Toronto, Canada, December 10, 2008 – Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The UDHR is the foundation of international human rights law, and is an expression of human rights that all human beings are inherently entitled to, both individually and collectively.
MHRMI calls on Greece and Bulgaria to live up to the standards of the UDHR, and recognize the Macedonian minority, along with all other ethnic, linguistic, religious and other minorities living within their borders. Sixty years after the adoption of the UDHR, ethnic Macedonians still do not have fundamental human rights including the right to self-identification, use of the native Macedonian language in schools and churches, and the right to peaceful assembly.
MHRMI also calls on Albania to recognize its Macedonian minority throughout the country, not just in the Mala Prespa region, and to immediately expand teaching of the Macedonian language in the public school system for all ethnic Macedonian students.
Furthermore, MHRMI calls on the Republic of Macedonia to cease all negotiations with Greece over the so-called “name dispute” and urges immediate international recognition of Macedonia’s constitutional name.
“Freedom of expression is the most fundamental of human rights and it has been denied to the Macedonian people for far too long. MHRMI calls on the international community to live up to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to ensure that Macedonians have this right, wherever they may live”, said MHRMI President Bill Nicholov.
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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. For more information, please visit www.mhrmi.org, or contact MHRMI at 416-850-7125, or info@mhrmi.org.
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