Colonialism Left ‘Deep Scars on Societies and Peoples, Robbing Them of Autonomy and Dignity’, Speaker Tells Fourth Committee
The international community must tackle colonialism, not only in its old forms, but also in its new manifestations, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as delegates drew attention to the yearning for freedom in the 17 Territories that await the United Nations’ decolonization efforts as well as in other regions around the world.
As the Fourth Committee returned to its general debate on decolonization, after listening to petitioners from several Non-Self-Governing Territories, many delegates reaffirmed the importance of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), also known as the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, which was adopted on 14 December 1960.
The representative of Venezuela, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, said the expansion of the Organization’s membership from 51 in 1945 to 193 today testifies to the success of its decolonization agenda. However, Timor-Leste, which celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its independence a few months ago, was the last United Nations success story in decolonization. Meanwhile, modern neo-colonial practices persist, including economic exploitation, unilateral coercive measures and limited access to new technologies and medical needs.
Highlighting the lasting consequences of colonialism and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, he said these are amplified by the proliferation of modern neo-colonial practices. His delegation will present a resolution on “Elimination of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations”, which seeks to advance consultations towards the designation of 14 December as an international day against colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. It would be an annual day for both reflection on the consequences of and remembrance of all victims of colonialism, he said.
Colonialism has left “deep scars on societies and peoples, robbing them of autonomy and dignity”, Zambia’s delegate said. Decolonization must be an ongoing process, and historical injustices must be addressed. Iran’s delegate pointed out that independence plays a critical role in a nation’s development. The United Nations must consider, not only the peoples of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories, but also those living under colonization elsewhere, such as the people of Palestine. Also underscoring the negative impact of economic exploitation, she drew attention to the austerity measures imposed by the United States on Puerto Rico.
“No Israeli massacre and brutality will extinguish the struggle for freedom and self-determination of the people of Palestine,” Pakistan’s delegate stressed. Similarly, India's occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is another manifestation of modern-day colonialism, he said, adding that, for more than 78 years, “through force and fraud,” India has frustrated the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. Since 1989, India has killed more than 100,000 Kashmiris, and since 5 August 2019, it has taken a raft of unilateral and illegal steps to bring about what its extremist leaders have ominously termed “a final solution”. The resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is essential for a durable peace in South Asia, he stressed.
However, India’s delegate said his country is a “global champion” and “leading voice in the struggle against colonialism”. Recalling that, in 1962, his country was elected as the first Chair of the Decolonization Committee, he called for concerted action to conclude the decolonization of the 17 remaining Territories. At the same time, the self-determination principle is no justification for undermining the territorial integrity of a Member State, he said, adding that “a particular delegation has been making repeated and futile attempts to deliberately misinterpret and misuse this fundamental principle”. Pakistan must remember that lies do not change reality, he said.
The question of how exactly to implement the right to self-determination came up several times in the debate today. Myanmar, as a country going through an attempted military coup since 2021, values self-determination “both as a moral principle and a practical right to exercise”, said its delegate. He stressed however, that the principle of self-determination “belongs to peoples, not nations”. Rejecting the elections in his country that are being planned by the military junta in power, he said such an election will never be fair or inclusive because of the lack of accountable institutions and a genuine multiparty system.
Argentina’s delegate underscored that the right to self-determination is not applicable in the case of the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas because it is “a special and particular colonial situation”. The current composition of the Islands’ population is the result of colonization by the United Kingdom, starting in 1833, and does not meet the criteria of a colonized people. “In other words, we have here a colonial situation, however we do not have a colonized population,” he said, expressing concern about the United Kingdom’s unilateral acts as well as its refusal to enter negotiations “unless the inhabitants of the Territory wish to do so”. He said “this reasoning is not based in any way on international law”. Recalling a 24 September meeting in New York between his Minister for Foreign Affairs and the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, he voiced hope for “renewed dialogue”.
Several delegates, including those of Bolivia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Cuba, echoed the call for resuming negotiations as they reiterated support for Argentina’s right over the Territory in question. The representative of Colombia, speaking on behalf of the Brasilia Consensus, drew attention to a special declaration adopted in November 2023 by the Ministers for Defence and Ministers for Foreign Affairs of his group, in which they reaffirmed their support for the legitimate rights of Argentina in the sovereignty dispute. He also reiterated his region’s interest in seeing a renewal of bilateral negotiations, and added that the United Kingdom’s military presence in that Territory is contrary to the policies of the region.
The representatives of El Salvador and Peru highlighted the importance of the Secretary-General’s good offices in resuming negotiations. Voicing concern over the unilateral actions pursued by the United Kingdom, including the exploration of renewable and non-renewable resources, the representative of Guatemala warned that these actions do not contribute to the search for a peaceful solution. Similarly, the representative of Mexico urged the Fourth Committee to continue playing a central role and expressed the hope that this session of the Committee’s work will “conclude with the fruitful proposals that demonstrate the support and decisiveness of the international community”.
Speakers also weighed in on Western Sahara, with Gabon’s delegate reaffirming the “Moroccanness of the Sahara” and the representative of Burkina Faso welcoming Morocco’s efforts to improve the quality of life in the region. His country is one of 30 that has opened a consulate in the Moroccan Sahara, he said. The representative of Guinea said his country also has opened a consulate in Dakhla and described it as part of the international community’s commitment to being “present on the ground” and engaged in the positive resolution of this dispute. Among others, the representatives of Guatemala, Senegal, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Jordan and Qatar also welcomed Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
However, the representative of Cuba called for the development of a mutually acceptable political solution to the conflict, and the exercise of self-determination by the people of Western Sahara. “We are not in favour of unilateral decisions that disregard the interests and rights of the Sahrawi people,” he said, adding that they require the international community’s support and will always be able to count on his country’s solidarity. Echoing that, Venezuela’s delegate expressed support for the just cause of the Sahrawi people and rejected attempts to claim that this issue is separate from decolonization.
The Fourth Committee also heard from the representative of an administering Power today when the delegate of the United States took the floor. He said his country has ensured a high level of political, social and economic development for the residents of American Samoa, Guam and the United States Virgin Islands. This reflects “the strong ties between the Territories and the rest of the nation”, he said, highlighting the current Administration’s efforts to address racial and ethnic injustice. Further, the peoples of these Non-Self-Governing Territories are locally self-governing under both federal and local laws, with democratic political institutions and strong economies. Additionally, they “enjoy political representation at the federal level”, with elected representatives from each Territory serving in the United States House of Representatives. “These representatives participate in debates on essential legislation as members of several important committees, contributing to the nation’s progress and sustainability,” he noted.
The Committee also heard several rights of reply relevant to topics raised during today's debate. Such interventions were delivered by the representatives of India, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Israel and Iran.