[nativestudies-l] UN Seeks End To Colonization

[jkauanui at wesleyan.edu]

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Marianas Variety

http://www.mvariety.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=11910&format=html

UN seeks end to colonization

By By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

SEEKING an end to the era of colonization, United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged all
administering powers to work with the international
body in discharging UN's mandate on decolonization.

 "The monumental task (of decolonization) is as yet
complete," Ki-moon stated in a message read on his
behalf to a Pacific intergovernmental meeting of the
Special Committee on Decolonization which convened in
Bandung, Indonesia from May 15 to 17.

Saying "colonialism has no place in today's world,"
Ki-moon urged all stakeholders "to continue working
together" to complete the decolonization process in
all territories that are still under "foreign" rule.

Guam is one of the 16 places on the United Nation's
list of "non self-governing territories."

The plebiscite on Guam's political status has been
postponed indefinitely, leaving the island's
self-determination in limbo.

The U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at its
Seventh Session held in New York ended its two-week
session on May 2 with the adoption of recommendations
to implement the UN's dormant decolonization agenda.

The recommendations were based on the conclusions of
the half-day discussion on the Pacific region where
activists from non-governmental organizations and
colonized territories lambasted the UN's failure to
implement its decolonization mandate.

The Permanent Forum agreed with the activists on their
recommendation for the holding of a seminar that will
examine the impact of the decolonization process on
indigenous peoples of the non self-governing
territories.

Chamorro activist Julian Aguon represented Guam's
indigenous population and Chomoru organizations at the
forum.

He told the forum that "massive military expansion
exacts devastating consequences on the Chamoru
people...who already suffer the signature maladies of
a colonial condition."

Also recognized by the U.N. as non self-governing
territories besides Guam are American Samoa and U.S.
Virgin islands under the U.S. administration; Kanaki,
New Caledonia under French jurisdiction; Pitcairn
under United Kingdom control, and Tokelau under New
Zealand supervision; and Bermuda, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, British Virgin
Islands and Anguilla under British jurisdiction.



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