By: M. Yusuf Daud

The Jakarta Post, November 27, 1999
Editorial and Opinion

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (JP): The struggle of the oppressed peoples of the world for their right to self-determination has often been overshadowed by the notion of so-called "territorial integrity" and the principle of noninterference in the "internal affairs" of a sovereign state.

The chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) read out a statement during the recent summit in Istanbul,Turkey,expressing deep concern about the terrible situation in Chechnya, but at the same time strongly supporting the "territorial integrity" of the Russian Federation.

In response to Acehnese demands for a referendum to determine their own future, many Indonesian ministers and top politicians have bluntly echoed the importance of preserving the "territorial integrity" of Indonesia through any means. Is territorial integrity so sacrosanct it legitimizes the use of force against innocent civilians in order to prevent a territory from breaking away?

The territorial integrity of a state is recognized by international law. But human rights, including the right to self-determination, are also an integral part of international law and by definition must be the legitimate concern of the international community. It is also a cardinal principle of international law that the legitimacy of a state's control over a territory depends on how it acquired that territory.

In the case of Aceh, the territory was unlawfully occupied by the Dutch and then handed over to the newly created Republic of Indonesi