What is even of greater concern, however, is the ugly combination of colonialism and racialism existing in southern Africa in complete defiance of world opinion and of the mandates of the United Nations. The non-aligned have now to consider the concrete and determined steps necessary in overcoming and countering this massive citadel of inequity and suffering, this anachronism in the modem world. Victory in this struggle must be ours. It would mark the fulfillment of one of the basic objectives of the non-aligned movement. India on her part has lent full moral and material support to the liberation of South Africa and other colonial regimes.
The last decade, in particular, has been marked by a steady expansion of our co-operation with African countries and liberation movements, thereby endowing our non-alignment with greater political fervour as well as substance.
Areas of Crises
The non-aligned have, at each of their summit conferences devoted considerable attention to the maintenance of world peace, including the questions of disarmament and international security. Despite the best efforts of non-aligned countries, despite their significant and constructive role in the discussion of these questions at the U.N. and other international forums, areas of crises and tension continue to exist around the world — in Cyprus, West Asia or in Latin America. We would no longer be satisfied with mere resolutions on these subjects, however well-intentioned or meaningful they may be. The emphasis by the non-aligned should now be on united action to implement these resolutions, enhancing our credibility and our role in the maintenance of world peace.
This applies equally to the increasingly serious problem of interference in the internal affairs of non-aligned countries, often amounting to subversion and attempts at destabilisation of established governments. The non-aligned, individually and collectively must determine how best to resist such pressures.
The continuance of multilateral military alliances, conceived in the context of great power rivalry and the induction of vast quantities of military hardware into countries belonging to these alliances, are a source of continuing tension and instability in the Indian Ocean. The expansion of the Diego Garcia base against the declared wishes of the littoral States of the Indian Ocean is of serious concern. In pursuance of the United Nations declaration on the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. India has been doing everything possible to co-ordinate action among nonaligned countries to ensure the peace of this vital region against the intrusion of great power competition and rivalries. The non-aligned should strengthen their efforts to ensure that the great powers and other major maritime users respect the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace.