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Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

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Template:Short description

Template:Infobox geopolitical organization Template:Indigenous rights

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international organization established to facilitate the voices of unrepresented and marginalized nations and peoples worldwide. It was formed on 11 February 1991[1][2] at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Its members consist of indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognized or occupied territories.

UNPO works to develop the understanding of and respect for the right to self-determination, provides advice and support related to questions of international recognition and political autonomy, trains groups on how to advocate for their causes effectively, and directly advocates for an international response to human rights violations perpetrated against UNPO member groups. Since its foundation in 1991, UNPO’s membership has grown steadily from its original founders, now representing more than 45 peoples worldwide, comprising over 300 million people lacking true representation in domestic or international forums. Over the years, many members have achieved their movement’s goals and gained formal recognition at the national or international level, leading them to leave the organization as their peoples are no longer considered “unrepresented.” Former members who have left the organization after gaining full independence and joining the United Nations (UN) include Armenia, East Timor, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia and Palau.[3][4]

Throughout 2024, UNPO conducted several training sessions aimed at helping its members and activists. Sessions included in-person training for Asia Pacific members in Geneva, online cybersecurity training, a cybersecurity training in person for the Baloch community in Stockholm, an in-person training in Brussels on the principles and practical applications of non-violent resistance and a youth study session supported by the Council of Europe, emphasizing the importance of acquiring and improving necessary skills for advocacy within marginalized communities.[5]

History

The UNPO was conceived of by leaders of self-determination movements such as Linnart Mäll of the Congress of Estonia, Erkin Alptekin of East Turkestan, and Lodi Gyari of Tibet, together with Template:Ill, along with the international law adviser of the 14th Dalai Lama. The founders were representatives of national movements of Estonia, Latvia, Tibet, Crimean Tatars, Armenia, Georgia, Tatarstan, East Turkestan, East Timor, Australian Aboriginals, the Cordillera in the Philippines, the Greek minority in Albania, Kurdistan, Palau, Taiwan, and West Papua.[6] A key UNPO goal was, and remains, to replicate the powerful message of nonviolence and interethnic tolerance in the face of oppression exhibited by the Tibetan people and championed by the 14th Dalai Lama and to provide a forum in which others are encouraged and supported to adopt similar approaches.[7][8]

UNPO chose for its founding headquarters in 1991 The Hague in the Netherlands because the city aimed at becoming the International City of Peace and Justice and hosts international courts like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC). A Foundation was established in the Netherlands to provide secretarial support to the UNPO General Assembly and to carry out research and educational activities related to unrepresented peoples worldwide. The Foundation maintains a permanent presence before the European Union, United States and United Nations. It is funded by a combination of member contributions, donations from individuals, and project-based grants from foundations.Template:Cn

Aims

UNPO’s aim is to uphold the fundamental right to autonomy and self-determination for all peoples, striving for a world where every nation and people is heard, valued, and respected. It envisions a future where fundamental rights, including the freedom to determine political status and pursue economic, social, and cultural development, are guaranteed for all.

To achieve this, UNPO fosters solidarity and knowledge exchange among unrepresented peoples through a unique global platform. By strengthening cross-regional projects and engaging in dialogue with the international community, UNPO contributes to building a peaceful, democratic, equitable, and sustainable world. The platform ensures that the voices of unrepresented peoples are not only heard but valued in global forums, empowering nations and peoples to fully realize their potential within a just and inclusive society.

UNPO’s work emphasizes the necessity of non-violent resistance against oppression, while also focusing on the inclusion of underrepresented groups, particularly youth and women, in decision-making processes. By strengthening democratic values, spreading the principles of Gandhian non-violence, and advocating for human rights, the organization empowers members to preserve their cultural identities and contribute to global discussions on pressing environmental and geopolitical challenges. Through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations, academia, and international actors, UNPO raises awareness of human rights abuses and supports members in having their voices heard on the world stage.[7]

Although UNPO members often have different goals, they have one thing in common: they are generally not represented diplomatically (or only with a minor status, such as observer) in major international institutions, such as the United Nations (UN). As a result, their ability to have their concerns addressed by the global bodies mandated to protect human rights and address conflict is limited.[7]

UNPO is dedicated to the five principles enshrined in its Covenant:

1) The equal right to self-determination: Self-determination is a fundamental human right, allowing peoples to shape their own political, cultural, and social future, ensuring that all voices are heard in decision-making processes.

2) Adherence to the internationally accepted human rights standards as laid down in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and other international instruments: Human rights are universal norms designed to protect all people from political, legal, and social abuses, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or legal status.

3) Adherence to the principles of democratic pluralism and rejection of totalitarianism and religious intolerance: Democratic pluralism is an inclusive, participatory system where governance is accountable, transparent, and responsive to the people. It embraces diversity, celebrates different cultures, and promotes political inclusion through knowledge, freedom of thought, and openness to differing viewpoints.

4) Promotion of non-violence and the rejection of terrorism as an instrument of policy: Non-violence is the rejection of violent actions to achieve political goals. UNPO encourages members to adopt peaceful resistance and promote inter-ethnic tolerance in response to oppression.

5) Protection of the natural environment: Environmental protection is about preserving habitats and resources that protect cultures. Indigenous and local communities, as guardians of traditional ecological knowledge, are best positioned to safeguard their environment and way of life.

All members are required to sign and abide by the UNPO Covenant.[9] UNPO members are required to be nonviolent.[10]

Members

The following are listed as members by the UNPO.[11]

Original members are listed with pink background and in bold. Members who are recognised as independent countries by at least 1 UN Member or by other countries recognised by at least 1 UN member are marked by asterisk (*).

Member Date joined Represented by Template:Abbr
Template:Flagicon image Aceh Template:Dts Acheh-Sumatra National Liberation Front [12]
Template:Flagicon image Annobón Template:Dts Ambô Legadu [13]
Template:Flagdeco Afrikaners Template:Dts Freedom Front Plus [14]
Template:Flagicon image Ahwazi Template:Dts Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz [15]
Template:Flagicon image Assyrians Template:Dts Assyrian Universal Alliance [16]
Template:Flagicon image Balochistan Template:Dts Balochistan National Party (Mengal) [17]
Template:Flagicon Barotseland Template:Dts Barotse National Freedom Alliance [18]
Template:Flagicon image Batwa Template:Dts African Initiative for Mankind Progress Organization [19]
Bellah Template:Dts Malian Association for the Preservation of Bellah Culture [20]
Template:Flagicon Biafra Template:Dts Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra/Biafra Independence Movement [21][22]
Template:Flagicon Brittany Template:Dts Template:Ill [23]
Template:Flagicon Catalans Template:Dts Assemblea Nacional Catalana [24]
Template:Flagicon image Chittagong Hill Tracts Template:Dts Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti [25]
Template:Flagicon image Crimean Tatars Template:Dts Milli Mejlis [26]
Template:Flagdeco District of Columbia (Washington, DC) Template:Dts D.C. Statehood Congressional Delegation [27]
Template:Flagicon East Turkestan Template:Dts World Uyghur Congress [28]
Template:Flagicon image Gilgit Baltistan Template:Dts Gilgit Baltistan Democratic Alliance [29]
Template:Flagicon Guam Template:Dts Government of Guam [21][22]
Template:Flagicon image Haratin Template:Dts Initiative de Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste en Mauritanie [30]
Template:Flagicon image Hmong Template:Dts Congress of World Hmong People [31]
Template:Flagicon image Iranian Kurds Template:Dts Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan [32]
Template:Flagicon image Kabylia Template:Dts MAK-Anavad [33]
Template:Flagicon image Khmer Krom Template:Dts Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation [34]
Template:Flagicon image Nagalim Template:Dts National Socialist Council of Nagalim [35]
Template:Flagicon image Niger Delta Template:Dts Niger Delta Peoples Movement [36]
Template:Flagicon Ogaden Template:Dts Ogaden National Liberation Front [37]
Template:Flagicon Ogoni Template:Dts Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People [38]
Template:Flagicon image Oromo Template:Dts Oromo Liberation Front [39]
Template:Flagicon image Sindhis Template:Dts World Sindhi Congress [40]
Template:Flagicon Somaliland* Template:Dts Government of Somaliland [41]
Template:Flagicon South Moluccas Template:Dts Republic of South Moluccas [42]
Template:Flagicon image Southern Azerbaijanis Template:Dts South Azerbaijan Democratic Party [43]
Template:Flagicon image Southern Mongolians Template:Dts Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center [44]
Template:Flagicon Taiwan* Template:Dts Taiwan Foundation for Democracy [45]
Template:Flagicon Tibet Template:Dts Central Tibetan Administration [46]
Template:Flagicon image West Balochistan Template:Dts Balochistan People's Party [47]
Template:Flagicon image Western Togolanders Template:Dts Homeland Study Group Foundation [48]
Template:Flagicon West Papuans Template:Dts Free Papua Movement [6][49]
Template:Flagicon image Yoruba Template:Dts Yoruba World Congress [21][22]
Template:Flagicon image Zambesia Template:Dts Movement for the Survival of the River Races of Zambesia [21][22]

Former members

Some members of the UNPO have left because of United Nations (UN) recognition, autonomy agreements, or for other reasons.

The following lists former and suspended members.[11]

Former members who became part of the UN are highlighted with a blue background and italics. Original members (from 11 February 1991) are listed with pink background and in bold. Former members who are recognised as independent countries by at least 1 UN member or by other countries recognised by at least 1 UN member are marked by asterisk (*). Suspended members are marked by yellow background.

Former member Date joined Date withdrew Note Template:Abbr
Template:Flagdeco Abkhazians* Template:Dts 2020 Represented by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia [50]
Template:Flagicon image Aboriginals of Australia Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by National Committee to Defend Black Rights [51]
Template:Flagicon image Albanians in North Macedonia Template:Dts Template:Dts Reached agreement on wider rights with North Macedonia in 2001 [52]
Template:Flagicon image Amazigh Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by World Amazigh Congress [53]
Template:Flagicon image Ambazonia Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by the Southern Cameroons National Council and Ambazonia Governing Council (from September 2018). [54]
Template:ARM Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 1992 [55]
Template:Flagicon Bashkortostan Template:Dts Template:Dts [56]
Template:Flagicon image Bougainville Template:Dts Template:Dts Reached an agreement with Papua New Guinea in 2021, in which Bougainville will be independent by 2027. [57]
Template:Flag Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by National Council of the Union of Burma. The Myanmar military junta was dissolved in 2011. [58]
Template:Flagicon Buryatia Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by All-Buryat Association for the Development of Culture [59]
Template:Flagicon image Cabinda Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda [60]
Template:Flagicon image Chechen Republic of Ichkeria* Template:Dts Template:Dts Government-in-exile in London. [61]
Template:Flagicon image Chin Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Chin National Front [62]
Template:Flagicon Chuvash Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by the Chuvash National Congress [63]
Template:Flagicon Circassia Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Template:Visible anchor [64]
Template:Flagicon image Cordillera Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Cordillera Peoples' Alliance [65]
Degar-Montagnards Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Montagnard Foundation, Inc. [66]
Template:Flag Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 2002 [67]
Template:Flag Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 1991 [68]
Template:Flagicon image Gagauzia Template:Dts Template:Dts Reached autonomy agreement with Moldova in 1994 [69]
Template:Flag Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 1992 [70]
Template:Flagicon image Republic of Northern Epirus Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Omonoia [71]
Template:Flagicon Hungarian minority in Romania Template:Dts Template:Dts Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania [72]
Template:Flagicon Ingushetia Template:Dts Template:Dts [73]
Template:Flagicon image Inkeri Template:Dts Template:Dts [74]
Template:Flagicon Iraqi Kurdistan Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iraq and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan [75]
Template:Flagicon image Iraqi Turkmen Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Iraqi Turkmen Front, Turkmen Nationalist Movement, Turkmen Wafa Movement, and Islamic Union of Iraqi Turkmens [76]
Template:Flagicon image Kalahui Hawaii Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Ka Lahui Hawaii [77]
Template:Flagicon image Karenni State Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Karenni National Progressive PartyTemplate:Failed verification [78]
Template:Flagicon image Khalistan Template:Dts[79] 4 August 1993 Membership suspended on 4 August 1993 and suspension made permanent 22 January 1995.[80] [81]
Template:Flagicon Komi Template:Dts Template:Dts [82]
Template:FlagiconTemplate:FlagiconTemplate:Flag* Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Democratic League of Kosovo [83]
Template:Flagicon image Kumyk Template:Dts Template:Dts [84]
Template:Flagicon image Lakota Nation Template:Dts Template:Dts Followed by the declaration of the Republic of Lakotah [85]
Latin American Indigenous Peoples (Project) 2016 ? [11]
Template:LAT Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 1991 [86]
Template:Flagicon image Lezghin Template:Dts Template:Dts Federal Lezgian National and Cultural Autonomy [87]
Template:Flagicon Maasai Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Maasai Women for Education and Economic Development [88]
Template:Flagicon image Maohi Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Hiti Tau [89]
Template:Flagicon image Madhesh Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Alliance for Independent Madhesh [90]
Template:Flagicon image Mapuche Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Template:Visible anchor [91]
Template:Flagicon image Mari Template:Dts Template:Dts [92]
Template:Flagicon image Mon Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Mon Unity League [93]
Template:Flagicon image Moro Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, autonomy and peace deal with the government in 2014 [94]
Nahua Del Alto Balsas Template:Dts Template:Dts [95]
Nuxalk Nation Template:Dts Template:Dts [96]
Template:PLW (Belau) Template:Dts Template:Dts Became member of the UN in 1994 [97]
Template:Flagicon image Rusyn Template:Dts Template:Dts [98]
Template:Flagicon Sakha Template:Dts Template:Dts [99]
Template:Flagicon Sanjak Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by the Bosnian National Council of Sanjak [100]
Template:Flagicon Savoy Template:Dts Template:Dts [101]
Template:Flagicon Scania (Skåneland) Template:Dts Template:Dts Membership suspended on 18 September 2011.[102] [103]
Template:Flagicon image Rehoboth Basters Template:Dts Template:Dts[104] Represented by Captains Council
Template:Flagicon image Shan Template:Dts Template:Dts [105]
Template:Flagicon image South Arabia Template:Dts Represented by the Southern Democratic Assembly for Self-Determination for South Arabia's People [106]
Template:Flagicon image Sulu Template:Dts Template:Dts Sulu Foundation of Nine Ethnic Tribes [107]
Template:Flagicon image Talysh Template:Dts National Talysh Movement [108]
Template:Flagicon Tatarstan Template:Dts Template:Dts [109]
Template:Flagicon image Trieste (Free Territory of Trieste) Template:Dts Represented by TRIEST NGO [110]
Tsimshian Template:Dts Template:Dts [111]
Template:Flagicon Tuva Template:Dts Template:Dts [112]
Template:Flagicon Udmurt Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Template:Visible anchor [113]
Template:Flagicon image Vhavenda Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front [114]
Template:Flagicon Zanzibar Template:Dts Template:Dts Represented by Template:Visible anchor, in cooperation with the Civic United Front [115]

Suspensions

UNPO's representing nations may become suspended from the Organization if they fail to follow its covenant.[116]

In 24 January 1993, Khalistan was briefly admitted in the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, but was suspended a few months after its admission. The membership suspension was made permanent on 22 January 1995, as there was no mechanism to expel Khalistan or force it to withdraw.[117][118]

Scania was also suspended on 18 September 2011.[119]

Leadership

Secretaries general[120]

Name Term
Template:Flagicon Template:Ill (Netherlands) 1991–1998
Template:Flagicon Template:Ill (Tibet) 1997–1998
Helen S. Corbett (Australian Aboriginals) 1998–1999
Template:Flagicon Erkin Alptekin (Uyghurs) 1999–2003
Template:Flagicon Marino Busdachin (Italy) 2003–2018
Template:Flagicon Ralph J. Bunche III (USA) 2018–2023
Template:Flagicon Mercè Monje Cano (Spain) 2023–current

Chair/Presidents of the General Assembly

  • Linnart Mäll – (Estonia) 1991–1993
  • Erkin Alptekin – (Uyghurs) 1993–1997
  • Seif Sharif Hamad – (Zanzibar) 1997–2001
  • John J. Nimrod – (Assyrians) 2001–2005
  • Göran Hansson – (Scania) 2005–2006
  • Ledum Mitee – (Ogoni) 2006–2010
  • Ngawang Choephel Drakmargyapon – (Tibet) 2010–2015
  • Nasser Boladai – (West Balochistan) 2015–2022
  • Edna Adan Ismail - (Somaliland) since 2022

Special Executive Director

See also

References

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Further reading

External links

Template:Indigenous rights footer Template:UNPO Template:Authority control

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