ABSTRACT

This article considers the case of the NM Cherry Blossom, a bulk carrier that docked in South Africa loaded with phosphate cargo from Western Sahara. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic argued that the phosphate cargo was pillaged from the non-self-governing territory, and a South African court set out to determine ownership. This article analyses South Africa’s recognition of the Sahrawi state’s sovereignty as it pertains to determining the ownership of the phosphate in question. This recognition subsequently creates legal and political possibilities based on sovereignty that is not mediated through or reliant upon the United Nations. I argue that we must attend to jurisdictional histories and contexts in order to consider the scope of new political possibilities for decolonisation struggles.

摘要

本文以 NM Cherry Blossom 为例，这是一艘停靠在南非的散货船，装载来自西撒哈拉的磷酸盐货物。撒哈拉阿拉伯民主共和国辩称，磷酸盐货物是从非自治领土掠夺的，南非法院着手确定所有权。本文分析了南非对撒哈拉国家主权的承认，因为它与确定相关磷酸盐的所有权有关。这种承认随后创造了基于主权的法律和政治可能性，而不是通过联合国调解或依赖联合国。我认为，我们必须关注司法历史和背景，以便考虑非殖民化斗争的新政治可能性的范围。