UNPO successfully convened its Sixth General Assembly (GA) in Tallinn, Estonia, from 14 - 18 February 2001.

The GA provided a much-needed forum for Members to share their concrete political and human rights experiences through situation reports, present resolutions, and elect new office bearers, including a new General Secretary, Steering Committee members, and chairpersons of the GA. Two observer groups, the Kampuchea Krom and Chinland, were also present to obtain a first-hand experience of UNPO’s workings and lobby for acceptance into the fold.

Delegates expressed profound concern about the critical issues many UNPO Members are currently facing, including but not limited to, population transfer, ethnocide, military occupation, environmental degradation, corporate exploitation, denials to freely express themselves in free and fair elections, and various other violations of their fundamental human rights. Several Members in attendance presented resolutions regarding their current national situation. They were: Acheh, Assyria, Cabinda, Chechnya, Eastern Turkestan and Tibet, Ingrian Finns, Ingushetia, Karenni, Kumyk, Lakota Nation, Nagaland, Ogoni, Rusyn, Shan, South Moluccas, and Zanzibar.

The UNPO GA also elected its new leadership. Senator John Nimrod, representative of Assyria, was elected as GA Chairperson; Mr. Göran Hansson of Scania was elected as First Vice-Chairperson, while Mr. Alexander Kirjanen of Inkeri was unanimously elected as the Second Vice-Chairperson.

The occasion was also marked by the election of the new leadership of the organization. Mr. Erkin Alptekin was unanimously elected as new General Secretary. Mr. Alptekin is an ethnic Uyghur from Eastern Turkestan, who has previously served as GA Chairperson and as a Steering Committee Member. Mr. Alptekin has served as Interim General Secretary since October 1999, and is especially credited for his dedication and able ness to keep UNPO afloat during its critical hours.

Representatives were elected to the Steering Committee, the body mandated by the General Assembly to carry out the policy and governance duties during interim years when the Assembly does not convene. The newly elected Steering Committee members are
Mr. Akhyad Idigov (Chechnya),
Mr. Alexander Okhtov (Circassia),
Mr. Asgar Can (Eastern Turkestan),
Mr. Menelaos Tzelios (Greek Minority in Albania),
Mr. Musaffer Arslan (Iraqi Turkoman),
Chief Germaine Tremmel (Lakota Nation),
Mr. Nikandre Popov (Mari),
Mr. Isak Chishi Swu (Nagalim),
Mr. Ledum Mitee (Ogoni),
Mrs. Frieda Souhuwat (South Moluccas),
Senator Parris Chang (Taiwan),
and Mrs. Chungdak Dawa Koren (Tibet).
Only one additional position has been created, allowing for the improved representation of the large area of the CIS countries, to the great satisfaction of the peoples within this area.

The occasion was also marked by the celebration of the UNPO 10th Anniversary, where distinguished service awards were presented to several individuals in recognition for their vision, dedication, and commitment to UNPO and its principles. Award recipients included Dr. Linnart Mäll (Director, Tartu Coordination Office); Mr. Lodi Gyari (Tibet, founding member); Dr. Parris Chang (President of Steering Committee); Dr. Michael van Walt van Praag (Former General Secretary); Mr. Andres Herkel (Estonia); Ms. Tsering Jampa (former Deputy General Secretary); Ms. Julie Berriault (former Director, Washington D.C Co-ordination Office).
An award was also given in honour and recognition of all the volunteer staff that served UNPO over the past 10 years, as well as to Mr. Erkin Alptekin (former Chairperson and current General Secretary).

The GA was preceded by a conference on the Rights of People focusing on the ways peoples can ensure rights to their own culture, religion, language, and customs.
The GA adopted a Declaration on the Rights of Peoples, a working document to be used as a mechanism to promote the ideas at the core of the conference.

The UNPO International Secretariat in The Hague hereby congratulates the various award recipients, as well as the newly elected leadership and looks forward towards promoting the interests and objectives of our Members under their leadership. We also express our sincere appreciation to the Tartu Office, the Estonian Parliament and the Tallinn city government for their wonderful assistance in organising and sponsoring GA 2001