2015-10-30 15:13:00

Holy See at OSCE on protection of national minorities


(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the OSCE has given a speech during a meeting on the protection of national minorities. It is reproduced below.

 

STATEMENT BY MSGR. JANUSZ URBAŃCZYK,

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOLY SEE,

AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING

ON THE OSCE CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROTECTION OF

NATIONAL MINORITIES

Vienna, 29 October 2015

Working Session 1:

25 years after the adoption of the Copenhagen Document

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

The  Holy  See  follows  with  great  interest  the  work  of  the  High

Commissioner on National Minorities in her  all-important  mandate to  “provide

‘early warning’ and, as appropriate, ‘early action’ at the earliest possible stage

in  regard  to  tensions  involving  national  minority  issues   which  …  have  the

potential to develop into a conflict within the OSCE area”. In fact, the question

of national minorities continues  to assume notable importance. Consequently, it

constitutes a matter for careful reflection on the part of political and religious

leaders and all men and women of good will.

 

As communities which take their origin from different  ethnic, cultural,

linguistic  and  religious  stock,  national  minorities  exist  in  almost  all  societies

today. Some go  back very far in time, others are of recent origin. The situations

in  which  they  live  are  so  diverse  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  draw  up  a

complete picture of them. On the one hand,  there are groups, even very small

ones,  which  are  able  to  preserve  and  affirm  their  own  identity  and  are  well

integrated  within  the  societies  to  which  they  belong.  In  some  cases,  such

minority  groups  even  succeed  in  exercising  a  great  influence  on  the  political,

economic, social and cultural life  of their countries. On the other hand,  one sees

national minorities which exert no influence and do not fully enjoy their rights

and freedoms, but rather find themselves in situations of suffering and distress.

This can lead them either to passive resignation or to unrest and even rebellion.

Neither  marginalization  nor  violence,  however,  represents  the  proper  path  for

creating conditions of true peace, justice and stability.

 

In this context, my Delegation wishes to draw attention to two principles

that should  always  be kept in mind  when dealing with  national minorities.  The

first one is the inherent dignity of every human person, irrespective of his or her

ethnic, cultural or national origin, or religious belief. Individuals do not exist for

themselves alone, but achieve their full identity in relation to others. They  do

indeed  have  a  right  to  a  collective  identity  that  must  be  safeguarded,  in

accordance with the dignity of each member. The second one is the fundamental

unity of the human race  by virtue of which national communities  –  whether or

not they are majority communities – enjoy that same inherent dignity.

 

The  existence  of  national  minorities,  however,  raises  the  question  of

their specific rights and duties. The first and obvious right of minorities is the

one  to exist. This  can be ignored in many ways,  even to  being denied  through

overt  or  indirect  forms  of  extinction  or  marginalization.  Secondly,  national

minorities  have the right to  preserve and develop their own culture, including

their  language.  In  this  respect,  education,  through  parental  transmission  of

language  and cultural identity to their children,  plays an essential role. Thirdly,

the  right  to  religious  freedom  applies  to  all  individuals,  as  well  as  to

communities.  Consequently,  national  minorities  should  be  free  to  profess  and

practice  their  religion,  including  the  freedom  to  worship  as  a  community.

Finally, they should also be guaranteed a legitimate freedom of exchange and

contact with groups having a common  heritage,  even if they live in the territory

of another State.

 

As  every right carries with it corresponding duties,  members of national

minorities also have duties towards  the  society and the State in which they live.

In the first place,  they have the duty to work, like all citizens, for the common

good of the State in which they live. Secondly, a minority group has the duty to

promote the freedom and  dignity of each one of its members and to respect the

decisions  of  each  one,  even  if  someone  were  to  decide  to  adopt  the  majority

culture.

 

The increased awareness which is found today at every level regarding

the situation of national minority groups constitutes for our own times a hopeful

sign  for  the  coming  generations  and  for  the  aspirations  of  national  minority

groups  themselves.  Indeed,  in  a  sense,  the  protection  and  promotion  of  the

rights of  national minorities  are essential factors for democracy, peace, justice

and  stability  within,  and  between,  participating  States.  Moreover,  in  a  truly

democratic  society,  to  guarantee  the  participation  of  national  minorities  in

political,  economic,  social,  cultural  and  religious  life  is  a  sign  of  a  highly

developed  civilization,  and  it  brings  honour  upon  those  nations  in  which  all

citizens are guaranteed a share in national life in a climate of true freedom.

 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  participating  States  have  already  made

progress since Copenhagen 1990. What lays still before us, however, is securing

a  better  integration  into  the  various  structures  of  society  of  marginalized  or

excluded national minorities  groups like nomads, the people who are constantly

on the move and which exist under different names in all participating States.

 

The  Catholic  Church  would  like  to  assure  those  members  of  national

minorities who are suffering of her spiritual closeness. The Church shares their

moments  of  pain  and  their  reasons  for  legitimate  pride.  The  Holy  See  feels

particularly  close  to  the  Roma  and  Sinti  people  who  have  a  long  established

relationship  with  the  Catholic  Church.  Last  Monday,  in  the  Vatican,  Pope

Francis received a large delegation of Roma and Sinti people coming from more

than 30 states. This meeting also commemorated the historical meeting of  Pope

Paul VI with Roma and Sinti in Pomezia in 1965:  the then Pope assured them

that they are not in the margins, but in the centre and at the heart of the Church.

 

My Delegation is confident that, through the commitments of the OSCE

and  the  skills  of  its  High  Commissioner  on  National  Minorities,  participating

States  will make progress in  securing for  national minorities  the  full  enjoyment

of their rights.

 

Thank you, Mister Chairman.








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