“The right to self-determination is a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights,” said the Maldives today, citing last year’s General Assembly resolution. Addressing the Third Committee at the General Assembly, the Maldives called on the United Nations to accept its responsibility to facilitate the progressive realisation of the right to self-determination by peoples under colonial or foreign occupation. This is a legal responsibility that most if not all nations are bound to, given that the right to self-determination is a universally accepted norm of international law, enshrined in the UN Charter and several international treaties. “The principles of human dignity, justice, and equity ... demand an end to all foreign military occupations and acts of aggression,” the Maldives said.
In its statement, the Maldives drew particular attention to the issue of Palestine’s struggle for independence, as an exemplary case of the denial of the right to self-determination and its implications. The denial of self-determination in Palestine coincides with the denial of other fundamental rights such as civil liberties and the right to an adequate standard of living. The Maldives expressed its deep concern regarding the tragic loss of civilian lives, and the worsening situation of human rights abuse in Palestine, as documented by the Special Rapporteur on this subject. The Maldives repeated the call for a two-state solution as the “only viable solution” to this conflict; the only way to peace and stability; and the only way to secure the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people.
Jeffrey Salim Waheed, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, addressed the Committee on behalf of the Maldives delegation.
