Internal Cultural Self-Determination

Internal cultural self-determination means to freely pursue one s own cultural development. 

In conclusion, identity is important to minorities and self-determination alike. Without identity, it is impossible to pinpoint the group eligible for self-determination. This means that self-determination only follows after an identity has been established. The reverse statement is not applicable. Just because a group has an identity it does not necessarily follow that is has a right to self-determination.  

The right to participation most obviously hints at political self-determination. Minorities do not have the right to unilaterally change their political status however, they do have the right to participate. Internal self-determination is about 

Even stronger fommlaled, the right to identity never includes the right to state-creation. See 

Before concluding this chapter, a short note on external self-determination is appropriate. External self-determination should not be linked to minority rights. As the Hague Recommendations stress, persons belonging to national minorities have a responsibility to integrate into the wider national society. This is not only applicable in the area of language but is the overall approach to minorities. 

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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Article 1 Right of self-determination... 

Of course, classically, self-determination has been defined as the right of peoples freely to determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development.In practice, the application of this provision had been severely contextually reduced, in both its external and internal dimensions. As was noted at the outset, external self-determination in the sense of secession would appertain only to colonial peoples defined by prolonged colonial administration within uti possidetis boundaries. Internal self-determination would address both the constitutional system of public authority and the right of democratic participation in governance. However, it was simply presumed that any constitutional system and structures of governance were, merely by virtue of their existence, the product of free determination by the people concerned. Internal self-determination was therefore, until quite recently, practically irrelevant. 

European Organizations European organizations are mostly quiet on the issue of self-determination. The Final Act of Helsinki includes the principle of self-determination however, this is one of the very few times self-determination is mentioned in non-binding instruments of the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Principle Vin of the Final Act stresses that all peoples always have the right... to determine their internal and external political status. A couple of things need to be noted. This principle clearly takes self-determination out of the colrmial context. Secondly, self-determination is limited to the political sphere. There is no reference to economic, social and cultural development. 

Internal self-determination seeks democratic processes. Self-determination is not a concept to be invoked once and never again. Internal self-determination focuses on processes. This mainly derives from the description of determining the economic, social and cultural development. Self-determination is a continuing right. It means to include all those wilUng to participate. It does not mean that everyone participating will always receive what is claimed. Self-determination means being taken seriously. Internal self-determination places aU this within the framework of the state. 

At the same time, traditional international law is challenged. The self in self-determination is reinterpreted. The what of what does the self determine is subjected to closer examination. Here, the content of self-determination, especially the economic, social and cultural development receives due attention. These dimensions are often only treated with insufficient detail and care. An alternative... 

Both the Charter of the United Nations and several subsequent UN documents identify the moral right of all peoples to self-determination. The United Nations was created in part to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. UN resolution 1514, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights reiterate that all peoples have the right to self-determination and that by virtue of that right they freely... 

It ought to be accepted that if there is a group with an acmalized political culture of self-determination, and if the people of the group identify with this political culture, this group is a nation. If such a group makes a claim to self-determination, the international community needs to address the claim. ... 

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