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Amnesty says deported Roma face persecution in Kosovo

Wed, Sep 29 2010 10:19 CET 2030 Views 10 Comments
Amnesty says deported Roma face persecution in Kosovo

Supporters of Bulgarian nationalist organisations shout anti-Roma slogans during a rally in central Sofia, September 25 2010. Several hundred people gathered in a protest against what they called ‘gypsy terror’, stating that Roma allegedly commit a lot of crimes but remain unpunished. The signs say, left to right, 'No to the gypsy terror and invasion!', 'The people against the gypsy terror!' and 'Security for the normal people - criminal gypsies in prison'.

Photo: Reuters

Amnesty International has criticized European countries for deporting ethnic Roma to Kosovo where they face discrimination and violence. In a new report, the international watchdog says many Roma, who are also known as Gypsies, arrive in Kosovo with nothing but the clothes on their back.

Amnesty International Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia David Diaz-Jogeix says Roma returning to Kosovo often do not have access to basic services.

"Many of the people who are being returned do not have a clear access to their identity and accommodation papers and that further discriminates them in making sure that they have proper access to health and hospitals or access to social housing or access to state employment," he said.

Many Roma left Kosovo when the country was racked by conflict in the 1990s. In 2008 Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.

Diaz-Jogeix says since then many European countries have pressured Kosovo to take Roma back. He says about 7,000 people have been deported to Kosovo by European countries, including Germany and Switzerland, despite the fact that they are likely to face persecution there.

Diaz-Jogeix says Roma face persecution across Europe, but in Kosovo the problem is particularly troubling.

"In the context of Kosovo, there is a further discrimination aggravated by the fact that they are perceived as being allies of one part of the conflict, the Serbs, and that further reinforces the discrimination by the Kosovo Albanians," he said.

Around 90 percent of Kosovo's population is ethnic-Albanian.

A spokesman for Britain's right-wing United Kingdom Independence Party, Dawain Towler, says European countries cannot be expected to open their borders to Roma from Kosovo.

"The responsibility lies with the Kosovo government to ensure that people are treated properly and effectively at home. And it is not the responsibility of the U.K. or any other government indeed to take up the burden that has been ignored by their own government," said Towler.

Amnesty International says 97 percent of Roma in Kosovo are unemployed. It says Kosovo's government does not have the resources or political will to deal with their plight.

Source: VOANews.com

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Comments

Anonymous Peggy Mon, Oct 18 2010 02:21 CET

Alexander, please make up your mind whether you want to post under your name or under No. 1.

How many personalities do you have?
BTW. You are a No. 1 what?

Anonymous 1 Sun, Oct 17 2010 17:52 CET

faggy, why cant you ever stick to the article, but all we hear from you is some serv opinion that nobody wants, i mean who wants to hear from genociders like you? Go support the hitlorevicebiches of your landlocked barbaria :D

Poor soul, escaped her landcave and know she just biches from 16000 km away, what a pathetic parasite you are, just like the ultra muslims you are probably on th asio list you scum :D

enjoy

Anonymous Peggy Sun, Oct 17 2010 15:42 CET


Anonymous 1 Sun, Oct 17 2010 13:33 CET

The administrator has been informed, thank you!

Hi [eggy sucks to be you, broken dreams, cotton mouth useless thoughts and getting your arse handed to you in so many literal ways.
========================
You are a real advertisement for the Albanian side. You represent everything wrong with them.
Vulgarity has always been your strongest suit.

Anonymous 1 Sun, Oct 17 2010 13:33 CET

Hi [eggy sucks to be you, broken dreams, cotton mouth useless thoughts and getting your arse handed to you in so many literal ways.

HAve you noticed that the more you talk the the more crap Servia gets in to. The more criminal and genocidal and pathetic your life goes?
When did you servs celebrate for the last time? HAHAHA losers

Anonymous Peggy Sun, Oct 17 2010 02:51 CET


Anonymous Alexander Fri, Oct 08 2010 12:30 CET

Peggy darling, i told you to take your pills already,

What was the point of your last comment?
And is Servia safe enough foe illegals like you to go back?

Why dont you go?
======================

Alexander honey, I can't go back to Serbia because I don't hold Serbian citizenship, but thank you for worrying about me.
It would make much more sense for you to crawl back [...]

Read the full comment under that rock from which you crawled and stay put. You make as much sense as anything that lives under it.

Anonymous tim Mon, Oct 11 2010 19:46 CET

Amnesty International is saying the Roma are facing discrimination and violence if returned to Kosovo. Who on earth can possibly take Amnesty International comments as serious after saying that? I am sure, that the Kosovo Albanian multi ethnic success story, will greet them with open arms.
This article posted by Selah Hennessey has a photo of Bulgars in BULGARIA holding an anti Roma demonstration. What lazy boned A** put this article together? Could you not find a proper Serbian anti roma photo?

Anonymous Alexander Fri, Oct 08 2010 12:30 CET

Peggy darling, i told you to take your pills already,

What was the point of your last comment?
And is Servia safe enough foe illegals like you to go back?

Why dont you go?

Anonymous Peggy Fri, Oct 08 2010 04:30 CET

Alexander, it makes perfect sense. It's not my fault you can't grasp what is obvious to others.
You can stop making a fool of yourself by likening this situation with c**p you wrote. You will try to distort anything in order to discredit sensible comments.
Pathetic and desperate is what you really are.

Anonymous Alexander Fri, Oct 01 2010 15:16 CET

"If non Serbs are not safe to return there, the argument about only Serbs being the bad buys is obviously false."

That just does not make sense... i hope you take your pills this time honey :D

So if non Serbs get beaten in Serbia to death like Taton, than Libya is not the problem??? HAHAHA
ridiculous Serb masterminds, i wish they had more of you failed prototypes Peggy, all the best ;)

Anonymous Peggy Thu, Sep 30 2010 00:02 CET

All non Albanians face persecution in Kosovo. That much is obvious and yet they are being returned there.
Someone made a huge mess there because of their own interests and needs to be put before Hague. That someone is the American administration responsible for first, bombing Serbia and second recognition of Kosovo as independent.

If non Serbs are not safe to return there, the argument about only Serbs being the bad buys is obviously false. Nobody is safe in Kosovo unless they are Albanian and loyal to Thaci.


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