Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

List of active separatist movements in Africa

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This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Africa. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:

Contents

  1. They are active movements with living, active members.
  2. They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region (as opposed to personal autonomy).
  3. They are the citizen/inhabitants of the conflict area and do not come from another country.

Under each region listed is one or more of the following:

  • De facto state: for regions with de facto autonomy from the government
  • Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding sovereign state
  • Proposed autonomous area: for movements toward greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession
  • Ethnic Group(s): for the ethnic groups made up of the area
  • De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region
  • Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control
  • Political party (or parties): for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession
  • Militant organisation(s): for armed seporatist organisations
  • Advocacy group(s): for non-belligerent, non-politically participatory entities
  • Ethnic/Ethno-religious/Racial/Regional/Religious group (s): for information on what group of people calls for change for each individual movement listed

    • Algeria

    Kabyle

  • Ethnic group: Kabyles
  • Proposed state: Kabylie
  • Political party: Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie
  • Government-in-exile: Provisional Government of Kabylia (Anavad)

    • Angola

    Lunda-Tchokwé

  • Ethnic group: The Lunda-Tchokwé
  • Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Lunda-Tchokwé (República Democrática da Lunda-Tchokwé) (RDLT)
  • Government-in-exile: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
  • Claimant group: Manifesto Jurídico Sociológico do Povo Lunda-Tchokwé (MJSPL), also an Advocacy group
  • Political party: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
  • Traditional Kingdom: Lunda-Tchokwe Kingdom
  • Status: Juridical Fight on ICC
  • Leaders: Dr. Jota Filipe Malakito (The Founder Leader)
  • Movements: Mulher Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé (MULT), Pioneiros Unidos da Lunda-Tchokwé (PULT), Juventude Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé(JULT)
  • News Broadcast: www.diariodomanifestojuridicosociologicodopovolundes.com
  • Vindicating area: The Forgotten Portuguese Protectorate of Lunda (The entire East Part of current Angola) or current North-Lunda, South-Lunda, Moxico and Kuando-Kubango
  • Extension Vindicating area : 602.709 Km2
  • Population : 2.692.723 ( Since the 2014 )

    • Cabinda

  • Ethnic group: Cabindans
  • Proposed state: Republic of Cabinda
  • Government-in-exile: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
  • Political party: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC)
  • Militant organization: Forças Armadas de Cabinda (FAC)

    • Cameroon

    Bakassi Peninsula

  • Ethnic group: Calabars
  • Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Bakassi
  • Pressure group: Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination
  • Militant organization: Bakassi Freedom Fighters

    • Ambazonia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and Organization of Emerging African States)

  • Ethnic group: Southern Cameroons
  • Proposed state: Federal Republic of Southern Cameroon, Ambazonia
  • Political party: Southern Cameroons National Council
  • Pressure group: Southern Cameroon Liberation Movement
  • Militant organisation: Southern Cameroon Peoples Organization

    • Central African Republic

    Northern Muslim regions

  • Ethnic group: Muslims in the Central African Republic
  • Proposed state: Republic of Logone
  • Pressure group and militant organization: Séléka

    • Comoros

  • Anjouan
  • Ethnic group:
  • Proposed state: Anjouan
  • Political parties: Anjouan People's Movement, Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais, Mawana
  • Mohéli
  • Ethnic group:
  • Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Mwali

    • Republic of the Congo

  • South Congo (Brazzaville)
  • Pressure group: Provisional Assembly and governance of the State of South Congo
  • Proposed state: State of South Congo
  • Loango
  • Pressure group: the royal clan "Tchimongo-Lumbu-Tchinkondi"
  • Traditional Kingdom:  Kingdom of Loango

    • Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Bas-Congo
  • Pressure group: Bundu dia Kongo
  • Proposed state: Kingdom of Kongo
  • Katanga
  • Political parties: Union of Independent Federalists and Republicans
  • Militant organizations: Mai Mai Kata Katanga
  • Status: Sporadic violence
  • Kwili, Kivu, Bukavu
  • Proposed state: United Republic of Kivu
  • Status: Insurgency

    • Egypt

    Proposed states:

     Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

  • Religious group: Sunnis
  • Proposed state: Sinai Province

    • Copts

  • Ethnic group: Coptic
  • Proposed state: Coptic State or Coptic Pharaonic Republic
  • Pressure group: Coptic Christians living abroad (Coptic diaspora)

    • Equatorial Guinea

    Bioko

  • Ethnic group: Bubi
  • Proposed state: Bioko Island
  • Pressure group: Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island
  • Status: The indigenous Bubi people are now outnumbered by Fernandinos and Fang immigrants from the mainland.

    • Ethiopia

  • Afar
  • Proposed state: Islamic State of Afaria
  • Political party: Afar Liberation Front
  • Gambela
  • Militant organization: Gambela People's Liberation Front
  • Ogaden (Somali Region)
  • Proposed state: Republic of Ogadenia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) or  Somalia
  • Political party: Ogaden National Liberation Front, Western Somali Liberation Front, Ogaden Republican Army
  • Pressure group: Ogaden Youth Association
  • Oromia
  • Proposed state: Republic of Oromia (also known as Oromia) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
  • Militant organizations: Oromo Independence Movement, Oromo Liberation Front, Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia, Conference of Oromiya Peoples Liberation Front, Oromo Youth Revolutionary Movement (also known as Abiddaa)
  • Pressure group: The National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (also known as Qeerroo)
  • Tigray
  • Proposed state: Independent Republic of Tigray
  • Political party: Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
  • Sidama Zone
  • Proposed state: Republic of Sidama
  • Political party: Sidama Liberation Front

    • France

  • Reunion
    • Secessionist movements:
  • Political party: Lorganizasion Popilèr po Libèr nout Péi (Lplp) – Popular Front for National Liberation: composed of Nasion Rénioné, Mar, Drapo rouz, Patriot rénioné and Mir.
  • Political party: Marxist–Leninist Communist Organisation of Réunion
  • Mayotte continues to have autonomist movements despite the island having voted to become France's 101st department in 2011.

    • Kenya

  • Mombasa
  • Proposed state: Mombasa Republic
  • Political party: Mombasa Republican Council
  • Wajir County, Mandera County, Garissa County (Former North Eastern Province)
  • Proposed state: Western Republic of Somalia

    • Libya

    Proposed states:

     Cyrenaica

  • Ethnic group: Libyan
  • Proposed autonomous area: Semi-autonomous "State of Cyrenaica"
  • Political Groups: Movement for Federal Libya, National Union Party, Cyrenaica Youth Movement
  • Senior Leaders: Dr. Abubakr Buera, Mr.Faraj Kezza, Dr.Azza Huwati, Ms.Najat Obedi, Mr. Mohamed Buisir, Mr. Ahmad Sannusi, Ms.Sarah Ali
  • Youth Leaders: Fathi Agori, Enas AlJazwi, Muheddine Mansuri, Osama Buera, Essa Arabi, Zeid Erragas, Mohamed Ali, Mustafa Orefy, Mabrooka Najm

    •  Toubouland

  • Ethnic group: Toubou
  • Proposed state:  Toubouland
  • Militant organization: Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya

    • Mali

    Azawad

  • Ethnic Groups: Tuareg, as well as Songhai, Fula and Arabs/Moors
  • Proposed state: Azawad
  • Political party: National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
  • Militant organisations: National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad

    • Mauritius

  • Rodrigues

    • Morocco

    De facto states:

    Western Sahara

  • Ethnic group: Sahrawi
  • Proposed state: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
  • De facto state: Free Zone
  • Government-in-exile: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic based in refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
  • Political party: Polisario Front
  • Militant organisation: Sahrawi People's Liberation Army
  • Status: Western Sahara War

    • Proposed states:

    Rif

  • Ethnic group: Riffian
  • Proposed state: Rif
  • Political party: RIM
  • Militant organisation(s) : RIM
  • Rif Independence Movement – occurred in Morocco during the 1920s, and was revitalized in 2013. Rif Independence Movement is a charter member of the Organization of Emerging African States.

    • Namibia

    Caprivi

  • Ethnic Group: Lozi
  • Proposed state: Free State of Caprivi Strip/Itenge
  • Political party: Caprivi African National Union
  • Militant organization: Caprivi Liberation Army

    • Niger

    Agadez

  • Ethnic Group: Tuareg
  • Proposed state: Agadez
  • Militant organization: Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Sahara
  • Political parties: Taniminnak Tidot N Tenere, Tidot Union of Tenere
  • Proposed state: Akal N Tenere, Tenere Republic

    • Nigeria

    Sharia law in Nigeria

  • Ethnic group: Nigerian Muslims, mostly Hausa and Fulani
  • Proposed state: Arewa Republic

    • Biafra

  • Ethnic group: Igbo
  • Proposed state: Republic of Biafra (defunct)
  • National Liberation Movement: Bilie Human Rights Initiative
  • Political party: Biafran Congress Party .BCP., Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra,
  • Separatist movements: The Indigenous People of Biafra, Biafra Zionist Movement, Biafra Rebirth
  • Government in exile: Biafran Government in exile
  • Radio News Broadcast: www.radiobiafra.co, www.peopleofbiafra.org, www.biafragalaxy.com

    • Niger Delta

  • Ethnic group: Ijaw
  • Proposed state: Niger Delta Republic
  • Militant organization: Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force

    • Ogoni

  • Ethnic group: Ogoni
  • Political party: Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People

    • Oduduwa

  • Ethnic group: Yoruba
  • Proposed state: Oduduwa Republic of the Yorubas
  • Political party: Oodua Peoples Congress

    • Rwanda

  •  Batwaland (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
  • Ethnic group: Twa
  • Proposed state:  Batwaland
  • Political party: Association for the Promotion of Batwa

    • Senegal

    Casamance

  • Ethnic group: Diola
  • Proposed state: Casamance
  • Militant organization: Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance

    • Somalia

     Somaliland

  • Ethnic group: Somali
  • De facto state:  Somaliland
  • Political organisations: Government of Somaliland
  • Militant organization: Somaliland Armed Forces

    • South Africa

    Boer/Afrikaner homeland

  • Ethnic group: Afrikaners
  • Proposed state: Volkstaat, (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
  • Political Party: National Conservative Party of South Africa , Freedom Front Plus
  • Pressure group: Orania Movement

    • Western Cape

  • Proposed State: Western Cape or Western Cape, Northern Cape and parts Eastern Cape and Free State.
  • Political Party: Cape Party

    • South Sudan

    Nuerland

  • Ethnic Group: Nuer
  • Militant organization: Nuer White Army, SPLA-Nasir (1991 - 1994)
  • Status: Ongoing insurgency

    • Spain

     Canary Islands (Main article: Canarian nationalism)

  • Ethnic group: Canarians
  • Political parties (autonomist): Coalición Canaria, Partido Nacionalista Canario, Centro Canario Nacionalista, Nueva Canarias
  • Political parties (secessionist): FREPIC-AWAÑAK, Alternativa Nacionalista Canaria, Alternativa Popular Canaria, Unidad del Pueblo, Inekaren
  • Youth movement: Azarug
  • Proposed state: Canary Islands (sometimes also Western Sahara and Tamazgha)

    • Sudan

    Darfur

  • Ethnic group: Fur, Zaghawe, Masalit
  • Proposed state: Darfur
  • Militant organization: Darfur Liberation Front
  • Status: War in Darfur

    • Eastern Front

  • Ethnic group: Beja, Rashaida
  • Militant organization: Beja Congress, Rashaida Free Lions

    • Tanzania

    Zanzibar

  • Ethnic group: Swahili
  • Proposed state:  Zanzibar
  • Political party: Civic United Front (member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), Uamsho

    • Uganda

    Buganda

  • Ethnic group: Ganda
  • Proposed state: Kingdom of Buganda
  • De facto autonomous area: Kingdom of Buganda
  • Youth movement: Buganda Youth Movement

    • Rwenzururu

  • Ethnic group: Konjo people
  • Proposed state: Yiira Republic

    • Zambia

    Barotse

  • Ethnic Group: Lozi
  • Proposed state: Barotseland
  • Militant organization: Barotse Patriotic Front

    • Zimbabwe

    Matabeleland

  • Ethnic Group: Matabele
  • Proposed state: Matabeleland, Mthwakazi Free State
  • Militant organization: Mthwakazi Liberation Front (M.L.F.)
  • Political party: Matabeleland Freedom Party

    • References

    List of active separatist movements in Africa Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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