Unilateral declaration of independence

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A unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) or "unilateral secession" is a formal process leading to the establishment of a new state by a subnational entity which declares itself independent and sovereign without a formal agreement with the state from which it is seceding. The term was first used when Rhodesia declared independence in 1965 from the United Kingdom (UK) without an agreement with the UK. [1]

Contents

Examples

Prominent examples of a unilateral declaration of independence other than Rhodesia's UDI in 1965 include that of the United States in 1776, [2] the Irish Declaration of Independence of 1919 by a revolutionary parliament, Katanga's declaration of independence by Moise Tshombe in July 1960, [3] the attempted secession of Biafra from Nigeria in 1967, the Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence from Pakistan in 1970, the (internationally unrecognized) secession of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from Cyprus in 1983, the Palestinian Declaration of Independence from the Palestinian territories in 1988, and that of the Republic of Kosovo in 2008. [4] During the Dissolution of the Soviet Union throughout 1991, many of its republics declared their independence unilaterally without agreement and were thus not recognised as legitimate by the Soviet Central Government.

During the breakup of Yugoslavia, the government of the United States asked the governments of Croatia and Slovenia to drop their UDI plans because of the threat of major war erupting in the Balkans because of it, and threatened that it would oppose both countries' UDIs on the basis of the Helsinki Final Act if they did so. However, four days later both Slovenia and Croatia announced their UDIs from Yugoslavia. [5]

DateDeclared stateParent stateInternational recognitionNotes
1776 Flag of the United States (1776-1777).svg  United States Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Great Britain Yes
1777 Flag of the Vermont Republic.svg Vermont Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Great Britain YesVermont signed a separate armistice with Britain in 1781 before the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Effective retroactive recognition by the United States was granted in 1791 when Vermont became the 14th state.
1813 Flag of Cundinamarca.svg Cundinamarca Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain NoNo other nation besides Venezuela, itself an unrecognised government at the time, recognised the independence of Cundinamarca. The nation was later incorporated by military force into the United Provinces of New Granada in 1814.
1813 Flag of New Granada (1811-1814).svg New Granada Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain NoNo other nation besides Venezuela, itself an unrecognised government at the time, recognised the independence of New Granada. The nation would later join together with Venezuela to form the Republic of Colombia.
1816 Flag of Argentina (1818).svg Río de la Plata Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain Yes, after the military victoryDivision and dismembering of the independent country. Paraguay secession. Brazil invaded Uruguay. Spain recognized Argentine Independence in 1859.
1819 Flag of Gran Colombia.svg Colombia Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain YesInitially recognised by the United States (1822), the United Kingdom (1825), the Netherlands (1829) and various other Hispanic American nations between 1822 and 1831. Recognised by Spain in 1881.
1821 Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Empire YesIntervention by France, Russia, and the United Kingdom in favour of Greece in the Greek War of Independence secured its independence in 1832.
1830 Flag of Belgium (1830).svg Belgium Flag of the Netherlands.svg  United Netherlands YesUDI (4 October 1830) recognized by the major European powers following the London Conference of 20 December 1830.
1898 Philippines Aguinaldo flag (obverse).svg Philippines Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg Spain NoConquered by United States; became independent in 1946 by agreement.
1903 Flag of Panama.svg  Panama Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Yes
1912 Flag of Albanian Provisional Government (1912-1914).svg Albania Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Empire Yes
1919 Flag of Ireland.svg Irish Republic Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom NoBecame the Irish Free State upon the ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
1920 State flag of East Karelia (1920-1922).svg East Karelia Flag of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1918-1925).svg Russia PartialRecognized only by Finland[ citation needed ]
1921   Baranya–Baja Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg  Hungary No
1921 Flag of Mirdita Republic.svg Mirdita Flag of Albania 1920.svg  Albania PartialRecognized only by Greece
1922 Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Kingdom of Egypt Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom YesUnilateral grant of independence by the British government
1931 National Flag of Chinese Soviet Republic.svg  Jiangxi Flag of the Republic of China.svg  China No
1931 Flag of Catalonia.svg  Catalonia Flag of Spain.svg  Spain NoSpanish sovereignty remained unchanged
1938 Flag of Ukraine (1917-1921).svg Carpatho-Ukraine Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia No
1941 Flag of Ukraine (1917-1921).svg Ukraine Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union No
1945 Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Yes
1960 Flag of Katanga.svg  Katanga Flag of Congo-Kinshasa (1966-1971).svg Republic of the Congo NoBreakaway Congolese province, secession forcibly ended by the United Nations Operation in the Congo in 1963.
1965 Flag of Rhodesia (1964-1968).svg  Rhodesia Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom NoSelf-governing British colony, unilaterally declared itself independent as Rhodesia in 1965, renamed Zimbabwe Rhodesia 1979, then gained international recognition as Zimbabwe in 1980.
1967 Flag of Anguilla (1967-1969).svg  Anguilla Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom NoReturned as a British Crown Colony in 1969.
1967 Flag of Biafra.svg  Biafra Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria PartialRecognized by five countries. Present-day Nigeria
1971 Flag of Bangladesh (1971).svg Bangladesh Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan Yes
1971 Morning Star flag.svg West Papua Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia No
1973 Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Yes
1975 Flag of Bougainville.svg North Solomons Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia NoPresent-day Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
1975 Flag of Cabinda.svg Cabinda Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal NoPresent-day Angola
1975 Flag of East Timor.svg  East Timor Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal NoShortly following the declaration of independence, the territory was invaded and annexed by Indonesia. [6] [7] A referendum in 1999 led to eventual independence in 2002. [8]
1983 Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg  Northern Cyprus Flag of Cyprus (1960-2006).svg Cyprus PartialStill claimed by Cyprus, and recognized as such by all UN member-states except for Turkey.
1988 Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine Flag of Israel.svg  Israel PartialClaims territories occupied by Israel since 1967
Israeli–Palestinian conflict and peace process still ongoing
See: International recognition of the State of Palestine
1988 Morning Star flag.svg West Papua Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia No
1990 Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Yes
1990Flag of Karakalpakstan.svg  Karakalpakstan Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan NoIncorporated into Uzbekistan in 1993. [9]
1991 Flag of Somaliland until 1996.svg Somaliland Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia NoStill claimed by Somalia
1991 Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia YesSet off Croatian War of Independence
1991 Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia YesSet off Ten-Day War
1991 Flag of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.svg Republic of Ichkeria Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union PartialPresent-day Chechen Republic, part of Russia. Retroactively recognized by Ukraine in 2022 [10]
1991 Flag of Transnistria (state).svg  Transnistria Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova PartialStill claimed by Moldova, recognized by 2 partially unrecognised breakaway states South Ossetia and Abkhazia (+ the former Nagorno-Karabakh Republic).
1991 Flag of Artsakh.svg  Nagorno-Karabakh Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan NoRecognized by 3 partially unrecognised breakaway states South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria between 1991 and 2023. Incorporated back into Azerbaijan as aftermath of Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.
1991 Flag of South Ossetia.svg  South Ossetia Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Georgia PartialStill claimed by Georgia. Recognized by 5 UN member-states.
1992 Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1998).svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia YesSet off Bosnian War
1999 Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg  Abkhazia Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg Georgia PartialStill claimed by Georgia. Recognized by 5 UN member-states.
2008 Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo Flag of Serbia (2004-2010).svg  Serbia Partial Still claimed by Serbia
A United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution adopted on 8 October 2008 backed the request of Serbia to seek an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on Kosovo's declaration of independence. [11] On 22 July 2010, the ICJ ruled that the declaration of independence of Kosovo "did not violate any applicable rule of international law", because its authors, who were "representatives of the people of Kosovo", were not bound by the Constitutional Framework (promulgated by UNMIK) or by UNSCR 1244 that is addressed only to United Nations member states and organs of the United Nations. [12] [13]
See: International recognition of Kosovo
2014 Flag of Crimea (Latest version).svg  Crimea Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Partial Annexed by Russia; still claimed by Ukraine. Recognized only by 7 UN member states.
2014 Flag of Donetsk People's Republic.svg  Donetsk People's Republic
Flag of Lugansk People's Republic.svg  Luhansk People's Republic
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Partial Annexed by Russia; still claimed by Ukraine. Recognized only by 8 UN member states.
2017 Flag of Catalonia.svg  Catalonia Flag of Spain.svg  Spain NoSpanish sovereignty remained unchanged

The International Court of Justice, in a 2010 advisory opinion, declared that unilateral declarations of independence were not illegal under international law. [13]

See also

References

  1. Douglas George Anglin. Zambian Crisis Behaviour: Confronting Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence, 1965–1966. McGill-Queens, 1994.
  2. Don H. Doyle. Secession as an International Phenomenon: From America's Civil War to Contemporary Separatist Movements. University of Georgia Press, 2010.
  3. Briscoe, Neil (2003). Britain and UN Peacekeeping: 1948–67 . Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan. pp.  117–118. ISBN   978-1-4039-1499-6.
  4. United Nations. Index to Proceedings of the General Assembly 2008/2009: Subject Index. New York City, USA: United Nations, 2010. Pp. 138.
  5. Florian Bieber, Džemal Sokolović. Reconstructing multiethnic societies: the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ashgate, 2001. Pp. 41.
  6. Berlie, Jean A. (1 October 2017). East Timor's Independence, Indonesia and ASEAN. Springer. p. 17. ISBN   9783319626307.
  7. Kammen, Douglas (20 August 2015). Three Centuries of Conflict in East Timor. Rutgers University Press. p. 130. ISBN   9780813574127.
  8. Moxham, Ben (February 2008). "State-Making and the Post-Conflict City: Integration in Dili, Disintegration in Timor-Leste" (PDF). London School of Economics and Political Science. pp. 10–11. ISSN   1749-1800 . Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  9. Olmos, Francisco (28 May 2020). "The curious case of the Republic of Karakalpakstan". Foreign Policy Centre.
  10. "Ukraine recognizes the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria". 18 October 2022.
  11. Backing Request by Serbia, General Assembly Decides to Seek International Court of Justice Ruling on Legality of Kosovo's Independence, United Nations, 8 October 2008
  12. Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo, Nspm.rs, 22 July 2010
  13. 1 2 Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo Archived 21 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine , International Court of Justice, 22 July 2010