Separatism and Secessionism in Today's World

UNIT 8. SEPARATISM

Separatism and Secessionism in Today's World

SPLA soldiers

Separatist and secessionist movements not only challenge the territorial integrity of existing states, they also test accepted standards of statehood and sovereignty. Simone Florio explores the impact of these movements on what he describes as the fragmentation of geopolitical space.

By Simone Florio

26 November 2012

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Task 1. Read the text carefully and answer the following questions.

1) How can you characterize the existing world order? What were the major developments in the last century which have shaped the existing world order?

2) How can emergence of a new state be achieved?

3) When does the tendency to fragmentation become relevant most notably?

4) What are de facto states?

5) What are sub-state entities and non-state actors?

6) What are major characteristics of separatism in general and secessionist politics in particular?

7) What features mark the passage from the ‘international’ order to an incipient ‘global’ order?

8) Why is the topic of secession considered complex and multifaceted? What does the international community have to consider in respect of providing a shared opinion?

9) What are the prospects for the world given the inter-state community eventually accepts the emergence of new sovereign entities as a standard practice?

10) What does a redefinition of the basic features of states imply?

11) Why can the creation of a new adjudicative body be required to meet the needs of redefined understanding of sovereignty and statehood?

12) What does the concept of interdependence rather than independence presuppose in the unfolding world order?

 

Task 2. Find as many synonymous and related phrases and collocations (both noun and verbal) in the text as possible expressing the following concepts:

1) “world order” (min 6 units)

2) “change of the world order” (min 7 units)

3) “separatist/world division trends” (min 16 units)

 

One Future. One Europe.

A Problem of European Identity? Separatist Movements in the EU

By Teona Srmava

How Scotland's 'No' vote resonates around the world

Scotland's historic referendum ___ independence has resonated across the world, with many countries watching its outcome ___.

BBC correspondents in Spain, Canada, India, China, Germany and Italy take a look at how Scotland's "No" vote has been received and what it means for the countries they cover.

Spain - Tom Burridge

Catalonia is probablythe place outside of the UK where Scotland's referendum had, and still has, most resonance. The Catalan president, who is expected to get the green light ___ the regional parliament in Barcelona to hold a similar vote, admitted ___ me last week that he wanted a "Yes" in Scotland to prove that there could be a successful referendum ___ independence in part of a fellow EU country. Catalonia's Foreign Secretary, Roger Albinyana, told me that he was "not at all disappointed". He is keen to point ___ that David Cameron allowed the Scottish vote. Mariano Rajoy will never give his approval ___ a vote here in Catalonia. And for pro-independence Catalans Scotland was a "democratic success", a nation exercising "their right to vote". However, Catalans who ___ want Catalonia to remain part ___ Spain say the situation here is more complicated than, ___ the words of one activist, a "black-and-white, yes-no" decision.

Canada - Lee Carter

The victory for the "No" vote will please many of Canada's editorial writers, most of whom came down ___ on the side of Scotland staying with the union. As the vote got closer, many other stories were ___ shoved ___ by major TV news networks, which had correspondents on the ground in Scotland providing minute-by-minute results. The interest was not surprising.

___ five million Canadians identify themselves as Scottish. And Scots have had a huge impact ___ Canadian culture and history. Many of those who migrated ___ Nova Scotia (New Scotland) did so because they were forced ___ their land. Opinion in some of the communities there tilted ___ the Yes campaign.

The Scottish debate seemed to have much more traction in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Referendums ___ separation from Canada were twice held there (1980 and 1995) and twice rejected, albeit by an ___ narrow margin in 1995.

India - Andrew North

India's foreign minister didn't know Scotland was considering divorce, until an aide whispered in her ear. A more pressing concern for some Indians was what it meant for the price of Scotch. There's also been some schaden freude in the air, watching their former colonial master prepare to "partition" itself. For many, the idea that the UK was about to give ___ some of its territory ___ - and because the British prime minister himself had allowed a vote - was hard to comprehend.

And if the Scots had voted "Yes", it would have set an uncomfortable precedent in Kashmir. India has never carried ___ its 1948 promise to hold a referendum there, and Kashmiris were quick to make the comparison ___ the Scots getting a vote.

So it's not surprising Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj's initial reaction ___ the idea the UK could break ___ was "God forbid". It would have just made things too complicated.

China - Martin Patience

China's official reaction ___ the referendum's result was "no comment" because it was an internal matter for the UK. But ___ the run-up ___ the vote, Premier Li Keqiang stressed that he wanted to see a "united" United Kingdom. ___ at least, China's leaders will welcome the "No" vote.

They will have worried that an independent Scotland may have inspired China's own minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang - and given those in Hong Kong and Taiwan new ideas. The narrative of the ruling Communist party is of a strong, unified China rising in the world. Any talk ___ separation or independence is crushed by force here.

With that in mind, many Chinese were astonished that London allowed the referendum to go ___ - never mind that it would allow the UK to split ___. Throughout the campaign, state media ran articles about how "too much democracy" had led to "instability" in the UK. The message ___ Chinese readers was clear: China needs to stick ___ - otherwise it is inviting chaos.

 Germany - Jenny Hill

"Scotland stays British!" proclaims Germany's most popular newspaper. For Bild, like every other paper and TV news programme here, there is only one top story this morning - and ___ the whole only one response. "I'm ___ relieved," said one politician. "It prevents further fragmentation of Europe."

The government agrees - though the official line is less exuberant. "We have always respected the fact that this referendum was called and that the central government in London agreed ___ this. And now we respect the outcome of it as well," said Angela Merkel.

 Italy - David Willey

The final result of Scotland's independence referendum missed the early editions of Italy's morning papers, but Italian shares hit new two-year highs ___ the opening of Milan's stock exchange. The "spread" ___ the price of Italian and German 10-year treasury euro bonds hit a three-year low - signifying increased confidence ___ Italy's financial credibility.

Italy's Northern League separatist party, which dreams of setting ___ a republic called Padania in the Po River Valley, is currently ___ the doldrums after losing ___ at the last elections. Meanwhile a nascent movement ___ the independence of Venice, in times past a powerful European nation-state, is not taken ___ in Rome.

(http://www.bbc.com/news/world-29272728)

 

SPEECH FOCUS

Task 1. Think of your own definition of:

· the existing world order

· fragmentation of geopolitical space

· sovereignty, territorial integrity, statehood

· national identity

· separatist and secessionist movements

Task 2.Make a mind map outlining possible reasons for separatist and secessionist movements.

Task 3. Make a  summary of the article “ One Future. One Europe” using active vocabulary.

Task 4. Comment on the following statements elaborating the ideas expressed in the article “ One Future. One Europe”. Use active vocabulary and conditional sentences.

- Catalonia should get independence from Spain;

- It is beneficial for Scotland to remain part of the UK.

Task 7. Read the following text and discuss the legal aspect of secession. What is the role of referenda? Are referenda necessarily held in the case of secession? Should the admissibility of referenda be mentioned in the national constitution? Why is the referendum in Crimea not recognized by the US and European countries?

The core question of whether a part of a country has a right to secede is rooted in the contradiction between the self-deter­mination right of nations and the territo­rial integrity of states. Both of these princi­ples are part of the UN Charter; however, interpretations differ. In practice, the fol­lowing principles apply in dealing with se­cessionist movements: Amicable, peaceful separations are respected as a matter of principle. On the other hand, unilateral declarations of independence without the consent of the remaining state are only considered legitimate in exceptional situa­tions, in particular, in cases where a colo­nial status is ended. Beyond this, though, there is no right to secession. If a majority in one part of a country demands more rights by democratic means, however, the government in question may be regarded as having an obligation to deal with the mat­ter politically.

In Europe after 1989, new states were cre­ated in Central and Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia were dissolved. A separation took place in 2006, when Montenegro sepa­rated from Serbia and Monte­negro. In this case, the option of a referendum was included in the constitution. When it comes to the admissibility of referenda, the national constitutions are a crucial factor. In Spain, for instance, regional referenda are explicitly ruled out in the constitution. The population may only be consulted at the national level.

 

Task 10. Study the table below and discuss negotiating styles typical of different national cultures. Can you add information about other national cultures? What can you say about Russian negotiators?

Task 12. Role play

Read Part 1 of the following case and get ready to negotiate the issues of development, security and freedom of movement in Kaliningrad region. In three teams (EU, Russia, Lithuania) prepare for the negotiation. To this end each team should fill in the following table

Our interests (what we want to achieve)	The interests of the opponents (what worries our opponents, what they want to achieve)	Options (possible variants of agreement)	Legitimacy (what data, legal documents, precedents can be used as our arguments)

 Solving the Kaliningrad-Russia Transit Conundrum

Adam Harrison

CASE FOCUS

“ Scottish Independence Referendum”

Brief history

Scotland's relations with its larger neighbour have often been difficult, none more so than in the "wars of independence" 700 years ago led by William Wallace and then Robert the Bruce. He defeated Edward II, then attempting to subjugate Scotland, at Bannockburn in 1314. After other cross border disputes, including Scotland's defeat at Flodden by the English in 1513, the Scottish and English crowns were unified in 1603 when King James VI of Scotland became overall monarch of the British isles.

In 1707, that union was cemented by Scotland and England's political union, forced on Scotland in part by a financial crisis following the abject failure of its colony in Panama, the so-called Darien adventure. All political power moved to London, but Scotland retained its own legal system, churches and universities. In 1745, the pretender to the British throne, Bonnie Prince Charlie, led the Jacobite revolt against Hanoverian rule by London. Despite reaching as far south as Derby, that ended in crushing defeat at Culloden in 1746.

In the 1800s, Scotland's economy strengthened, its cities boomed and its citizens took a leading role in the British empire. But proposals to give Scotland some form of "home rule" within the UK have been live since William Gladstone's era as Liberal leader in the 1880s. After several failed attempts at Westminster, notably in 1913 and 1979, a Scottish parliament was finally reestablished in 1999 in Edinburgh with wide-ranging policy making and legal powers but dependent on a direct grant from London.

In May 2011, Salmond and the SNP unexpectedly won an historic landslide victory giving the nationalists majority control of the Scottish parliament, enabling the first minister to demand that independence referendum.

The Scottish independence referendum took place on 18 September 2014. The independence referendum question, which voters answered with "Yes" or "No", was "Should Scotland be an independent country?". The "No" side won, with 2,001,926 (55.3%) voting against independence and 1,617,989 (44.7%) voting in favour.

Task 2. Role play

SUPPOSE THAT THE RESULTS WERE DIFFERENT: THE MOJORITY VOTED FOR “YES” AND THE INDEPENDENCE SIDE WON. In that case it would be necessary to hold negotiation between iScotland and rUK to resolve a number of issues.

The group is split up into two teams: “iScotland” (the leader - Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister since 2007 and leader of the Scottish National party. Widely regarded as one of the UK's sharpest politicians, he has led his party from being a minor force to dominating Scottish politics) and “rUK (the leader – the tory prime minister David Cameron).

The teams first choose three issues to be included in the negotiation agenda out of nine enumerated below, collect additional information and negotiate the nature of Scotland’s relations with the remaining part of the United Kingdom (rUK) – its much larger southerly neighbour, its main economic and trading partner, with which the Scottish Government aspires to share a currency, ‘social union’ and much more. The question is: can that vision actually be delivered? Even if that model is in the interests of an independent Scotland, why is it in the interests of rUK, if Scotland chooses a future outside it? If it is not, why should rUK comply with independent Scottish wishes – why is it in rUK’s interests to do so? And, given the differences in interest in securing that outcome, how might an independent Scotland make it happen?

For an independent Scotland to start functioning as an independent state, some key top-order issues have to be resolved. Prominent among these are:

• the currency the new state will use, and who bears the risks associated with that
• the borders of the new state – particularly its maritime borders, which will affect oil and gas reserves unless a distinct arrangement is made for these.
• the arrangements for movement of persons between rUK and the new state, both at the border and more generally
• whether, when and on what terms the new state will be or become a member of the European Union
• the division of the UK’s current National Debt
• the division of other UK assets and liabilities – ranging from defence infrastructure to museum and gallery collections
• what happens to the existing UK nuclear bases on the Clyde
• if rUK is to continue to administer welfare and pensions payments in Scotland for some transitional period, the basis on which it will do so
• the means by which outstanding issues are resolved, and what happens if the parties cannot reach agreement by negotiation.

PROJECT FOCUS

Task. Using statistics below and current mass media materials make a comparative analysis of separatist movements in any two countries (550-600 words). Follow the plan:

Introduction

2. Main Body:

- Similarities in separatist sentiments/movements in ….and …..

- Differences in separatist sentiments/movements in ….and …..

3. Conclusion

April 16, 2014

Here is a quick rundown on some of Europe separatist movements:

United Kingdom

Scotland

Population of proposed region vs population of country as a whole: 5.3 million vs 63.7m

Year independence movement began: The Scots National League, inspired by Ireland’s Sinn Fein, campaigned from 1921, 214 years after the Treaty of Union ended nearly nine centuries of separate statehood.

Support for referendum: A poll for The Scotsman newspaper in March found 41 per cent in favour of independence, 46 per cent against, although the “Yes” support was the largest recorded in the run-up to September’s referendum.

Land mass of proposed region: 78,772 square kilometers

Regional GDP vs country as whole: $24 billion vs $2.38 trillion

Main separatist group: Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP)

Militancy: No recent history of violence. The SNP, evolved from the Scots National League, chose a constitutional path, securing representation in the UK parliament from 1967 and arguing that Scotland should have rights to North Sea oil revenues. First devolved parliament, controlling most domestic issues, elected in 1999.

Northern Ireland

Population of proposed region vs population of country as a whole: 1.84m vs 6.4m (whole of Ireland)

Year independence movement began: 1921, from the creation of Northern Ireland with the partition of the island.

Support for referendum: Sinn Fein which wants a fully independent all-Ireland state, is the second biggest party in Northern Ireland, where it shares power with politicians wishing to remain within the UK, and fourth biggest in the Irish Republic. A 2012 opinion poll found 18 per cent in Northern Ireland favoured an independent united Ireland. Support is greater in the Irish Republic (57 per cent in a 2010 poll)

Land mass of region: 13,843 sq km

Regional GDP vs country as whole:?37.33bn vs $2.38 trillion (UK) / $226.84bn (Irish Republic)

Main separatist group: Real IRA and 32 County Sovereignty Movement, offshoots of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA)

Militancy: Irish nationalists have fought for freedom from British rule for centuries. They reject the island’s 1921 partition. Despite the peace process that ended the most recent 30-year period of conflict in the 1990s, dissident republicans continue, on a small scale, to use violence in pursuit of their aims.

Spain

Catalonia

Population of proposed region vs population of country as a whole: 7.56m vs 46.7m

Year independence movement began: First stirrings date from the 17th century but political parties began campaigning for independence in the early 20th century.

Support for referendum: Catalonia’s devolved parliament plans referendum on the issue in 2014, in defiance of Spanish government objections

Land mass of proposed region: 32,114 sq km

Regional GDP vs country as whole: $255bn vs $1.39 trillion

Main separatist group: The Republican Left of Catalonia and the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) openly campaign for independence but the ruling Convergence and Union (CIU) coalition is seen as moderate nationalist.

Militancy: No recent record of violent struggle. All the main political groups support a referendum. Despite Catalonia’s status as an autonomous community, The Spanish constitutional court has ruled that its designation as a “nation” is a historical term without legal weight.

Basque

Population of proposed region vs population of country as a whole: 2.16m vs 46.7m

Year independence movement began: First assassinations in 1968, nine years after creation of Eta.

Support for referendum: The separatist party Euskal Herria Bildu won a quarter of the vote in 2012 elections, while the biggest proportion of votes — one third - went to the Basque Nationalist Party, which seeks an undefined form of independence

Land mass of proposed region: 7,234 sq km

Regional GDP vs country as whole: $91.49bn vs $1.39 trillion

Main separatist group: Eta

Militancy: Eta has been blamed for 829 killings from 1968 to 2011. Several hundred activists are held in jail, mainly in Spain and France.

 

Turkey

Kurdistan

Population of proposed region vs population of country as a whole: At least 14m (much higher according to Kurdish nationalists) vs 81.62m

Year independence movement began: Demands for a Kurdish state date from late 19th century; armed insurrection began 1984.

Support for referendum: 59 per cent of self-identified Turkish Kurds said in a 2009 poll they did not think Kurds wanted independence.

Land mass of proposed region: 190,000 sq km

Regional GDP vs country as whole: N/A

Main separatist group: Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)

Militancy: Armed struggle ran from 1984 to 2013 with the aim of creating a breakaway Marxist — Leninist state. Casualty figures vary widely but could be as high as 45,000 deaths (rebels, Turkish military and civilians combined). The jailed PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, now advocates a political solution.

(based on: http://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/the-facts-european-separatist-movements)

 

 

UNIT 8. SEPARATISM

Separatism and Secessionism in Today's World

SPLA soldiers

Separatist and secessionist movements not only challenge the territorial integrity of existing states, they also test accepted standards of statehood and sovereignty. Simone Florio explores the impact of these movements on what he describes as the fragmentation of geopolitical space.

By Simone Florio

26 November 2012