Agreement
Implementation of the Namibia settlement plan begins, 1989
The Security Council set 1 April 1989 as the date on which implementation of the 1978 settlement plan would begin, deploying UNTAG to supervise a cease-fire and the transition to elections.
What happened
On 16 January 1989 the Security Council decided that "1 April 1989 shall be the date on which implementation of resolution 435 (1978) will begin," and requested the Secretary-General to arrange a formal cease-fire between SWAPO and South Africa.[1] On 16 February 1989 the Council decided to implement resolution 435 "in its original and definitive form to ensure conditions in Namibia which will allow the Namibian people to participate freely and without intimidation in the electoral process."[2]
Through the year the Council repeatedly pressed for compliance: in August 1989 it demanded "the disbandment of all paramilitary and ethnic forces and commando units, in particular Koevoet," a paramilitary counter-insurgency unit of the South-West Africa Police, amid reports of intimidation of the civilian population.[3] In October 1989, a week before the scheduled election, it noted with "deep concern" that not all provisions of resolution 435 were being fully complied with and again demanded strict compliance.[3]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: On 16 January 1989 the Security Council decided that "1 April 1989 shall be the date on which implementation of resolution 435 (1978) will begin," and requested the Secretary-General to arrange a formal cease-fire between the South West Africa People's Organization and South Africa.
- United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolutions 629 (1989) and 632 (1989) (United Nations, 16 February 1989) link, resolution 629, operative paras. 1–2. Source record
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2.
Claim: On 16 February 1989 the Security Council decided to implement resolution 435 (1978) "in its original and definitive form to ensure conditions in Namibia which will allow the Namibian people to participate freely and without intimidation in the electoral process."
- United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolutions 629 (1989) and 632 (1989) (United Nations, 16 February 1989) link, resolution 632, operative para. 2. Source record
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3.
Claim: In August 1989 the Security Council, concerned at reports of widespread intimidation and harassment of the civilian population by Koevoet elements of the South-West Africa Police, demanded "the disbandment of all paramilitary and ethnic forces and commando units, in particular Koevoet"; in October 1989, one week before the scheduled election, it noted "with deep concern" that not all provisions of resolution 435 were being fully complied with and repeated its demand for strict compliance.
- United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolution 640 (1989) (United Nations, 29 August 1989) link, preamble and operative para. 2. Source record
- United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolution 643 (1989) and related decisions (United Nations, 31 October 1989) link, preamble and operative paras. 5–6. Source record