Calling for a special UN mechanism on minorities

12 April 2002

Dear Mr Chairman,

I speak on behalf of Minority Rights Group International (MRG) and the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR). This year is the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. In 1992, this document represented a major step forward for minority rights, bringing together for the first time, in a universal standard, a body of globally accepted minority rights. Three years later, the United Nations set up the Working Group on Minorities, which has since carried out crucial work in reviewing the implementation of the Declaration, and proposing measures for the protection of minority rights.

To strengthen this work, MRG and IMADR are calling on the Commission on Human Rights to establish a voluntary trust fund to facilitate the attendance of minority representatives at the Working Group. These representatives make an essential contribution to the Working Group, rooting the discussions in the day-to-day realities which they experience. Furthermore, MRG and IMADR call on all states who have not already done so, to issue a standing invitation to all mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights to visit their country. We also encourage all of the Commission's mechanisms to pay particular attention to the situation of minorities in their work.

The fact is, the situation of minorities is still grave. In addition to suffering from social and economic exclusion and violations of the full range of human rights, minorities are directly affected by violent conflict to a disproportionate degree. As past experience has shown, the existing mechanisms of the Commission have not been able to draw the attention of the UN Secretariat and Security Council effectively to the dangers of violent conflict engulfing minorities. As MRG's new Briefing on Minorities and Conflict Prevention states, "The Secretariat’s failure to act on information from a special procedure of the Commission resulted in what has been referred to by the UN itself as the ‘preventable genocide’ of 1994 in Rwanda". (1)

We are therefore calling on the Commission to appoint a Special Representative of the Secretary General on Minorities. We believe that such a mechanism, due to its proximity to the decision-making bodies in New York, will be able to draw their attention to situations of tension involving minorities which present a risk of escalating into violent conflict. The mechanism would also engage in preventive diplomacy in situations of tension or systematic human rights violations involving minorities, with a view to promoting a peaceful resolution of the issues.

Indeed, Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking at this session of the Commission, stated that "what happened on the 11th of September has not diminished the importance of your agenda, but, if anything, increased it. The need for effective mechanisms to protect minorities and other vulnerable groups is as great now as it has ever been." Furthermore, in his new report submitted under this agenda item, he states that "the view has been gaining ground that the effective protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities is an essential element of efforts to prevent conflict", and intensifies his call for the United Nations "to move from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention". He further suggests that the Commission may, in accordance with the recommendations of the Sub-Commission(2) , give consideration to "the possible appointment of a special rapporteur on minority issues", and the "establishment of a voluntary trust fund" for the Working Group on Minorities. (3)

Thank you, Mr Chairman.

(1) MRG Briefing: "Minorities and Conflict Prevention: The Case for a Special Representative", March 2002

(2) Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Resolution 2001/9

(3) "Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities – Report of the Secretary-General", E/CN.4/2002/91