OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities calls for end to violence in Ukraine, warns of long-term and widespread effects on national minorities

THE HAGUE, 30 March 2022 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov is deeply concerned about the appeals he has received from Ukraine, including from representatives of national minorities, about the humanitarian situation in the country.

Abdrakhmanov joined the international community in calling for an end to hostilities. “I, like many representatives of the international community, am alarmed by the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine. The human rights of children, women and men must be protected, and there should be no distinction on the basis of ethnicity, language, religion or culture.” He said that he is closely following the situation of national minorities within Ukraine, as well as in the wider region. “In any war, national minorities are often among those who suffer the most,” he added, recalling experiences from previous conflicts globally.

He recalled the situation in the OSCE region 30 years ago, which led to the establishment of the institution of High Commissioner on National Minorities. “As we have seen time and again, national minority issues are intimately connected to security. When these issues are well managed, we have the conditions for peace, stability and prosperity in Europe,” he said.

As part of suggestions on the way ahead from the perspective of his mandate, Abdrakhmanov warned against the dangers of instrumentalizing and politicizing minority issues. “It is important to refrain from this at all times, including for future reconciliation and recovery efforts in Ukraine, but also for the preservation of peace and security in other participating States,” he said. “At this moment, there is the potential for misunderstandings or even the deliberate misuse of minority issues for political gain. We must guard against this,” he added.

He pointed out that now, more than ever, there is a need to strengthen the social cohesion of all participating States. “Balanced, pragmatic and inclusive policies that are the result of inclusive dialogue with all of the relevant stakeholders are the best recipe to strengthen social cohesion,” the High Commissioner said. In this context, he reminded the participating States that his institution has published nine sets of Recommendations and Guidelines that can help governments implement policies that support the integration of society.

Abdrakhmanov also called on representatives of participating States to ramp up their efforts to monitor, prevent and combat hate speech and discrimination against national minorities in their own States.

The High Commissioner on National Minorities also commended the efforts made by Ukraine’s regions and neighbouring countries to respond to the ongoing displacement of millions of people. “Host communities have opened their arms to refugees. That is admirable, and I urge relevant authorities to also pay due attention to supporting the social cohesion of host communities when designing an overall response to the refugee crisis,” he said.

Abdrakhmanov stressed that his interactions with national minorities highlighted specific vulnerabilities that those communities face during times of conflict and while in displacement. “Access to humanitarian assistance should be provided without any discrimination. Host countries and the organizations assisting them should help address the specific needs of the Roma community, including those associated with lack of documentation,” he added. The High Commissioner recalled that most of the people fleeing the conflict are women and children, some of whom have a minority background. “The response should also meet their specific needs,” he said.

Abdrakhmanov said he is ready to support dialogue through quiet diplomacy, as per his mandate and in co-ordination with other OSCE offices and international partners. He also pledged to make his office’s expertise available in thematic areas such as language, education and overall integration policies, in support of a peaceful settlement as soon as clear contours and the potential for progress appears on the horizon, and on the request of the OSCE participating States.