Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
Headquarters The Hague, Netherlands
Membership 471 population groups
Leaders
 -  Secretary-General Marino Busdachin
(since 2003)
Establishment February 11, 1991
Website
http://www.unpo.org/
1 Last updated in December 2011.

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), formed in 11 February 1991, in The Hague, is an international organization of political organisations and governments representing self-proclaimed "indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories". The organization trains groups in how to best market their causes. Some former members, like Armenia, East Timor, Estonia, Latvia and Georgia, have gained full independence and joined the United Nations.[1][2] Despite the "UN" in its acronym, UNPO is an NGO and not an agency of the United Nations.

Contents

History

UNPO was conceived of in the 1980s by three leaders of separatist movements in China. Michael van Walt van Praag, long a lawyer for the 14th Dalai Lama, wanted to provide legal expertise for the leaders of aspirant states. Tibetan activist Tsering Jampa, and Uyghur separatist Erkin Alptekin were dismayed that Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians were getting more attention than they were getting, so they decided to create a united organization with van Praag, that would publicize the various independence and autonomy causes during increasingly common periods of separatist violence in the relevant areas. UNPO chose for its founding headquarters in 1991 The Hague in the Netherlands because of the local support, where popular postcolonialist feelings led to the renaming of several streets after the various states of the dismantled Dutch Empire. A key UNPO goal was to replicate the success of the 14th Dalai Lama's propagating of the Tibetan independence message, and they often used his name for their own publicity in the early years of the organization.[3]

To this end, UNPO trains its members in international law, international organizations, diplomacy, and public relations. It aims to be the go-to resource for "reporters searching for background on a breaking story in an inhospitable locale". UNPO has tried to build its credibility by being the first organization to release information from remote areas, typically press releases from groups like MOSOP. Like Amnesty International, its techniques include issuing action alerts and portraying itself as an objective source of information. For its members, UNPO teaches spokespeople to use words and phrases that ensure the most sympathetic media coverage, like "peaceful protest" instead of just "protest"; "peaceful demonstration" instead of just "demonstration"; and "they've killed people in 5 neighboring villages" instead of "we've been fighting". UNPO is funded by member contributions and donations from corporations and governmental agencies.[4]

Aims

UNPO declares its aims to be to protect the members' human and cultural rights, preserve their environments, and to find non-violent solutions to conflicts which affect them. UNPO provides a forum for member aspirations and assists its members to participate at an international level.

UNPO members are generally not represented diplomatically (or only with a minor status, such as observer) in major international institutions, such as the United Nations. As a result, their ability to have their concerns addressed by the global bodies mandated to protect human rights and address conflict is limited.

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

All members are required to sign and abide by the UNPO Covenant. UNPO members are required to be nonviolent.[4]

Members

The following are the 47 members listed on the UNPO Nations & People page[5], the organizations that currently represent them, and the dates on which they joined the UNPO[6] (original members listed with blue background):

Member Date Joined Representing Continent
Abkhazia 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Abkhazia Europe
National Committee to Defend Black Rights 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Aboriginals of Australia Oceania & Australasia
Freedom Front Plus 02008-05-15 15 May 2008 Afrikaner Africa
Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz 02003-11-14 14 November 2003 Ahwazi Asia
Assyrian Universal Alliance 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Assyria Asia
Balochistan National Party 02008-03-01 1 March 2008 Balochistan Asia
Banga Sena 02003-02-04 4 February 2003 Bangabhumi Asia
Community of Indigenous Peoples of Rwanda 01993-01-17 17 January 1993 Great Lakes Twa Africa
Chin National Front 02001-07-15 15 July 2001 Chin Asia
Free Bangala Rastra Movement/Bengal Liberation Army 02005-08-06 6 August 2005 Bangala Rastra Asia
International Circassian Association 01994-04-16 16 April 1994 Circassia Europe
Cordillera Peoples' Alliance 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Cordillera Asia
Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Crimean Tatars Europe
World Uyghur Congress 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 East Turkestan Asia
Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance 02008-09-20 20 September 2008 Gilgit Baltistan Asia
Democratic Union of the Greek Ethnic Minority in Albania 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Greek Minority in Albania Europe
Hmong ChaoFa Federated State 02007-02-02 2 February 2007 Hmong Asia
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania 01994-07-30 30 July 1994 Hungarian Minority in Romania Europe
Inner Mongolian People's Party 02007-02-02 2 February 2007 Inner Mongolia Asia
Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran 02007-02-02 2 February 2007 Iranian Kurdistan Asia
Kurdistan Democratic Party and by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Iraqi Kurdistan Asia
Dr. Muzaffer Arslan 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Iraqi Turkmen Asia
Ka Lahui Hawaii 01993-08-03 3 August 1993 Kalahui Hawai'i Oceania & Australasia
Karenni National Progressive Party 01993-01-19 19 January 1993 Karenni State Asia
Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation 02001-07-15 15 July 2001 Khmer Krom Asia
Democratic League of Kosova 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Kosovo Europe
Maasai Women for Education and Economic Development, with the backing of the Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organisation and the Kitengela Ilparakuo Land Owners Association 02004-12-19 19 December 2004 Maasai Africa
Mapuche Inter-Regional Council 01993-01-19 19 January 1993 Mapuche South America
Mon Unity League 01996-02-03 3 February 1996 Mon Asia
Moro Islamic Liberation Front 02010-09-26 26 September 2010 Moro Asia
Montagnard Foundation, Inc. 02003-11-14 14 November 2003 Montagnards Asia
National Socialist Council of Nagaland 01993-01-19 19 January 1993 Nagalim Asia
Ogaden National Liberation Front 02010-02-06 6 February 2010 Ogaden Africa
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People 01993-01-19 19 January 1993 Ogoni Africa
Oromo Liberation Front 02004-12-19 19 December 2004 Oromo Africa
Captains Council 02007-02-02 2 February 2007 Rehoboth Basters Africa
World Sindhi Institute 02002-01-19 19 January 2002 Sindh Asia
Government of Somaliland 02004-12-19 19 December 2004 Somaliland Africa
Government in Exile of the Republic of South Moluccas 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Republic of the South Moluccas Asia
Southern Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement 02007-02-02 2 February 2007 Southern Azerbaijan Asia
Southern Cameroons National Council 02004-12-19 19 December 2004 Southern Cameroons Africa
Taiwan Foundation for Democracy 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Taiwan (Republic of China) Asia
Government of Tibet in Exile 01991-02-11 11 February 1991 Tibet Asia
Udmurt Council (Udmurt Kenesh) 01993-01-17 17 January 1993 Udmurt Europe
Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front 02003-11-14 14 November 2003 Venda Africa
Balochistan People's Party 02005-06-26 26 June 2005 West Balochistan Asia
Zanzibar Democratic Alternative , in cooperation with the Civic United Front 01991-08-06 6 August 1991 Zanzibar Africa

Suspended members

Former members

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

Secretaries General

See also

References

  1. ^ Barbara Crossette, Those Knocking, Unheeded, at U.N.'s Doors Find Champion, New York Times, 18 December 1994.
  2. ^ Tishkov, Valerie, An Anthropology of NGOs, Eurozine, July 2008
  3. ^ Gluckman, Ron (1998). "World's wanna-be republics find a home with UNPO". Asiaweek. http://www.gluckman.com/unpo.html. Retrieved 2010-11-04. 
  4. ^ a b Bob, Clifford (2005). The Marketing of Rebellion: Insurgents, Media, and International Activism. Cambridge University Press. pp. 47–48, 76–77. 
  5. ^ http://www.unpo.org/members.php
  6. ^ http://www.worldstatesmen.org/International_Organizations2.html#UNPO
  7. ^ http://www.unpo.org/map.html
  8. ^ UNPO Presidency & Secretariat, UNPO web site.
  9. ^ UNPO. "UNPO Steering Committee appoints Karl von Habsburg as the organizations new Director-General". UNPO Website. Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. http://replay.web.archive.org/20100903011451/http://www.unpo.org/article/132. Retrieved 23 April 2011.  This position is separate from the "Seccetary General" as the UNPO Website explains "This is a newly created senior position within the UNPO, aimed at further enhancing the fundamental rights of its Members world-wide."

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