WITHOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE, THERE WILL BE NO PEACE
Decolonisation needs an action plan and an implementation plan, argues IBRAHIM GAMBARI
I congratulate the African think tank, the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) for this courageous and timely initiative. This effort is akin to planting a mustard seed, it, therefore, needs tending, watering, and if necessary, applying environmentally safe fertilizer to ensure it germinates and humanity harvests its beautiful fruits. Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
In furtherance of this and its guiding principles, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 14, 1960, made its famous “Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples” (General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV). And, in this regard, the Declaration stated that: “The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation.” It added that: “All peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.”
Given the foregoing, the UNGA resolved unequivocally that: “Immediate steps shall be taken, in Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories or all other territories which have not yet attained independence, to transfer all powers to the peoples of those territories, without any conditions or reservations, in accordance with their freely expressed will and desire, without any distinction as to race, creed or colour, in order to enable them to enjoy complete independence and freedom.”
I was 16 years old when this Declaration was made. This November 2024, by the grace of God, I will be 80 years old. Tragically, there are still colonies strewn across the globe particularly in the Caribbean. Indeed, there are today 61 territories that list themselves as Non-Self-Governing and, the UN recognises 17 of them. 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, Western Sahara and Falklands/Malvinas. The 29-Member UN Special Committee on Decolonisation otherwise called the C-24, also passed a June 20, 2022, Resolution affirming “the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence…”
In 2020, the UNGA, via Resolution 75/123, proclaimed 2021–2030 as the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. We are gathered here today and tomorrow to breathe life into this resolution by seeking pathway to actualisation, rather than simply tick it off as another decade, and await a Fifth Decade. The colonized people can wait no longer as their patience has long been exhausted.
Decolonization needs an Action Plan and an Implementation Plan. Humanity must not endlessly wait for this human scourge to be eradicated. I am personally committed to decolonization, not just because I know it is the right thing to do, but more importantly, it is necessary for human progress, peace and development.
When I reflect on my own life, some of the things that have given me huge satisfaction was that as Nigerian Foreign Minister from 1984-85, Nigerian government recognised the Palestinian State and granted its Representative Ambassadorial status, in a beautiful ceremony at Dodan Barracks the then seat of the Military Government, on the 17th of May 1985. At that ceremony, Ambassador-designate, Samir Baker Daib, presented his letter of credence to then Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari. As it turned out, for many years, the Dean of the Diplomatic corps in Nigeria was the Palestinian Ambassador. Perhaps, if the rest of the world had followed in the direction Nigeria took four decades ago on Palestine, humanity might have been spared the on-going calamity in Gaza.
A second case is the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, (SADR) better known as Western Sahara. I was privileged to have observed the series of events that led to Nigeria’s recognition of Western Sahara as an independent country when I was Foreign Minister. Significant engagement, bilateral and multilateral meetings between various Heads of State with the goal of ensuring what was then OAU, and now AU was not split across various fronts by this issue. Already, the continent was facing a number of contentious economic and political issues at that time. The bold and decisive leadership of then General Buhari as Head of State, championed our efforts and on the 11th of November 1984, at the 20th Summit of the then OAU, Nigeria made its stance known to the world on Western Sahara. Since then, I have kept faith with that Nigerian decision to recognise Western Sahara’s sovereignty to the extent that for few years, I have been the proud Chair of the Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara.
Thirdly, I was privileged as Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid, to witness in Windhoek in January 1990, the celebration of the independence of Namibia from the occupying power, Apartheid South Africa, which had exercised illegal sovereignty over the country. President Sam Nujoma was thus sworn in by the then UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar
Perhaps the happiest moment of my diplomatic career was on June 22, 1990, when, again, as the Chairman of the UN Special Committee against Apartheid, I received Nelson Mandela in the UN. He had been freed about four months earlier from a 27-year captivity in the jails of Apartheid South Africa. The South African de-colonization process was one of the stickiest as it was, like the cases in Kenya and Algeria, also settler colonies.
As I recall these fond instances, I also highlight them to underscore the efforts, commitment and sacrifice of many nations, Heads of State, Statesmen and women, some alive and others long gone that went into making each situation what it became. They also demonstrate clearly that no peoples struggling for their freedom have ever lost and will never lose to their oppressors.
If the final decolonization of South Africa could be negotiated, I believe the decolonization of all the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories can also be negotiated. However, each decolonization case is unique and its resolution depends on peculiar circumstances, characteristics and consensus. In other words, decolonization or its resolution, is not necessarily, a linear progression. However, the necessary condition for peace and development in the world or any part thereof, is the presence of social justice.
Professor Gambari, scholar, diplomat, and Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, made the remarks as chair of the ‘International Conference to Decolonize the World’, in Abuja
