2 3

The sustainability of UNPO is partly ensured through the much-

valued donations. Your contribution is crucial to ensure the contin- The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
ued efforts to guarantee participation in the international fora of
(UNPO) is an international, nonviolent, and democratic
those with a voice most often unheard.
membership organization. Its members are indigenous
UNPO is a non-profit organization which relies on membership fees,
peoples, minorities, and unrecognized or occupied territo- Marino
grants and donations therefore your moral and financial support will ries who have joined together to protect and promote Busdachin,
be highly appreciated. their human and cultural rights, to preserve their environ- UNPO
ments, and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts which General
Bank details: affect them.
Secretary
Bank: ABN Amro Bank
Bank Address: Javastraat 1, P.O. Box 4, Although the aspirations of UNPO Members differ
2501 CA, The Hague, greatly, they are all united by one shared condition – they
The Netherlands are not adequately represented at major international
fora, such as the United Nations.
Beneficiary: Stichting UNPO
Account number: 50.05.02.145
BIC Code: ABNANL2A
IBAN Code: NL80ABNA0500502145
As a consequence, their opportunity to participate on the
To donate online visit www.unpo.org and for further information or international stage is significantly limited, as is their ability
enquiries please contact the UNPO Secretariat at unpo@unpo.org to access and draw upon the support of the global bodies
mandated to defend their rights, protect their environ-
ments, and mitigate the effects of conflict.

Tel.: +31 (0)70 3646504 In today’s world where over 90 percent of conflicts are
Fax: +31 (0)70 3646608 intra-state, UNPO has been established to fill this gap,
providing an international forum through which its Mem-
bers can become effective participants and contributors to
the international community.

Ledum Mitee,
UNPO President of
the General
2 Assembly 3
1
2
 Founded in 1991 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, UNPO is unique as an
international organization in that it is built entirely by its Members. Represen-
tatives of Armenia, Australian Aboriginals, the Cordillera, the Crimean
Tatars, East Turkestan, Estonia, Georgia, the Greek Minority in Albania,
Iraqi Kurdistan, Latvia, Palau, Taiwan, Tatarstan, Tibet and West Papua con-
vened to found an organization that would embody, promote, and affirm the
value of the five principles enshrined in the UNPO Covenant: nonviolence,
human rights, democracy and self-determination, environmental protection,
and tolerance.

Through this strong connection to those suffering the consequences of the

exclusion the organization seeks to address, UNPO has since grown into a
prominent and respected international forum. UNPO has been awarded the
1991 Tolerance Award, 1992 Social Innovation Award (The Body Shop),
UNPO’s Founding Members in front of the 1998 Petra Kelly Peace Award (Heinrich Böll Foundation) and was nomi-
nated for the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and 1994 Right to Livelihood Award.
Peace Palace, The Hague, 1991
UNPO’s membership has also grown steadily from its original fifteen foun-
ders, representing now almost 70 Members worldwide. Although the work
of UNPO adapts continually to meet the challenges of its Members and the
nature of the international political climate, each Member remains commit-
ted to respecting the principles of the UNPO Covenant.

UNPO General Assembly in front of the Peace Palace in 2005

UNPO Chairman Erkin Alptekin

witnesses the signing of the covenant
by representative of Scania Göran
Hansson in 1993. His Holiness the Dalai Lama
visits UNPO in 1994
4 5

3 4
 UNPO works closely with its members in developing effective
programming which will support the central aims and goals of
UNPO Members’ the organization. Effective participation plays an important roll
concerns are brought in all of UNPO’s activities, with the dual goals of raising aware-
before international ness of members internationally and allowing UNPO members
bodies such as the to participate in international dialogue. UNPO collaborates and
7th session of the HRC maintains close relations with the United Nations and the Euro-
in Geneva. pean Union, supporting participation of its Members in interna-
tional forums.

Through UNPO, Members have opportunities to present their UNPO Assistant General Secretary for Eastern Europe
cases to international bodies such as: the United Nations Hu- and Former Soviet Union, Dr. Linnart Mall, and UNPO
man Rights Council, the United Nations Permanent Forum on chairperson, Mr. Erkin Alptekin, in a UNPO Mission to
Indigenous Issues, and European Union institutions. Chechnya to monitor elections in 1997.

Responding to requests from Members, UNPO has organized fact-

finding or diplomatic missions to Member areas. The objective of
UNPO missions has been to investigate and report on UNPO Member
situations or to facilitate a peaceful outcome of disputes. UNPO mis-
sion reports are distributed to concerned international actors and ac-
tion programs are developed as a result.

Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, President

of the World Uyghur Congress
(WUC), and leaders of the
Uyghur community take part
in an intensive program of
lectures, discussions, work-
shops and meetings at the
European Parliament.
5 6
UNPO arranges training programs and seminars on topics of
major concern to its Members. These events always bring to-
gether international experts in relevant fields and representa-
tives of governments, international organizations and NGOs.
Participants are normally trained in human rights, democracy,
self-determination, nonviolent methodology and international
Charles Uwiragiye,
law. The purpose of these programs is to provide UNPO Representative of the UNPO Consultant
Members with tools and knowledge to effectively participate in Batwa, in a mission to Michael Gibb and H.E.
international institutions which can promote their causes. investigate the 1994 President Barzani.
Genocide in Rwanda. UNPO visited Kurdistan-
Iraq as a guest of the
Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) in
6 7
July 2007.
 UNPO facilitates lobbying to European Union institutions for its Members, offering
support as a liaison by establishing ties with major political groups in the European
Parliament and at the European Commission. The aim is to raise awareness among
members of these assemblies, engage in high level lobbying and provide first-hand in-
formation and witness reports to key policy makers.
Members of UNPO Secretariat, Khorlo Foundation and Falun Gong Foundation offer a
report to the standing committee on foreign affairs at the Dutch Parliament.
Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Mr. Karim Abdian, representative of the Ahwazi,
Mr. Nfor Ngala Nfor representative of the Southern Cameroons, Mr. Daar representative of Somaliland participate in
the ALDE- Nonviolent Radical Party annual conference at the European Parliament in Brussels
UNPO adviser Joshua Cooper briefs UNPO Members for the UNPFII. Representatives of the Buffalo
River Dene Nation, Ogoni, Southern
8
Cameroons, Khmer Krom, Maasai, South Moluccas, Scania,
7 Montagnards, Vhavenda, Greek Minority in Albania joined the sessions in New York in 2006.
UNPO has been consistently involved in and has participated in a wide range
of different meetings organized by the United Nations on different topics.
UNPO has actively lobbied for the cases of its members at the UN Commis-
sion on Human Rights (UN CHR) and the Human Rights Council. UNPO is a
facilitator for its members by means of providing them with information and
contacts. The role of UNPO has been that of a mediator between non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN Special Procedure mandate
holders on the one hand and the UNPO Members on the other. UNPO has
alternatively provided training and informative sessions for the UNPO Mem-
bers in order to increase the effectively of the work of UNPO Members at the
UN Human Rights Council.
UNPO is also putting every effort in continuing ongoing consultations with its
Members to voice their concerns through the recently implemented Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) and has succeeded in getting its reports incorporated
into the final summary of stakeholders’ report.
UNPO has also attended a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stake-
holder consultation to highlight the diverse challenges UNPO Members face
regarding climate change in light of the upcoming High-Level Conference on
World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy.
UNPO equally assists its Members in pre-
senting their concerns to the UN Perma-
nent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
and organizes side-events, training sessions
and seminars on issues such as Public Rela-
tions and the effective use of the media.
9
8
 10 11

16 17
 A fully democratic political system should
be inclusive, participatory, representative, Nonviolent cam-
accountable, transparent and responsive to paigns and demon-
citizens’ aspirations and expectations. Fun- strations of UNPO
damentally, it means a government of, by Members, designed
and for the people. Free elections alone to build political One of the main objectives of UNPO is the encouragement
are not sufficient for a country to become awareness among of nonviolent methods for the resolution of conflicts. Gan-
a true democracy; the culture of the coun- the people, have dhi’s nonviolent activism rejects the use of violent action in a
try's political institutions and civil service
been staged across conflict over power to attain social and political objectives.
must also change.
Europe with the The term nonviolence is complex and has varied meanings. In
support of UNPO. general, the term has been interpreted as in the negative - an
Democratic societies must engage in the
absence of violence. However, nonviolence, both in theory
protection and safeguard of the human
and practice can and should be viewed as a positive, an active
rights of its inhabitants. Human rights are
and potent force for attaining certain goals.
those basic standards without which people
cannot live in dignity, such as the right to
Civil resistance is also a type of nonviolent action that in-
volves a range of widespread and sustained activities against a
particular power, force, policy or regime. Civil resistance is
life, freedom from torture, freedom of found throughout UNPO Members’ history in different types
movement, the right to an adequate stan- of struggle, and can involve a wide variety of forms of action
dard of living, freedom of religion, the from persuasion to social, economic and political non-
right to self-determination, the right to cooperation or nonviolent intervention.
participation in cultural and political life
and the right to education.
On 2 October 2007, UNPO
UNPO believes that human rights, democ-
organized a gathering to
racy and development are intertwined. commemorate the first
Unless human rights are respected, the International Day of Despite the fact that
maintenance of international peace and Nonviolence around the the Ogoni’s struggle
security and the promotion of economic Gandhi monument in has seen the tragic end
and social development cannot be The Hague of Ken Saro Wiwa and
achieved.
eight other activists in
1995, the Ogoni people
continues to use non-
violence as the way to
UNPO Honorary President Ms. Tsering Jampa, President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), achieve environmental,
Rebiya Kadeer, and UNPO Secretary General Marino Busdachin
12 attend a screening on the 13 social and economic
11 struggle of ethnic and religious groups in China. justice. 12
 Prof. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, UN Special Rap-
porteur on the situation of human rights and
fundamental freedoms of indigenous peo-
ples, participates in the Symposium “The
Right to Self-Determination
in International Law,” organ-
ized by UNPO in collabora-
tion with the Khmers Kampu-
chea-Krom Federation (KKF)
and the Hawai’i Institute for
Human Rights (HIHR).
Resources found in regions where UNPO Members live
but do not fully control, are often used not for the bene-
fit of the resident people but for the ruling elite of the
controlling state. Many UNPO members are located in
areas with rich mineral wealth which is often extracted
without the people receiving any benefits, accompanied
by the destruction of the local ecosystem. At the same
time, this development is used as a cover to forcibly in-
corporate the region into the controlling nation-state by
means of population transfer and/or implementation of
the dominant language and culture.

Environmental protection means to protect and preserve

(indigenous) peoples’ natural habitat and resources in
order to safeguard the unique and independent cultures
from threats posed by ‘development’, oppressive regimes
and environmental degradation.

For UNPO all peoples have the right to self-

determination hence the right to freely determine
their political status and freely pursue their economic,
social and cultural development.

The preferred outcome of an exercise of the right to

self-determination varies greatly among the members
of the UNPO. For some, the only acceptable out-
come is full political independence. This is particu-
larly true of occupied or colonized nations. For oth-
ers, the goal is a degree of political, cultural and eco-
nomic autonomy, sometimes in the form of a federal
relationship. For others yet, the right to live on and
manage a people's traditional lands free of external
interference and incursion is the essential aim of a
struggle for self-determination.
Polluted water resulting in a steady decline of
The principle of self-determination is prominently fish catches in rivers and stained ground as oil
embodied in Article I of the Charter of the United
spills into the soil. The River Delta Region has
Nations and recognized in many other international
and regional instruments.
witnessed crushing damages done to its environ-
ment. The Ogoni people and UNPO have largely
reported this issue but despite the fourteen
years end to oil production, black gold continues
UNPO Secretary General Marino Busdachin
to flow through the damaged pipelines, increas-
giving a speech at the Conference
ing the amount of fires threatening the daily lives
“Parliamentarians for National Self-
of the Ogoni.
Determination” at the House of Lords in
14
Westminster, London. 15
13 14
16 17
 The Secretariat office in The Hague is the workplace of the General Secretary. The
Secretariat is responsible for carrying out policies set by the General Assembly and for
day-to-day activities such as the organization and execution of conferences, seminars
and other training sessions; preparation and attendance at various United Nations
events, conduct member profile and thematic research and planning projects, missions
and other UNPO activities.

The General Assembly (GA) constitutes a vital basis

in which to determine the issues of major concern to
the organization as a whole and its Members. The
summit brings together UNPO Member representa-
tives worldwide, to discuss current issues and outline GA 1991
long-term strategies in order to strengthen and con-
solidate UNPO, and its activities in the global arena
as well as future direction. Mapuche give a presen- UNPO has participated
tation at the Secretariat UNPO Secretariat marked
in different media to the Earth Day with a festive
to brief on recent discuss topics relevant
developments. event and other activities.
to the organization.

GA 1993

The UNPO website is an ideal platform to

Providing an essential element of continuity between
full assemblies of UNPO Members, the Presidency
meets several times every year, and is mandated to
supervise the activities of UNPO and assist in the im-
plementation of the overall policy of the organization
as articulated at the meetings of the GA.
provide UNPO Members and the general
public with daily up-to-date information
regarding UNPO Members’ current situa-
tion and developments often ignored in
mass media.
GA 2006

José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of One of the key aims UNPO Monitor is an
East Timor, praises the work of UNPO: of UNPO NEWS is to information service,
“I share the honor of the Nobel Peace Prize with all those that take part exchange knowledge, prepared especially
in the peaceful struggle for self-determination. I am inspired by know- information and ideas for UNPO Members,
ing that the principles of nonviolence, religious tolerance and the belief to increase under- that aims at provid-
in the right of self-determination shared by all UNPO Members, and standing and aware- ing insight into on-
enshrined in the organization’s covenant, can be effective. I am proud ness on the role of going developments
of the valuable
18 work UNPO accomplishes and proud of my association UNPO and its Mem- 19 of some of the UN’s
17 with that work.” bers worldwide. major bodies. 18
 Last update: 19-01-2009

Abkhazia Cordillera Khmer Krom Shan

Aboriginals of Australia Crimean Tatars Komi Sindh
Afrikaner East Turkestan Kosova Somaliland
Ahwazi Gilgit Baltistan Maasai South Moluccas
Assyria Greek Minority in Albania Mapuche Southern Azerbaijan
Balochistan Hmong Mari Southern Cameroons
Batwa Hungarian Minority in Romania Mon Taiwan
Buffalo River Dene Nation Inkeri Montagnards Tibet
Burma Inner Mongolia Nagalim Tsimshian
Buryatia Iranian Kurdistan Ogoni Tuva
Cabinda Iraqi Kurdistan Oromo Udmurt
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Iraqi Turkmen Rehoboth Basters Vhavenda
Chin Kalahui Hawaii Sanjak West Balochistan
Chittagong Hill Tracts 20
Karenni State Scania Zanzibar
21

19
Circassia 20
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19 20