Yugoslav Roma Face the Future - Project on Ethnic Relations

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PREFACEThe security and well being of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> in former <strong>Yugoslav</strong>ia is of graveconcern to <strong>the</strong> international community and to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> <strong>the</strong>mselves.During <strong>the</strong> wars in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo, and <strong>the</strong> violence inMacedonia, <strong>Roma</strong> have often been caught in <strong>the</strong> midst of strugglesbetween o<strong>the</strong>r ethnic groups. In Kosovo, <strong>the</strong>ir very survival was underthreat. These woes came against a background of chronic unemployment,poverty, and discrimination. Concerted action by governments,international organizations, <strong>Roma</strong>ni and o<strong>the</strong>r nongovernmentalorganizations, as well as <strong>Roma</strong>ni leaders, are required to protect thisvulnerable minority from immediate threats and to improve itslong-term situation.The international community has taken steps to safeguard some <strong>Roma</strong>from direct threats. KFOR in Kosovo, SFOR in Bosnia, and UNHCRin Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro have provided physical protectionand have set up refugee facilities. However, <strong>the</strong> long-termfuture of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> in former <strong>Yugoslav</strong>ia will require active cooperationand direct partnerships between governments and <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>Roma</strong>nicommunities.For some years, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Project</strong> on Ethnic Relations has assisted governmentsto develop programs for <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> and has urged <strong>Roma</strong>ni leaders to participatein <strong>the</strong> political life of <strong>the</strong>ir countries in order to have a voice inshaping <strong>the</strong> programs that affect <strong>the</strong>m. PER has conducted programs forgovernments and <strong>Roma</strong>ni organizations in <strong>Roma</strong>nia, Slovakia, Hungary,Bulgaria, and Macedonia.Left to right: Dragoljub Ackovic, Nada Raduski, Agnes Odri Kartag, Andrzej Mirga,Dusan Janjic, Allen Kassof, Nicolae Gheorghe, Alex Grigor’ev, Nenad Djurdjevic.1
Left to right: Dejan Markovic, Osman Balic,Nedzet Mustafa.With <strong>the</strong> October 2000 victoryof <strong>the</strong> democratic opposition inSerbia, it has finally becomepossible to open a dialogue on<strong>the</strong> status of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> <strong>the</strong>re.In February 2001, in Belgrade,PER initiated <strong>the</strong> first discussionof <strong>the</strong>se issues at a roundtableco-sponsored withOSCE’s Office for DemocraticInstitutions and HumanRights (ODIHR) and itsContact Point for <strong>Roma</strong> andSinti Issues (CPRSI), and <strong>the</strong> Belgrade-based Forum for EthnicRelations (FER).Although <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> in <strong>Yugoslav</strong>ia constitute one of <strong>the</strong> largest minoritiesand have traditionally enjoyed certain rights, <strong>the</strong>ir status has never beenlegally codified. The new democratic government has proclaimed itsinterest in developing and implementing new constitutional provisionsfor minorities, and has established a federal ministry responsible forminority issues that will also take up <strong>Roma</strong>ni issues.Most, though not all, <strong>Roma</strong>ni leaders who took part in <strong>the</strong> roundtablewere in favor of declaring <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> an official national minority in <strong>the</strong>new <strong>Yugoslav</strong> federal law on national minorities, now in preparation.They believe that this status would confer a greater degree of legal protectionthan at present and that it would expand opportunities for <strong>the</strong><strong>Roma</strong>. But all agreed that constitutional and legal measures could onlybe <strong>the</strong> first step in overcoming discrimination and neglect by <strong>the</strong> majoritycommunity. They stressed that political will at <strong>the</strong> highest levels of<strong>the</strong> government will be required if <strong>the</strong>re is to be any improvement in<strong>the</strong>ir overall situation.<strong>Roma</strong>ni participants recommended <strong>the</strong> creation of an office for <strong>Roma</strong>niaffairs at <strong>the</strong> ministry for ethnic and national communities of <strong>the</strong> FRY,and called upon <strong>the</strong> government to pay particular attention to <strong>the</strong> difficultproblems that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong> face. They requested government assistancein revitalizing <strong>Roma</strong>ni language instruction in <strong>the</strong> schools, passage of ananti-discrimination law, <strong>the</strong> appointment of an ombudsman, and provisionsto monitor <strong>the</strong> enforcement of rights at <strong>the</strong> local level.Government representatives promised to keep <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong>ni leadersinformed of steps that <strong>the</strong>y planned to take in <strong>the</strong> near future. One officialsaid that, if <strong>the</strong> draft law on minorities were to provide for a registerof ethnic groups, <strong>the</strong>n it was likely that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Roma</strong>, as well as <strong>the</strong> relatedcommunities of Ashkali and Egyptians, would be included.PER plans to reconvene <strong>the</strong> roundtable in <strong>the</strong> near future.This report was prepared by Nenad Djurdjevic of PER’s Belgrade officeand edited by PER’s Princeton staff. The participants in <strong>the</strong> meetinghave not had <strong>the</strong> opportunity to review <strong>the</strong> text, for which PER assumesfull responsibility.Allen H. Kassof, PresidentLivia B. Plaks, Executive DirectorPrinceton, New JerseyAugust 200123
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Yugoslav Roma Face the Future - Project on Ethnic Relations

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