ABSTRACT
Generally, States mistrust minorities. In particular, loyalty has been the focus of criticism by many. There has been, however, a positive development in minority rights in recent times. Some States appear to be prepared to take positive measures to address the concerns o f minority groups, in particular on issues relating to language, culture, and religion. Yet, they are, it seems, reluctant to grant political power to minority groups by allowing them to control the regions in which they live. Such initiatives are considered as the creation of rival power bases. The common position seemed to be, “if you give them an inch (or centimeter), they will want a yard (or meter)” (Thomberry, 1997:326). The right to autonomy is therefore considered as something having the potential to destroy territorial integrity and the sovereignty o f nation-States. These concerns o f the nation-State are examined in this chapter by analysing State practice (selected samples) in the international arena.
