andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for External Affairs the reason for Ireland's failure at UNO to support the Afro-Asian appeal to the British to promote a new constitution for Southern Rhodesia, to end discrimination in Southern Rhodesia and to secure what are generally accepted as the basic democratic rights, such as one man one vote, in parliamentary elections.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UNO: Constitution of Southern Rhodesia.
18.
While we abstained on the United Nations Resolution of 29th June, as in our opinion it did not correspond to the political realities of the territory, the Irish representatives did not fail to support the appeals for full satisfaction for the basic human rights and the legitimate national aspirations of the people of Southern Rhodesia.
Copies of the speeches made by the Irish representatives in the United Nations on the question of Southern Rhodesia on 12th and 29th June are to be found in the Dáil Library. If the Deputies will read these speeches they will find that we exhorted the British Government to postpone making the proclamation envisaged under article 40 of the 1961 Constitution of Southern Rhodesia, pending the holding of a Constitutional Conference representing all parties concerned in the affairs of Southern Rhodesia, including the British Government, the Government of Southern Rhodesia, leaders of the several parties and all the people of the territory, with the object of working out a Constitution under which all elements of population will be able to play a full and free role in the government of the country.
I have read both documents referred to by the Minister. Is it not a fact that our delegation took the hypocritical stand at the United Nations of supporting the view that the constitution of Southern Rhodesia did not do justice to the African population but then, when it came to providing the necessary support in the lobbies, we washed our hands of the position and went with the white colonists and supported the British in this very important and urgent issue?
No. We supported the claim for the full human rights and civil rights of the people of Southern Rhodesia. We are not in a position to ensure round the world that every man will have a vote and that the votes will be of equal value. You have in certain countries a version of the one man-one vote system but there is only one list and the voter has no control over the selection of the list.
I never thought I would listen to such a speech by anybody in an Irish Parliament. The Minister should be ashamed of himself. It is monstrous. We are now on the side of the white colonists: Patrice Lumumba, Nehru and now Southern Rhodesia.
Nonsense.