The Right to Internal Self-Determination of Minorities in Larger Context

It is too general to conclude that minorities have a right to self-determination. It is necessary to keep in mind that minorities are meant to be classic minorities. Self-determination is understood as meaning internal self-determination. Thus, a right to internal self-determination for classic minorities seems to emerge. This conclusion is reached within the framework of legitimacy and justice. It is necessary to place this conclusion in a larger context. 

4 The Right to Internal Self-Determination of Minorities in Larger Context 

Categorizing groups into minorities, peoples and nations is a challenging task. As was shown in Chap. 8, the terminology is diverse. The most interesting aspect regarding definitions is what I have called the group characteristics approach. 

Another argument on the overall question of internal self-determination for minorities concerns explicit links between minorities and self-determination. These two terms are never used in the same sentence. However, several documents establish autonomy as a concept in relation to minority issues. Autonomy is one way of exercising self-determination. One has to be careful here. Autonomy means self-government. What the documents envisage is mostly self administration. Thus, the Copenhagen Document speaks of appropriate local or autonomous administrations.The UN Independent Expert tentatively suggested 

This is not a new idea. As has been discussed, autonomy has been linked to minorities in the past. Autonomy should not only be understood in the political and territorial sense. Cultural or religious autonomy are non-territorial forms of autonomy. They do not threaten the territorial integrity of the state. Throwing cultural development as one dimension of self-determination, cultural autonomy and minorities into a hat, the result will only become an independent state by magic. 

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