United Nations' Committee 24 Discusses Decolonization in 16 Regions
Wednesday, 14 May, 2008 | 15:49 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Bandung: Sixty delegations from United Nations Committee 24 will meet at the Merdeka building in Bandung, West Java, today (14/5).

They will attend a seminar entitled “Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism: Priorities for the reminder of the Decade.

Indonesian representative at the UN Marty M Natalegawa, the Chairman of Committee 24, said that the seminar would discuss the decolonization of 16 regions that do not yet have their own governance system.

“We have to think on how to prioritize decolonization in the context of the current world situation,” he said.

As many as 16 countries will be discussed in the seminar including Western Sahara, American Samoa, Guam, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Tokelau, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Montserrat, St. Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.

To date, their governances are still under the authority of four administering powers: the United States of America, England, France, and New Zealand.

According to Marty, these 16 regions have their own characteristics and wishes for their future and decolonization process.

For example Tokelau, which is administered by New Zealand, chose to not become independent after a referendum process.

“They felt that their future would be better with their existing governance,” he said.

The seminar will be held until Friday (16/5) at the Savoy Homann Hotel and opened at the Merdeka Building.

The seminar is also attended by the United Nations secretariat, representatives from NGOs and other UN members.

The four countries acting as administering powers over the 16 countries also all sent delegations except for England.

“England is not directly represented, but sent its opinion directly to us,” said Marty.

Rana Akbari Fitriawan