UN urges sanctions against S. Africa

An overwhelming majority of the UN General Assembly rejected a call for more negotiations and urged mandatory sanctions against South Africa for retaining mineral-rich Namibia.

After hearing 131 speakers in a grueling emergency debate since Sept. 3, the world body strongly condemned South Africa for its occupation of Namibia and for its attacks against neighboring African states.

The resoluction demanded the UN independence plan for Nambia be implemented by December. Britain, Canada, France, West Germany, and the US, which had worked out the plan, pleaded for continued negotiations. But the majority insisted only strong punitive measures could force South Africa into accepting it.