Dr. Pieter Mulder, leier van die Vryheidsfront Plus, vergesel deur mnr. Andre Fourie, Vryheidsfront Plus-stadsraadslid in Kaapstad, vertrek hierdie week na Genève Switserland om UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) se tweejaarlikse Kongres by te woon. Dr. Mulder is by die vorige kongres tot ‘n dagbestuurslid van die organisasie verkies.
Die VF Plus gaan terselfdertyd die Verenigde Nasies se Forum vir Minderheidsaangeleenthede, wat voor die kongres plaasvind, bywoon. Die Forum is deur die Verenigde Nasies (VN) se Raad vir Menseregte ingestel om spesifiek aandag aan etniese-, godsdienstige- en taalminderhede se probleme in die wêreld te gee.
Vanjaar se sitting van die Forum het as onderwerp die praktiese implementering van die VN se Verklaring oor die Regte van Persone wat deel is van minderhede. (Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities – aangeheg.)
Daar word verwag dat die Forum meer spesifieke aandag aan minderhede in Afrika gaan gee aangesien die president van die VN se Menseregteraad vir me. Soyata Maiga as voorsitter van vanjaar se Forum aangewys het. Me Maiga is ‘n lid van die Afrika Kommissie vir Menseregte.
Die Forum vind op Dinsdag en Woensdag (27 en 28 November) in die Verenigde Nasies se hoofkantoor (Palais des Nations) in Genève Switserland plaas.
“Die Vryheidsfront Plus glo dat alle geleenthede om die posisie van minderhede in Suid Afrika internasionaal te bespreek, benut moet word,” het dr. Pieter Mulder, VF Plus-leier gesê. Daarom ondersteun die Vryheidsfront Plus ook die poging van Flip Buys, Michael le Cordeur, Henry Jeffreys en Koos Malan om die Afrikaanse taalkwessie by die Interparlementêre Kommissie van die Taalunie in Den Haag te gaan stel.
Die Vryheidsfront Plus het juis in Junie vanjaar suksesvolle gesprekke en samesprekings gevoer by die Europese Unie Parlement in Strasbourg met ‘n verskeidenheid van minderheidspartye. Die gesprekke het gegaan oor minderheidsregte soos taal en kultuur asook oor regstellende aksie en plaasmoorde in Suid-Afrika. Die VF beplan om hierdie sake nou weer in Genève onder die aandag van die internasionale gemeenskap te bring.
“Internasionaal erkende begrippe soos selfbeskikking, groeps-, gemeenskaps- en minderheidsregte is moderne politieke begrippe waaroor normale debat in veral Europa en die VN-raadsale gevoer word. In Suid Afrika word dit ongelukkig steeds deur groter politieke partye as polities nie-korrek afgemaak en met apartheid geassosieer,” volgens Mulder.
DR. PIETER MULDER
Kontaknommers: 082 674 6670; 082 777 0202; 082 472 0189
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
Adopted by General Assembly resolution 47/135 of 18 December 1992
The General Assembly.
Reaffirming that one of the basic aims of the United Nations, as proclaimed in the Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
Desiring to promote the realization of the principles contained in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other relevant international instruments that have been adopted at the universal or regional level and those concluded between individual States Members of the United Nations,
Inspired by the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Considering that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities contribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live,
Emphasizing that the constant promotion and realization of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as an integral part of the development of society as a whole and within a democratic framework based on the rule of law, would contribute to the strengthening of friendship and cooperation among peoples and States,
Considering that the United Nations has an important role to play regarding the protection of minorities,
Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations system, in particular by the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the bodies established pursuant to the International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Taking into account the important work which is done by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in protecting minorities and in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Recognizing the need to ensure even more effective implementation of international human rights instruments with regard to the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Proclaims this Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:
Article 1
1. States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.
2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve those ends.
Article 2
1. Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging to minorities) have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any form of discrimination.
2. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and public life.
3. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to which they belong or the regions in which they live, in a manner not incompatible with national legislation.
4. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain their own associations.
5. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain, without any discrimination, free and peaceful contacts with other members of their group and with persons belonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national or ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.
Article 3
1. Persons belonging to minorities may exercise their rights, including those set forth in the present Declaration, individually as well as in community with other members of their group, without any discrimination.
2. No disadvantage shall result for any person belonging to a minority as the consequence of the exercise or non-exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declaration.
Article 4
1. States shall take measures where required to ensure that persons belonging to minorities may exercise fully and effectively all their human rights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination and in full equality before the law.
2. States shall take measures to create favourable conditions to enable persons belonging to minorities to express their characteristics and to develop their culture, language, religion, traditions and customs, except where specific practices are in violation of national law and contrary to international standards.
3. States should take appropriate measures so that, wherever possible, persons belonging to minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their mother tongue or to have instruction in their mother tongue.
4. States should, where appropriate, take measures in the field of education, in order to encourage knowledge of the history, traditions, language and culture of the minorities existing within their territory. Persons belonging to minorities should have adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the society as a whole.
5. States should consider appropriate measures so that persons belonging to minorities may participate fully in the economic progress and development in their country.
Article 5
1. National policies and programmes shall be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.
2. Programmes of cooperation and assistance among States should be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.
Article 6
States should cooperate on questions relating to persons belonging to minorities, inter alia, exchanging information and experiences, in order to promote mutual understanding and confidence.
Article 7
States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set forth in the present Declaration.
Article 8
1. Nothing in the present Declaration shall prevent the fulfilment of international obligations of States in relation to persons belonging to minorities. In particular, States shall fulfil in good faith the obligations and commitments they have assumed under international treaties and agreements to which they are parties.
2. The exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prejudice the enjoyment by all persons of universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.
3. Measures taken by States to ensure the effective enjoyment of the rights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prima facie be considered contrary to the principle of equality contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4. Nothing in the present Declaration may be construed as permitting any activity contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations, including sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence of States.
Article 9
The specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system shall contribute to the full realization of the rights and principles set forth in the present Declaration, within their respective fields of competence.
Фільчаков Олександр Васильович прокурор
