Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, abbreviated UNPO, is an international organization whose members are indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognized or occupied territories. It was founded on 11 February 1991 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Its purpose is to give such groups a forum in which to raise their concerns when they are not members of the United Nations or other intergovernmental bodies.

UNPO is not a recognized governmental body and has no legal authority to compel states. Its work is based on information-gathering, training, and advocacy — for example, submitting reports to UN human rights bodies, holding meetings at the European Parliament, and organizing annual gatherings where members come together. According to the organization, its members represent more than 300 million people.

Founding and growth of membership

The idea for the organization was put forward in the late 1980s by exiled leaders: Linnart Mäll (Estonian Congress), Erkin Alptekin (Uyghur), and Lodi Gyari (Tibet), working with Michael van Walt van Praag, an international legal adviser who became the organization's first Secretary-General. Among the groups that signed on at its founding were representatives of Australian Aborigines, Armenia, Crimean Tatars, the Cordillera, East Turkistan, Estonia, Georgia, the Greek minority in Albania, Kurdistan, Latvia, Palau, Tibet, Taiwan, Tatarstan, and West Papua. A few months later others joined, including Abkhazia, Aceh, Assyrians, Bougainville, Chechnya, Kosovo, and Zanzibar. Some early members — such as Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, Palau, and East Timor — later left after achieving full national recognition.

Covenant and membership requirements

Every member must sign the UNPO Covenant, the organization's founding document. It rests on five principles: the equal right of all peoples to self-determination; adherence to international human rights standards; pluralistic democracy and the rejection of hatred; nonviolent development and rejection of terrorism and the facilitation of violence; and environmental protection. Armed groups that reject the principle of nonviolence do not meet the requirements, which is why membership is limited to political and social organizations pursuing a peaceful approach.

Structure

The highest body is the General Assembly, made up of member delegations. Historically it met once every 18 months; the organization's recent plans indicate it is now intended to convene annually. The General Assembly elects the Secretary-General and the Presidency. To manage its offices, in 1991 the 'Stichting UNPO' was established in The Hague as a legal foundation under Dutch law; working offices have existed in The Hague, Brussels, and Geneva.

Members from the Horn of Africa

Somaliland became a member of UNPO in 2004, represented by the Hargeisa administration; the case it presents to the organization centers on its lack of international recognition despite having built functioning government institutions. Ogaadeenia (Ogaden) joined in 2010, represented by a political movement operating out of Ethiopia. Abdirahman Mahdi, one of the founders of the Ogaden National Liberation Front, has been elected to UNPO's leadership and serves on its Presidency. Other African members include the Ogoni, Oromo, Southern Cameroons, Zanzibar, Western Togoland, and Yoruba.

Limits of authority and related disputes

UNPO does not confer state recognition, and membership does not change a group's status under international law. Some states object to their constituent groups speaking in international forums — for example, representatives of the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Southern Mongolians are frequently the subject of disputes between China and the hosting bodies. Criticism also arises from the fact that members vary widely — some seek independence, others only linguistic or cultural rights — making it difficult to maintain a unified position.