is clearly a thing of the past and this is due to the internalization and
institutionalization of the territorial integrity norm. Therefore, apart from certain
hotspots that involve national minorities or territorially limited disputes over
resources, the majority of states that realistically need to worry about their
territorial integrity do not face external but rather internal threats.
During decolonization the principle of utis possidetis was applied. The 1960
UN declaration pronounced that existing colonies and not ethnic groups were eligible for self-determination. 28 The Organization of African Unity declared in 1964 that ‘the borders of African States, on the day of their independence, constitute a tangible reality’. 29 As mentioned above preserving previous
administrative frontiers aims to limit uncertainty and conflict. There were fears
that questioning the legitimacy of any African border could lead to challenges against every African border. 30 But that created ethnically, religiously and
linguistically diverge state entities. Such states exist in other parts of the world
as well. The main threat to their territorial integrity are separationist
movements, often backed by external powers with certain interests. The Tigray
War and the various separationist movements in Myanmar are some examples.
It is common for the state, the referent object of security in cases of
separationist movements, to label, in an act of securitization, the secessionists as
terrorists in order to diminish their legitimacy and justify external support and
intervention. The right to self-determination is enshrined in the UN charter
(Article 1) but is outweighed by territorial integrity. However, international law
has a much more nuance attitude towards secession. According to Allen
Buchanan ‘the consensus among legal scholars at this time is that international
law does not recognize a right to secede in other circumstances, but that it does
28 Zacher, p. 237. 29 Stuart Elden, ‘ Contingent Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity and the Sanctity of Borders’, The SAIS Review of International Affairs, 26.1 (2006), 11-24 (p. 12). 30 Hensel, Allison and Khanani, p. 124.
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