Topic: Determining the Legitimacy of Secession Movements and Obligations of Parent States
Country: Angola
Delegate Name: Tristan Harman
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Angola position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The country of Angola is of the opinion that, in nearly every case, secession movements are illegitimate and destructive to their respective nation. If such a movement should somehow succeed, Angola believes the ‘parent’ nation is under no obligation to assist the seceded nation. Angola believes the primary issues on this subject are the lack of forethought put into secession movements, their often destructive means and ends, and the misconception that a ‘parent’ nation holds any debt or duty to a nation that has seceded from them.
In committee, Angola would like to see addressed a.) A global effort to prevent secession whenever and however necessary; b.) A global effort to reconcile seceded nations with ‘parent’ nations in an attempt to restore unity; and c.) A policy stating clearly that a ‘parent’ nation is under to obligation whatsoever to any seceded nation. Angola has proposed a plan for each issue, should the desired results take effect. These plans are detailed below.
Angola recognises secession as a destructive force that wreaks havoc on the order and efficiency necessary for a nation to function. This, combined with the lawlessness and illegitimate claims inherent in matters of secession, lead Angola to believe that such matters should be prevented entirely via recognized policies or sanctions preventing secession. However, these policies will be hard to enforce; If a group looking to secede ignores the laws of their country, why would they heed any greater power? These matters could easily be solved with force, but to kill, even when killing criminals, is barbaric, and Angola would thus propose a system of increasing political and economic pressure on any seceding nations until they see the logical reasons why secession is destabilising and counterproductive.This would serve to unify nations without the use of force.
The world cannot stand divided. Angola recognizes this, and would thus recommend an effort to reunite seceded nations with their ‘parent’ nations. This would serve to reduce strife caused by the separation of a nation and would, hopefully, prevent future secession attempts, further solidifying social and political bonds between citizens and nations. Angola would, again, recommend a system of increasing political pressure to achieve these ends, in the hopes that any nation that has illegitimately seceded will renounce this secession.
Angola would like to make its stance clear, in that, if a state should illegally secede from a nation, the nation is under no obligation, debt or duty whatsoever towards the state. To put them under any obligation would provide only a further incentive to secede, and by its very nature, secession cuts all ties with the ‘parent’ nation, lending more truth to the argument that seceding nations should get no special privileges from their original countries. Angola would like to make it clear that it does not support illegal and immoral movements referred to as secessions.
Angola is currently undergoing a secession attempt for Cabinda by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, and, unfortunately, all efforts at treaties put forth by Angola have been ignored or broken by these rebels.
