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Minority Rights and Internal Self-Determination

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Abstract

Minority rights in general and the content of self-determination have been examined and discussed. Now, it is time to take a step further and analyse if minority rights are legitimate and just and secondly whether they correspond to rights under internal self-determination.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See also Annex I for a complete overview.

  2. 2.

    For provisions covering the right to existence and identity see paras. 32.2, 32.5, 33 and 34 of the Copenhagen Document. Furthermore, art. 8 (g) and art. 12 of the Language Charter. Also, art. 1, art. 4 (2) and art. 4 (4) of the UN Minority Declaration. Lastly, see art. 5 (1), art. 10 (1) and art. 12 (1) FCNM.

  3. 3.

    For provisions covering the right to language see paras. 32.1, 32.5 and 34 of the Copenhagen Documents. Furthermore, art. 8, art. 9 and art. 10 of the Language Charter. Also, art. 4 (3), art. 4 (4) of the UN Minority Declaration. Lastly, see art. 10 (2), art. 10 (3), art. 11, art. 12 (2), art. 12 (3), art. 14 (1) and art. 14 (2) FCNM.

  4. 4.

    For provisions on the right to cross-frontier contacts see para. 32.4 of the Copenhagen Document, art. 14 of the Language Charter, art. 2 (5) of the UN Minority Declaration and art. 17 FCNM.

  5. 5.

    For provisions on the right to participation see paras. 35.1 and 35.2 of the Copenhagen Document. Furthermore, see art. 12 and art. 13 of the Language Charter. Also, see art. 2 (2), art. 2 (3), art 4 (4), art. 4 (5), art. 5 (1) and art. 5 (2) of the UN Minority Declaration. Lastly, see art. 4 (2), art. 6 (1), art. 12 (1) and art. 15 FCNM.

  6. 6.

    See Sect. 4.2.3 on the criteria for non-binding instruments and Sect. 4.2.4 for an overview over relevant non-binding instruments.

  7. 7.

    For examples on internal support of economic development within a minority see EURAC (2007): Kompetenzanalyse: Minderheiten als Standortfaktor in der deutsch-dänischen Grenzregion, Europäische Akademie, Bozen-Bolzano, pp. 23–26; 33–34.

  8. 8.

    The Geneva Report of Experts speaks of both individual and collective identity. See respectively parts III and IV CSCE (1991) Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities, Geneva 1991 http://www.osce.org/documents/osce/1991/07/14125_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  9. 9.

    The concept of identity described here is based on Fligstein (2008), pp. 127–129 and Delanty and Rumford (2005), pp. 51–54.

  10. 10.

    On the special ‘menu set up’ of the Language Charter see Sect. 3.1.1.

  11. 11.

    No. 7 Economic and Social Council (2005) Res. 2005/79: Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/L.11/Add.8.

  12. 12.

    No. I. 4 High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  13. 13.

    Para. (32) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  14. 14.

    Art. 3 (1) Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  15. 15.

    My italics.

  16. 16.

    This is part of the subjective factor of the minority definition as proposed by Francesco Capotorti. See Sect. 8.1.4.

  17. 17.

    See Sect. 8.2.

  18. 18.

    For the view that differences in ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious matters do not always lead to the creation of national minorities see part II CSCE (1991) Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities, Geneva 1991 http://www.osce.org/documents/osce/1991/07/14125_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  19. 19.

    Cobban (1996), p. 39.

  20. 20.

    de Azcárate (1945), pp. 4–5. For the same opinion see Loper (2011), p. 3.

  21. 21.

    Consider the German minority in Denmark, the Frisians, the Sorbs and the Danish minority in Germany, the Welsh, the Sami and the Swedes in Finland. See the High Commissioner on National Minorities (1996) Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1996/10/2700_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010 on educational rights which repeatedly link language and education.

  22. 22.

    Para. 63 Language Charter (2010) As published in National Minority Standards – A Compilation of OSCE and Council of Europe Texts, Council of Europe-OSCE, Strasbourg, 2007, pp. 241–293. See the High Commissioner on National Minorities (1996) Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1996/10/2700_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010 on educational rights which repeatedly link language and education.

  23. 23.

    Art. 11 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg. The High Commissioner on National Minorities (1998) Oslo Recommendations Regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1998/02/43268_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010 support the use of language in names.

  24. 24.

    Arts. 9–10 LC; art. 10 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  25. 25.

    Note here the assumption that the minority language also is the mother tongue. This assumption recurs in the CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  26. 26.

    Paras. 75–77 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  27. 27.

    For an overview see http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35598&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.

  28. 28.

    Para. 74 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  29. 29.

    Para. 13 Language Charter (2010) As published in National Minority Standards – A Compilation of OSCE and Council of Europe Texts, Council of Europe-OSCE, Strasbourg, 2007, pp. 241–293.

  30. 30.

    See for example § 149 Retsplejeloven (2007) LBK 1262 of 23-10-2007.

  31. 31.

    EURAC (2007): Kompetenzanalyse: Minderheiten als Standortfaktor in der deutsch-dänischen Grenzregion, Europäische Akademie, Bozen-Bolzano, p. 83.

  32. 32.

    See para. 83 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  33. 33.

    High Commissioner on National Minorities (1998) Oslo Recommendations Regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1998/02/43268_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010 address the issue of access to media from abroad in no. 11.

  34. 34.

    The Explanatory Report on the Language Charter discusses this issue but sees the cross-frontier aspect as an opportunity rather than a problem. See para. 125 Language Charter (2010) As published in National Minority Standards – A Compilation of OSCE and Council of Europe Texts, Council of Europe-OSCE, Strasbourg, 2007, pp. 241–293.

  35. 35.

    See art. 17 (2) Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg; Para. (32.6) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  36. 36.

    See Ghai (2005), pp. 4–6.

  37. 37.

    Kaler (1999), pp. 130–131.

  38. 38.

    Kaler (1999), p. 126.

  39. 39.

    Para. (35) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  40. 40.

    Art. 2 (2) General Assembly (93 A.D.) UN Minority Declaration UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  41. 41.

    Art. 15 Explanatory Report to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities - Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe, 2007, pp. 17–35, Strasbourg.

  42. 42.

    See at I. 2) High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  43. 43.

    Introduction High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  44. 44.

    See for example both opinions of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (2000) Opinion on Denmark CoE Doc. ACFC/INF/OP/I(2001)005 and Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (2002) Opinion on Germany CoE Doc. ACFC/INF/OP/I(2002)008.

  45. 45.

    The following examples are taken from part II ‘Participation in Decision-Making’ of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  46. 46.

    Para. 20 Working Group on Minorities (2005) Commentary of the Working Group on Minorities to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2005/2.

  47. 47.

    Para. (35) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  48. 48.

    Merriam-Webster (2014) Effective. http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effective. Accessed 06 May 2014.

  49. 49.

    Merriam-Webster (2010) Effective. http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effective. Accessed 04 June 2010.

  50. 50.

    See for example §30 (1) in connection with §29 of the Danish Grundloven (1953) Lov. nr. 169 of 05 June 1953.

  51. 51.

    See paras. (32.2), (32.6), (36) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  52. 52.

    Art. 4 (5) General Assembly (93 A.D.) UN Minority Declaration UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  53. 53.

    On the Danish minority see § 3 (1) Landeswahlgesetz Schleswig-Holstein (1991) Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt Nr. 19, 1991, 442–456. On the German minority see Bekendtgørelse om Fremme af det Tyske Mindretal i Sønderjyllands Repræsentation m.v. i Haderslevs, Sønderborg, Tønder og Aabenraa Kommuner (2005) Bek. nr 869 af 16/09/2005.

  54. 54.

    Part. II. A.-C. High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  55. 55.

    OSCE/ODIHR (2001) Guidelines to Assist National Minority Participation in the Electoral Process as published http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2001/01/1565_en.pdf. Accessed 04 June 2010.

  56. 56.

    Bloed (1993).

  57. 57.

    Stéphane Pierré Caps (1993) The Participation of Persons Belonging to National Minorities in the Operation of Democratic Institutions CoE Doc. CDL-MIN(1993)002e-restr.

  58. 58.

    European Commission for Democracy Through Law (2008) Report on Dual Voting for Persons Belonging to National Minorities CoE Doc. CDL-AD(2008)013.

  59. 59.

    See the documents by the Independent Expert on Minority Issues Gay McDougal: Independent Expert on Minority Issues (2009) Note by the Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay McDougall, on Minorities and Effective Political Participation UN Doc. HRC/FMI/2009/2 and Independent Expert on Minority Issues (2009) Background Document by the Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay McDougall, on Minorities and Effective Political Participation UN Doc. A/HRC/FMI/2009/3. See also the Draft Recommendations on Minorities and Effective Political Participation by the Forum on Minority Issues, Forum on Minority Issues (2009) Draft Recommendations on Minorities and Effective Political Participation UN Doc. A/HRC/FMI/2009/4. For an overview over UN activities see Forum on Minority Issues (2009) Work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Human Rights Bodies With Regard to Minorities and the Right To Effective Participation UN Doc. A/HRC/FMI/2009/5.

  60. 60.

    Kaler (1999), p. 129. For the same idea see also Esheté (1974), pp. 42–43.

  61. 61.

    For an explicit recognition of this see part I. 1) High Commissioner on National Minorities (1999) Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1999/09/2929_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  62. 62.

    See Sect. 9.2.1.

  63. 63.

    Para. (35) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304 Accessed 06 May 2014.

  64. 64.

    On state distance and state closeness see Sect. 4.1.2.

  65. 65.

    High Commissioner on National Minorities (1996) Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1996/10/2700_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  66. 66.

    For an argument of self-determination as a concept of political participation see Mello (2004), pp. 206–208.

  67. 67.

    Dudar (2012), p. 557.

  68. 68.

    No. 12) High Commissioner on National Minorities (1998) Oslo Recommendations Regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1998/02/43268_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

  69. 69.

    Even stronger formulated, ‘the right to “identity” never includes the right to state-creation.’ See Heintze (2004), p. 293.

  70. 70.

    Klabbers (2006), pp. 202–203.

  71. 71.

    No. 1) High Commissioner on National Minorities (1996) Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities & Explanatory Note http://www.osce.org/documents/hcnm/1996/10/2700_en.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2010.

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    Ulrike Barten

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Barten, U. (2015). Minority Rights and Internal Self-Determination. In: Minorities, Minority Rights and Internal Self-Determination. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08876-1_10

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