Fifty-ninth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

3^rd Meeting (PM)

Western sahara, second decade to eradicate colonialism

 

among issues in fourth committee general debate

 

The Western Sahara was still one of the final bastions of foreign occupation, Algeria’s representative told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this afternoon, as the issue continued to dominate the general debate on decolonization issues.

Calling the “occupation” of the Western Sahara by Morocco illegal, he said the occupying Power had accorded a compromise proposed by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General the same fate as other proposals.  According to that compromise, the “Baker Plan”, the territory would be administered by the Saharans for four years under Moroccan sovereignty, following free elections.  After those four years, the people of Western Sahara, including Moroccan inhabitants, would chose between independence, integration or continuation of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.  Morocco had rejected the plan because it was apprehensive that Western Sahara would be in favour of independence.  It was clear that Morocco would have to deal directly with the Frente Polisario, as Algeria would never serve as a replacement for the people of Western Sahara.

Other speakers also expressed regret at Morocco’s reaction to the Peace Plan.  The representative of South Africa said that for the past 10 years his country had postponed recognition of Western Sahara in the interest of a negotiated peace, but had to reconsider its decision after Morocco announced its final decision that the freedom of the Territory was not negotiable.

On other decolonization issues, speakers noted that the Second International Decade to Eradicate Colonialism, which runs from 2001 to 2010, was reaching its mid-way point.  The administering Powers of the remaining 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories were urged to cooperate fully with the Special Committee of 24 on Decolonization in order to speed up the process of attainment of independence to the remaining territories still under colonial administration.  The administering Powers should participate actively in the work relating to the territories under their mandate, as well as to allow representatives of the Territories concerned to participate in the discussion in the Fourth Committee, the representative of Indonesia said.

Also addressing the obligations of the administering Powers, Libya’s representative said the resources of the Non-Self-Governing Territories belonged to the people living there and the administering Powers should pay compensation for use of those resources.  The administering Powers should also refrain from military exercises on the Non-Self-Governing Territories.  He further drew attention to the fact that, apart from the peoples of the 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories, there were still millions of people suffering under occupation, among them the Palestinian people, who were occupied and being subjected to the most brutal crimes.

The representative of the United Kingdom, one of the administering Powers, said the sixth annual meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council had been held in London in September, giving an opportunity for dialogue between democratically elected chief ministers and their equivalents from the Territories and with United Kingdom Government ministers.  His Government continued to support projects, to raise local capacity and to promote sustainable development and good governance.  Informal cooperation with the Special Committee was continuing.  The most positive recent development was the proposal for a visit to Bermuda with a view to considering movement towards that Territory’s delisting.

In other business, the Committee granted 23 requests for hearing from petitioners on the various questions under the decolonization item.

The representatives of Saint Lucia (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), Egypt, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nigeria and Mozambique also spoke.  The representative of the United Kingdom exercised his right of reply.

The Fourth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Wednesday, 6 October, to continue its general debate on decolonization issues.

Background

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this afternoon continued its general debate on decolonization issues.  (For summaries of reports before the Committee, see Press Release GA/SPD/284 of 4 October.)  It was also expected to consider requests for hearing regarding Gibraltar and Western Sahara.

Statements

SIMON WILLIAMS (United Kingdom) said the sixth annual meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council had been held in London in September, giving an opportunity for dialogue between democratically elected chief ministers and their equivalents from the Territories and with United Kingdom Government Ministers.  Bill Rammel, Minister for the OverseasTerritories and Chairman of the Council, had also made visits to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and the British Virgin Islands.  His country welcomed progress made in the Constitutional Review process.  In Saint Helena, a draft constitution had been prepared and consultation was under way.  Constitutional reform proposals for Gibraltar had been tabled.

He said his Government continued to support projects to raise local capacity and to promote sustainable development and good governance.  Projects included economic diversification, reform of legislation governing child and family welfare, and a study on the alternatives to custodial sentencing.  The Joint Overseas Territories Environment Programme was funding 23 new projects.  Regrettably, the Caribbean had suffered badly from hurricanes, including devastation by hurricane Ivan to the Cayman Islands.  His country had been able to provide some immediate help.  The Turks and Caicos Islands had suffered extensive damage a few weeks earlier.

In response to requests from some OverseasTerritories for help in accessing European Commission economic, trade and development assistance, an official for liaising with the Commission had been appointed last year to the Overseas Territories Department.  His country continued its informal cooperation with the Special Committee.  The most positive recent development was the proposal for a visit to Bermuda with a view to considering movement towards that Territory’s delisting.

MICHELLE JOSEPH (Saint Lucia), on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories in the Caribbean had not yet achieved a full measure of self-government based on a minimum set of standards adopted by the General Assembly.  They represented unfinished business of the United Nations in regard to the inalienable rights of people.  CARICOM was committed to the self-determination of all peoples of the region and, accordingly, continued to foster the integration of the Territories into its institutions, as well as into other regional organizations.

Many of the obstacles towards self-government, she said, could be traced to a lack of information flowing to and from the Territories, partly resulting from a lack of serious attention to decades of resolutions on decolonization.  Regional seminars helped to bridge the information gap, but in other areas the international community must do better.  The legitimization of modern-day colonial dependencies, and attempts to redefine them as “politically correct”, could not be an acceptable approach.  Territories must not be de-listed without meeting the minimum standards of full and absolute political equality.

Turning to the question of Western Sahara, she called for the implementation of the Peace Plan which was reaffirmed by the Security Council this past April, she said.  The entire United Nations system must be critically engaged in finishing the decolonization process.  In that connection, she expressed regret over a number of abstentions from voting on the resolution on implementation of the decolonization declaration by the specialized agencies, over concerns that the General Assembly did not have the authority to make such requests to specialized agencies and other organizations.  That should not remain an impediment.  Those organizations had already assisted many Territories and the resolution should be adopted by consensus.

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) said the second half of the twentieth century had seen the collapse of the citadels of colonization, but there were still a few final bastions of foreign occupation.  That was the case for Western Sahara. The people of Western Sahara had shown their confidence in the United Nations by accepting the referendum and the settlement plan.  Morocco, the occupying Power, however, had shown ingenuity in preventing the holding of the referendum.

The Security Council, in resolution 1429 (2002), had authorized the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General to seek a political solution to the problem.  A realistic compromise had been devised, by which the territory would be administered by the Saharans for four years under Moroccan sovereignty, following free elections.  After those four years, the people of Western Sahara, including Moroccan inhabitants, would choose between independence, integration or continuation of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

He said Morocco had decided to accord to the plan the same fate as other United Nations proposals and had insisted that the international community should recognize its authority over Western Sahara.   Morocco had rejected the plan because it was apprehensive that Western Sahara would be in favour of independence.  It was clear that Morocco was illegally occupying the territory. The International Court of Justice, in its advisory opinion of 1975, had concluded that no link of any sovereignty existed between the territory of Western Sahara and Morocco.

It was clear that the Saharan case was stronger than it had ever been, he continued.  It was also clear that Morocco had to deal directly with the Frente Polisario.  Algeria would never serve as a replacement for the people of the Western Sahara.  His country could only support the right of the people of the Western Sahara to self-determination.  His country would make its full contribution to the United Nations efforts to achieve a just solution, he said.

IHAB AWAD (Egypt) commemorated the prodigious contributions of the United Nations in decolonization, especially in Africa.  In order to complete those efforts, international public opinion had to be mobilized to help free people of colonialism and occupation.  An exchange of views was therefore necessary with the Department of Public Information and other relevant bodies.  The number and effectiveness of field missions must be also increased; each mission must be given specific goals, however.

He reaffirmed the responsibility of administering Powers to report on the situations in the Territories in a timely manner, and the need for the international community to protect the natural resources and the cultural heritage of the Territories for their own benefit.  He stressed the importance of the contribution of specialized agencies, and the need to mitigate the effects of natural disasters in the Territories.  In addition, seminars were particularly important, administering Powers needed to cooperate with the Special Committee, and review mechanisms needed to be strengthened under the aegis of the General Assembly.

JAGDISH KOONJUL (Mauritius) said that while there had been much progress in decolonization, the process remained to be completed for the people of Western Sahara.  The Saharawi people must be allowed to exercise their long-awaited inalienable right to self-determination.  The Peace Plan proposed by James Baker was a good basis for a political solution, but the refusal of that Plan by one of the parties had once again an impasse.

Understanding the frustration of the Saharawi people, he urged them, however, to exercise restraint and refrain from taking any action that could jeopardize chances of a peaceful solution.  He appealed to the occupying Power to reconsider its position and show its commitment to a peaceful solution through flexibility and understanding.  That being said, any resolution of the conflict must be based on the principle of self-determination.  He reiterated his support for the Settlement Plan and any other political initiative acceptable to the parties concerned that moved towards a sustainable solution that would relieve the suffering of the Sahawari people.

RASTAM MOHD ISA (Malaysia) said that the international community had a duty to bring the process of decolonization to a successful conclusion.  The regional seminar of May 2004 was an important step towards that goal.  The valuable inputs of the inhabitants, presented at that seminar, should be garnered and utilized as tools to serve the needs of the people of the Territories themselves.  Many of the Territories have made much progress; the question was now to find the appropriate format and timing for the completion of decolonization in each Territory, through a delicate process.

He called on the administering Powers to participate in the work of the Special Committee in a spirit of cooperation, understanding, political realism and flexibility.  He encouraged more United Nations missions to the Territories to collect information on their conditions, as well as the aspirations of their people.

He emphasized that the Non-Aligned Movement, of which Malaysia was the current Chairman, had played a significant role in addressing the issue of decolonization and the right of self-determination.  It had also reaffirmed the right of all peoples who were or are still subjected to colonial rule or occupation to receive fair compensation for the human and material losses they suffered as a result.

ADIYATWIDI ADIWOSO ASMADY (Indonesia) noted with pleasure that, as the half way mark of the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism approached, there was a new urgency to bring a speedy and unconditional end to colonialism with regard to the 16 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories.  She agreed with the proposal of the Special Committee that a mid-term review of the implementation of the Decade be undertaken in 2005.

She supported the Special Committee’s recommendation that the General Assembly renew its appeal to the administering Powers to become involved with the work of the Committee.  The administering Powers should participate actively in the work relating to the territories under their mandate, as well as to allow representatives of the Territories concerned to participate in the discussion in the Fourth Committee, she said.  Because each decolonization scenario had special characteristics, there should be a case-by-case approach in resolving the remaining 16 situations.  She urged more coordination between the United Nations agencies, not only in terms of strengthening their efforts, but also in manpower and educational development programmes in those territories, which would greatly help the human resource needs of the territories.

CHARLES AZUBIKE ONONYE (Nigeria) said his country supported the principle of self-determination as inscribed in the Charter of the United Nations.  He called on the international community, especially the various administering Powers, to speed up the process of attainment of independence to the remaining territories still under colonial administration.  He was disappointed that after the expiration of the first decade for the eradication of colonialism, which ran from 1990 to 2000, some territories had yet to attain independence.

His country reaffirmed its support for the referendum process in Western Sahara.  The United Nations/African Union Settlement Plan was the only guarantee for the right of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.  He also reiterated his support for Security Council resolution 1429 (2002).  He supported, in that regard, the statement made by the representative of Algeria and urged for respect of the opinions and decisions of the International Court of Justice.  His country welcomed the various measures undertaken by the United Nations to enhance the social and economic status of the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, as well as measures adopted for the dissemination of information on decolonization and the award of scholarships to eligible citizens of those territories.

DUMISANI KUMALO (South Africa) said that the struggle for self-determination by the people of Western Sahara had gone on for too long.  Reviewing the Secretary-General’s report on the subject, he said that Morocco’s response to the Peace Plan indicated an unwillingness to allow those people their rights.  Given South Africa’s experience, he found that situation unfortunate, and he hoped that the international community would not accept such a denial of fundamental rights it ran against the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

For those reasons, he was honoured that the Sahawari Arab Democratic Republic had established diplomatic ties with South Africa, and that Sahawari representatives were participating in the Pan African Parliament of the African Union.  For the past 10 years South Africa had postponed recognition of Western Sahara in the interest of a negotiated peace, but had to reconsider its decision after Morocco announced its final decision that the freedom of the Territory was not negotiable.

He said that the United Nations, however, must not give up on a negotiated implementation of the Peace Plan; the referendum was the only way for the people of Western Sahara to openly and freely determine their future.  He commended the efforts, under difficult circumstances, of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to enforce the ceasefire and finalize the identification process for the referendum.

IBRAHIM DABBASHI (Libya) said his country was the first State to obtain independence through the United Nations and was, therefore, fully aware of the important role the United Nations could play in achieving independence and self-determination for people under colonial rule.  It had backed many countries in their struggle for independence.  In the course of the first decade to eradicate colonialism, from 1990 to 2000, much progress had been made.  However, four years into the second decade, no tangible progress had been made.

He said the administering Powers had expressed many good intentions, but serious action was required.  They were duty-bound to help peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories build infrastructures and institutions so that they could run their own affairs.  He called upon the administering Powers to cooperate unconditionally with the Special Committee and invited the United Nations agencies to make further efforts to enable peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories to freely determine their destiny, regardless of their size or availability of natural resources.

He said the resources of the Non-Self-Governing Territories belonged to the people living there and the administering Powers should pay compensation for use of those resources.  The administering Powers should also refrain from military exercises on the Non-Self-Governing Territories.  Apart from the peoples of the 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories, there were still millions of people suffering under occupation, among them the Palestinian people, who were occupied and being subjected to the most brutal crimes.  The Security Council was unable to protect them.  The international community stood silent because of the might of the occupier and its helper.

GERALDO SARANGA (Mozambique) said that that self-determination of peoples had been one of the basic goals of the United Nations.  The effort was incomplete, however.  In that light, at the mid-point of the second decade for the eradication of colonialism, he welcomed increased interaction among the Special Committee, administering Powers, residents of some Non-Self-Governing Territories, petitioners, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other entities.  He hoped that such interaction would be broadened.  For that purpose, he found seminars very useful.

Expressing concern over the situation in Western Sahara, he said the implementation of the Peace Plan was critical to reaching an acceptable solution in that situation.  He urged the parties to work hard to ensure that a lasting solution was achieved soon, through the holding of a referendum for the self-determination of the Sahawari people.  In addition, he called on the Palestinians and the Israelis to work together to implement their commitments under the Road Map and all resolutions of the General Assembly and Security Council, so that the people of Palestine could have an independent State living side-by-side with Israel.

Rights of Reply

The representative of the United Kingdom referred in his right of reply to statements made by Brazil, Paraguay, Cuba and Venezuela yesterday on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).  He said his country’s position had been set out in detail during his country’s right of reply in the General Assembly on 21 September.  (See Press Release GA/10257 of 21 September).

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