YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Dear Delegates,

YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Dear Delegates, My name is Christopher George, but I go by many things: a Wyldlife Leader for Young Life, an Ole Miss football fan, a Minnesota Vikings fan, a Golden State Warrior and Stephen Curry fan (Dub Nation!), but most importantly and my favorite title, Chair of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (a.k.a. the best committee) for SHSMUN 2016. My hobbies other than researching and writing topic guides for you all include Mock Trial, lifeguarding, ranting about why the Warriors are the best team in the NBA, and watching House of Cards, Burn Notice, and The Office. Some final interesting factoids about me are that I play 5 instruments (trombone, baritone, tuba, guitar, and piano), my family owns the Acropolis Grill, and that I dab better than the EcoFin chair, Rishab Jain. My first topic was something that really started out as a microcosm of the overarching theme of a pathway to independence. I thought that I was going to write just about Taiwanese independence, but then I decided to inspire and invoke a much larger multinational issue. I wanted to bring light to and new perspective to the fact that new countries are still forming today, but they don’t have a clear enough path to join the UN. My second topic however, was an idea I wanted to do forever. I wanted to write about the South China Sea because it is a ticking time bomb for that region. When I first started writing my third topic, I was really intrigued by how little writing there was about something so ubiquitous and interesting. The third topic to me, Irredentism, is both current and urgent, but also a problem that’s been around since the days of Rome (hence the origin the word). If I were to pass along any words of inspiration or encouragement, I would have to say that when you speak, speak as if everyone in the room is hanging on to the next word you say. Speak as if what you are about to say is the most important factor to the debate. Speak like this because all of that is true. To the first time delegates, do not be afraid to speak up because you have as much to say as everyone else does. I was in your shoes two years ago and with a little of help from my mentors I was able to form into the delegate and the chair that I am today. So take pride if you mess up because as my favorite athlete and basketball star, Stephen Curry says, “If you don’t fall down, how will you know what getting back up feels like?” To the experienced delegates, don’t let your guard down, time is always trying to fly by. I still remember my first speech in my first SHSMUN committee session in General Committee 2014. With all that said do NOT hesitate to ask me about anything you come across that stumps you or causes you confusion.

Peace be with you, Christopher George Email: [email protected] Phone: (423)-544-5968

YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

History of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee When the United Nations Charter was ratified by the permanent members of the Security Council in 1945, the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly only dealt with matters of decolonization. In the volatile political climate that followed World War II, it was the Fourth Committee that was tasked with easing the burdens of the colonies of weakened imperialist nations and protecting those that had recently obtained independence. Entirely separate from the Fourth Committee was the Special Political Committee (SPC), the Seventh Committee at the time, which dealt with political matters and peacekeeping after the United Nations Troop Supervision Organization, the first real peacekeeping operation, was formed in 1948. The Special Political committee was created in lieu of the political aspect of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), originally called the Disarmament and Political Committee; however, the first committee was overwrought and was forced to focus solely on disarmament and the issues that accompanied it. Thus, the Seventh Committee of the General Assembly was formed. Both committees stayed separate for nearly fifty years before General Assembly Resolution 47/233 brought them together as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee in 1993. Like its predecessors, the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly grapples with issues concerning colonization, decolonization, and general politics. Besides this, the Fourth Committee has also accumulated a host of other topics over which it has jurisdiction. These include conflicts in outer space, Palestinian refugees, all forms of mine removal, public information, peacekeeping, atomic radiation, land claims throughout the world, and the University for Peace, a graduate university that is located in Costa Rica. While the Fourth Committee does not have the power to create resolutions with compulsory components, the decisions made by the committee hold a considerable amount of weight in the international community and establish precedent for future United Nations actions. The Fourth Committee of the General Assembly works to combat political instability in member nations, establish international cooperation, and promote and protect the inalienable right of self-determination.

YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Topic A: A Pathway to Internationally Recognized Independence “Inadequacy of political, economic, social or educational preparedness should never serve as a pretext for delaying independence.” - Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples Introduction In 1945, representatives of fifty countries met at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draft the Charter of the United Nations. This document, signed on June 26, 1945, symbolized the official creation of the United Nations.1 Since its inception, the United Nations has recognized a total of 193 independent states, along with two permanent observer states.2 While observer states can be identified as independent by requisites such as economic stability, political structure, and sometimes, a standing army, the United Nations has to formally recognize a state’s independence in order for it to receive an official seat in the United Nations.3 Nations such as Taiwan, Palestine, The Holy See, and Scotland are not officially recognized as independent and sovereign.4 Recognizing a state as completely independent requires a set of guidelines: a pathway, of sorts, to be followed. These guidelines must improve and develop upon qualities of the current subpar, practically non-existent guidelines. Currently, observer states are seeking full independence from and recognition by the United Nations and the rest of the international community, but there is yet to be a series of steps that would ensure this recognition.5 As the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, we must seek to draft these guidelines to ensure equal participation and representation from the entirety of the international community. Background Facing an increased desire to weaken colonial rule, the United Nations has entertained proposals of self-determination for non-self-governing territories since 1952, but even then, such proposals went no further than simply “promoting” self-determination; indeed, governing states were still claiming that their non-self-governing territories were part of their internal jurisdictions, rendering the push for self-determination meaningless.6 There has been, however, one key resolution - in that it carried binding legal obligations - concerning the granting of independence to a state or a group of people. Resolution 1514, written and reviewed by the

1 “History of the United Nations,” United Nations, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.un.org/en/sections/history/history-united-nations/index.html 2 Ibid. 3 “United Nations Main Organs,” UN News Center, accessed February 16, 2016. http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/visitors/shared/documents/pdfs/FS_This%20is%20the%20UN%20_2013.pdf 4 “Map of Countries Which Recognize Palestine,” The Washington Post, accessed February 14, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/11/07/map-the-countries-that-recognize-palestine-as- a-state/ 5 “Observer States of the UN,” The Telegraph, last modified September 23, 2011, accessed February 14, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/8783992/Observer-entities-observer- states-and-full-membership-at-the-UN.html 6 Roberto Laver, The Falklands/malvinas Case: Breaking the Deadlock in the Anglo-Argentine Sovereignty Dispute (2001), 100-2, https://books.google.com/books?id=cNKtX4mYVZUC&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=un+resolution+1514+falklan ds&source=bl&ots=iaCkiVUpB_&sig=66C6f-vzW1wacmB7tv- rhJe1hPY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX0om8yIXOAhWD5CYKHdvNCjAQ6AEIYDAJ#v=onepage&q=un%2 0resolution%201514%20falklands&f=false

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

General Assembly fifty-six years ago, describes three ways through which self-determination can be realized: “(a) emergence as a sovereign independent state, (b) free association with an independent state, or (c) integration with an independent state.”7 As this committee’s proceedings will show, Resolution 1514 is much more of a destination than a process that a country can follow. While it set the precedent for a mandated end to colonial rule, the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly must fully develop the process by which an independent country can be fully recognized.8 A prime example of a country fighting for its independence without a clear way forward is Taiwan. Recently, Sunflower Protests have erupted: younger teens have been demanding complete independence from the People’s Republic of China, which has claimed Taiwan since the end of the Chinese Revolution. After the Chinese Revolution, Taiwan became more self- sufficient; they developed an independent economy and were no longer reliant on China.9 Taiwan, which wishes to be internationally recognized as the Republic of China, currently has its own GDP, military, and government, but is still not considered by the United Nations an observer state, and they are not internationally recognized as an independent country; however, Taiwan is still in the “application” process (or lack thereof) to become an independent country and member of the United Nations. Unfortunately, the People’s Republic of China is adamantly opposed to Taiwanese independence, and will likely veto Taiwan’s independence if voted upon by the Security Council.10,11 Formerly a British colony, Pakistan gained its independence in 1945, and joined the United Nations on September 30, 1947. Pakistan, however, was given independence at a point where it was unable to support itself economically. On account of a struggling economy, Pakistan used to be one of the poorest states in recent history at its inception. In the late 1980s, Pakistan, with a population of over thirty million people, could not feed its people. However, in 2002, Pakistan, with stronger economic standing, had a surplus of crops and was able to adequately feed its citizens. This committee must remember to consider the likely economic state of a newly formed country, and the role that should play in granting it independence.12 Many countries have been denied independence because of their lacking political stability. Palestine, for example, has applied for full member state status in the United Nations; however, Palestine is currently being occupied, run, and governed by an extremist group known as Hamas. Hamas rose in the late 1980s, and, in 2007, took over the Gaza Strip. Palestine has still yet to gain full member status, but still remains in the application process for this recognition. When considering the recognition of a new independent state, this committee needs

7 Ibid. 8 United Nations, “Resolution 1514” (general Assembly Resolution 1514, New York City, NY, December 12, 1960), accessed March 9, 2016, http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/UN-Resolution%201514.pdf 9 “Young Protesters in Taiwan,” The Wall Street Journal, accessed February 12, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304157204579474921714770440 10 Sigrid Wrinkler, “Taiwan's UN Dilemma: To Be or Not to Be,” Brookings, June, 2012, accessed March 9, 2016, http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2012/06/20-taiwan-un-winkler 11 “Taiwan Country Brief,” Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, accessed August 6, 2016,http://dfat.gov.au/geo/taiwan/pages/taiwan-country-brief.aspx 12 “The Role of Pakistan's Economy,” The Journal of Foreign Affairs, accessed February 12, 2016, http://www.cityuniversity.edu.pk/curj/Journals/Journal/Jan%202013/Article%209.pdf

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization to take into account the stability and longevity of its political system.13 Another facet to independence is the will of the citizens of the country in question. For example, the Falkland Islands, a group of islands east of Argentina, were given the vote whether or not they would like to remain a territory of the United Kingdom. By a vote of only three people against independence, the Falklands decided to remain a territory of the United Kingdom.14 Current Situation Currently, the United Nations has a loosely written pathway for an applicant state to become independent. The steps are as follows: “First, the State submits an application to the Secretary-General and a letter formally stating that it accepts the obligations under the Charter. Secondly, the Security Council considers the application. Any recommendation for admission must receive the affirmative votes of 9 of the 15 members of the Council, provided that none of its five permanent members [(P5)] — China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America — have voted against the application. Third, if the Council recommends admission, the recommendation is presented to the General Assembly for consideration. A two-thirds majority vote is necessary in the Assembly for admission of a new State. Lastly, membership becomes effective the date the resolution for admission is adopted.”15 While this is indeed an application process, it does not give the applicant state any guidelines, nor does it effectively explain the role of larger - other than the P5 - countries. The aforementioned responsibilities of the United Nations Charter are that a country do the following: seek equal human rights, respect the national sovereignty of other countries, work to prohibit any shows of force, and assist the United Nations should an international conflict turn volatile. While these concepts are a good basis, they are still too ambiguous. Right now, clearer guidelines are necessary for countries to reference as they begin the journey to independence. The opposition to Taiwanese independence movements are manifest in the political conflicts between two parties: those who would like to separate from China, and those who would like to stay. These parties have, since the Chinese Revolution, been battling for the support of Taiwan’s people. Now, the separatist party does have the majority of support from the Taiwanese citizens; however, Chinese loyalists have recently won the presidency of Taiwan, nullifying any more significant independence efforts.16 Although 136 countries currently recognize the State of Palestine as independent, the United Nations has not given Palestine its own seat as a delegate. However, on September 30, 2015, the Palestinian flag was raised and flown at the United Nations headquarters for the first time.17 This marked the largest victory for Palestinian independence thus far. Palestine’s chances of becoming a full member state of the United Nations are improving, but the fight is far from

13 Mbiyimoh Ghogomu, “Liberators or Terrorists? The Origins and History of Israel and Hamas,” The Higher Learning, August 10, 2010, accessed March 9, 2016, http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/08/10/liberators-or- terrorists-the-origins-and-history-of-israel-and-hamas/ 14 “Falklands Referendum,” BBC News, accessed February 14, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21750909 15 “Member States of the United Nations,” UN News Center, accessed February 14, 2016, http://www.un.org/news/ 16 “Taiwan Opposition Wins Presidency,” Reuters, Last modified January 16, 2016, accessed February 12, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/taiwan-election-idUSKCN0UT2HK 17 “Historic Raising of Palestinian Flag,” CNN, accessed February 14, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/30/world/united-nations-palestinian-flag/

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization over. However, the United States has long been strongly opposed to Palestinian independence because of its alliance with Israel. Other countries, such as Russia, have played a critical role in Palestine’s ongoing struggle for independence.18 Committee Directive The Special Political and Decolonization Committee will convene to debate what qualifications are necessary to recognize a state as wholly independent. In discussion, this committee will create guidelines for applicant states become a fully independent and a member state of the United Nations. Debate will encompass, but not be limited to, the following points: guidelines for independence, the role of developed countries in this process, and the rights of these newfound independent countries. When deciding which factors define a state as independent, the implications of these factors should a state not be declared independent must be considered. Special attention should be given to already declared independent states, and the scenarios around which their independence was formally recognized. These factors should holistically address requirements for a state’s sustainability and longevity economically, socially, and politically. This committee should debate what rights these newly formed states should be given, and whether they should adhere to pre-existing legislation. Whether or not some states should be given complete rights immediately, and the subsequent justification, should be a key factor when debating and writing resolutions. Delegates must also consider the jurisdiction of maritime borders and the standing of the global market once a nation is formally recognized. This committee’s meeting will ensure the increased and equitable participation of the international community. Questions to Consider 1. What factors should the UN take in account when considering whether to recognize a newly independent country? 2. What role should developed countries play in this process? 3. What new guidelines are necessary for a country to be defined as independent? 4. What liberties should these states be given when declared sovereign? 5. What rights should be given to the states that are not given full sovereignty?

18 “The Pulse of the Middle East,” Al-Monitor, Last modified January 29, 2015, accessed February 7, 2016, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/home.html

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Suggested Sources 1. Resolution 1514 http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/declaration.shtml 2. Observer Entities, Observer States, and Full Membership at the United Nations | The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/8783992/O bserver-entities-observer-states-and-full-membership-at-the-UN.html 3. Countries that Recognize Palestine as a State | The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/11/07/map-the-countries- that-recognize-palestine-as-a-state/

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Topic B: The South China Sea “The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans — the mass of connective economic tissue where global sea routes coalesce.” - Robert D. Kaplan Introduction China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines all claim territory in a body of water only 1.423 million square miles in size: the South China Sea.19 Rich in biodiversity, heavily trafficked by marine vessels, and rife with pockets of oil and natural gas, it has recently been subject to an increasingly volatile territorial dispute, the largest of which centers on China, which claims the majority of the region.20,21 Since over half of the world’s oil tankers sail through the South China Sea - host to one of the busiest sea lanes and many of the busiest shipping ports in the world - every year, its rising militarization has worried many in the international community. This conflict could erupt and become a “flashpoint,” one with devastating global political and economic consequences.22 Background Before modern claims on the South China Sea, during the 1930s, the sea and its commerce was controlled by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The United States actually used its control of commerce to block oil trade to Japan during World War II, which played a part in Japan’s attack on the United States. Today, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, and Malaysia are fighting to control the commerce of the South China Sea: not only is it a section of islands, but it is also a key shipping route for many countries trading east towards Asia. In fact, in 2015, one third of the world’s trade passed through the South China Sea.23 Over the past year, the South China Sea dispute has reached “crisis” levels due to rising violence and militarization, but volatile conflicts are not new to the South China Sea: China has battled for land in the region as far back as 1974. While Vietnam was caught up in its own civil war, China attacked the Paracel Islands - a group of islands only 7.75 square miles in size. The battle that ensued began officially on January 19, and with a quick end on January 20, the South Vietnamese troops surrendered the islands to the Chinese. The Chinese built military base still exists on Woody Island today.24

19 Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. “South China Sea,” accessed August 5, 2016, https://www.britannica.com/place/South-China-Sea 20 “South China Sea Introduction,” South China Sea, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.southchinasea.org/introduction/ 21 James Griffiths, “Sea: Beijing Vows to Prosecute Trespassers,” CNN, August 2, 2016, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/02/asia/south-china-sea-supreme-court/ 22 “Why Is the South China Sea So Contentious?,” BBC News, July 12, 2016, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13748349 23 Panos Mourdoukoutas, “Who Will Control South China Sea Trade?,” Forbes, July 10, 2016, accessed August 5, 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2016/07/10/who-will-control-south-china-sea- trade/#1f477dce16c4 24 Brian Kalman, “Growing Militarization of the South China Sea,” Global Research, April 18, 2016, accessed August 5, 2016, http://www.globalresearch.ca/growing-militarization-of-the-south-china-sea-us-china- confrontation/5520564

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The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets many regulations for maritime territory allocation, but the most important regulation in this situation is that of the creation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). These give countries sovereignty over the stretch of ocean two hundred miles off their coast.25 The South China Sea has numerous natural resources; for instance, the Zhujiang River Mouth Basin is an oil reserve that holds four to five billion tons of extractable oil. This is a prime target for China, and oil companies like the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, who have been trying to get drilling permission for the past several years.26 This has caused even more tension in the South China Sea, because countries with territorial claims are seeking the right to use the oil and natural gas deposits present in the area. Even with the region’s long history of conflict and contention, the dispute has only worsened through this year. China has launched Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) in the region, and United States intelligence has confirmed the presence of these batteries; however, satellite images provided by the Chinese government of Woody Island show no such batteries. China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has de-emphasized the concerns over these claims by suggesting that China only has limited self-defense capabilities on some of its islands. Also, in late 2015, Chinese President, Xi Jinping, reassured the international community that China did not intend to militarize its islands in the South China Sea.27 However, the presence of SAMs speaks otherwise. Current Situation There are, currently, several possibilities, the most probable of which is a clash coming from United States military exercises inside of China's EEZ that would cause the Chinese government to react with violence. The United States insists that nowhere in UNCLOS is a restriction on the right of military forces to perform military missions in EEZs without any warning or permission. China insists that reconnaissance operations are being performed without warning; thus, it routinely intercepts United States reconnaissance flights conducted in its EEZ. Many solutions to this conflict have been proposed, especially as the conflict has grown more heated. Most of these solutions are still in their planning stages, but they may impact the region greatly in the near future if implemented. For example, it has been proposed that a treaty

25 Ibid. 26 “Rich Natural Resources in the South China Sea,” COI, accessed March 7, 2016, http://www.coi.gov.cn/scs/introduction/ziyuan.htm 27 Nguyen, Nam, “What China's SAMs in the South China Sea Mean for Vietnam,” The Diplomat, Last modified February 24, 2016, accessed March 7, 2016, http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/what-china's-sams-in-the-south-china- sea-mean-for-vietnam/

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization be signed, similar to the treaty between Malaysia and Thailand in 1979, to resolve the land dispute peacefully.28 Another solution was proposed by Admiral Dennis Blair; he suggested that an international conference convene to settle the dispute. He proposed an international conference made up of the countries directly involved in the dispute because he believed that every country is affected by the decision made since one third of the world’s trade passes through the South China Sea.29 Again, parts of the South China Sea are currently claimed by six countries, and many of the territory claims heavily overlap significantly. China currently claims almost all of the Sea, Vietnam claims a large portion of the Sea, and the other four countries claim bits and portions of the rest.30 However, The Hague has stepped in to conduct a trial on the legitimacy of the Chinese claims on the South China Sea by evaluating the guidelines in UNCLOS.31 With its ruling that China’s claims violate the Philippines’ sovereign rights to the Sea, China’s defense minister has warned to prepare for a “people’s war at sea.”32 It goes without saying, but China has dismissed the court’s ruling. On March 4, 2016, the United States sent a carrier ship towards the South China Sea, and to make matters worse, in January, the United States sent a carrier ship only twelve nautical miles away from the heavily disputed islands that China claims. They did this under the excuse of “free exploration.”33 Committee Directive In this meeting of the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, delegates will need to resolve a variety of issues. First, the committee must draft a resolution that finds a way to holistically and peacefully allocate the territory in the South China Sea that agrees with all jurisdictional laws and powers. This decision should be influenced by current legislation like UNCLOS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other maritime legislation. This legislation should be clear in which definition of the maritime borders are being used. Second, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee will need to allocate the distribution natural resources found in the South China Sea to the appropriate party. In addition to the allocation of the natural resources, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee must develop a system to distribute these resources without exacerbating conflict. Third, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee needs to draft legislation pertaining to marine vessel navigation through the South China Sea. Lastly, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee must ensure that once the borders have been defined, they are protected and sovereign. The debate will encompass all the land dispute aspects, trading barriers,

28 Parameswaran, Prashanth, “A New Way to Settle the South China Sea Conflict?,” The Diplomat, Last modified April 10, 2015, accessed March 7, 2016, http://thediplomat.com/2015/04/one-new-way-to-resolve-the-south-china- sea-disputes/ 29 Beech, Hannah, “China Accuses U.S of Militarizing South China Sea,” Fortune, Last modified March 4, 2016, accessed March 7, 2016, http://fortune.com/2016/03/04/south-china-sea-militarization-missiles/ 30 Ibid. 31 Priyanka Mogul, “Beijing Warns of War in South China Sea and Urges Military, Police and Public to Prepare,” International Business Times, August 3, 2016, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/south-china-sea- beijing-urges-military-police-public-prepare-war-sea-1574139 32 Ibid. 33 Ibid.

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization natural resources involved, and the political governance of the South China Sea, but may not focus on the demilitarization of the South China Sea. Questions to Consider 1. How should the UNCLOS define the borders of the South China Sea? 2. What sort of proactive steps can SPECPOL take to prevent further escalation of the matter? 3. What should SPECPOL do in order to ensure the sovereignty of the newly defined borders? 4. Should other countries be able to navigate their vessels through the South China Sea? 5. What role does your country play in the trade relations of one of the disputed countries? Suggested Sources 1. Armed Clash in the South China Sea | Council on Foreign Relations http://www.cfr.org/world/armed-clash-south-china-sea/p27883 2. China’s South China Sea Claims | The Diplomat http://thediplomat.com/2015/11/international-law-is-the-real-threat-to-chinas-south- china-sea-claims/ 3. The South China Sea | South China Sea http://www.southchinasea.org/

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Topic C: Irredentism “The legacy of irredentism makes the recent peace rather precarious.” - Thomas Ambrosio Introduction Crimea, the Gaza Strip, the Falkland Islands, Angola, Monaco, Taiwan, and the United States: all of these regions have at least one irredentist claim.34 Irredentism is most concretely defined as “...any position of a state advocating annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity or prior historical possession, actual or alleged.”35 Irredentism is a latent phenomenon that generally manifests itself in massive transformation of a region’s boundaries. For example, before the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the union covered over 22,402,200 square km. After the dissolution, the Russian Federation (formerly known as the USSR) had lost 24% of its original land.36 Now, citing irredentism, Russia has annexed the Crimean Peninsula.37 It is important to note the sovereignty of the fifteen states of the post-dissolution of the USSR. One of the key players in irredentism is nationalism. For example, it is Mexican nationalists that are demanding that the United States give back territory in its southwest region because of its rich ethnic history. Nationalism directly affects irredentism, because, with nationalism, comes pride in ethnic, religious, and cultural history.38 Background Irredentism comes from the Italian word irredenta, which means “unredeemed Italy.”39 Of many irredentist claims, the most volatile is the Israel-Palestine conflict in the Gaza Strip. Dating all the way back to the end of the nineteenth century, the Israel-Palestine conflict has been becoming more volatile.40 After the Arab-Israeli War in 1949, the Holy Land was divided into three territories: the State of Israel, The West Bank of the Jordan, and the Gaza Strip. Palestine occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; however, in 1967, Israel occupied the Gaza Strip until another Arab war. In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip. A key aspect of the Israeli-Palestine Conflict is the inability to draw borders between the two states. The largest claim is based on the location of ethnic groups and historically significant religious land.41 The borders cannot be drawn perfectly because in this land both Arab and Israeli ethnic groups live in all areas of the region. In another case, The Falkland Islands had no indigenous population before their settlement. Claimed by Great Britain in 1765, the Falkland Islands became British territory. However, in October of 1832, Argentina tried to lay claims to the Falkland Islands. Less than

34 “Project Gutenberg,” Project Gutenberg, June 12, 2013, accessed April 11, 2016, http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/irredentism 35 Ibid. 36 Ilya Prizel, “Union of Socialist Soviet Republics,” accessed April 11, 2016, http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/grolier/ussr.htm 37 Ibid. 38 Ibid. 39 Ibid. 40 Adam Rasgon, “Global Conflict Tracker,” Council on Foreign Relations, last modified April 11, 2016, accessed April 11, 2016, http://www.cfr.org/global/global-conflict-tracker/p32137#!/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict 41 Ibid.

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization three months later, the Royal Navy kicked out the Argentine military.42 Fast forward to 2013: with an overwhelming majority of 99.8% ‘yay’ to .02% ‘nay,’ the Falkland Islands decided to remain British territory.43 However, even today, Argentina has claimed the Falkland Islands as their land. These claims are considered to be both outlandish and unsupported, but still, Argentina is ready to go to economic war with the Falkland Islands by stopping charter flights there.44 Maybe one of the most overlooked irredentist claims are the Mexican nationalist claims to the southwest region of the United States. On April 10, 2006, at normal protest site, a videotape caught a man cursing and telling the companies that the land they were on was Mexico’s. This did not go unsupported, as many millions have also supported the reacquisition of parts of the southwest region of the United States (New Mexico, California, Arizona, and parts of Texas). The justification for these claims is that after the Mexican-American war, Mexico ceded the territory in question, and had it not had to, the territory would still be theirs. This cession was the third largest acquisition of land in American history.45 It is important to note, however, that it is not the Mexican government that is claiming the land, rather, Mexican nationalists living both in Mexico and the region in question. Crimea is one of the newest irredentist annexations. In early 2014, Crimea became the most extreme east-west crisis since the Cold War. It all started when protests in Ukraine drove Viktor Yanukovych from power.46 Kremlin troops then annexed the Crimean Peninsula, which is about 10,500 square miles. The Crimean region itself is majorly inhabited mainly by ethnic Russians. The Russian Empire first acquired the Crimean region in 1783 under the rule of Catherine the Great. In a 2014 referendum, the population voted to join Russia.47 This does not mean the end of this irredentist claim. Ukraine, along with the whole western front, is very much against these claims and is continually fighting to reclaim the Crimean peninsula.48 Current Situation At this point, Russia has successfully annexed Crimea. It continues to build its troop strength along Ukraine’s eastern border and may yet move to annex Russian populated parts of Ukraine. Russia has ignored international law and a treaty it had signed with Ukraine and the United States to guarantee Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Russia’s imperialist move has increased global political risk, will stimulate other countries’ irredentist claims, and may lead to yet more conflict. In March of 2015, Russia celebrated its one year anniversary of the annexation of

42 “Falkland Information Center,” Falklands, last modified March 12, 2015, accessed April 11, 2016, http://www.falklands.gov.fk/our-people/our-history/ 43 Ibid. 44 Chiron, “Argentine Irredentism,” Coming Anarchy, August 9, 2006, accessed April 11, 2016, http://cominganarchy.com/2006/08/09/argentinian-irredentism/ 45 John Gilchrist, “The Reconquista Movement,” Human Events, July 23, 2006, accessed April 11, 2016, http://humanevents.com/2006/07/27/the-emreconquistaem-movement-mexicos-plan-for-the-american-southwest/ 46 “Crimea Profile,” BBC News, March 13, 2015, accessed April 11, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe- 18287223 47 Ibid. 48 Ibid.

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Crimea.49 This annexation has caused for a lot of tension between Russia and the western world. The expansion of Russia has worried the West and has caused for much debate. At the heart of the debate is the veracity of irredentism itself.50 Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has vehemently deplored a recent claim made by the leader of the Hungarian radical nationalist party, Jobbik, stating that Hungary should seek control for the Hungarian-populated Székely land in Romania.51 The Székely Land, or Szeklerland, is a historic area in Romania, populated by the Székelys, a descendant population of the Hungarian people from eastern Transylvania.52 The territory is roughly 16,943 square kilometres with a population of 809,000 people. Committee Directive In this topic, delegates should keep the following three things in mind: how sovereign and permanent borders are, the role citizens have in the creation of borders, and what political effects changing the borders have. These three aspects are key in order to evaluate the veracity of the irredentism debate. Just like in Crimea, the people decided to join Russia, but that vote is considered “illegal” by the west. These aspects of debate are what the Special Political and Decolonization Committee need to discuss. While the committee may not make any universally binding decisions that are obligatory to accept, there may be rubrics, standards, and treaties created to further create structure into irredentism: a practice with virtually no structure. To note on the first aspect of debate, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee should really debate how permanent borders are, as many borders are actually created by countries outside of the area.53 This committee should also discuss as what constitutes as a fairly defined border. For the second key to debate, delegates should debate what role the citizens and ethnic groups have in changing / redefining a border. Finally, when debating these aspects, delegates should keep in mind what sort of political effects will follow the decision made by the committee. This should influence the view that delegates have for the standards/regulations in which a country may claim a territory. Evaluating the veracity of irredentism will ensure sustained peace and progress in the increasing number of irredentist conflict internationally. Questions to Consider 1. Has your country ever faced irredentist claims first-hand? 2. Have your country officials taken a strong position on the situation in Crimea? 3. How has irredentism affected your country/ its trading allies? (i.e. Russia, US, China, UK, etc) 4. In what ways has your country supported or deplored irredentist claims in the past? Why?

49 Michael Birnbaum, “A Year After Crimean Annexation,” The Washington Post, March 21, 2015, accessed April 18, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-year-after-crimean-annexation-threat-of-conflict- remains/2015/03/18/12e252e6-cd6e-11e4-8730-4f473416e759_story.html 50 Ibid. 51 Ambrosio, Thomas. 2011. "Irredentism". In International Encyclopedia of Political Science, Bertrand Badie, Dirk Berg-Schlosser, and Leonardo Morlino. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageieps/irredentism/0 52 Ibid. 53 Ibid.

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YMCA Southeastern High School Model United Nations Special Political and Decolonization

Suggested Sources 1. Crimea | The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-year-after-crimean-annexation-threat- of-conflict-remains/2015/03/18/12e252e6-cd6e-11e4-8730-4f473416e759_story.html 2. Irredentism | Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/irredentism 3. Irredentism Alive and Well in Russia | The Diplomat http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/pew-survey-irredentism-alive-and-well-in-russia/ 4. Quick Guide to Irredentism http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/courses/geog334/States%20and%20nations.pdf

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