The UN Special Committee on Decolonisation
The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24) is the principal UN body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. The RSNB-GIE has submitted petitions to the C-24 requesting that the case of North Borneo / Sabah be placed back on the Committee's agenda as an unresolved decolonisation matter.
The Argument for Re-listing
North Borneo was removed from the UN list of non-self-governing territories in 1963, on the basis that it had achieved self-government through its inclusion in Malaysia. The RSNB-GIE argues that this removal was premature and based on a flawed decolonisation process, and that the territory should be re-listed so that a proper exercise of self-determination can be conducted under UN supervision.
Engagement with UN Special Procedures
In addition to the C-24, the RSNB-GIE has engaged with UN Special Rapporteurs on Indigenous Peoples' Rights, on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights while countering Terrorism, and on the human rights situation in Malaysia. These submissions document the ongoing violations of Sabahan rights and build the evidentiary record for future legal proceedings.