diplomatic dialogue, in full consideration for the sovereignty
and the territorial integrity of the concerned country.
Assisting the Muslim minorities in their dialogue with their
governments for assimilation and co-existence with other
minorities
• Seeking cooperation from Islamic organizations and institutions
to cater for the economic and social needs for them.
The dimensions of the minority's problem received particular
attention by the international community while establishing human rights
standards. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, in
unconditional upheld the right of minorities and communities without
making any distinction based on race, color, sex, language, religion,
political, or :other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status. The principle was again reiterated in Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights of 1966, in article 27 going beyond the UNDHR and the subsequent
declaration of the General. Assembly adopted through resolution 47/135 of
18 December 1992.1
Thus, the rights of Muslim Minorities have human rights dimension
as the rights of minorities' narrows on the issues of how much freedom
they enjoy in any given context. Inter-related to the' enjoyment of rights are
the issues of conflict between the Minorities and communities bordering on
specific rights guaranteed by the state constitutions and legal orders to such
minorities, nevertheless., being denied through different means, often
through circumventing of such rights trough adverse legislation or use of
force in suppressing it.
It right to say that the problem of the minorities is not confined Only
to the Muslim Minorities, but it has broader implication in many nonmember countries often; ethnic, cultural, linguistic, religious political
peculiarities have led to the denial of rights.
As the OIC aims to promote with UN-international peace and
security all over the world , the OIC also wishes to co-operate with the UN
along with the Human Rights Council, in order to bring up such important
issue of Muslim minorities to the attention of the biggest international
body.
Thank you for listening.
Talal A. Daous
Director of the Muslim Minorities and
Communities
OIC