by Agop KERKIACHARIAN

 

I - PREAMBLE

The XXth Century has been the theater of profound bruises, world wars, deportations and genocides and other still persisting conflicts related to them wich are jeopadizing Peace in the World.

1. INCOMPLETE CONSIDERATIONS OF ETHNIC RIGHTS

In spite of multiple Declarations and Conventions adopted by United Nations and some States, no global juridiction has been elaborated concerning Ethnic Rights taking in account the two following parameters simultaneously :

            1.1. Historical, political and territorial Rights, as well as cultural, linguistic, moral and economic, these latters having been adopted for Minorities uncompletely.

            1.2. Rights applied to a Collectivity rather than having a single individual application.

2. WORLD PEACE IN DANGER

The actual Ethnic problems in all continents are the persistant consequences since :

            2.1. The End of the First World War and mainly the fall of Ottoman Empire.

            2.2. The End of the Second world War and the consequent French and British Decolonisations.

            2.3. The partial End of the Cold War and URSS blow up and Yugoslavia dismantlement.

            2.4. Revendications by ethnic groups for Autonomy, or Independance, in a federated manner or not with a State, in many parts of our planet.

3. DISCUTABLE ETHICS OF HISTORIANS

It is regrettably observed more ans more a plethora of historians not prompted by the ethics of their profession, pseudo scientists, revisionists, negationists, distorsing the realities of CRIMES against HUMANITY. Their attitude are being denonciated and condemned by the international scientific community.

4. UNESCO AND ITS FUTURE ROLE IN FAVOUR OF ETHNIC PROBLEMS

In this context, UNESCO must assume more responsabilitties, as far as sciences and cultures are concerrned and develop its participation to research Peace.
The project of a CHART FOR ETHNIC RIGHTS in the World and the creation of an international pluridisciplinary COMMISSION FOR ETHNIC RIGHTS, designed jointly by UNESCO and UNO, in case of conflict or war imminence,
must contribute to progress of Humanity, save cultural patrimonies and promote Peace.
This legislation is purposed by Agop Kerkiacharian.

 

II - A CHART FOR ETHNIC RIGHTS IN THE WORLD

article 1. An Ethnic group is a collectivity spread or not over the world, gathered or not on many territorial regions or states and claiming the same cultural, historical and political identity.

article 2. Any Ethnic entity represents a living cultural Patrimony which must beneficiate of freedom and liberty and the right of affirmation its linguistic, spiritual, moral, cultural, economical, political and territorial appartenance.

article 3. Any collectivity, minotity or ethnic group has the imperial obligation to respect laws and rules of the Country in wich it lives.

article 4. Any Ethnic group expelled by force from its ancestral territory or having been contrained to abandon it, must have the right to return and to resettle there.
It must beneficiate of the imprescriptible right of repair and indemnisation for its sustained prejudices.

article 5. In order to promote a Permanent Peace the Imprescribility of Crimes angainst Humanity must be extended to the beginning of the twentieth Century and have a retro active application including moral, financial and territorial Indemnisations reached by pacific means.

article 6. In case of Revendications for autonomy or independance, priority must be given to prolongated negociations, including Referendum controlled by an independant international organism.

article 7. In case of conflict imminence, priority must be given to negociate solutions rather than Peace imposed by force. It will be created a pluridisciplinary, consultative COMMISSION FOR ETHNIC RIGHTS, composed by independant personalities, notorious scientists, integrous historians and experts jointly designated by :

            - the General Secretary of United Nations Organisation ;

            - the Director-General of UNESCO.

The Commission will assume :

            a) the responsability of research of a pacific solution and precise fundamental Rights.

            b) the proposal of a complementary approach including consultations and negociations taking in account bilateral historical, cultural and political parameters prior to any Resolution that has to be taken by the Security council of United Nations, in order to avoid, if possible, the use of force.

 

by Prof. Agop Kerkiacharian
President of Ararat International Academy of Sciences
President of the Commission for Ethnic Rights and Peace (AIAS)
BP 929 - 75829 Paris cedex 17 - France
Tel. 33-1 34 12 65 27 - Fax 33-1 34 12 03 21
e-mail : ararat-academy@reso.net