United Nations E/2019/NGO/110
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
13 June 2019
English
Original: French

2019 session
26 July 2018–25 July 2019
Agenda item 5
High-level segment

Statement

submitted by Asocio Esperanto Radikala, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council*
The Secretary-General has received the following statement, which is being circulated in accordance with paragraphs 30 and 31 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.

Statement
The United Nations has done much to ensure fundamental freedoms for individuals and to liberate them from colonialism which, in the meantime, has become more sophisticated. This is a result of the understanding that more resources can now be obtained not by invading other countries but by gradually conquering the minds of their inhabitants through linguistic enslavement, as this offers far greater advantages than taking provinces and territories from them or subjugating them through exploitation.
The colonization of minds consists of three stages:
1. Glorification of the dominant group, “Group A” (its language, culture, laws, traditions, institutions, level of development, focus on human rights)
2. Stigmatization and devaluation of the subordinate group, “Group B”: the language(s), culture(s), laws, traditions, institutions and level(s) of development represented by this group are considered primitive, backward and unable to adapt to the modern age’s “democratic” information technology.
3. Grafting a rationale onto the economic, political, sociological and linguistic relations between the two groups: Group A becomes beneficial and useful to Group B by “providing assistance and support,” “exerting a civilizing influence,” “modernizing,” “fostering democracy,” “guaranteeing rights,” “preventing conflict,” “promoting development” and “preserving peace.”
It has been argued that “the English of international communication,” because it is owned by no one, does not destroy other languages. However, this idea is untenable because:
• even if something like “the English of international communication” existed, it would cost English-speakers nothing to learn it;
• whether we like it or not, native English-speakers have a legitimate monopoly on linguistic correctness, just as the State has a legitimate monopoly on the use of force: only they have the right to establish what is correct in their language. We must not delude ourselves: English is not a common good!
The lack of equal linguistic opportunities among the world’s citizens has resulted in tremendous economic advantages and resource flows for English-speaking countries.
We have been studying the economic and non-economic effects of linguistic discrimination in the European Union since 1996. We estimate the cost of linguistic inequality for the 445 million non-English-speaking Europeans at 487,408,500,000.00 euros per year. However, the problem is not so much the quantity as the distribution of resources, the main beneficiary being England, and all the other countries losing money.
If we do not address the complexity of these issues under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” and in pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals, because the United Nations, despite the existence of approximately 6,000 languages worldwide, only has 6 official languages and 2 working languages, English and French, there is a risk that the 2030 Agenda could advance the global linguistic monopoly of English by promoting the “enslavement” of minds. However, encouraged by experience in the context of the European Union, we wish to request the Secretary-General to entrust our organization with preparing a document on the economic aspects of linguistic inequality and of linguistic equity through the common language of humankind, and enable us to draw on United Nations system resources.Nations system resources.