The Principality of Kaharagia affirms, without reservation, its commitment to the declarative theory of statehood, as set out in the Montevideo Convention of 1933. We hold that a sovereign state is defined by four essential elements: a permanent population, a defined territory, a functioning government, and the capacity to engage in diplomatic relations with other states. Crucially, this theory allows for sovereignty to exist independently of external recognition— a principle that underpins Kaharagia’s own standing in the world.
However, we view the so-called Sovereign Citizen movement as a fundamental distortion of that principle.
Adherents of this movement frequently invoke the concept of sovereignty not in order to build functioning institutions or contribute to the public good, but to evade basic legal responsibilities. These often include refusing to register vehicles, obtain driving licences, pay taxes, or comply with court orders. Such actions reflect no serious investment in the duties of sovereignty—only a desire to benefit from its rhetoric while rejecting its obligations.
In essence, they claim the privileges of sovereignty while shirking the burdens and responsibilities it demands.
Misuse of Historical Terms: “Moors” and Morocco
any within the movement base their claims on historical misconceptions, most notably through assertions of identity as “Moorish” sovereigns. The term Moor is not the name of any historical nation, tribe, or ethnicity. It is an exonym—a word imposed by European powers to describe a wide variety of Muslim peoples in North Africa and Iberia during the medieval and early modern periods. Like the term “barbarian,” it was externally applied, imprecise, and often derogatory.
Some individuals now attempt to retroactively link this term to the modern Kingdom of Morocco, claiming descent and sovereign status through a misappropriated narrative. In doing so, they disregard the region’s true and deeply rooted heritage—in particular, the cultural identities of Moroccan Arabs (al-Maghribiyin) and the Amazigh peoples (Imazighen, in Tamazight), who together form the rich historical fabric of Morocco.
Such claims are not only factually unfounded but disrespectful to the communities whose heritage is being selectively and inaccurately used.
Kaharagia’s Position
The Principality of Kaharagia has no association whatsoever with the Sovereign Citizen movement or any of its ideological offshoots, including those claiming Moorish identity as a basis for fabricated sovereignty. These movements undermine genuine efforts at self-determination and discredit the serious legal and historical foundations upon which legitimate sovereignty is built.
True sovereignty entails more than words. It demands organisation, truthfulness, and an unwavering commitment to responsible governance.
We therefore stand firmly against any ideology that misuses the concept of sovereignty to promote misinformation, avoid legal responsibility, or appropriate the legacy of real nations and peoples.