Annual Review minority rights 2003 group international

2 Cover: Hazara girl in Afghanistan. Director’s report 3 Iva Zimova/Panos Pictures Below: Palestinian boy walking along concrete barricades in the West Bank Promoting cooperation village of Sawachra. Ahikam Seri/Panos Pictures between communities

Minority Rights Group Much of the urgent work of a majority populations societies in and MRG works all over the world International (MRG) is a non- human rights organization is to understand the needs and Afghanistan. with partner organizations governmental organization expose abuses of rights concerns of minorities, abuses representing minorities and (NGO) working to secure the wherever they occur, and to will decrease. And preventing No two societies are the same, indigenous peoples who are rights of ethnic, religious and push for them to be stopped. violations of human rights is a and each will have its own anxious to play a fuller part in linguistic minorities and The appalling treatment of lot better than publicizing pattern of ethnic, religious and the societies in which they live. minority indigenous peoples worldwide Haitian migrants in the violations after they occur. linguistic traditions. The Yet too often, through poverty rights and to promote cooperation Caribbean, the threat to the Constitution and laws of each or through prejudice, they are and understanding between intellectual property rights of Although politicians and country need to reflect and excluded from the institutions group communities. indigenous and tribal peoples governments often talk about manage that diversity. But of government, the media and in Asia, and the grave situation promoting harmony, they rarely common to all is the need to the economy. This annual international Our activities are focused on faced by the Batwa people of appreciate what is needed to ensure protection for minorities. review highlights our efforts to international advocacy, Central Africa are just three of translate fine words into That includes implementing overcome these barriers and training, publishing and the issues which Minority genuine cooperation on the safeguards for the lives, our work in tandem with outreach. We are guided by Rights Group International ground. This may include freedoms and identities of international development the needs expressed by our (MRG) publicized in 2003. technical issues, such as minorities and establishing agencies to promote genuine worldwide network of partner designing the constitutional effective means of redress if cooperation between organizations which represent But an equally important part structures that can enable the their rights are violated. This is communities. If minorities are minorities and indigenous of our work is to promote public participation of all a particularly difficult task in able to feel a valued part of peoples. MRG works with cooperation and groups in society or achieve an societies with recent society, then mutual over 150 organizations in over understanding between appropriate balance between experience of inter-ethnic understanding and 50 countries. Our governing communities. If there is a base national unity and local conflict – as our work in the cooperation will flourish. The Council, which meets twice a of mutual cooperation autonomy. Last year MRG former Yugoslavia demonstrates benefits in terms of peace, year, has members from 10 between different ethnic or sought to address these – but one that is absolutely democracy and development different countries. religious groups, conflict is questions in the complex essential for reconciliation and are those in which all society less likely to develop. If processes of building new future stability. can share. MRG has consultative Director’s report ...... 3 status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council Building new societies (ECOSOC), and observer in Iraq and Afghanistan . . . . .4 status with the African Minorities as partners Commission on Human and Mark Lattimer in development ...... 6 Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Director Reconciliation in MRG is registered as a South-East Europe ...... 8 charity and a company limited by guarantee under International networking English law. for change ...... 10 Financial report 2003 ...... 12 Getting our message across . .15

4 The most important 5 Building new societies “step towards the development of a in Iraq and Afghanistan common national identity would be a constitution- drafting process that involved all Iraq’s different communities” MRG writing in The Economist

In the first part of 2003 English and language session on the humanitarian international headlines were versions of the report reached and human rights situation in dominated by the impending some 10,000 people, including Iraq, MRG convened a public war in Iraq. As the war key decision-makers at the meeting on this subject at the became increasingly likely, United Nations (UN), in the US Palais des Nations in Geneva in MRG thought it essential to State Department and April, with the UN Special consider the requirements for Department of Defense, in the Rapporteur on Iraq. preventing inter-communal UK Foreign and Commonwealth conflict and protecting minority Office and Department of MRG has also continued to Right: Young girl with traditional rights, both in the months to International Development, as monitor developments in post- flat bread in a village near Kabul, follow and in the longer-term. well as other major advocacy conflict Afghanistan, and in Afghanistan. We interviewed a panel of targets at national and December published a briefing Karen Robinson/Panos Pictures internationally-renowned international level. MRG held highlighting the growing threats experts in conflict prevention, detailed discussions with to democracy in Afghanistan human rights and individual members of the task and the need to ensure ethnic constitutional law, to help forces established by the UN and religious minority protection draw up ground rules for and its agencies to plan the in the new Constitution. building democracy in post- humanitarian response to the totalitarian Iraq. situation in Iraq. Our technical MRG’s work on Iraq and input came at a time when little Afghanistan was covered Five weeks before the start of other guidance was available, extensively in the media, the war, we published the but there was a real risk of including CNN, BBC World report Building Democracy in Coalition policy exacerbating Service, BBC Radio 4 Today, Iraq. It presented the first tensions between the country’s Voice of America, The Economist, detailed analysis of the options different communities. The Guardian, The Independent, for a constitutional process and Al-Hayat and Al-Quds. the mechanisms for In February MRG submitted establishing inclusive written evidence to a UK democracy. It considered the parliamentary inquiry held by the …good governance, need to entrench those features International Development respect“ for human that are essential to a genuinely Committee on the humanitarian rights and the rule of democratic society, including consequences of military action fair representation, cooperation against Iraq. MRG’s analysis and law are not optional between communities, the rule recommendations were taken when it comes to …an excellent of law and respect for human account of in the Committee’s rebuilding a country, “ rights. In particular, it analysed conclusions and our evidence and very useful the risk posed by inter-ethnic reprinted in the official report. but an intrinsic part of and inter-confessional conflict, Following the decision by the reconstruction report… and the action necessary to try UN Commission on Human Above: Iraqi women pass the scene of ” an attack against US troops in Baghdad. senior advisor to the UN High ” and avoid it. Rights not to hold a special MRG writing in The Guardian Farah Nosh/Panos Pictures Commissioner for Human Rights

6 This study is 7 really“ important … [it] has the potential to influence other development and funding agencies” World Bank staff commenting on MRG’s study on Afro-descendants in Latin America

It is now accepted that lose their jobs or livelihoods as development. Last year MRG development cooperation is a consequence of economic and its partner, the Centre for Minorities as best conducted as a change. In other cases, Minority Rights in Development partnership between donors indigenous peoples are forced (CEMIRIDE) in Nairobi and less-developed countries. off their land to make way for published Kenya’s Castaways, partners However, it is a partnership big infrastructure projects. So- highlighting the situation of the from which minorities and called ‘development’ can thus Ogiek in Kenya’s national indigenous peoples are often lead to social division – or even development process. At the in development excluded, threatening the violent conflict. launch of the study, the Kenyan success of development minister for lands and initiatives and the attainment Since 1999 MRG has worked settlement finally pledged a of the Millennium with minority partner review of the policy on land for Development Goals. organizations in some 20 marginalized groups. countries to publicize their Development programmes may experiences of development Other action-oriented research Your case is attempt to follow a strategic policies and to ensure that they published last year focused on similar“ to that of the approach to poverty reduction, can genuinely participate in the the experiences of the Kihals in but they can have the effect of development process. , the Ogoni in Nigeria, Australian Aborigines increasing inequality unless Batwa in Rwanda, Roma and, for this reason, minorities are able to The Ogiek are a hunter-gatherer children in Serbian primary I will ensure that participate and their rights are people from Kenya. For 70 schools, and on Afro- protected. In many cases, years they have progressively descendants and indigenous your land problem minorities find themselves left been displaced from their peoples in Latin America. is solved out when development ancestral lands, first by colonial programmes are implemented settlement and more recently in A number of leading Amos Kimunya, Kenyan” minister for lands and settlement, speaking to at national level, or they may the name of conservation and international development Ogiek representatives at an MRG event agencies have acknowledged the importance of ensuring minorities are included in development policies, and are working with MRG to put this into practice. MRG has now been commissioned by the UN Development Programme to provide policy advice. We have Above: Sibundoy Indian man, Colombia. Jeremy Horner/Panos Pictures also provided expert training to two major government Right: Twa men playing a traditional game. Kivu Province, Democratic development agencies, and to Above: Pastoralist Karamojong woman Republic of Congo. some 40 staff at the European collecting firewood in Uganda. Chris Keulen/Panos Pictures Commission in Brussels. Crispin Hughes/Panos Pictures 8 Right: Muslim refugee girl in Croatia. 9 Mark Hakansson/Panos Pictures

The wars that tore apart the no access to employment, MRG works with 20 partner are Albania, Bosnia and minority issues. The seminars, An innovatory and former Yugoslavia left a legacy health care, pensions or organizations in South-East Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, which had structured follow-up ambitious“ project… of bitterness and fear between education for their children. Europe to protect and promote Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and activities, aimed to increase communities, and the threat of And people continue the minority rights and enhance Montenegro, as well as Kosovo. awareness of minority rights Numerous examples further instability throughout wait to see the perpetrators inter-community understanding. standards domestically, and to show how local South-East Europe. Many of grave crimes brought We bring together members of In 2003 MRG conducted a boost public participation and partners have used the refugees and displaced to justice. minority communities from regional advocacy and rights advocacy by minority people have tried to return to across the region to work on training seminar and a training representatives. Three partner knowledge, skills and their homes, only to find they Inter-ethnic dialogue and the implementation of of trainers event. Seven in- organizations from Serbia and support acquired to are no longer there or are reconciliation are essential to international minority rights country training seminars were Montenegro and one from bring about change… occupied by others. Those enable such societies to heal, standards and domestic organized by partners, including Bulgaria prepared shadow The project is likely to returning find that they have and to prevent future conflict. legislation. The focus countries a regional event on gender and reports on the implementation of the Council of Europe’s be an important Framework Convention on contributor to Reconciliation in National Minorities. providing minority rights Following the publication of our and inter-community report Minorities in Croatia in cooperation to South-East Europe September, MRG was asked by enable sustainable the European Commission to comment on which steps the conflict prevention government should take to and resolution in ensure minority protection, the region within the context of the ” European Union (EU) accession Independent evaluation of MRG’s work in South-East Europe process. At a meeting on commissioned by DFID ‘Emerging Frameworks of Power-Sharing in South-East Europe’, co-organized by MRG and the Association for Democratic Initiatives in Macedonia, agreement was reached to establish a human rights centre within the University of South-East Europe at Tetovo, a university which has now been recognized as a public Right: Serb women are escorted to a institution with funding from refugee centre in Mitrovica, Kosovo. A.Ilic/Exile Images state budgets.

10 International networking 11 for change

MRG’s work to promote security. The outcome of an rights and improve their As our work with Asian We felt empowered. cooperation between earlier meeting in India was the participation in decision- indigenous and tribal peoples communities often begins by formation of Forum 21, a new making. Pastoralist and Pastoralists in Africa Once“ we had said establishing dialogue network of tribal peoples. This parliamentary groups have shows, MRG believes that these things at the between minorities and network successfully lobbied been established by our the creation of strategic governments, or between the Indian government to partner organizations in networks, backed by UN, it was easier to minority representatives on withdraw proposed Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, appropriate training and say them in India. a regional level. amendments to the Indian and agreement was reached support activities, can lead to We spoke at the [UN] Constitution which would have last year to establish one in improved cooperation In Asia MRG organizes adversely affected the rights of Tanzania. MPs now regularly between communities and to ask for Tamils roundtable events which bring scheduled tribes. It also attend MRG roundtables and positive change for people on who were in pre-trial indigenous and tribal peoples’ lobbied the government to set training events. The formation the ground. representatives together with up the National Commission of networks of Pastoralist detention to either be policy-makers, academics, on Tribal Issues in 2002. parliamentarians across the tried or released. lawyers and the media. Over region has enabled MPs from Finally, the Justice 155 million of the world’s Pastoralist communities in the different countries to learn estimated 205 million Horn and Eastern Africa are from each other’s Sadashiva Committee indigenous people live in Asia, among the most neglected. experiences, and to begin to was set up to review where they are at the bottom Scarcity of natural resources work together. Specific of social indicators in almost and the lack of consultation outcomes include a chapter their situation. every country, placing them with Pastoralists on decisions on Pastoralists in Ethiopia’s Ninety per cent among the poorest groups. In that affect them remain the Poverty Reduction Strategy were released September, MRG held a main causes of violent inter- Plan and successful roundtable meeting in communal and cross-border submissions to the Kenyan Participant from the South” India Sarawak, Malaysia on the key conflicts. MRG works with Constitutional Review Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring at an MRG training issues of globalization and Pastoralists to protect their Commission. programme in Geneva

When I came back from “the training, the peace talks in Sudan were going on. I gave my intervention to the governor of Nuba mountains, so that he could distribute it to the others … and some of my issues were discussed in the peace talks Above: Bangladeshi garment workers protesting over working conditions MRG training participant” from and police repression in Narayanganj. the Delibaya Nuba Women Above: MRG training event Fernando Moleres/Panos Pictures Development Organization, Sudan in Geneva.

1213 Financial report 2003

Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2003

2003 2002 Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Total funds Total funds Incoming resources £ £ £ £ These summarised financial statements contain information from both the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet Donations, legacies and for the year ended 31 December 2003, but are not the full statutory report and accounts. The full financial statements were similar incoming resources – 543,277 543,277 500,422 approved by the Trustees on 17 April 2004, and subsequently submitted to the Charity Commission and to Companies House. They Activities in furtherance of received an unqualified audit report and copies may be obtained from MRG’s London office. the charity’s objects Projects 1,293,102 – 1,293,102 1,068,853 Publications – 23,696 23,696 27,122 Consultancy – 600 600 2,968 Cost recovery – 644 644 2,968 Activities to generate funds Copyrights and literary fees – 1,312 1,312 886 Balance sheet as at 31 December 2003 Income/expenditure growth Investment income – 8,401 8,401 10,919

1,293,102 577,930 1,871,032 1,611,170 2003 2002 £2,000,000 £££1,800,000 Resources expended £1,600,000 Costs of generating funds Tangible fixed assets 20,328 11,057 £1,400,000 Fundraising – 80,324 80,324 72,519 Investments 138,292 113,868 £1,200,000 Charitable expenditure Current assets £1,000,000 Projects 1,298,873 146,658 1,445,531 1,394,414 Cash at bank and in hand 220,844 195,822 £800,000 Advocacy – 106,575 106,575 104,368 Stocks 12,139 21,725 Publications – 135,754 135,754 142,815 £600,000 Debtors 342,523 386,268 Support costs – 90,018 90,018 64,393 £400,000 Management and administration – 23,347 23,347 26,312 575,506 603,815 £200,000 £0 Creditors: amounts due 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 19971998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 within 1 year (97,337) (105,858) Total resources expended 1,298,873 582,676 1,881,549 1,804,821

income expenditure Net assets/liabilities 636,789 622,882 Net outgoing resources before gains and transfers (5,771) (4,746) (10,517) (193,651) Reserves Unrealised investment gains – 24,424 24,424 (20,681) Unrestricted funds General funds 293,120 291,451 Transfers between funds 18,009 (18,009) – – Designated funds 8,819 8,819 Net movement in funds 12,238 1,669 13,907 (214,332) Restricted funds 334,850 322,612 Funds at the start of the year 322,612 300,270 622,882 837,214

636,789 622,882 Funds at the end of the year 334,850 301,939 636,789 622,882 14 A & B Sainsbury Fund Right: Farmer harvesting crops in an 15 MRG’s donors in 2003 Uighur settlement in China. ACT Netherlands Rhodri Jones/Panos Pictures Allen & Nesta Ferguson Trust Allen Lane Foundation Bryan Guinness Trust C.S. Mott Foundation CAFOD Christian Aid Community Fund Cordaid Council and staff Council of Europe Danchurch Aid Council members* MRG staff* Regional officers* Staff leaving in 2003 Danida MRG communicates with MRG publishes reports, training Chaloka Beyani Richie Andrew Hungary Frances Carlisle Development Cooperation minorities and indigenous manuals, workshop reports, Radhika Clive Baldwin Anna-Maria Bíró Francisca Kellet Ireland Getting our peoples, governments and macro and micro studies and Coomaraswamy Chris Chapman Snjez˘ana Bokulic´ Christophe Morvan Ericson Trust policy-makers, students and issues papers. These are Maja Daruwala (Chair) Saskia Chilcott Monika Raffael Catherine Woollard European Commission message across academics, the media, available on subscription and Paul Divakar Graham Fox Philippines Mukta Lama Tamang Eva Reckitt Trust international inter-governmental through our library scheme. All Kristina Hedlund Thulin Fiona Godfrey Minnie Degawan (Nepal) FinnChurchAid organizations and development new MRG publications can be Miriam Hooker Adrian Harper Uganda and human rights groups. accessed online, enabling us to ICCO Wim Jacobs Marcia Hansen Juliet Muwanga * As at 31 March 2004 communicate with a large and (Treasurer) Angela Haynes Lee Foundation We provide research, diverse international audience. Asma Jahangir Galina Kostadinova Volunteers and Ministry for Foreign Affairs of information and opinion on We also publish a monthly e- Chibli Mallat Mark Lattimer interns 1 January – Finland minority and indigenous rights bulletin – an electronic Edward Mortimer Corinne Lennox 31 December 2003 Misereor issues worldwide, and new newsletter which keeps its Klara Orgovanova Gloria Mark Fatima Geele Netherlands Foreign Ministry perspectives on international subscribers up-to-date with the John Packer Andrew Mesfin Said Shehata NOVIB issues and their impact on latest news, developments and Martin Pick Cynthia Morel Nirmal Meettook Nuffield Foundation minorities and indigenous opinion in the field of minority Anna Oryema Ilkem Altinas peoples. Last year, media and indigenous rights. OSI Development Foundation Committee members* Charles Osei Caroline Waterman coverage of our work – Kalina Bozeva Katrina Payne Pusa Nastase Oxfam Central America including interviews with If you would like to know Steven Burkeman Marusca Perazzi Gundula Muller Philanthropic Trust partners and staff – appeared more about MRG, how to Lekha Klouda Kathryn Ramsay Jennifer Pongen Rowan Charitable Trust in Africa, Asia, the Americas support us and how to Kate Phillips Margot Salomon Miranda Sikkens Royal Norwegian Ministry for and Europe. We reached collaborate with us, please Philip Rudge Magdalena Syposz Foreign Affairs international audiences via visit our website Patrick Thornberry Tadesse Tafesse SCIAF global media, including the www.minorityrights.org or Shelina Thawer SIDA BBC, CNN and The contact our London office. Claire Thomas Economist. Our concerns have Sigrid Rausing Trust Angela Warren been reported in national Zaya Yeebo Staples Trust newspapers, including The Swiss Agency for Development Guardian and The Independent. and Cooperation TBH Brunner Charitable Trust The Bromley Trust Trócaire UK Department for International © Minority Rights Group International 2004 Development www.minorityrights.org UK Foreign & Commonwealth Registered as Minority Rights Group Office Charity No. 282305 Company No. 1544957 United Nations Development Programme Design by Texture +44 (0)20 7739 7123 Printed in the UK

Quechua Indian boy, Ecuador. Jeremy Horner/Panos Pictures

Minority Rights Group International 54 Commercial Street London E1 6LT Tel minority +44(0)20 7422 4200 Fax rights +44(0)20 7422 4201 Email group [email protected] Web international www.minorityrights.org