Peaceful Group Accommodation as an Alternative to Secession in Sovereign States

Abstract

International opinion is presently strongly divided on the issue of self-determination. Some look at it favourably, seeing it as a constructive way for groups to obtain control over their own fate and preserve their identity. Focusing on the plight of vulnerable peoples who have been subject to persistent discrimination, and whose language and culture have been neglected and their self-esteem destroyed, adherents of the right to self-determination see it as a recipe for dignity and restoration of rectitude. While recognizing that violence is often associated with claims of self-determination, supporters of such claims might argue that conflicts arise not because the people demand their right to self-determination, but because of those who deny them their right.