The Abuja agenda, By Owei Lakemfa

Expression of shock and incredulity had been reactions from quite a lot of individuals and organisations the world over who had been invited to the Worldwide Convention for the Eradication of Colonialism. The overall query that adopted was: “Are there nonetheless colonies on the planet?” Certainly, there are 61 territories and peoples who checklist themselves as colonies or what the United Nations (UN) classify as Non-Self Governing Territories.

Nevertheless, the UN formally recognises solely 17 such territories. 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 and Western Sahara. The seventeenth territory is known as Falkland Islands by Britain and, Malvinas, by Argentina.

The world physique mentioned these are “territories whose folks haven’t but attained a full measure of self-government.” It additionally states that since its 1945 institution, “…greater than 80 former colonies comprising some 750 million folks have gained independence”, rising its unique 51 Member-States to 193. So its want is to extricate extra peoples from colonialism.

The UN doesn’t checklist Puerto Rico, a territory with a 2021 inhabitants of three.264 million folks as a Non-Self Governing Territory. It nonetheless made public the June 20, 2022 choice of its 29-Member UN Particular Committee on Decolonisation. The UN physique said that it reaffirmed “the inalienable proper of the folks of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence and calling once more upon the USA to imagine its accountability to advertise a course of to these ends.” It additionally said that it helps “a course of enabling the Puerto Rican folks to take selections in a sovereign method, to handle their pressing financial and social wants, together with unemployment, marginalisation, insolvency and poverty and… urged the USA Authorities to finish the return of all lands occupied by its army forces within the territory to the folks of Puerto Rico.”

The ever rising challenges on the planet, together with limitless wars, dictatorship, ideological contestations, starvation, insecurity and local weather change, have mixed to relegate the problem of continued colonialism to the background. This has been a lot that many have truly forgotten that there are nonetheless colonies and peoples who wish to be free.

However the colonised haven’t forgotten. The nations administering them haven’t. So has not the UN which has a brand new 2030 deadline to rid the earth of this human scourge. Nevertheless, the problem of the UN is that after 64 years of preventing colonialism, it appears to have turn into battle-weary. Its deadlines have gotten mere dates on the calendar, and more and more, the colonised really feel deserted and forgotten. Additionally, the highly effective nations that run these territories don’t appear to be in a rush to alter the circumstances of the territories.

Nevertheless, the problem won’t go away and the territories erupt like lively volcanoes. The most recent eruption was on Might 13, 2024 when mass protests and violent confrontations broke out in New Caledonia which is run by France. Positioned within the Pacific, formally, ten individuals had been killed, greater than 300 injured and over 1,520 arrested. France declared a state of emergency within the colony, blocked the social media and poured in its army. However the unrest went on for about ten weeks. In these weeks, over one billion Euro injury was incurred. 9 hundred companies, 200 homes, 600 autos and 85 per cent of grocery community, had been destroyed.

As a way to assist remake the world and finish colonialism, the African Assume Tank, the Society for Worldwide Relations Consciousness (SIRA) determined to carry an Worldwide Convention to Eradicate Colonialism. The Convention, holding in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, from 12-13 August on the Prime Rank Resort, Utako, goals to carry all actors collectively, work out modalities that may help the UN in its quest to complete the duty of decolonising the earth and, making the world a habitable place for all people regardless of dimension, color, perception or would possibly.

SIRA mentioned the convention, with the theme: “The Forgotten Peoples: Worldwide Convention to Decolonize the World,” can be in furtherance of the UN Basic Meeting’s “Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Nations and Peoples” (Basic Meeting Decision 1514 (XV) of 14th December, 1960). This Declaration acknowledges that “all peoples have an inalienable proper to finish freedom, the train of their sovereignty and the integrity of their nationwide territory”. It additionally solemnly proclaims “the need of bringing to a speedy and unconditional finish colonialism in all its types and manifestations”.

SIRA said that representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories have been invited to state their case, whereas nations administering and superintending these territories, together with the USA, United Kingdom, France, Morocco and Indonesia have been invited to make statements on the convention. Additionally, representatives of social organisations, human rights, peace and growth actions have been invited.

The Convention Chair is Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former UNESCO President, ex-Nigeria Overseas Affairs Minister, final Chair of the UN Particular Committee Towards Apartheid and, erstwhile UN Particular Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.

The Opening Tackle is to be delivered by Oscar Lopez Riveria, Chief of the Puerto Rico Independence Motion who spent 38 years in jail.

The Keynote Tackle is to be delivered by Ambassador Oubi Bachir, Consultant of the POLISARIO Liberation Motion in Switzerland and to the UN and Worldwide Organisations in Geneva. He’s additionally the previous Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria.

Audio system embrace Ambassador Alfredo Miranda, Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria; Senator Shehu Sani and Dr Olushola John Magbadelo, the Lead Director, Centre for African and Asian Research who speaks on ‘The Imminent Risks Of Re-colonization Of Submit-Colonial African States.’ Dr Tamuno Clinton Jaja is to look at the ‘Trial and Deportation of King Jaja of Opobo by colonial Britain’.

Worldwide Human Rights Lawyer and former President of the West Africa Bar Affiliation, Mr Femi Falana, will likely be talking on the authorized implications of continued colonialism on the planet.

SIRA states that its targets are to construct consensus round a Programme of Motion: “Aside from making declarations, how far and the way effectively has the UN itself been endeavor its project to make sure that the territories attain the stage of full independence? What concrete steps would the administering powers be required to take to make sure that these territories turn into absolutely and really unbiased? What should the remainder of the worldwide group do to make sure and help the attainment of full independence for these non-self-governing territories?”

Humanity wants to maneuver ahead by eradicating colonialism. If the fairly complicated decolonisation course of in Apartheid South Africa might be negotiated, so can the processes in different colonies. Because the President of SIRA, I welcome lovers of freedom to the Abuja 2024 Convention.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary common of African staff, is a human rights activist, journalist and writer.