Building a nation: Statehood
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The emerging of new states (i.e. the acquisition of territorial sovereignty by decolonized dependencies or emancipated trust territories) has been characteristic of this century. The principles proclaimed in the Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States, adopted by the United Nation in 1970, establish in my opinion among others, the notion that the people of each territory has the right to determine their territorial sovereignty, and that the road to become a new state can be traveled in various ways and in stages.
If statehood (meaning independence) is our ultimate goal, I believe that it is important for those who will be going to the polls to make a choice pertaining to our future constitutional structure, understand the basic nature of statehood as recognized by the international community.
While there is no exact definition of the term "state", the essential characteristics of a state are well settled, and spelled out in international conventions, namely: a) a permanent population; b) a defined territory; c) a Government; d) a capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Note that a state is not identical to a particular race or nation, nor is it equivalent to a country. If Sint Maarten is considering statehood, it is a must to critically analyze our present state of affairs, and objectively scrutinize the characteristics of statehood. Where we as a unit, on its way to (possibly) claim statehood, do not (yet) fit the bill, we first have to prepare, individually and collectively, to meet the basic requirements to become a state, with due observation of the fundamental rights and duties of a state as proclaimed and formulated by international Conferences, bodies and Conventions.
The characteristic mentioned under (a) refers to the people living permanently on the island; we hereby need to think in terms of a nation. When considering the territory (b), questions among others pertaining to the twin status of our island come to mind. A Government (c) as a requirement for statehood involves a proper legal system, as well as a sufficient degree of political maturity, while the qualification mentioned under (d) is as far as international law is concerned the most important characteristic of statehood.
This characteristic distinguishes states from lesser units, which do not manage their own foreign affairs, and are not recognized by other states as full fledged members of the global community.
I am however one who believes that before considering the last mentioned characteristic (d), we have to start by (a). We first have to establish who we are, who the people are that are living here permanently; the people who, by birth or by choice, made Sint Maarten their home, sharing an economic life, culture, language and our island's history. Subsequently we need to foster a stable bond amongst ourselves, and as such build a strong nation. Are we prepared?
Online Resources on Nation Building
Nation States vis-a-vis Ethnocultural Minorities (An Introductory Essay)
The University of Sydney
The John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Cato Institute
Education Policy Analysis Archives
Council on Foreign Relations
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
