The XIX General Assembly of the Unrepresented Peoples and Nations Organization has passed three resolutions regarding the false accusations of terrorism against the Catalan pro-independence movement, the illegitimate espionage and Catalanophobia.
From the 10th to the 12th of May, a delegation of the Catalan National Assembly led by President Dolors Feliu travelled to Munich to represent Catalonia at the XIX UNPO General Assembly. Assemblea’s former president Elisenda Paluzie was again elected vicepresident of the UNPO, with Doctor Rubina Greenwood from the Sindhi Congress as president.
During the General Assembly, the participants have approved three proposals submitted by Assemblea denouncing the use of espionage against civil society, Catalanophobia and the fabricated terrorism accusations to silence peaceful and democratic movements, such as the Catalan pro-independence movement.
The meeting brought together representatives from peoples and nations members of the UNPO, as well as academics and experts who debated human rights, democracy and the right to self-determination, with a presentation of the campaign Re-thinking self-determination, coordinated by Oxford geopolitics professor Fiona McConnell and others on identity and narrative or sustainable empowerment The UNPO Youth branch was also presented. The secretariat also welcomed two new members, the Republic of Annobón and Gilgit Baltistan.
Assemblea President Dolors Feliu highlighted the importance of having places where minorities and unrepresented peoples can debate, share experiences and create cooperation and bonds of solidarity. “We need to understand the right to self-determination from a universal perspective. Each case is different, but the rights at stake are the same. The right to self-determination is key to promoting healthier and more just democracies, and to be able to guarantee other fundamental rights”.
The Catalan National Assembly and the UNPO
Assemblea has been a UNPO member since 2018, as part of its international strategy advocating the Catalan cause, the struggle for self-determination and denouncing the abuses by Spain. The collaboration with the UNPO has been very fruitful and has led to the publication of the Tools of Repression report and the complaint to the UN Special Rapporteurs, which caused a very harsh communiqué denouncing the Catalangate scandal and demanding explanations and reparations by Spain.
The UNPO is an international organization with the goal of defending the right to self-determination of its members: indigenous peoples, minorities, unrecognised states and occupied territories. Among its 40 current members, there are peoples and nations such as Baluchistan, Aceh, Kabyle, Tibet or Zambesia.