Definitions and Justifications: Minority and Indigenous Rights in a Central/East European Context

Over the last decade, the concept of "indigenous people" has acquired considerable normative power in international practice. In 1982 the United Nations established a Working Group on Indigenous Populations, which in [End Page 1011] 1993 adopted a remarkably ambitious Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 1 Similarly, in 1989 the International Labour Organization (ILO) developed Convention 169 which rejected the ILO's earlier assimilationist approach towards indigenous peoples in favor of respect and support. 2 Meanwhile, the World Bank's implementation of a 1991 Operational Directive, which imposes special requirements on certain World Bank projects affecting indigenous peoples, has had a significant impact on development and lending practices. 3 Indigenous peoples have been actively involved in these standard-setting activities, and have established themselves as a significant presence on the international stage. However, there is no general agreement on the definition of "indigenous people"--that is on who should benefit from the rights framework which is being established--nor is there an agreement on a process by which such a definition could be developed. 4