Ten years of reducing ethnic tensions
Legitimate intrusiveness
On 1 January 1993 the High Commissioner on National Minorities began his activities in the Hague. According to a mandate adopted in July 1992, the High Commissioner's job is to provide early warning and, as appropriate, early action to head off tensions involving national minority issues which could develop into conflict in the OSCE area.
This is a unique mandate, not only because of its focus on minority issues, but because of its legitimate intrusiveness. The High Commissioner's mandate has enabled him to become engaged in any minority-related situation which, in his opinion, warrants his attention. At the same time, in order to keep the confidence of the parties and to avoid sensationalizing fragile situations, the High Commissioner has worked quietly and in confidence. This discreet approach has been one of the secrets of the HCNM's success.
The first High Commissioner was Max van der Stoel of the Netherlands (1993 - 2001). The current High Commissioner is Rolf Ekeus of Sweden.
Travelling commissioners
The High Commissioner's work involves assessing minority-related issues, meeting with the affected parties, providing recommendations, and assisting with tension-reducing projects. This involves considerable travel throughout the OSCE area in order to establish good contacts with Government and minority representatives and to see first-hand the situations that could cause inter-ethnic tensions and potentially escalate.
In the early 1990s, most of the High Commissioner's attention was devoted to preventing conflict in the former Communist bloc. For example, he has been active in Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and now increasingly in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
But inter-ethnic and minority issues are not unique to any one part of the OSCE area. Therefore, the High Commissioner has also made general recommendations on minority-related issues like education, use of language, participation in public affairs, and has spoken out about the dangers of extremism. Ambassador Ekeus has also recently highlighted the need for the European Union to pay more attention to minority issues in its own back yard.
Integrating diversity
High Commissioner Ekeus and his predecessor Max van der Stoel have stressed that the best means to prevent conflict is to integrate diversity. Since most societies are multi-ethnic, one must find ways of accommodating minority interests in a way that neither encourages violent secession, on one extreme, or forceful assimilation on the other.
Experience has shown that minority and majority positions do not need to be mutually contradictory, nor is conflict inevitable in multi-ethnic states. The focus of the High Commissioner's work has been to ensure respect for standards that guarantee minority rights protection, to encourage dialogue between communities, to create opportunities for minority language use, to protect cultural identity, and to encourage minority participation in public affairs.
An ounce of prevention
When the High Commissioner's office opened in 1993 there was a staff of four plus the High Commissioner. Today, the High Commissioner still has a relatively small staff of twenty-five and a budget of approximately 2.5 million EURO. While modest, this budget is proof of the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
This is also a message that the HCNM tries to communicate to Governments and donors: investing in preventing conflict (through mobilization of political will, targeted use of resources and shared expertise) can reduce the risk of costly violent conflict. As Ambassador Daan Everts, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, said in a speech marking the tenth anniversary of the HCNM, "the past ten years have stressed time and again the simple truth that prevention is obviously best, in terms of stability, preventing human misery and financial distress".
Dutch connection
The Netherlands has a close attachment to the work of the High Commissioner's office. The Netherlands delegation was among the main advocates for the creation of the office, the first High Commissioner was Dutch, and the office is located in the Hague. This year, under the Dutch Chairmanship of the OSCE, the Netherlands has indicated its willingness to continue to host the office in the Hague
On 1 January 1993 the High Commissioner on National Minorities began his activities in the Hague. According to a mandate adopted in July 1992, the High Commissioner's job is to provide early warning and, as appropriate, early action to head off tensions involving national minority issues which could develop into conflict in the OSCE area.
This is a unique mandate, not only because of its focus on minority issues, but because of its legitimate intrusiveness. The High Commissioner's mandate has enabled him to become engaged in any minority-related situation which, in his opinion, warrants his attention. At the same time, in order to keep the confidence of the parties and to avoid sensationalizing fragile situations, the High Commissioner has worked quietly and in confidence. This discreet approach has been one of the secrets of the HCNM's success.
The first High Commissioner was Max van der Stoel of the Netherlands (1993 - 2001). The current High Commissioner is Rolf Ekeus of Sweden.
Travelling commissioners
The High Commissioner's work involves assessing minority-related issues, meeting with the affected parties, providing recommendations, and assisting with tension-reducing projects. This involves considerable travel throughout the OSCE area in order to establish good contacts with Government and minority representatives and to see first-hand the situations that could cause inter-ethnic tensions and potentially escalate.
In the early 1990s, most of the High Commissioner's attention was devoted to preventing conflict in the former Communist bloc. For example, he has been active in Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and now increasingly in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
But inter-ethnic and minority issues are not unique to any one part of the OSCE area. Therefore, the High Commissioner has also made general recommendations on minority-related issues like education, use of language, participation in public affairs, and has spoken out about the dangers of extremism. Ambassador Ekeus has also recently highlighted the need for the European Union to pay more attention to minority issues in its own back yard.
Integrating diversity
High Commissioner Ekeus and his predecessor Max van der Stoel have stressed that the best means to prevent conflict is to integrate diversity. Since most societies are multi-ethnic, one must find ways of accommodating minority interests in a way that neither encourages violent secession, on one extreme, or forceful assimilation on the other.
Experience has shown that minority and majority positions do not need to be mutually contradictory, nor is conflict inevitable in multi-ethnic states. The focus of the High Commissioner's work has been to ensure respect for standards that guarantee minority rights protection, to encourage dialogue between communities, to create opportunities for minority language use, to protect cultural identity, and to encourage minority participation in public affairs.
An ounce of prevention
When the High Commissioner's office opened in 1993 there was a staff of four plus the High Commissioner. Today, the High Commissioner still has a relatively small staff of twenty-five and a budget of approximately 2.5 million EURO. While modest, this budget is proof of the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
This is also a message that the HCNM tries to communicate to Governments and donors: investing in preventing conflict (through mobilization of political will, targeted use of resources and shared expertise) can reduce the risk of costly violent conflict. As Ambassador Daan Everts, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, said in a speech marking the tenth anniversary of the HCNM, "the past ten years have stressed time and again the simple truth that prevention is obviously best, in terms of stability, preventing human misery and financial distress".
Dutch connection
The Netherlands has a close attachment to the work of the High Commissioner's office. The Netherlands delegation was among the main advocates for the creation of the office, the first High Commissioner was Dutch, and the office is located in the Hague. This year, under the Dutch Chairmanship of the OSCE, the Netherlands has indicated its willingness to continue to host the office in the Hague