1.1 e) The collective right to self determination

Question 1

What is self determination?

Answer 1

the right of a group of people from a territory or national grouping to determine their own political status, without the hindrance of external interference. These rights are not only limited to indigenous peoples and do not only attach to land.

Question 2

Who has the right of self determination?

Answer 2

Nation states

Question 3

Where is the right to self determination included in the UN Charter 1945?

Answer 3

Article 2

Question 4

Where is the right to self determination echoed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights? (ICESCR)

Answer 4

In Article 1.1 ‘All people have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Question 5

Who established the Trusteeship Council and for what purpose?

Answer 5

the UN Charter 1945

to supervise the transitioning of former colonies

Question 6

Since when has there been an increased willingness to recognise independent nations and decolonise the world?

Answer 6

Since WWII and the UN Charter of 1945

Question 7

What is an example of the international community recognising a territory/ populations right of self determination?

Answer 7

The independence of East Timor from Portugal and subsequently Indonesia

Question 8

What does Article 1.1 of the ICESCR also support?

Answer 8

The rights of indigenous peoples to self determination.

Question 9

What other recognition of groups is there?

Answer 9

Of different racial, ethnic or cultural groups within a nation, eg. Basque country in Spain, the Kurdish people in Iraq.

Question 10

How many autonomous regions exist over 20 countries?

Answer 10

50 autonomous regions of 20 countries in the world.

Question 11

What notion comes from the idea of self determination?

Answer 11

State sovereignty, recognises the right of a people from a nation to self govern.

Question 12

What is a problem with state sovereignty and self determination?

Answer 12

Many countries that were colonised have now been recognised as independent, however, the same governments remained in control.
Indigenous peoples are their own group and have had basic human rights denied for years.

Question 13

Which nations have their sovereignty in question?

Answer 13

Kosovo (Serbia), Tibet (China), Chechnya (Russia)

Question 14

What has happened to Tibet?

Answer 14

Its culture has been crushed by China, hundreds of monasteries destroyed and they still face religious and political repression

Question 15

What has happened to the Indians in the Amazon?

Answer 15

Their traditional lands are being lost to land clearing and cattle ranches.

Question 16

What has the Australian government done to indigenous people with regard to self determination?

Answer 16

Taken over some Aboriginal reserves, ending permits supervised by them.

Question 17

What was controversial about the Australian government taking over and ending Aboriginal reserves to prevent child abuse?

Answer 17

They failed to enforce similar measures against dysfunctional parents of non-indigenous students. But the NT has recently begun to do this.

Question 18

What is still a massive issue preventing self determination for new colonised nations?

Answer 18

The traditional people are still subject to that nations laws, however some have treaties which recognise this, eg. NZ treaty of Waitangi 1840.

Question 19

What was an international attempt to better recognise the right of indigenous peoples to self determination?

Answer 19

The Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)

Question 20

What did ATSI communities ask the government for in 1990?

Answer 20

internal self determination, to determine their own affairs.

Question 21

What was created in 1972?

Answer 21

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy

Question 22

What followed after ATSI peoples asked internal to determine their own affairs inn 1990?

Answer 22

Establishment of ATSIC which administered government programs and represented ATSI people formally at a federal level.

Question 23

Why and who abolished ATSIC in 2005?

Answer 23

The Howard government due to allegations of corruption and the credibility of some of its members

Question 24

After the abolishment of ATSIC in 2005 what was created to try and regain a form of self-determination?

Answer 24

The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Ltd in 2010.

Question 25

With regard to indigenous communities, what does self-determination attempt to do?

Answer 25

Self-determination aims to allow minority groups (e.g. Aboriginal people) the right to have some control over their land, while still being part of the broader nation.

Question 26

What do Kurdish people in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran want to do?

Answer 26

Make a state of Kurdistan (It would be pretty large- 25-30 million people)

Question 27

How many EU states have recognised Kosovo?

Answer 27

Following its referendum and subsequent declaration of independence, 81% of EU nations

Question 28

What is a significant reason as to why the UN doesn’t recognise Kosovo?

Answer 28

Kosovo is currently seen as part of Serbia and Serbia is Russia’s ally, so Russia uses its veto powers. LOOK AT 2011 markers comments.

Question 29

Can peoples within a state declare independence?

Answer 29

Yes, this is what happened during American and French revolutions.