UN advisor tells Guam to stay focused

UN advisor tells Guam to stay focused

Monday, 09 November 2009 04:32 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff

THE military buildup should not distract Guam from its quest to achieve self-rule, according to Dr. Carlyle Corbin, United Nations advisor and expert on political self-determination.

“I think that the issue of the military is a reality,” Corbin said. “What is important is that it does not detract from the natural evolution of the territory to be self-governing and that the self-determination process will not be inordinately affected by what is taking place.”

Corbin discussed self-determination issues at the Chamorro Summit Workshop III on Saturday. The program was entitled “Chamorro Self-Determination: Strategically Planning for our Future.”

The workshops, hosted through the cooperation of the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice and UOG’s Division of Social Work, focused on local efforts to achieve self determination relative to processes of the United Nations. Corbin addressed military initiatives amid efforts to achieve full self governance.

Additionally, Corbin stated governments that possess a firm base and more permanent status may possibly have greater opportunities to influence and negotiate with the military. He emphasized the importance of this aspect as a part of achieving self-determination.

Corbin told the Variety that “The U.N. essentially serves as the basis of authority for territories to move from colonial or dependency status to that of full self-governance.”

Additionally, the U.N. advisor explained the U.N. is the organization which “focuses intents and provides the parameters for moving forward” and that the UN has a listing of non-self governing territories that are placed by the countries which “administer them.”

The U.S. placed many of these territories on that list back in 1946. While a number of them have been removed by achieving self government; the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, New Caledonia and many others remain.

“My role was really to bring information on some of the experiences that I’ve had working with on the issue of self determination on behalf of my own territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our relationship with the United States is virtually identical,” Corbin explained.

“We have an organic act, you have an organic act. We go through the United Nations; we fall on the same list of non-self governing territories. All of those things make it very important to engage one another.”