ECRI reports on Croatia, Cyprus, Moldova and Albania

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Subject: ECRI reports on Croatia, Cyprus, Moldova and Albania

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Isobelle Jaques <[email protected]>

ECRI reports on Croatia, Cyprus, Moldova and Albania


Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI) publishes its remaining first-round country-by-country reports
on member states
 
STRASBOURG, 09.11.99 - Reports on Croatia, Cyprus, Moldova, Turkey and
Albania, issued today, complete the first series of spot-check country
reports by the COUNCIL OF EUROPE's European Commission against Racism
and Intolerance (ECRI) on the Organisation's member States.
 
The reports identify problems and their causes and offer advice and
solutions. They play a role in the ongoing dialogue between the
Organisation and its member States on curbing racism, xenophobia,
antisemitism and related intolerance.  The reports are available on
the Internet site: http://www.ecri.coe.int in English and French.
 
In Croatia the problems faced are to a large extent the result of the
wars starting in 1991 following the break-up of the Federal Socialist
Republic of Yugoslavia.  Although episodes of ethnically-motivated
violence and discriminatory practices are relatively decreasing over
time, members of minority groups continue to be subject to physical
threats as well as differential treatment in various fields,
particularly in certain parts of the country.  Key areas identified by
ECRI include: the need to ensure that the rights of minority groups
are thoroughly respected; the protection of the rights of refugees and
displaced persons and the enhancement of confidence-building measures
and security conditions in some areas, with a view to facilitating a
harmonious reintegration of refugees and displaced persons in their
areas of origin; and the need to monitor the non-discriminatory
implementation of law and regulations concerning acquisition of
citizenship, employment, property rights, provision of social
services, etc.
 
In Cyprus the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, after
massive internal displacement, now in the main live in different parts
of the island.  The northern part (some 37%) is not presently under
the effective control of the Cypriot Government, and ECRI has not
examined the position of populations living in that area as regards
discrimination.  ECRI's key findings include: the need to investigate
incidents of police ill-treatment of detainees of non-Greek Cypriot
origin; specific problems faced by certain groups of non-citizens,
particularly Asian women employed as maids; and the need to promote a
climate of tolerance to restore confidence and counter prejudice
between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
 
While in Moldova the confrontation with the Gagauzi minority in the
southern part of the country is apparently being handled in a
satisfactory fashion, a lasting solution to the conflicts and tensions
is still awaited in the region on the left bank of the Dniester river,
a region in which the Moldovan authorities presently do not hold
control.  Among key issues identified by ECRI are: the importance of
monitoring the implementation of legal and other measures which have
only recently been established, including the law on the special legal
status of the Gaugazia region; the development of a comprehensive body
of legislation specifically to combat all forms of racism and
intolerance; and the need to ensure training in human rights for the
police.
 
Turkey's citizens are of many different ethnic origins, including a
significant number of Kurds. One of the main challenges facing Turkey
in the field of ECRI's concerns appears to be the need to reconcile
the strong sense of national identity and the wish to preserve the
unity and integrity of the State with the right of different minority
groups within Turkey to express their own sense of ethnic identity,
for example through maintenance and development of linguistic and
cultural aspects of that identity.  ECRI also underlines: the need to
ratify international Conventions in the field of combating racism and
discrimination; the importance of monitoring and responding
appropriately to the new aspects of migration into Turkey and to make
appropriate legislative changes; and the need to adopt a wide range of
policy, educational and awareness-raising measures to promote
tolerance in society as a whole.
 
ECRI's report on Albania was finalised at the end of November 1998. 
It therefore does not cover the dramatic developments linked to the
crisis related to Kosovo in 1999 and the implications of such events
on Albania. Yet some of the key areas identified by ECRI continue to
merit particular attention, including the precarious situation of the
Roma/Gypsy community, the need to counter discrimination, including
police discrimination, against members of this community and the lack
of a fully developed legal framework to combat racism and racial
discrimination.
 
Beginning in 1999, ECRI is following up its first round of
country-by-country spot checks.  New reports are currently under way
on Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Norway,
Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland.
 
Isobelle Jaques
Racism-Intolerance Secretariat
Directorate of Human Rights, Council of Europe

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