International Laws on Self-Determination

The right to self-determination — which allows people to secede from a mother state if they so choose — appears in
various international conventions, including the founding document of the United Nations.

International Law Dealing with Self-determination and Territorial Integrity

U.N. Founding Charter (Article 1) — 1945
• One purpose of the United Nations is “to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of
equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.”

U.N. Resolution 2625 — 1970
• “Every State has the duty to refrain from any forcible action which deprives peoples referred to in the elaboration of
the principle of equal rights and self-determination of their right to self-determination and freedom and independence.”
• “Nothing in the foregoing paragraphs shall be construed as authorizing or encouraging any action which would dismember,
or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent states conducting
themselves in compliance with the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples and thus possessed of a
government representing the whole people belonging to the territory without distinction to race, creed or colour.”

African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Article 20) — 1981
• “All peoples shall have . . . the unquestionable and inalienable right to self-determination. They shall freely determine
their political status and shall pursue their economic development according to the policy they have freely chosen.”

Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Charter of Paris for a New Europe — 1990
• “We affirm that the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of national minorities will be protected.”
• “We reaffirm the equal rights of peoples and their right to self-determination in conformity with the Charter of the
United Nations and with the relevant norms of international law, including those related to territorial integrity of states.”

Vienna Declaration and Program of Action adopted by World Conference of Human Rights — 1993
• The conference recognizes “the right of peoples to take any legitimate action, in accordance with the Charter of the
U.N., to realize their inalienable right of self-determination.”

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Company of Angola

The Area controlled by the Company of Angola witnessed huge changes in the last quarter of the 18th century; the size of the province grew immensely as a result of the continued movement inland. The movement inland was not without opposition and the Portuguese found themselves in a constant state of war with the Kingdoms of Mbundu and Matamba in the African interior highlands un til the last remained resistance to the Portuguese forces was destroyed in 1793.

The new territory not only greatly increased the territory under Portuguese administration but also provided huge economic opportunities to the “Companhia de Angola”.

At the beginning of Dom José II reign the Portuguese had established themselves securely all along the coast from the Congo River in the north to the Cunene River in the south. The Mbundu and Matamba Kingdoms in the interior of the African Continental highlands opposed the Portuguese expansion inland along the four main rivers.

Over the preceding 20 years these Kingdoms had received many refugees from the previous Portuguese expansions and as they came into contact with the Portuguese had become increasingly hostile.

The Portuguese used over 20,000 colonial forces throughout the province of Angola both in the initial conquest of the highlands and interior as well as the subsequent revolts from 1786 to 1793. The constant state of conflict as well as mass deportation as a result of the military actions resulted in over 60 percent reduction in the population of the interior.

The most difficult part in administering and developing the new territory was the lack of proper communication and transportation. The rivers of Congo, Cuanza, Cuvo and Cunene became the primary means of transportation and communication. Thousands of the people captured during the military actions were used as forced labourers in the construction of canals and roads along the four rivers.

The discovery of gold and especially iron deposits in the interior starting in 1788 provided the economic incentives and funds for these huge projects.

Large number of Luso-Índians, Timorenses and subsequently Macaenses along with Europeans (both from Portugal and other countries) moved to these territories. The combination of reduction in African population and huge immigration resulted in the population of non-Africans in the province of Angola reaching 30 percent of the overall population by 1800.

New plantation including coffee, cotton and other agricultural products were either started or expanded. The export of lumber to other Portuguese provinces and England also increased. In 1798 several ore refineries were started along the coast to process the iron ore being shipped from the interior.

The Portuguese Catholic Church continued its expansion and evangelization throughout the province both to the remaining Africans as well as the new immigrants. The subjugation of the natives in many cases had been so brutal that the Catholic Church was forced to establish over 100 missions and orphanages to help the locals.

The Church encouraged the single men who had immigrated to Angola to marry the widows and provide a home to the orphans in its care. The church’s stand along with government support convinced many men to marry and providing the widows and orphans with a second home.

The rapid expansion both economically as well as population put severe strains on the “Companhia de Angola”. The Companhia did not have the means or funds to develop and administer all of the resources in the province.

New enterprises, private factories, plantations and farms sprung up all over the province. In 1797 the companhia turned over all infrastructure projects to the government in return for large tax breaks and concessions.

It concentrated on economic and commercial interest only and left all administration to the government. In 1799 the companhia only accounted for 50 percent of all economic activity in Angola as opposed to 70-90 percent in other parts of the empire, but even then it still was the largest and richest companhia in Africa.

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Findings by Harvard University Political Scientists
Demonstrate the chaotic state which we African Nation have been placed in.

"A Society that is multicultural creates mistrust among neighbours which damages community spirit. People living in a mixed ethnic society have fewer close friends and watch more TV. This contributes to a withdrawal from collective life." - Harvard University

"State multiculturalism has failed"
- The Rt Hon David Cameron

Of course multiculturalism is bound to fail. A Nation can only be a Nation if all are singing from the same "Chorus Book", if not then there is no harmony. That is plain and simply obvious. We don't need Einstein to point that out, plain common sense can see what is obvious. So then, it begs the question, how are we expected to keep "Colonial Marked Border States" in harmony?
- The Rt Hon Mangovo Ngoyo

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FFSA

Federation of the Free States of Africa

FFSA SENIOR STAFF OFFICERS

Secretary General
Rt Hon Mangovo Ngoyo

Deputy Secretary General
Rt Hon Michael Johnson

Email:  [email protected]

www.africafederation.net

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