Egypt and Zimbabwe,8 to extend invitations to Mr. Mfanafuthi J. Makatini and to Mr. Ahmed Gora Ebrahim under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure.
At its 2549th meeting, on 16 August 1984, the Council decided to invite the representatives of Benin, Cuba, Mongolia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Yugoslavia to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the question.
At the same meeting, the Council also decided to extend an invitation, under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure, to the Chairman 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.
At its 2550th meeting, on 17 August 1984, the Council decided to invite the representatives of the Congo, Indonesia, Kuwait, Qatar and Sri Lanka to participate,. without vote, in the discussion of the question.
At its 255lst meeting, on 17 August 1984, the Council decided to invite the representatives of Afghanistan, Guyana, Kenya and Togo to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the question.
At the same meeting, the Council also decided, at the request of the representatives of Burkina Faso, Egypt and Zimbabwe,9 to extend an invitation to Mr. Lesaoana Makhanda under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure.
Resolution 554 (1984)
of 17 August 1984
The Security Council, Recalling its resolution 473 (1980) and General Assembly resolution 38/11 of 15 November 1983, as well as other relevant United Nations resolutions calling upon the authorities in South Africa to abandon apartheid, end oppression and repression of the black majority and seek a peaceful, just and lasting
· Documents S/16698 and S/16699, incorporated in the record of the 2548th meeting.
9 Document S/16704, incorporated in the record of the 2551 st meeting.

solution in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Convinced that the so-called "new constitution" endorsed on 2 November 1983 by the exclusively white electorate in South Africa would continue the process of denationalization of the indigenous African majority, depriving it of all fundamental rights, and further entrench apartheid, transforming South Africa into a country for "whites only",
A ware that the inclusion in the ··new constitution" of the so-called "coloured" people and people of Asian origin is aimed at dividing the unity of the oppressed people of South Africa and fomenting internal conflict,
Noting with grave concern that one of the objectives of the so-called "constitution" of the racist regime is to make the "coloured" people and people of Asian origin in South Africa eligible for conscription into the armed forces of the apartheid regime for further internal repression and aggressive acts against independent African States,
W elunning the massive united resistance of the oppressed people of South Africa against these ··constitutional" manreuvres,
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa for the elimination of apartheid and for the establishment of a society in which all the people of South Africa as a whole, irrespective of race, colour, sex or creed, will enjoy equal and full political and other rights and participate freely in the determination of their destiny,
Firmly convinced that the so-called "elections" to be organized by the Pretoria regime in the current month of August for the "coloured" people and people 0f Asian origin and the implementation of this "new constitution" will inevitably aggravate tension in South Africa and in southern Africa as a whole,
I. Declares that the so-called "new constitution" is contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, that the results of the referendum of 2 November 1983 are of no validity whatsoever and that the enforcement of the "new constitution" will further aggravate the already explosive situation prevailing inside apartheid South Africa;
2. Strongly rejects and declares as null and l'oid the so-called "new constitution" and the "elections" to be organized in the current month of August for the "coloured" people and people of Asian origin as well as all insidious manreuvres by the racist minority regime of South Africa further to entrench white minority rule and apartheid;
3. Further rejects any so-called "negotiated settlement" based on bantustan structures or on the so-called "new constitution";
4. Solemnly declares that only the total eradication of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial democratic society based on majority rule, through the full and free exercise of universal adult suffrage by all the people in a united and unfragmented South Africa, can lead to a just and lasting solution of the explosive situation in South Africa;

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5. Urges all Governments and organizations not to accord recognition to the results of the so-called "elections" and to take appropriate action, in cooperation with the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity and in accordance with the present resolution, to assist the oppressed people of South Africa in their legitimate struggle for a nonracial, democratic society;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the implementation of the present resolution;
7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Adopted at the 255/st meeting bv /3 l'otes to none, with
i abstentions (United King-
dom t~( Great Britain and Northern Ireland. United States of America).
Decisions
At its 2560th meeting, on 23 October 1984, the Council decided to invite the representatives of Ethiopia and South Africa to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the item entitled "The question of South Africa: letter dated 17 October 1984 from the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/16786)" .10
At the same meeting, the Council also decided to extend an invitation, under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure, to the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid.
At the same meeting, the Council further decided, at the request of the representatives of Burkina Faso, Egypt and Zimbabwe, 11 to extend an invitation to Bishop Desmond Tutu under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure.
Resolution 556 (1984)
of 23 October 1984
The Security Council, Recalling its. resolution 554 (1984) and General Assembly resolutions 38/11 of 15 November 1983 and
10 See Official Records of the Security Council, Thirty-ninth Year. Supplement for October, Nm·ember and December /984.
11 Document S/16794, incorporated in the record of the 2560th meeting.

39/2 of 28 September 1984, which declared the socalled "new constitution" contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United N;;ttions,
Rel(fftrming the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly article 21. paragraphs 1 and 3, which recognize, inter alia. the right of everyone to take part in the Government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and the will of the people as the basis of the authority of Government,
Alarmed by the aggravation of the situation in South Africa, in particular the wanton killing and the maiming of defenceless demonstrators and workers on strike as well as the imposition of virtual martial-law conditions intended to facilitate the brutal repression of the black population,
Gravely concerned at the continuing arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial of leaders and activists of mass organizations inside the country as well as the closure of several schools and universities,
Commending the massive united resistance of the oppressed people of South Africa, including the strike by hundreds of thousands of black students, to the imposition of the so-called "new constitution",
Commending also the Asian and coloured communities in South Africa for their large-scale boycott of the recent "elections" which constituted a clear rejection of the so-called "new constitution".
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa for the full exercise of the right to self-determination and the establishment of a non-racial democratic society in an unfragmented South Africa,
Conl'inced that racist South Africa's defiance of world public opinion and the imposition of the rejected so-called "new constitution" will inevitably lead to further escalation of the explosive situation and will have far-reaching consequences for southern Africa and the world,
l. Reiterates its condemnation of the apartheid policy of the South African regime and South Africa's continued defiance of the resolutions of the United Nations and designs further to entrench apartheid, a system characterized as a crime against humanity:
2. Further condemns the continued massacres of the oppressed people, as well as the arbitrary arrest and detention of leaders and activists of mass organi-zations;
3. Demands the immediate cessation of the massacres and the prompt and unconditional release of all political prisoners and detainees;
4. Reaffirms that only the total eradication of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial. democratic society based on majority rule, through the full and free exercise of adult suffrage by all the people in a united and unfragmented South Africa. can lead to a just, equitable and lasting solution of the situation in South Africa:

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