Fernand de Varennes: The protection of minority rights is not always respected

“Due to problems from the past we cannot ignore things that we are supposed to do nowadays. Lithuania has legal obligations that must be fulfilled”- said during an interview for zw.lt professor Fernand de Varennes, an expert in the field of human rights, acknowledged as one of the best world’s top experts in the field of linguistic rights of national minorities.

You spent in Vilnius over a month. What was the purpose of this visit?

The purpose of my visit in Vilnius was, most of all, a better understanding of legal and political situation in Lithuania. In particular, I’m interested in the issue of national minorities and its legal protection.

Why Lithuania?

It is an area of my current work. I’m in the international protection of minority rights. Lithuania, in this respect, occupies a special place.

Why the protection of minorities, therein national minorities, is so important in the light of human rights?

Human rights are important in the context of the protection of groups exposed to discrimination with regard to legal protection. If, let say, we are talking about women and children, then those groups definitely belong to groups protected by law. National minorities have the same rights, but their protection is not always respected.

How could you describe the protection of national minorities in Lithuania?

I noticed some progress, but more effort should be made. For example, there is no any act of law regulating the protection of national minorities. If Lithuania is a part of Europe and if it is in the European Union then Lithuanian authorities should take definite steps in order to better protection of national minorities. Becoming a member of EU, Lithuania took up some engagements, for example the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities that includes a legal rule referring to, among other things, street signs. According to document, in the areas where the majority is constituted by national minorities, states should make a move in order to guarantee the possibility of placing street sigh in native language.

You said about state’s obligation but what about common people? I mean nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia. What is the reason of this hate?

There is a big problem that is not easy to solve owing to lack of knowledge and understanding.

Can we say that the reason is that Lithuania stayed behind the Iron Curtain for too long?

Every country has problems, not only Lithuania. Surely the past explains some of them but it cannot be used as an excuse. Due to problems from the past we cannot ignore things that we are supposed to do nowadays. Lithuania has legal obligations that must be fulfilled. The past can not have an impact on state’s ignorance.

Where is Lithuania? Closer to the West or rather to the East, Russia?

I think that Lithuania is somewhere in between, but it is on course to become a part of Europe.

You have very diverse life, you taught at the Moldova State University, University of Pretoria, University of Hong Kong and also at Vytautas Magnus University. I suppose there is more universities on the list… Could you say something about it?

Every place is different, every culture, country is different, it is natural. People in the world speak different languages, we should respect those differences that make us human. Respect differences and diversity.

You are working on your book currently. Can you reveal a secret and tell us what kind of book it will be? I know, you will raise the issue of national minorities in Lithuania…

Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m working on two books. Both are about linguistic rights of minorities and its protection. Books will be devoted to all national minorities in the world. Lithuania will be a separate chapter. I will have finished the first book by the end of the next year.

What are you plans for the future?

I plan to write another two books. I will go to to Bolivia to write. Then Thailand and South Africa where I will have lectures in colleges. Then I will go to Nepal where I will study the situation of national minorities. I also will go to Hong Kong where I will have lectures again, and next year, I will come back to Lithuania to have series of lectures at the University in Kaunas.

Source: http://zw.lt/opinie/fernand-de-varennes-z-ochrona-praw-mniejszosci-narodowych-bywa-roznie/

Tłumaczenie by Sara Howicka w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Sara Howicka within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.