Implementation Meeting on Human Dimension Issues, Warsaw, 26 October - 6 November 1998

1 October 1999

Mr Chairman,

Over the last two weeks, Minority Rights Group International (MRG) has contributed a little to the dynamic debate on minorities with six interventions. The topics have ranged from specific minorities, such as ethnic Albanians in Kosova and the Roma and Sinti, to thematic issues such as gender awareness in minority issues and the need for a greater coherence and cooperation between institutions. Other perspectives have included the way in which NGOs can help span inter-community divides, and the importance of human rights information and training, so that the rights agreed internationally can be owned locally.

Throughout these presentations there have been two underlying themes, the need for a full strategic review of how the OSCE considers minority issues, and the need to ensure greater participation of minorities in structures of governance and in civil society as a whole.

These interventions on their own - and we might suggest, the meeting as a whole - are of little value, unless we place these in the wider context of promoting human rights in the public domain as a long-term process. How can we accomplish this?

There may be a number of ways, some of which are already under way. The presence of a significant number of genuinely independent NGOs and scholars in governmental delegations (or whose attendance has been subsidized by governments) is already supporting this process.

The Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has set a very good standard, encouraging the attendance of NGOs and providing equal opportunities for speaking. Their efforts, with those of others, have seen a substantial participation of Roma, though there have not been many other minorities present.

There may be lessons that can be learnt from the ‘Advocacy Training’ that MRG organizes in cooperation with the United Nations, and also at the Council of Europe, to ensure that minority communities can take advantage of their mechanisms and meetings. The training helps develop an understanding of how to promote a case constructively, and provides an opportunity for participants to receive advice on how key issues can be taken home for further dialogue. It also provides an opportunity for minority NGOs to come to these meetings and learn from positive experiences, and offers a degree of institutional protection in certain critical situations.

The Nordic statement made by Finland yesterday, and the violence suffered by an NGO participant earlier this week, remind us how important institutional protection can be.

It is an irony that international meetings can provide a valuable forum for local minority groups and governments to meet each other for the first time; it is important that this is a beginning and not an end. The frank talking here by some minority groups is a good sign of democratic engagement, though some of the stereotyped rights of reply and replies to rights of reply between a few states are not helpful, particularly if these states are always talking and teaching rather than listening and learning. Similarly, the presence of a few GONGOs, (Government Organized ‘NGOs’) is obvious to all and contributes nothing to the dialogue or the engagement of civil society.

Cyprus has been one of the hottest issues for verbal conflict here. We will not enter into the debate on Cyprus now, but offer to provide copies of our recent MRG report on Cyprus to those who are eager to identify opportunities and recommendations for constructive engagement. Summaries of this are available outside.

A critical intervention was made on the situation of the Roma in Greece by our local partner organization, to which the Greek government made a very honest and constructive reply. MRG would like to congratulate the Greek government for opening up a real dialogue and we look forward to that dialogue continuing locally and hearing more about progress next year.

In conclusion, Mr Chairman:

As an outsider it does seem that the distance between ODIHR in Warsaw and the OSCE centre in Vienna is a serious problem and that more effective measures are needed to ensure that there is a continuity of personnel and ideas. The planned roundtables in Vienna can give a continuity to issues such as freedom of religion, Roma and Sinti initiatives, and to mainstreaming gender and minority issues throughout the OSCE formal structure, but this is not enough.

MRG is convinced that now is a very good time for two initiatives.

First, a strategic review by the OSCE on its approach towards minority rights and inter-community relations.

Second, specific plans by ODIHR (inter alia) to take forward a dialogue within states on effective participation. These should involve the OSCE, governments, minority communities and civil society generally.

Thank you, Mr Chairman.