MINELRES: Kosovo Roma want to take part in the negotiations on Kosovos future
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Thu Oct 27 14:30:04 2005
Original sender: Roma Network <[email protected]>
Kosovo Roma want to take part in the negotiations on Kosovo�s future
Pristina, 25 October 2005: One day after the announcement by UN Security
Council of the opening of the negotiations on Kosovo�s political status Kosovo
Roma have requested to be admitted to these talks. In a letter addressed to
high representatives of the international community and the EU representatives
of the Kosovo Roma, Ashkalija and Egyptian communities have asked for an urgent
solution of the problems of the Roma of the former Yugoslavia who have become
victims of wars and racist violence, many of whom continue to live in limbo.
The signatories of the letter including the main international Romani
organisations and several hundreds of NGOs and individuals also asked for an
immediate ban on the deportations of Roma, Askalija and Egyptians to Kosovo and
for a recognition of their right to asylum.
During a meeting on the implementation of policies for Sinti and Roma convened
by the end of last week by the Human Rights department of the OSCE, ODIHR, in
Warsaw representatives of the Kosovo Roma communities agreed on a common
platform for future cooperation. In an initiative supported by representatives
of international Romani organisations and welcomed by the Deputy Head of
Mission of the OSCE in Pristina, Ambassador Jens Modvig, they asked for the
recognition of the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Roma in the aftermath of the NATO-
bombing, a compensation for the victims of war-time damages, the return of
occupied properties, the restauration of security and freedom of movement in
Kosovo and a fair and impartial investigation in acts of racist violence and
discrimination, equal representation and access to public institutions,
effective access for the members of the non-Albanian communities to housing,
education, health care and employment and appropriate assistance to IDPs and
returnees. The supporters of the platform also demanded safeguards for the
rights of the non-Albanian communities in the event that Kosovo should become
independent and the recognition of Kosovo Roma as a constituent people of
Kosovo. As a matter of emergency and in order to enable the coordination of the
interests of a community which is today spread throughout the world they
demanded the organisation of an international conference on the situation of
the Kosovo Roma.
Roma once constituted the third largest ethnic community of Kosovo counting for
an estimated 150,000. In the aftermath of the war and the departure of the
Yugoslav army Roma were chased away and their houses and properties destroyed
and looted. Despite the presisting volatility of the situation which is further
exacerbated by the start of the negotions on Kosovo's political status Western
governments as well as governments of the region have recently augmented
pressures towards a return of Roma, Ashkalija and Egyptian refugees to Kosovo.
International political attention has so far concentrated on the interests of
the two main communities, the Kosovo Serbs and Albanians, whereas the smaller
communities have been left out from the political processes.
For further information please contact:
Kosovo Roma and Ashkali Forum
[email protected]
+377 (0)44/252-051
International Romani Union
Bajram Haliti
[email protected]
Roma National Congress
Asmet Elezovski
[email protected]
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