Opinion October 21, 1985, Forty Years Ago: C’wealth sanctions

The Commonwealth countries from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean appeared all set to issue their own declaration recommending economic sanctions against the racist South African regime

This is the front page of The Indian Express published on October 21, 1985

Editorial

October 21, 2025 08:55 AM IST First published on: Oct 21, 2025 at 07:15 AM IST

The Commonwealth countries from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean appeared all set to issue their own declaration recommending economic sanctions against the racist South African regime, ignoring, if necessary, the British objection. They reached this view after the failure of their repeated attempts to persuade British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to give up her obstinate stand against the application of sanctions as a step to make Pretoria see reason.

New tax structure

Massive additional resource mobilisation, of the order of about Rs 44,700 crore, by both the Centre and state governments, is envisaged during the Seventh Five-Year Plan period. While the Centre will mobilise the extra resources through revamping of direct and indirect tax structures, the state governments are being asked to tap agricultural incomes. The central public sector will also launch a drive to raise another Rs 35000 crore or so through adjustments and increase in productivity.

Secret burial

There will be no funeral for Benjamin Moloise, the black South African activist who was hanged for the murder of a black policeman, his lawyer, Priscilla Jana, said. Jana said that prison authorities had already buried Moloise and would reveal neither the location of the cemetery, nor the number of his grave. By not divulging details of the burial, the police were clearly sidestepping the possibility of a military demonstration, Jana said.

Boat sunk

South Korea said it had sunk an armed North Korean boat in a gun battle off the southeast port of Pusan. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said the boat was sunk in a joint air, ground and sea operation after a three-hour chase. He did not mention the fate of the North Korean crew.

# 40 Years Ago