24 November 1981

Question of East Timor

The General Assembly,

Recognizing the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,

Bearing in mind that the Fifth and Sixth Conferences of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Colombo and Havana, in 1976 and 1979, respectively, reaffirmed the right of the people of East Timor to self-determination and independence,

Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to East Timor and other relevant documents,

Deeply concerned at the suffering of the people of East Timor and at reports of the critical situation resulting from the new outbreak of famine in the Territory, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of East Timor,

Recalling the communique of the Council of Ministers of Portugal, issued on 12 September 1980, in which the administering Power pledged to undertake broad initiatives with a view to ensuring the full and speedy decolonization of East Timor,

Having heard the statement of the representative of Portugal, as the administering Power, Having heard the statements of the representative of the Frente Revolicionaria de Timor Leste Independente, the liberation movement of East Timor, and various East Timor petitioners, as well as of representatives of non-governmental organizations,

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of East Timor to self-determination and independence, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

2. Declares that the people of East Timor must be enabled freely to determine their own future on the basis of the relevant General Assembly resolutions and internationally accepted procedures;

3. Calls upon all interested parties, namely Portugal, as the administering Power, and the representatives of the East Timorese people, as well as Indonesia, to co-operate fully with the United Nations with a view to guaranteeing the full exercise of the right

to self-determination by the people of East Timor;

4. Notes the initiative taken by the Government of Portugal as stated in the communique of the Council of Ministers of Portugal, issued on 12 September 1980, and invites the administering Power to continue its efforts with a view to ensuring the proper exercise of the right to self-determination and independence by the people of East Timor, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), and to report to the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on the progress of its initiative;

5. Expresses its deepest concern at the reports of the critical situation resulting from the new outbreak of famine in East Timor and calls upon all specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, immediately to assist, within their respective fields of competence, the people of the Territory;

6. Notes with satisfaction the humanitarian aid given by some Member States and relief organizations to the people of East Timor and calls upon all Governments concerned to continue this aid with a view to alleviating the suffering of the people of the Territory;

7. Requests the Special Committee to keep the situation in the Territory under active consideration and to follow the implementation of the present resolution;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session;

9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-seventh session the item entitled "Question of East Timor".