978-1-4222-3430-3

Chapter Four

The International Decades for the Eradication of Colonialism In the late 1980s, the Special Committee on Decolonization decided something must be done to encourage the continuing process of helping Non-Self-GoverningTerritories become independent. Although many former colonies either had become independent nations—and members of the United Nations—or had freely chosen to associate themselveswithother countries,theprocess had stalled.Progress toward self-determination in the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories had slowed dramatically, with little being done by the administering powers to help the territories work toward independence.The Special Committee suggested that a renewed emphasis on self-determination for all peoples would help reenergize the process. Wo r d s t o U n d e r s ta n d eradication : complete elimination of something so that it cannot recur or return. implement : to put something into action. referendum : vote on an issue.

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Chapter Four