My country is Macedonia. And Macedonians are being told (and I'm hearing it directly from the horse's mouth) that US foreign interventionism is “justified” because other countries might intervene. Yes, that's the argument. A pre-emptive strike against another people's basic human rights in order to satisfy US foreign policy. How about denouncing all foreign interventionism – and refusing to engage in it – instead of trying to justify your own.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International President, Bill Nicholov, met with Annie Lagueux, Director of Policy for Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, and called for Canada to immediately reverse its ill-advised support of the forced name change of the Republic of Macedonia and to condemn the Zoran Zaev regime for its continued abuse of Macedonians' human rights.

In reality, human rights and in particular minority rights, have been relegated to the bottom of the list of priorities for European integration. Let me illustrate with a sad and true story. Eight decades ago, fearful of losing part of its territory, communist Bulgaria determined that the only solution was to assimilate its minorities into a “unified socialistic Bulgarian nation.” This was done through a series of so-called “revival processes”, targeting – in different periods – all traditional minorities settled in Bulgaria, such as Turks, Roma, Pomaks, Macedonians, etc.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International applauds the Krste Misirkov Organization for its tireless commitment in providing private Macedonian language classes in Aegean Macedonia (annexed by Greece after Macedonia's partition in 1912/13) and demanding that Greece fulfill its international obligations in providing minority language education.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International President, Bill Nicholov, met with the Director of Amnesty International's European Office, Nils Muiznieks, and European Office Researcher, Jelena Sesar, and called for Amnesty International to denounce the name, identity and history change imposed on Macedonia and to condemn the associated and resulting human rights violations against Macedonians.

The man whose job was to change my people's name, erase our identity and rewrite our history is now – in a brutally ironic twist of fate – watching his people's history being changed and the human rights abuses that they suffered be whitewashed, all in the name of politics and as a direct result of his actions.

[Insert derogatory name here]. You’d be immediately, and rightfully, condemned for being racist and spreading hatred. But not if you insert the latest derogatory name for my ethnic group. Actually, you’ll be congratulated for helping to “solve a diplomatic dispute” by spreading hatred against us.   Yeah. That’s right.   I’ve heard them all. I’ve been called a ___, a ___, and a ___ (and so much more). But there’s no condemnation. There is intolerance though, towards us, for being offended and for standing up against hatred.   And it’s all because one of our oppressors managed to convince the most powerful countries in the world to side with them in their claim that our existence is a “diplomatic dispute” that needs to be “solved”.

If one believed the UN’s rhetoric (and ridiculous "#StandUp4HumanRights" hashtag), one would expect the UN to denounce, not assist, Greece in its quest to annihilate the existence of Macedonians’ ethnic identity. But both ended up getting their wish —Macedonia’s name was forcibly and illegally changed, using brutal tactics, and despite mass opposition by the Macedonian people.

We all respond in a crisis. We all respond when someone is in need. But how about when your entire ethnic group is in need? Other groups respond vocally and immediately. But do Macedonians? Unfortunately, nowhere near the level that is needed. MHRMI is different. We've been at the forefront of defending Macedonians for over 30 years. Join us.

Ethnic Policy, a research platform providing theoretical and policy relevant research on ethnic matters worldwide, has pledged support to Macedonians in educating the world about the imposed name change.