The right to self-determination of peoples , or the right of self-determination of peoples, is the right of a people to decide its own form of government, to pursue its economic, social and cultural development, and to structure itself freely without external interference under the principle of equality.
Charter (articles 2-9), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in its article 1 , the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in its article 1 , and even in United Nations Resolution 2625 of 24 October 1970.
This Resolution contemplates this right, but it is recognized for spam database the population of States, trusts and non-autonomous territories , noting, in this same sense, that such right does not authorize or encourage "any action aimed at breaking or undermining, totally or partially, the territorial integrity of sovereign and independent States (...) endowed with a government that represents the totality of the people belonging to the territory, without distinction as to race, creed or color."
That is to say, the right of self-determination of peoples is limited /conditioned and a series of circumstances must occur in order to exercise it since the reason for this right is found in the process of decolonization.
The principle of free self-determination of peoples
This principle appears both in the Charter and in UN Resolution 2625. It is an almost exhausted principle since it was used for the decolonization process. Along with this principle is the principle of the territorial integrity of peoples.
"The right of self-determination of peoples is conditional, not absolute."
Thus, when the right of self-determination of peoples was developed, there were problems in establishing an adequate framework so that the territorial integrity of the peoples was not undermined. The territory of the colony had to be separated from the territory of the mother country. Legally, the colony does not form part of the territory of the mother country.
Non-colonial peoples
The problem lies with non-colonial peoples. Resolution 2625 allows the exercise of this right to the peoples of any State. But an assessment must be made of the political situation of the peoples and the democratic attitude of the State in which they are located. The State cannot discriminate against one of the peoples; it must respect their traditions, language, culture, beliefs and they must have access to the political institution of the State.