(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 22. Baku has hosted an
international conference on combating neo-colonialism, focusing on
the island of Bonaire, which is under Dutch colonial rule, Trend reports.
The event was organized by the Baku Initiative Group and the
Movement for Human Rights and Change on Bonaire Island.
Speaking at the event, Vice President of the Bonaire Human
Rights Organization James Finies expressed gratitude to the Baku
Initiative Group for their support.
“This is our reality, our daily struggle. We are confronting
democratic changes, population shifts, and the significant impact
of Dutch immigration on our demographics and governance,” he
said.
President of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization Davika
Bissessar emphasized that the people of Bonaire rely on global
support and understanding.
“The rights to self-determination, cultural preservation,
identity, and ethical development are central to our mission.
However, these rights cannot be fully embodied in isolation. We
depend on the support and understanding of the global community to
amplify our voices and ensure that justice is not merely an ideal
but a reality for all,” she added.
Abbas Abbasov, head of the Baku Initiative Group, emphasized his
commitment to supporting the just struggle of colonized regions for
independence despite any external pressure.
“Our organization has achieved significant results in raising
global awareness about the impact of France's colonial policies in
New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French
Guiana, Wallis and Futuna, Mayotte, and Corsica,” he stated.
UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent June Soomer
noted that the Baku Initiative Group has established a safe space
for colonial peoples.
“Azerbaijan, as an independent country, deserves praise on
behalf of the peoples of the colonial countries of the world, and
especially on behalf of Caribbean colonies like Bonaire. I would
like to express my gratitude for your courage to come forward and
join us in this struggle,” she said.
Carlos Fuller, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Belize
to the UN in New York, also expressed gratitude to the Baku
Initiative Group for its efforts regarding Bonaire's colonization
issue.
“Our struggle for independence has long been guided by the
principles of self-determination and territorial integrity, which
are central to our foreign policy. This message is conveyed at all
forums, whether addressing small countries or superpowers,” he
added.
At the end of the event, a final statement was signed between
the Baku Initiative Group and Bonaire. The signing occurred during
an international conference organized by the Baku Initiative Group
and the Movement for Human Rights and Change on Bonaire.
“Bonaire seeks international support to advocate for its
recognition as a non-self-governing territory to protect and ensure
the right of its people to self-determination and self-government,”
Abbasov concluded.
The“Path to Bonaire's Self-Determination at the UN General
Assembly through Baku Initiative Group” conference brought together
representatives from Bonaire, who are fighting against colonialism,
along with officials and delegates from Belize, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, St. Lucia, the UK, Mexico, the Netherlands,
the UN, and other international and regional organizations. Human
rights activists, NGO leaders, experts, and researchers in the
field of decolonization will also participate in the
conference.
High-level attendees will include special representatives from
the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Permanent
Representative of Belize to the UN, UNICEF Youth Advocates, CARICOM
Youth Ambassadors Corps, and the Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues in Africa, among others.
The conference addressed Bonaire's struggle for liberation from
colonialism and discussed actions taken to bring this issue to the
forefront of relevant international organizations, as well as
explore international legal avenues for decolonization.
This event was held at a significant time for the Bonaire
people, as a few weeks after the conference, several states planned
to submit a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly to re-list
Bonaire as a territory subject to decolonization. One of the
conference's primary goals is to garner international support for
this resolution.
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