KRRC (Kosovo Roma Rechtse Coalitie)

16th Anniversary of the First International Roma Resistance Day**. On this day in 2022, the opening of the EU Roma Week took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. The Kosovo Roma Rights Coalition (KRRC), a sister organization of Roma groups from various European countries, followed the event "Justice for Kosovo Roma" over time. The event was supposed to be streamed, but it was described as the novel's translation from English to English, and all these messages are displayed here.

In Europe, there is a war, and the Roma, although not directly involved in combat, continue to experience racism, discrimination, and exclusion. A divide has emerged in the white world of Ukraine, between those fleeing Putin’s war of aggression and the Roma, who find the war making their already difficult economic situation worse. Roma are currently facing what can be described as a humanitarian catastrophe in Europe. This is not the first time that such suffering has occurred in post-war Europe.

After NATO forces intervened in Yugoslavia in 1999, most Kosovo Roma were quickly displaced alongside the international forces in Kosovo. Speaking first about the war and displacement was Burhan Osmani, chairman of the "Union des Rroms de l'ex-Yougoslavie en Diaspora" organization from France. The association consists of displaced Roma from Kosovo. Osmani stated that before the war, the Roma in Kosovo lived relatively normal lives. They had jobs, homes, businesses, and workshops. However, during the Kosovo war in 1999, a large portion of the Kosovo Roma, who had lived there for centuries, were expelled by Kosovo Albanians after the war. Osmani referred to this as an exodus of the Roma population.

Their houses and businesses were looted and burned during these ethnic cleansings, or occupied by Albanians. Entire Roma settlements were destroyed, including the Mahalla in Kosovska Mitrovica. During the exodus, many Roma died, for example, while fleeing across the Adriatic Sea. The loss of their homes, property, and the crimes they suffered during the ethnic cleansings, such as abuse, torture, rape, and the murder or abduction of family members, continue to cause trauma today. No compensation or even an apology for the material and economic losses, let alone the human rights violations, has ever been offered. Almost all Roma from Kosovo now live in the diaspora. The Kosovo Roma Rights Coalition demands, through its lawyers, recognition of displaced Roma as war victims, as well as material and psychological compensation for their losses and the crimes they experienced, under international law.

Barry Fisher, who traveled from the USA to Brussels, then spoke about the legal aspects of this situation. Barry is an international human rights lawyer, and together with Dianne Post, represents the KRRC legally. He first criticized the fact that the EU Roma Week events were held in too small a space, and that no white EU parliamentarians were present, even though it is essential for them to be informed about the situation of the Roma. The event was meant for the parliamentarians to listen and learn. Instead, the parliament placed the Roma in a small room where they discussed things they already knew, which did not move the issue forward.

Barry Fisher, who had previously spoken in the EU Parliament on Kurdish rights in Turkey, called the formation of the Kosovo Roma Rights Coalition a historic union of Roma organizations from many EU states, where Roma had fled from death, destruction, and exile and have been waiting for justice for more than 20 years, still denied to them by the Kosovar government.

As legal representatives of the KRRC, Fisher and Post had sent a letter from the Coalition to key representatives of the Kosovar government, including President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti, and Justice Minister Haxhui. In this letter, the KRRC outlined the situation of Roma after the war and today in Kosovo, presented a list of demands, and requested a meeting to work on solutions for displaced Roma.

Barry Fisher called the response from the Kosovar government "an absolute, categorical refusal to engage in dialogue." According to the Kosovar constitution, Kosovo Roma living in the diaspora are also Kosovar citizens. Therefore, the government's behavior is completely unacceptable for a country seeking recognition as a state and EU membership. Moreover, the government recently introduced its four-year Roma integration strategy, which does not mention the situation of displaced Roma at all.

Barry emphasized the importance of the Coalition and how essential it is for other organizations to join it, especially since Roma in the diaspora can speak more freely about the problems of Kosovo Roma than those who still live in Kosovo.

Imer Kajtazi, chairman of the Roma European Union Jekhipe, criticized the lack of politicians in the audience, as the statements about the Roma situation need to be heard. Over generations, Roma have continuously faced the same discrimination in all areas of life. They experience racism, violence, and are murdered while trying to escape the vicious cycle of an inhumane existence. They endure all the misfortunes of the world and move backward instead of forward. There is no progress for them, their rights are violated. They are even denied the right to fight for their own rights. They are denied education, as well as access to jobs, housing, and healthcare.

In an ironic reference, he said he didn’t want to take too much time, as the subsequent cocktail reception seemed to be more important than these topics. We were only able to start the event 40 minutes later than planned because other events ran over time. As a result, we had to significantly shorten our contributions because of the scheduled cocktail reception that the participants didn’t want to miss.

Kajtazi spoke about numerous human rights violations against Roma, including Stanislav Tomáš, who died due to police violence, a Macedonian Romni who died in childbirth because she received no help, and Roma who have experienced racist violence and all forms of discrimination. He also mentioned Ukrainian Roma, who are prevented from fleeing, not allowed on public transport, and are turned away at the borders.

We must fight this discrimination on the streets, in schools, and everywhere.

Many other organizations, along with the Roma Center/RAN, support Ukrainian Roma refugees, helping them settle in Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, and other places. Kenan Emini, chairman of the Roma Center/RAN, first reported on a research trip to meet with Romnja refugees from Ukraine in Poland. The refugees, mostly women and children, were completely abandoned by official support structures. Their situation is dire, with no proper systems in place, and many are living on the streets. In other countries, the situation is just as bad. While their men fight in the Ukrainian army and protect their villages, women and children are now on the streets in host countries, receiving none of the solidarity extended to other Ukrainian refugees. Many have lost their homes and possessions because of the war. Whether they have a future is uncertain. For us, it’s déjà vu. Even after 20 years, we cannot return to our homeland. We have lost everything. There are few records of this loss and displacement, which makes our reports on the situation of displaced Roma from Ukraine all the more important.

Our experience with the wars in Yugoslavia and the treatment of displaced Roma back then shows us that wars can cost people their future long after they end. Displaced Kosovo Roma spent years or even decades with tolerated statuses, not allowed to work or participate in free language and integration courses. Their children were born into this situation. Then laws changed, making employment necessary to obtain residency. We have lived in this contradiction for decades.

The worst examples of forced desegregation and institutional racism continue to occur: people are deported from Germany after decades. Young people, born in Germany and having spent their entire lives there, are deported to a country they do not know and where they have no future. Elderly, chronically ill people are deported to Kosovo, where they cannot survive. People fleeing racist violence and institutional racism today are not granted asylum. Emini also spoke about these intolerable situations, the fate of deported Roma, and their fight for the right to stay. The occupations of Hamburg’s Michel Church or the removal of Roma from the memorial for Sinti and Roma murdered in the Holocaust are just two examples of many ongoing struggles.

During our event, allies of Roma from England delivered the KRRC’s letter to the Kosovar government to the Kosovo Embassy in Brussels.

After the event, the KRRC met for a conference at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Brussels. The Coalition members discussed the next steps for the Coalition and the need for new political strategies to improve the situation of Roma worldwide and achieve full equality. The involved organizations will continue to work together on implementing these strategies and policies.

The Kosovo Roma Rights Coalition meeting at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation marked the beginning of a new Roma policy, which will continue with a congress next year.