International Territorial Administration

This is the first comprehensive treatment of the reasons why international organizations have engaged in territorial administration. The book describes the role of international territorial administration and analyses the various purposes associated with this activity, revealing the objectives which territorial administration seeks to achieve.

The international community's practice of administering territories in post-conflict environments has raised important legal questions. Using Kosovo as a case study, Bernhard Knoll analyses the identity of the administrating UN organ, the ways in which the territories under consideration have acquired partial subjectivity in international law and the nature of legal obligations in the fiduciary exercise of transitional administration developed within the League of Nations' Mandate and the UN Trusteeship systems. Knoll discusses Kosovo's internal political and constitutional order and notes the absence of some of the characteristics normally found in liberal democracies, before proposing that the UN consolidates accountability guidelines related to the protection of human rights and the development of democratic standards should it engage in the transitional administration of territory.

Drawing on the context in which the administration of territory by international actors has resurfaced, and on the legal framework applicable to post-conflict administrations and peace-building operations, this book analyses the practice of the reconstruction processes in Kosovo, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Security Detention in International Territorial Administrations examines several intricate and overlapping legal questions stemming from security detention practices in a post-conflict environment.

This book analyzes in a comparative way how, and to what extent, the constitutional documents governing territories administered by international organizations (the League of Nations, the UN with the OSCE, and the EU) have provided institutional prerequisites for democratic governance. Territories covered are the Free City of Danzig, the Saar Territory, the Territory of Leticia, the City of Jerusalem, the Free Territory of Trieste, the Congo, West Irian, South West Africa/ Namibia, Cambodia, Somalia, the City of Mostar, Eastern Slavonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the District of Brcko, East Timor, and Kosovo. The book begins by discussing problematic issues in international territorial administration, such as evident in the problem of the delineation of the international personality of the territories, the applicability of the concept of democracy, and the enforceability of human rights. It continues by describing the legal framework for democratic governance by delineating the scope of the authority of governance conferred upon international organizations (and/or former states) and local institutions. It applies a framework for democratic governance to the constitutional documents by analyzing to what extent they reflect basic principles of democracy, such as the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary and the principle of popular sovereignty. The documents are also compared as to provision of mechanisms of accountability and judicial review, political rights, and special participation rights for minorities in institutionalized decision-making processes. Finally, the book proposes ways by which governance in territories administered by international organizations can be democratized, such as by an increased transfer of powers and increased possibilities for popular participation in the government of the territory as well as by modifications to the institutional structures governing the territories.

This book offers an original and insightful analysis of the human rights inadequacies that arise in the practice of UN territorial administration by analysing and assessing the practice of UNMIK. It provides arguments based on law and principles to support the thesis that a comprehensive legal framework governing the activities of the UN mission is a crucial prerequisite for its proper functioning. This is complemented by a discussion of several emerging issues surrounding the UN activity on the ground, namely, its legislative, judicial, and executive power. The author offers an extensive and well-documented analysis of the UN’s capacity as a surrogate state administration to respond to the needs of the governed population and, above all, protect its fundamental rights. Based on her findings, Murati concludes that only a comprehensive mandate can serve the long term interests of the international community’s objective to efficiently promote, protect, and fulfil human rights in a war-torn society. UN Territorial Administration and Human Rights provides a detailed critical legal analysis of one of the major UN administrations of territory after the Cold War, namely, the UN administration of Kosovo from 1999 to 2008. The analysis in this book will be beneficial to international law and international relations scholars and students, as well as policymakers and persons working for international organisations. The analysis and the lessons learned through this study shed light on the challenges entailed in governing territories and rebuilding state institutions while upholding the rule of law and ensuring respect for human rights.

Forms of international administration -- International administration in practice -- Critical issues for international administrations -- Enhancing international administration.