By Owei Lakemfa
Expression of shock and incredulity were reactions from a number of persons and organisations across the world who were invited to the International Conference for the Eradication of Colonialism. The general question that followed was: “Are there still colonies in the world?” Indeed, there are 61 territories and peoples who list themselves as colonies or what the United Nations, UN, classify as Non-Self Governing Territories.
However, the UN officially recognises only 17 such territories. These are American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands and Western Sahara. The 17th territory is called Falkland Islands by Britain and, Malvinas, by Argentina.
The world body said these are “territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government.” It also states that since its 1945 establishment…,“ more than 80 former colonies comprising some 750 million people have gained independence,” increasing its original 51 Member-States to 193. So its desire is to extricate more peoples from colonialism.
The UN does not list Puerto Rico, a territory with a 2021 population of 3.264 million people as a Non-Self Governing Territory. It however made public the June 20, 2022 decision of its 29-Member UN Special Committee on Decolonisation. The UN body stated that it reaffirmed “ the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence and calling again upon the United States to assume its responsibility to promote a process to those ends.” It also stated that it supports “a process enabling the Puerto Rican people to take decisions in a sovereign manner, to address their urgent economic and social needs, including unemployment, marginalisation, insolvency and poverty and… urged the United States Government to complete the return of all lands occupied by its military forces in the territory to the people of Puerto Rico.”
The ever growing challenges in the world, including endless wars, dictatorship, ideological contestations, hunger, insecurity and climate change, have combined to relegate the issue of continued colonialism to the background. This has been so much that many have actually forgotten that there are still colonies and peoples who want to be free.
But the colonised have not forgotten. The countries administering them have not. So has not the UN which has a new 2030 deadline to rid the earth of this human scourge. However, the challenge of the UN is that after 64 years of fighting colonialism, it seems to have become battle-weary. Its deadlines are becoming mere dates on the calendar, and increasingly, the colonised feel abandoned and forgotten. Also, the powerful countries that run these territories do not seem to be in a hurry to change the circumstances of the territories.
However, the issue will not go away and the territories erupt like active volcanoes. The latest eruption was on May 13, 2024 when mass protests and violent confrontations broke out in New Caledonia which is administered by France. Located in the Pacific, officially, ten persons were killed, more than 300 injured and over 1,520 arrested. France declared a state of emergency in the colony, blocked the social media and poured in its military. But the unrest went on for about ten weeks. In those weeks, over one billion Euro damage was incurred. Nine hundred businesses, 200 houses, 600 vehicles and 85 per cent of grocery network, were destroyed.
In order to help remake the world and end colonialism, the African Think Tank, the Society for International Relations Awareness, SIRA, decided to hold an International Conference to Eradicate Colonialism. The Conference, holding in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, from August 12-13 at the Top Rank Hotel, Utako, aims to bring all actors together, work out modalities that can assist the UN in its quest to finish the task of decolonising the earth and, making the world a liveable place for all humans irrespective of size, colour, belief or might.
SIRA said the conference, with the theme: ‘The Forgotten Peoples: International Conference to Decolonize the World’, is also in furtherance of the UN General Assembly’s “Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples”(General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14th December, 1960). This Declaration acknowledges that “all peoples have an inalienable right to complete freedom, the exercise of their sovereignty and the integrity of their national territory.” It also solemnly proclaims “the necessity of bringing to a speedy and unconditional end colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.”
SIRA stated that representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories have been invited to state their case, while countries administering and superintending these territories, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Morocco and Indonesia have been invited to make statements at the conference. Also, representatives of social organisations, human rights, peace and development movements have been invited.
The Conference Chair is Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former UNESCO President, ex-Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister, last Chair of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid and, erstwhile UN Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.
The Opening Address is to be delivered by Oscar Lopez Riveria, Leader of the Puerto Rico Independence Movement who spent 38 years in prison.
The Keynote Address is to be delivered by Ambassador Oubi Bachir, Representative of the POLISARIO Liberation Movement in Switzerland and to the UN and International Organisations in Geneva. He is also the former Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria.
Speakers include Ambassador Alfredo Miranda, Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria; Senator Shehu Sani and Dr Olushola John Magbadelo, the Lead Director, Centre for African and Asian Studies who speaks on ‘The Imminent Dangers Of Re-colonization Of Post-Colonial African States’. Dr Tamuno Clinton Jaja is to examine the ‘Trial and Deportation of King Jaja of Opobo by colonial Britain’.
International Human Rights Lawyer and former President of the West Africa Bar Association, Mr Femi Falana, will be speaking on the legal implications of continued colonialism in the world.
SIRA states that its objectives are to build consensus around a Programme of Action: “Apart from making declarations, how far and how well has the UN itself been undertaking its assignment to ensure that the territories reach the stage of full independence? What concrete steps would the administering powers be required to take to ensure that these territories become fully and truly independent? What must the rest of the international community do to ensure and assist the attainment of full independence for these non-self-governing territories?”
Humanity needs to move forward by eradicating colonialism. If the quite complex decolonisation process in Apartheid South Africa could be negotiated, so can the processes in other colonies. As the President of SIRA, I welcome lovers of freedom to the Abuja 2024 Conference.
