Acknowledgements Minority Rights Group International gratefully acknowledges the support of all the organizations and individuals who gave financial and other assistance for this publication, in particular the European Commission (this edition, 2004) and the Human Rights Fund of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (first edition, 1998). Editor: Katrina Payne. The Authors Professor Gudmundur Alfredsson is director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Sweden. Erika Ferrer works with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Kathryn Ramsay works in the international advocacy department of Minority Rights Group International. Minority Rights Group International Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide, and to promote cooperation and understanding between communities. Our activities are focused on international advocacy, training, publishing and outreach. We are guided by the needs expressed by our worldwide partner network of organizations which represent minority and indigenous peoples. Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is an independent academic institution dedicated to the promotion of human rights through research, training and education. Established in 1984 at the University of Lund, Sweden, the Institute is currently involved in organizing two Masters Programmes and an interdisciplinary human rights programme at undergraduate level. It is also host to an extensive human rights library, and engaged in various research and publishing activities. The Institute maintains extensive relationships with academic human rights institutions worldwide. In partnership with other organizations, it carries out a wide range of training and capacity-building programmes in the field of human rights in Sweden and other parts of the world. MRG works with over 150 organizations in over 50 countries. Our governing Council, which meets twice a year, has members from 10 different countries. MRG has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). MRG is registered as a charity, no. 282305, and a company limited by guarantee in the UK no. 1533957. © Minority Rights Group International and Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, 1998 & 2004. All rights reserved. Material from this publication may be reproduced for teaching or for other non-commercial purposes. No part of it may be reproduced in any form for commercial purposes without the prior express permission of the copyright holders. A CIP catalogue record of this publication is available from the British Library. ISBN 1 904584 19 5. This edition published June 2004. Typeset by Kavita Graphics. Minority Rights: A Guide to United Nations Procedures and Institutions is published by MRG and RWI as a contribution to public understanding of the issue which forms its subject. The text and views expressed do not necessarily represent in every detail and in all its aspects the collective view of MRG, RWI, the European Commission, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.