A/49/415/Add.1 English Page 3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The present report contains additional information received from Governments and non-governmental organizations after the publication of the report of the Secretary-General on the subject (A/49/415). 2. As at 25 October 1994, replies had been received from the Governments of Angola, Belarus, Colombia, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine. The Governments of Denmark and Germany sent a joint report on the situation of national minorities in the border regions of both States. The Government of Yugoslavia sent additional information on the status of the Bulgarian minority in that State. 3. The Minority Rights Group, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, sent a report entitled "Land Rights and Minorities" to the Secretariat (see chap. III below). 4. The present document contains the analysis of the additional replies submitted in accordance with General Assembly resolution 48/138 of 20 December 1993, entitled "Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities". II. A. PROMOTION AND PROTECTION BY STATES OF THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS BELONGING TO NATIONAL OR ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND LINGUISTIC MINORITIES The protection of the existence of persons belonging to minorities 5. Unfortunately, the war waged by the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) against the innocent population has created financial pressures and a demand for substantial human resources that the Government of Angola is hard pressed to meet. The defence of the civilian population, children, women and the elderly is a sacred obligation of the Government and is therefore of the utmost importance, and all resources are being devoted to the effort. 6. The Government of Angola attaches the utmost importance to human rights. The laws of Angola guarantee the protection of these rights at all levels, and the courts regularly monitor and reinforce them. There are no ethnic, religious or linguistic problems in Angola. 7. Article 18 of the Constitution is very clear: "All citizens are equal before the law and enjoy the same rights and are subject to the same obligations, without distinction as to colour, race, ethnic group, sex, place of birth, religion, ideology, level of education or economic or social status." /...