March 2001. The situation in Kosovo, and the continuing ethnic cleansing have resulted in many Rroma leaving the region. However, their plight is neither well documented, nor even acknowledged by most Western governments.
TheForgotten Refugees
Rroma Foundation
March 2001
1.Recent Developments in Former Yugoslavia
With the election of Kostunica as President of the rump of Yugoslavia and with the subsequent fall of the Milosevic regime, confirmed by the elections of December 2000 in Serbia, where the opposition won, for many, the wars were to come to an end.
Democracy was and is the
buzz-word for all who speak about that region. This democracy is meant, in a
very short time to eliminate all problems; to see warring factions live
peacefully together forever after. Of course, since all problems in the region
are to be solved by this emerging democracy, refugees that have swarmed over
Western Europe in the last ten years are to return to a safe and solid future
in their regions of origin.
But what does reality have to
do with this halcyon view of the recent developments in former Yugoslavia. Let
us have a short look at the current situation as well as to the recent actions
of those factions that have fuelled the war for almost ten years.
In Kosovo, even though the
so-called moderates won the elections, the violence against minorities
continues unabated, in full view of the KFOR and the UN in charge – at least
officially – of the security of that region. Needless to say, this did not
prevent several attacks, often deadly, such as the recent bombing of a bus
escorted by the KFOR against Serbs. Of other minorities, the press is usually
less informed or even maybe does not want to speak. Rroma, here used as a
general term encompassing all Rroma groups, Arlii, Gurbeti, Ashkali, Egyptians
and many more are but seldom even mentioned by the press. But they are
nevertheless still expelled from their homes, killed, raped, and when the press
covers their fate, they often say they were Serbs or even Albanians.
Even the self-named Rroma
presidents who advocated – prior to the elections in Kosovo – the return of
Rroma to the region are by now begging for asylum in whatever country wants to
take them.
This so-called peaceful
situation is unfortunately spreading across borders. The buffer zone – a five
miles deep zone in Serbia meant to protect Albanians form the exaction of the
Serbian paramilitaries has been overcome by the former UCK, called in this
region the Liberation Army of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedo.. This ragtag army
is far better armed than the few Serbian policemen patrolling the region and
the exaction for which the UCK became infamous, namely the eviction of
minorities, the killings and the rampant criminality has spread into Serbia
proper. The KFOR watches but does not do anything, at least as of now.
These incursions, in turn,
have led to a hardening of the Serbian stance in cities such as Bujanovac.
Albanians are viewed with suspicion, and Rroma, as they identified themselves
most closely with the Albanians are the first victims. Bombs, evictions, loss
of work, nothing is spared. This is compounded by the fact that the Albanians
want to get rid of the Rroma.
Worse, the guerrilla is
spreading to Macedonia. In the last few days, the press has been full of
reports of fights between the Macedonian police and Albanian “rebels”. In view
of the high Albanian minority in Macedonia, especially in the North West of
that country, one can only ask how long Macedonia will be able to contain these
incursions. In Macedonia, the equilibrium between Slavs and Albanians has been
precarious, to say the least and any fights is bound to inflame passion, with
the usual result in the region. And should one look at the recent history,
several countries are claiming the region. The Greek, as Macedonia was once
Greek – rather the other way around, as Phillip and Alexandre were Macedonian
and not Greeks; the Bulgarians, as Eastern Macedonia was once Bulgarian and the
Macedonian language is considered in that country as a Bulgarian dialect; and
finally the Serbs themselves, who have not forgotten some of their dreams of
Yugoslavia, all are claiming Macedonia or parts thereof.
Montenegro has nearly vanished
from the news. Ever since the election of Kostunica, the fate of that Yugoslav
republic did not interest the press, and the Montenegrin President Djukanovic
and his aspirations to independence are by now a thorn in the Western world
diplomacy. The Kosovo war and the Nato intervention havve left huge scars in
that country. First, many refugees have settled there, in conditions that are
not worthy of the international community. Second, the country is divided
between the pro-independence and the Serbian loyalists. What happens there is
anybody’s guess.
At least – or so say some – in
Bosnia, all has become normal again. A closer look at the recent developments
there give another less harmless impression. The Croats have decided to
separate themselves from the Federation with Moslems that was put in place
after the Dayton agreements. In the Republika Srpska, extremists, some of which
are subject of indictments from the tribunal in the Hague, have won elections.
In brief, none of the agreements signed in Dayton have been put in place.
Refugees cannot return to their homes, co-operation between the various ethnic
groups in the “official” government is non existent. And the SFOR watches. The
SFOR even watches known war criminals going for drinks in restaurants.
What of Rroma? Well, they are
neither considered to be Croatian, nor Serbian, and even though to a large
extent, they are Moslems, they are not considered to be Moslem Bosniacs. Hence,
they are the last to obtain housing, jobs, needless to say- for who would like to employ a Gypsy
– are not available, and worse, no one wants them there.
At least, or so will say some optimists, Croatia and Slovenia are stable countries where everything is more or less democratic. While this is certainly true for Slovenia, Croatia is still a quagmire. Nationalists they were, and in spite of the death of Tudjman and the election of the opposition, little has changed. This can be seen in the reluctance of the Croatians in delivering known war criminals to the tribunal in the Hague or the outcry in the streets as some Croats were recently condemned.
2.Rroma: Is there
a Future for them in the Region?
So the Rroma, these very Rroma whose ancestors settled in Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Thrakia and Bulgaria nearly one thousand years ago, these Rroma who were by far the most integrated in the society, being farmers, doctors, lawyers, workers, these Rroma are by now expelled by all and have but few possibilities to remain.
As usual, we use the term of
Rroma for all groups that are found in the region, from the Arlii, the Gurbeti,
the Arabajdji, the Ashkali and many more. They are all Rroma, or, as the
Albanians say, Madjups.
Of the 200’000 to 300’000
Rroma in Kosovo, all but a handful have fled. Those who remain have only one
thought: To leave as soon as possible, for they risk their lives, their
daughters are raped, their houses are confiscated or burnt. This violence
continues even in the countries where Rroma have found refuge as they are
threatened, even beaten up by ethnic Albanians.
In South Serbia, the situation
of Rroma is currently becoming dramatic. As earlier in Kosovo, the Serbs view
Rroma as Albanians, for the Rroma in the region are overwhelmingly Moslems,
with Albanian names and speak fluently Albanian. This identification of Rroma
to the Albanian cause has already been their nemesis, and the Serbs did
persecute them even more severely than the Albanians. Now that many Serbs from
Kosovo have been expelled and have found a refuge in South Serbia, Rroma are
evicted, threatened, beaten up by the police, in brief, all is done to expel
them.
On the other hand, Albanians
do not consider Rroma as Albanians. In fact, their large minority constitutes a
problem. Adding the Rroma in the equation, together with Serbs and other
minorities such as the Turks, the Goranis etc. and the Albanian majority melts
like snow under the sun.Their
actions against Rroma are even more violent. Under the “justification” that
Rroma collaborated with the Serbs in Kosovo, they are threatening them, beating
them up, throwing bombs at them, raping their daughters, in brief the whole
palette of activities that we already saw in Kosovo proper. And in this case,
the Serbian police watches, as the actions of the Albanians go into the
direction that they themselves are aiming for. In brief, they let the Albanians
do the dirty job, but do not prevent these exaction.
But what of Macedonia?
Contrary to Kosovo, where Rroma were extremely well integrated, in Macedonia,
the situation is less rosy. There are so-called mahalas, settlements where
Rroma live such as the Shutka near Skopje, where the Favellas of Rio are almost
luxurious in comparison. And in Macedonia, one finds and explosive mix between
Slav and Albanian nationalists, leaving little room for the integration of the
Rroma community.
Montenegro, with almost no
industry and no prospects, at least currently of a stabilisation of the
situation is already burdened by many refugees, quite a few of them Rroma. This
is never a good omen to have a poor country harbouring many refugees of another
ethnic group, an ethnic group that is very much despised there.
3.Their Fate as Refugees
So, Rroma fled and are continuing to flee the region. Should the situation in Macedonia deteriorate, one can expect an even larger wave of refugees. But what expects them? First, in many cases, the western governments do not recognise their plight. One cannot quite blame them, for what politician does want to say to its electorate “we are going to take 100’000 Rroma refugees”. In many countries, without proper information of the population as to what the Rroma in the region really are, this would be suicidal.
The second attitude is to recognise at least that they are threatened in Kosovo and surrounding regions, but to amalgamate them with the other minorities from the region.
In any case, while in some
countries, the Rroma got a reprieve, that is are allowed to stay, at least for
a while, they are in a precarious situation. They all know that there is no way
for them to return. Even with the presence of the KFOR, the security of the few
remaining Serbs is not guaranteed. What then of Rroma?
So these Rroma are here, among
us, are allowed to stay but do not know for how long. Governments always find
new ways to question the validity of their asylum. Are they really Rroma? They
never did say so when they arrived, they said they only spoke Albanian… And
anyhow, they were peasants, lawyers, school-teachers and who has ever heard of
a Gypsy having such a profession? These mostly borderline racist comments are
often read or heard in many countries. Once cannot but ask whether the same
comments would be heard about another minority, say Jews?
This situation has by now
endured for several years, as many of the Rroma were refugees as were the
Albanians prior to the Kosovo War. Many of these Rroma would like to be able to
work. For work is what they do, but the law is such that on a temporary stay,
one cannot work. One needs the refugee status. So they are idle, something that
the local population resents. For the local population works and sees
strangers, refugees, who do nothing the whole day while they have to work.
What would be the solution? In
view of the fact that in the foreseeable future, Rroma have absolutely no
change of returning to either Kosovo or South Serbia, they should be granted a
status that allows them to lead a normal life, to finally be able to raise
their children in dignity and to have a future, a future that was denied to
them in the last few years.