Areas Act pending the conclusion of the negotiations. New Zealand, Australia, Britain. South Africa, and France were among the nations voting against the clause. The United States and Canada were among the nations abstaining. The South African Government has maintained that the question is a domestic one. outside the jurisdiction of the United Nations, and has offered to negotiate directly with the governments of Pakistan and India with a view to securing a settlement of the problem. Mrs Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, leader of the Indian delegation, told the committee that when the preliminary talks were held in 1950. it soon became clear that the only question which the Government of South Africa was interested in discussing was the repatriation of people of Indian origin from South Africa, and not the removal of their disabilities. The resolution adopted today recommended that the item of the treatment of Indians in South Africa be placed on the aegnda of the next session o? the Assembly.