Subject: Conf on Self-determination report
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 1998 09:57:54 -0500
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>CONFERENCE ON
SELF-DETERMINATION: CONCLUSIONS 27 November, 1998 from m.win@elmshorn.netsurf.de
Betreff: Conlcusions on Self determination and Conflict prevention Datum: Freitag, 27.
November 1998 21:07
The participants to the expert international Conference on
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO CONFLICT
PREVENTION, which took place in Barcelona on 21 to 27 November 1998
reached the following CONCLUSIONS after extensive and profound debate:
The principle and fundamental right to self-determination of all peoples is firmly
established in international law, including human rights law, and must be applied equally
and universally.
The peaceful implementation of the right to self-determination in its broad sense is a
key contribution to the prevention and resolution of conflicts, especially those which
involve contending interests of existing states and peoples, including indigenous peoples,
and minority communities. In this respect it is important to understand self-determination
as an ongoing process of choice for the achievement of human security and fulfillment of
human needs with a broad scope of possible outcomes and expressions suited to different
specific situations. These can include, but are not limited to, guarantees of cultural
security, forms of self-governance and autonomy, economic self-reliance, effective
participation at the international level, land rights and the ability to care for the
natural environment, spiritual freedom and the various forms that ensure the free
expression and protection of collective identity in dignity.
Self-determination is achieved by fully participatory democratic processes among the
people who are seeking the realisation of self-determination, including referenda where
appropriate. Effective prevention of conflicts must be pro-active and requires immediate
and committed action. It is imperative to prevent all actions by any relevant actors,
which include governments, international and other organizations, individuals and
corporations, which may result in the denial of the exercise of the right to
self-determination, such as demographic aggression or manipulation, cultural assimilation
and the destruction of the natural environment of importance to the survival of peoples.
The development of a universal sense of respect for cultural and national diversity and
a deeper understanding of self-determination is essential to the promotion of peace in all
parts of the world. In order to foster this culture of self-determination, special
attention should be given to the potential positive role of the media and to the
development of self-determination education and its inclusion in human rights education.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Conference recommends
To the United Nations:
to pro-actively engage itself in the prevention and resolution of conflicts involving
states and peoples or minority communities. In doing so the United Nations should respect
and promote the implementation of self-determination in the broad sense affirmed by this
conference, as a means to advance peace with justice;
to create an effective mechanism within the United Nations to assist in the resolution
of self-determination claims and conflicts;
to create a permanent forum of peoples within the United Nations system which would
have consultative status with the UN.
To UNESCO:
to undertake further work on the right to self-determination and to consider preparing
special publications on the subject;
to place special emphasis on the positive role of self-determination within the
framework of its programmes of the culture of peace, democratisation and cultural
pluralism and to incorporate this in UNESCO´s national programs of culture of peace and
reconciliation.
To Intergovernmental and Regional Organisations:
To place self-determination on the agenda of those organizations and to take account of
the work of the United Nations on the rights of indigenous peoples and include them in
their activities.
To Non-governmental Organisations:
To promote the right to self-determination, support those peoples struggling for its
implementation and to raise specific cases before the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights and other appropriate fora.
THE CONFERENCE DECIDES:
To promote the utilization of existing mechanisms of the United Nations and other
organizations to promote a better understanding and broader application of the right to
self-determination in an effort to promote peace and justice and, in particular,
- to raise the question of self-determination and the issues discussed at this and
future conferences at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
- in order to build on and continue the work of this Conference, to create an expert
working group on self-determination which would meet every year before the discussion by
the UN Commission on Human Rights of its agenda item relating to self-determination.
To organise regional meetings on self-determination and related subjects.
To explore the possibility of publishing a periodical publication on self-determination
and legitimacy of states.
To create an E-mail list of the conference participants to maintain communication among
them on developments in the field of self-determination and to exchange useful documents
on the subject.
These Conclusions and Recommendations will be transmitted to the Secretary General of
the United Nations, the Director General of UNESCO, the Chairperson of the UN Commission
on Human Rights, the Chairperson of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, and will
be published as part of the final report of the Conference.
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