联合国官方网站显示砂拉越是处在change in status。我们会想这个字status代表什么意思?当一个国家自己政治还是不能掌握负责照顾自己国民,没有经济力量建设各种设施福利人民时,那就是处在change in status。当一个国家的政治已经可以完全负责fully responsible 照顾自己国民和地方时,change in status 就会转换成independence 独立。这是英国法act对一个国家的status解释。
Jack Tang 10:41 AM你就跟他们说这次砂议会选举很重要,也是关系到下一代未来。砂现在的主权又在已经开始被侵犯,例如。教育,宗教,移民局和我们砂IC
已经开始在进行了。这些已经报道开始出现。就让他们了解下。所以为什么民运开始就是保护未来,再来这次就是要砂人民手中一票投向把砂独立议程砂人民代仪推进砂议会。不要在投向,国政党,外来党和本土党和土团党。
My comments:
I only realised that autonomy and independence mean two different things a day or two days ago. Sarawak autonomy has been eroded due to long years of collusion and corruption of Federal crowned Sarawakian political clowns and autocratic federal masters. These political clowns have betrayed the autonomy of Sarawak all the time.
The
political map grows while the World breaks! The lines on the map get
rearranged with every new division, and looks like an old Roman fresco.
The last 50 years saw the formation of 100 “new countries.” This is
nothing new and has been happening since 400 AD, when empires around the
world partitioned into smaller countries.
The period of
separatism continues: The Tibetans want their country back; the Uighurs
don’t want to have anything to do with China; Arunachal Pradesh that is
claimed by both India and China, claims itself; tiny Belgium is going to
get tinier; Sudan is on the verge of division; the USSR is already
fractured multiple times; and with two Koreas, two Samoas and three
Guianas, it would be surprising if people stop fighting for a small bit
of the countryside they can convert into yet another – “tiny” country.
No sooner is this tiny country formed; tinier parts within this tiny
country start fighting and want to be their own whole …..and so on.
While
the last two decades has seen no changes in the International maps of
North and South America; Europe has given birth to many new nations; new
countries have been added to Asian, African and Australian continents.
Over 30 countries came into existence since 1990. More than half of
them are due to the disintegration of the USSR. Photo by en.wikipedia.orgHere is a list of the world’s newest countries:
Southern Sudan
(Not yet formed – Expected Date of Independence July 9, 2011)
Sudan
is getting ready for what could be the continent’s biggest divorce.
January 2011 – saw an overwhelming response from Sudanese, casting their
vote in favor of creating an independent state in the southern region.
A referendum (a direct vote in which an entire electorate participates)
held in January 2011 was devastating in its consequences, indicating
that a whooping 98% majority of people voted for a separate country. South Sudan could very well become the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011. Photo by rightsmonitoring.orgPresident Barack Obama calls this division a “historic step.” There
are many that wonder, how Obama calls this historic, when he is such an
ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln, who took his nation to war to
prevent his country from splitting.
Kosovo
(Part of former Yugoslavia – Independence 2008)
A
part of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo became a part of Serbia as an
autonomous province, after Yugoslavia fell. The country fought a long
struggle for independence and was also under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) from 1999. It was finally declared independent on Feb 17, 2008, and listed as one of the newest countries of the world. But not all countries recognize Kosovo as independent Photo by en.wikipedia.orgAlthough
majority of the countries of the world accepted Kosovo as an
independent country; there are still many countries, including Serbia,
which doesn’t recognize the move. Russia and India also insist it is
not independent. The reason being, the declaration of independence was
done by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo and not by the
Assembly itself. Serbia asked international support in finding this
declaration of independence “illegal.” Taking into consideration
Serbia’s request, United Nations General Assembly requested an opinion
from the International Court of Justice. The Court decided that the declaration was not illegal, but also not an official act!
Timor-Leste or East Timor
(Formerly annexed by Indonesia – Independence 2002)
Although,
the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste declared independence from
Portuguese rule in 1975; soon after that, it was annexed by Indonesia. After over two decades of Indonesian occupation, Timor-Leste regained
its independence on May 20, 2002, gaining the distinction of being the first-born of the 21st century World. Photo by commons.wikimedia.orgIn
Asia, there are two Roman Catholic dominated countries; one is
Philippines and the other is Timor-Leste, which occupies the eastern
half of the Timor Island. The country is currently experiencing a
climate of post-conflict nation building.
Serbia and Montenegro
(Part of former Yugoslavia – Independence 2006
When
Yugoslavia collapsed and four of its six republics became independent
in the early 1990s, only Serbia and Montenegro remained within from 1992
to 2006. But in 2006, there was an independence referendum, where the
Montenegrins voted on behalf of a separate country. This separation led
to the formation of two independent countries: Serbia and Montenegro.
Serbia finally became independent after 88 years in different
federations. It is located at the crossroads of Southeastern and
Central Europe. Montenegro is located in Southeastern Europe. Photo by en.wikipedia.org
Palau
(Formerly under US administration – Independence 1994)
With
the end of US Sovereignty over Pacific Islands, the tiny island group’s
status as the last United Nations trust territory came to an end on
October 1, 1994. After having been sold by Spain to Germany, control
passed to Japan in 1914, to the United States in 1944. In 1947, United
Nations passed on the power officially to the United States, as part of
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Photo by commons.wikimedia.orgPalau asked for independence in 1978 and became the Republic of Palau in 1981. It signed a Compact of Free Association
with the U.S. in 1982. After eight referendums, the Compact was
accepted in 1993, leading to its independence. According to the
agreement, the U.S. military is granted access to the islands for 50
years. This island in the Pacific Ocean is one of world’s smallest
states.
Eritrea
(Formerly a part of Ethiopia – Independence 1993)
This
nation in Northeastern Africa underwent a struggle that resulted in its
independence on May 24, 1993. Before World War II, since the 1880s,
Eritrea was an Italian colony, and then it was under British control
when the Italians were clobbered by the Brits in 1941. In 1952, the UN
passed a ruling that Ethiopia should take the “trusteeship” of Eritrea. Photo by en.wikipedia.orgBut
after ten years, Ethiopia got greedy and forcibly annexed (incorporate a
territory into an existing state or country) Eritrea, which forced
Eritreans to begin their struggle for independence that ended in 1991
when they defeated the governmental forces. Independence was
overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum.
* However, a border war that started in 1998 with Ethiopia is still going on.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia
(Formerly in Czechoslovakia – Independence 1993)
Ending
the decades of communist rule, Czechoslovakia became a democracy in the
year 1989. It was a federal republic with two components; Czech
Republic with the capital in Prague and the Slovak Republic with the
capital in Bratislava. Photo by en.wikipedia.orgA
strong secessionist movement that started in Slovakia led to the formal
declaration of independence on Aug 26, 1992, for both the Czech
Republic and the Slovak Republic. The declaration stated that the two
would separate into independent states on Jan 1, 1993. Thus the
74-year-old federation came to an end.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Formerly a part of Yugoslavia – Independence 1992)
Bosnia
and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on March 3, 1992,
following a referendum. At the end of World War II, both Bosnia and
Herzegovina became part of the six republics of the Communist
Yugoslavia, headed by Marshall Tito. When Tito died in 1980, the iron
curtain that was in place fell and Yugoslavia began to disintegrate.
In
1991, both the republics declared independence and asked for
recognition by the European Union (EU). The referendum for independence
led to Bosnian voters choosing independence.
Bosnia and
Herzegovina are part of the triangular-shaped republic, on the Balkan
Peninsula. The Bosnian area is to the north and has mountains and thick
forests. Herzegovina is in the south and consists of flat and rugged
farmland.
Croatia and Macedonia
(Formerly in Yugoslavia – Independence 1991)
There
are other countries that became independent when Yugoslavia dissolved,
such as Croatia and Macedonia that dissolved in 1991. Croatia declared
independence in June 25, 1991 and Macedonia in Sep 8, 1991.
However, Macedonia
wasn’t recognized by the United Nations until 1993. United States and
Russia recognized it as an independent entity only in 1994.
15 Independent Countries
(Formerly the Soviet Union – Independence for 15 countries 1991)
As
mentioned earlier in this article, there are many more countries that
became independent since 1990. In 1991, 15 new countries declared
independence – after the USSR dissolved. Most of them declared
independence within a few months of the fall of the Soviet Union in late
1991. These countries include:
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Estonia
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Moldova
Russia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Apart from this, other countries that fall into the category of “newest countries,”
which became independent for various reasons, include Namibia which
gained independence from South Africa; unified Yemen from North and
South Yemen; unified Germany from East and West Germany; The Marshall
Islands from the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands; Micronesia from the
United States.
Pay attention and you will find that most of the
countries in the world today are relatively new and in the development
stage. Not many are over 100 years old. Separatist movements are
happening all over the globe. Where are we today? Where are we heading? Tags: new countries, new countries in the world, newest countries, world map, World’s newest countries
The 9 newest countries in the world
https://www.facebook.com/mradamtaylor
The
Scottish flag (R) and British Union Jack (L) fly outside the Scotland
Office in London on Aug. 28, 2014. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA
This
week, Scottish voters go to the polls to make a big decision: Should
they stay a part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, or become
an independent sovereign state?
It's an enormous decision, and
the debate over what exactly will happen to Scotland if it does go
independent is still waging. One thing is certain, however: if the "yes"
vote wins, Scotland will become the newest independent state in the
world, pushing South Sudan to Number 2 and Kosovo to Number 3.
Will
Scotland follow the same fate as any of the other young nations in the
world? Perhaps, but probably not. A glance down the list of the nine
newest sovereign states below reveals that each situation is unique:
It's hard to fully equate Scotland's situation with that of Slovakia,
let alone with East Timor.
Even so, a glance back at history does
show that the world's borders are changing more than we might
appreciate: And the changes can sometimes take some time to settle.
July 2011 – South Sudan
United
Nations Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS) personnel guard South Sudanese people
displaced by recent fighting in Jabel, on the outskirts of capital Juba
on Dec. 23, 2013. REUTERS/James Akena
South Sudan
declared independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, after a bloody civil
war with the ethnically Arab north that had lasted decades. Almost 99 percent of voters
had voted for independence in a referendum, and the new country was
swiftly recognized by the international community. The United States
played a key role in the South Sudan's journey to statehood.
However,
since independence the country has faced a number of problems, most of
which can be traced back to two big factors: 1) South Sudan's high poverty rate,
2) the ethnically diverse political movements in the country that now
lack a common enemy. Add to that large and largely untapped natural
resources, and you have a young country that has been beset by political
infighting in the past few years. Right now, South Sudan is nine
months into a civil war that has displaced a million of its 11 million
people, and facing a famine that could see 50,000 children die before the end of the year.
February 2008 – Kosovo
Kosovars
and foreign visitors take their seats on a raised platform to watch a
documentary film during Dokufest in Prizren on Aug. 20, 2014.
REUTERS/Hazir Reka
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008.
The country had been administered by the United Nations since 1999,
when NATO bombed Serbia and forced then-President Slobodan Milosevic to
withdraw his troops from the ethnically divided province.
Kosovo's independence was opposed by Russia, which warned of other breakaway movements (worth remembering
during the Crimea crisis) and Serbia, which had expressed fears for the
ethnic Serbs who live there. While a small majority of U.N. member
states recognize Kosovo, the country has not applied for U.N. membership
out of concern.
Kosovo's post-independence statehood has not been free of problems: Ethnic tension and organized crime remain, and the country's economy is clearly underdeveloped (the official unemployment rate last year was 45 percent).
June 2006 – Montenegro and Serbia
Montenegro
players celebrate after scoring during the Euro 2016 qualifying match
between Montenegro and Moldova, at the City Stadium in Podgorica,
Montenegro, Sept. 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic)
The
single nation of Serbia and Montenegro, formed after the collapse of
Yugoslavia in 1991, changed into the State Union of Serbia and
Montenegro in 2003, and finally into the two separate states of Serbia
and Montenegro in 2006.
It was Montenegro that ultimately ended the relationship, with a referendum on May 21, 2006, that found just over 55 percent wanted to end its ties with Serbia. On June 3, Montenegro declared independence. A few days later, Serbia followed suit.
Since independence, Montenegro has applied for E.U. membership, joined the World Trade Organization, and rehabilitated its long-exiled monarchy. Generally, it's economic record since independence has been viewed positively.
Of
course, Montenegro's independence ultimately left Serbia effectively a
"new" state too, though it was the legal successor to the union. Since
2006, the country has generally pursued pro-European policies, and it is
on track to membership of the European Union (though Kosovo's
independence remains an issue). Under President Tomislav Nikolic,
elected two years ago, the country has tried to balance a future in Europe with a partnership with its traditional ally, Russia.
May 2002 – East Timor
Outgoing
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (L) and East Timor Prime
Minister Xanana Gusmao (R) shake hands before their meeting in Dili on
Aug. 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / VALENTINO DE SOUSAROMEO
East Timor, now also known as Timor-Leste, achieved independence
on May 20, 2002, but the country had effectively voted for independence
years before, when a referendum delivered a clear vote that clearly
rejected the proposed "special autonomy" within Indonesia. After that
referendum, there was brutal violence in the region with pro-Indonesian
militias attacking citizens, and a special U.N. force had to be deployed
to the country.
The country had already suffered. According to a U.N. report from 2006,
Indonesia may have directly or indirectly killed as many as 180,000
people in East Timor after they invaded the country when its colonial
ruler, Portugal, left in 1975. The situation in East Timor had made headlines around the world since 1991, when at least 250 pro-independence demonstrators were shot dead. After independence, some troubles have remained: In 2006, the U.N. had to redeploy troops after
fighting resumed. However, the country has enjoyed profits from its
large oil reserves, and enjoyed some substantial growth: The World Bank says that the "social and economic development in Timor-Leste can be seen as remarkable."
October 1994 – Palau
In
this undated handout photograph received from Richard W. Brooks on Aug.
27, 2014, a grey reef shark is seen riding the incoming tide, to
conserve energy, in the small Pacific island nation of Palau. AFP PHOTO /
Richard W. Brooks
Palau, geographically part of the
larger Micronesia island group in the western Pacific Ocean, is the
least populated country on this list, with a little over 21,000 people
living on around 250 islands. It became independent on Oct. 1, 1994, 15
years after it had decided against becoming part of Micronesia due to
cultural and linguistic differences. The islands that make up Palau had passed through various colonial hands over the years, before coming under the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific,
administered by the United States, after World War II. It's
relationship with the United States remains a Compact of Free
Association, which means the United States offers financial aid and
retains military authority. In 2009, the country agreed to accept 6 Uighur detainees
from Guantanamo Bay, sparking controversy. The country is one of the
wealthiest Pacific Island states, and is known for its tourism industry.
April 1993 – Eritrea
A
file photo taken on Aug. 6, 2014, shows three young men from Eritrea
crossing the border between Italy and France on a regional train, near
Nice, southeastern France. AFP PHOTO / JEAN CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET
The
United Nations established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the
Ethiopian federation in 1952. However, when Ethiopia, under emperor
Haile Selassie, annexed the region in 1962, it sparked a civil war that
lasted 30 years. In 1991, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) ousted the Ethiopian forces, and on April 27, 1993, the country declared independence after a referendum. Since
independence, there have been a number of disputes with Ethiopia,
including a border war in 1998 that lasted more than two years. In that
time, the country has been ruled by one president, Isaias Afwerki, who
has been widely criticized for repressive government tactics, earning
the country the nickname "The North Korea of Africa."
January 1993 – The Czech Republic and Slovakia
Actors
reanact scenes from mobilization at the SNP square in the central
Slovak town of Banska Bystrica on Aug. 30, 2014, to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of the Slovakia's National Uprising (SNP). AFP PHOTO/JOE
KLAMAR
On Jan. 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia was dissolved by
parliament into two countries: The Czech Republic and Slovakia. After
the "Velvet Revolution" ended one-party Communist rule, it was the
"Velvet Divorce."
Immediately after the split, there appeared to be some trepidation: The New York Times noted "wide regret"at
the end of the nation that was formed after World War I. However, the
contemporary view is that the split was a (relative) success: "The split
was really smooth," Slovakian journalist Pavol Mudry told the BBC
last year. Both countries have joined the European Union (with Slovakia
even taking on the euro) and have had largely stable, at
times burgeoning, economies since independence.
Not everyone is
happy with the split, however. In the run-up to the Scottish vote, Pavel
Seifter, a former Czech ambassador to Britain, argued in the Guardian that neither country really appreciated what they had lost.
Notable mentions
South Ossetia, a
breakaway region of Georgia, declared independence in 1990, but it was
only after war between Russia and Georgia in 2008 that Russia and a
small number of other countries (most notably Nicaragua and Venezuela) recognized it. The region is not widely recognized, however, and is instead seen as one of a number "gray areas" or "frozen conflicts" in the post-Soviet space. Since 2008, South Ossetia has struggled economically, and political divisions have led to tense scenes. Quebec
held a referendum on independence from Canada in 1995, and the "No"
vote won by a small margin. It was the province's second vote on
independence (the first was defeated in 1980), and the separatist
movement within Quebec did not disappear after the second failure. The
situation had a number of similarities with the Scottish vote, and a
number of Quebec sovereigntists have traveled to Scotland to observe the
vote, with the hope they may pick up some ideas to perk up their cause.
Stuart Burch | Published in History Today Volume 55 Issue 6 June 2005
Stuart
Burch considers the significance to Norway – both in terms of the past
and the present – of the anniversary of 1905, when the country at last
won its independence from Sweden.
Exactly
one hundred years ago the people of Norway were going through a
momentous period in their history. The dramatic events pivoted around
June 7th, 1905. On that day the parliament in Kristiana (Oslo)
instigated what might be termed a revolution when they voted to dissolve
the union with Sweden that had been forced upon Norway by the Treaty of
Kiel (1814). A plebiscite later that summer confirmed massive public
support for independence and, following successful negotiations in the
Swedish town of Karlstad, military conflict was averted. When a rueful
Oscar II abdicated the throne on October 26th, Norway was able to fully
savour complete independence for the first time in four centuries of
almost unbroken foreign influence, firstly from Denmark and then Sweden.
For
a few months in 1814, as the Napoleonic wars neared their end, Norway
had experienced autonomy and on May 17th a constitution was ratified.
Although a swift and decisive military campaign by Sweden put paid to
hopes of sovereignty, this constitution was subsequently used as the
basis for Swedish rule. Norway enjoyed a large measure of
self-governance, but at the international level it felt constrained.
Calls for a separate consular service were the catalyst for the
withdrawal from the union in 1905. And it is the passing of one hundred
years since Norway gained ‘a voice of its own’ in the international
community that is one of the principal themes of this year’s centenary.
To
read this article in full you need to be either a print + archive
subscriber, or else have purchased access to the online archive.
If you are already a subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Buy Subscription | Buy Online Access | Log In
If you are logged in and still cannot read the article, please email digital@historytoday.com.
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MA63 can’t be revived just by setting up special cabinet committee – Soo
Lina Soo
KUCHING:
The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) cannot be revived simply by setting
up a Special Cabinet Committee, said Sarawak Reform Party (STAR)
president Lina Soo.
She pointed out that the federal government
should just comply with the MA63 without the need to revive, discuss,
review or rectify it.
“The MA63 has been negotiated, signed and
sealed on July 9, 1963, but never delivered. The treaty has remained on
the shelf in a comatose state for 55 years.
“A review cannot be
done without all signatory nations – Britain, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and
Singapore – going back to the negotiating table,” she said in a
statement yesterday.
She was commenting on the recent statement by
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong
that a Special Cabinet Committee will be set up in response to Prime
Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s call to revive the agreement to
honour all pledges outlined within it.
Soo stressed that to revive
the MA63 by setting up another committee would be “aimless and
fruitless without the political will of the signatory nation”.
She also opined that Liew had no authority to deal with MA63, an international treaty registered with United Nations (UN).
“The
Law Minister with his Special Cabinet Committee cannot deal in an
international multilateral affair which requires the participation of
the governments of Britain, Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.”
She
added that if MA63 is still valid, all the federal government needs to
do is to comply with everything that is laid down in the agreement.
“There is no need for further discussion, review and rectification.”
What do you think of this story?
Great(97%)
My comments:
Blog and Tweet 7/9/2018
Dr. M, the old fox said the PH-crowned government would
treat Sabah and Sarawak fairly.Treating
Sabah and Sarawak fairly or not fairly is funny to us in every sense.Is it not ridiculous to use our wealth in oil
and gas resources to award us fairly.The
words sound just too autocratic and shrilling to be accepted when we are three
nations of equal status based on MA63.How come that we have become 12th and 13th state
respectively in the Federation of Malaysia registered in the book of the United
Nations.Is it not blatantly autocratic?Should these amendents be settled once and
for all among the three nations in the Federation or to the Court of the United
Nations?
Changing the terms and conditions stipulated in MA63
to fit in to the dominating rules of the Federal Malayan colonial masters is
unconstitutional and a Breach of Trust internationally.After Sabah and Sarawak entrused by the
British government.We are clear about
our status.Now, many people in Sarawak
like me have set our mind to fight for the cause of our secession from the
Federation of Malaysia which stands for ______________________ (blanks to fill
in).
Ya, Norway's secession from
Sweden in 1905 should serve a very good example for us.
There
has not been any law, I know, that allows people to revolt since time
immemorial.Revolution just happened
again and again through human history when people found life hard to sustain
under heavy taxation and irrational suppression.The most impressive one is the French revolution
to me.A Tale of Two Cities is French
Revolution based.It is an interesting
story book to read.
There
has not been any law that allows people to secede a Federation for good.There is one country after another seceding
the Federation for good.Which law has
the binding power when the majority of people rise up for the common
cause?