The International Community Has an Obligation to Defend Macedonia and Macedonians

International human rights treaties, examined below, dictate that signatories must immediately defend Macedonia and Macedonians - specifically against the brutal crackdown on human rights committed by the Zaev regime, the exponential rise in hate crimes against Macedonians throughout the Balkans, and the instigator of these human rights violations - the shocking Western-supported/initiated forced Macedonia name change.

The countries that most loudly proclaim their adherence to international human rights treaties(mainly NATO and EU member-states) are the ones that most flagrantly violated them in their pursuit of the forced Macedonia name, identity and history change - all for the appeasement of their fellow member-states and to fulfill their own misguided - and racist - foreign policy objectives. Greece and Bulgaria's public objectives are to deny the existence and persecution of Macedonians within their borders and to eradicate the existence of Macedonians' ethnic identity, yet NATO and EU member-states not only fully supported these goals, they blatantly intervened in the Republic of Macedonia and helped to commit gross human rights violations against Macedonians.

Such violations include, but are not limited to: the imprisonment of dissenters; riot police attacking, beating and arresting peaceful protesters; firing (from public and private sector jobs) of thousands of Macedonians; shutting down media and imposing prison sentences for journalists; blocking social media access for individuals and media outlets; outlawing and criminalizing the use of the term “Macedonia”; the investigation and intimidation of Macedonian civilians including physical attacks and arson; and the continued unlawful detention of Macedonian political prisoners who are subject to abhorrent prison conditions.

The first blatant violation of the international community's obligations occurred with the United Nations itself - as it breached two of its bedrock principles in pursuing the forced Macedonia name change:

• Article 2 (1) — “The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members;”and
• Article 2 (7) — “Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter;”

“Sovereign” and “equal” members have the right to their own name, identity and history. Nothing authorizes the United Nations to interfere in the internal affairs of any nation. Legally and morally, the United Nations has no right to pursue, much less demand, a name, identity and history change on Macedonia and the Macedonian people. Further, it is the precursor of the human rights violations mentioned above, and also the exponential rise in human rights abuses and hate crimes against Macedonians in Bulgaria and Greece.

Specifically, the forced redefinition of everything Macedonian has given free rein to Greece and Bulgaria to pursue their policies of eradicating the existence of Macedonians' ethnic identity and to ramp up attacks on Macedonians – including Greek government enabled neo-Nazis physically attacking Macedonians, Bulgarian secret police detaining and threatening Macedonians, official government agencies completely wiping out any expression of Macedonians' ethnic identity, including the continued refusal to allow the registration of Macedonian associations (now citing the forced name change as a reason) and the daily, non-stop attacks, by the media and government officials, declaring that Macedonians are “sub-human”, “should be shot dead in the streets” (serving as a catalyst for increased hostility and violence against Macedonians) and the declaration – and celebration – by Greek and Bulgarian politicians that Macedonians are “no longer permitted” to use the terms “Macedonia” and “Macedonian”.

The following are examples of the many human rights conventions that mandate immediate action in defence of Macedonians. They include, but are not limited to:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction of any kind, in particular as to race, colour or national origin."

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

• "Considering that all human beings are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law against any discrimination and against any incitement to discrimination"
• Article 4 - "States Parties condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form, and undertake to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination."

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

• The Council of Europe highlights the FCNM as "the first legally binding multilateral instrument devoted to the protection of national minorities worldwide".
• Article 4 - "The Parties undertake to guarantee to persons belonging to national minorities the right of equality before the law and of equal protection of the law. In this respect, any discrimination based on belonging to a national minority shall be prohibited."
• Article 5 - "The Parties undertake to promote the conditions necessary for persons belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their culture, and to preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion, language, traditions and cultural heritage."

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Part 1, Article 1 -"All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development."
• Part 2, Article 2 - "Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status."

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

• Article 16 - "Each State Party shall undertake to prevent in any territory under its jurisdiction other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which do not amount to torture as defined in article I, when such acts are committed by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. In particular, the obligations contained in articles 10, 11, 12 and 13 shall apply with the substitution for references to torture of references to other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International calls on all UN member-states to take immediate action - as per their international obligations - in defence of Macedonians' human rights. Further, MHRMI calls on human rights organizations, media outlets, journalists, political parties, and all truly interested in protecting human rights, to hold their countries accountable and issue statements in defence of Macedonians.

Kindly inform MHRMI of any action undertaken. Our contact information:

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Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. MHRMI demands respect for Macedonia's name, identity and human rights for oppressed Macedonians in the Balkans. For more information: 1-416-850-7125, info@mhrmi.org, mhrmi.org, twitter.com/mhrmi, facebook.com/mhrmi, instagram.com/MacedonianHumanRights #OurNameIsMacedonia