State of the Centre Zagros pour les Droits de l’Homme Fourteenth Session of the Forum on Minority Issues Item 2 : Conflict prevention and protection of the human rights of minorities Madame Chair, In dictatorial regimes and oligarchies, and in laws derived from ideologies, there are always cases of discrimination against minorities. The constitutions of some countries, including Iran, Turkey, Syria and Iraq under Saddam Hussein, are based on the superiority of one group over others. Article 2 of the Turkish Constitution sets out a commitment to Atatürk’s nationalism, and Article 3 sets out a nation, and declares the Turkish language as the sole language of the country. Other non-Turkish national groups, including the Kurds, who make up over 30 million of Turkey's population, have been legally and systematically denied or marginalized. According to the fourth principle of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, all laws must conform to Islamic standards. Religious minorities, including the Baha'is, Yarsanis and Mandeans, have no official status and are constantly persecuted. National groups, including Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchis and other ethnic minorities, are only mentioned in the constitution of the country in the unapplied Articles 15 and 19. Even though these non-Persian nations represent more than fifty percent of the Iranian population, nowhere in the constitution is their existence recognized, nor are their fundamental rights mentioned. Unfortunately, intentional and sometimes hostile attitudes towards the various minorities in these countries have only resulted in riots and violence, and have escalated into armed conflict. If marginalization and inequality persist, we will undoubtedly have to wait for more bloody conflicts in the future. Thank you.