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UNITED
NATIONS
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Fifty-seventh session
Special thematic on Roma issues
STATEMENT
On behalf of
ROMA CENTER FOR SOCIAL INTERVENTION AND STUDIES
15/8/2000
"Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of my organization, I would like to express first our
appreciation for this special session of the CERD meeting addressed to
the Roma issues with the presence of NGOs.
My name is Mihaela Gheorghe, I am a member of the Roma community from
Romania working as a human rights advocate within the Roma Center for
Social Intervention and Studies based in Bucharest, Romania.
At this meeting, I would like to refer to some of the aspects of
serious
disadvantaged situation affecting the life of the Romani people.
Plight
of Roma
After the breakdown of the communist regime and the transition to the
democratic rule of law system, based on the market economy, a
pluralistic society, the situation of the Roma minority has become
worse. The plight of Roma is one of discrimination and exclusion,
which
are fundamental features of their experience. They are largely
excluded
from the mainstream of normal life. Roma are deprived of basic human
rights, they are being refused the right to employment, housing, being
denied justice (including protection) under the ordinary system of
public administration, or being excluded from pubs and restaurants.
Roma say that their lives and circumstances are much worse now than
under Communism, when discrimination was at least limited by ideology.
Generally, the Roma people are facing difficult living conditions also
deteriorating sometimes sub-human living conditions and these
circumstances difficulty of retaining the Roma gypsy. Indeed, Roma
have
encountered different problems due to lacking of education or a
qualification that allow them to have a job, and the stereotypes of
local and central authorities. Also, the health problems among Roma
arise from the low incomes or lack of them and related to the access
to
care which is difficult, in many cases registration with health
insurance schemes to qualify for reimbursement of medical expenses is
problematic. The nutrition if unbalanced and leads to deficiencies,
some
groups and families experience real hunger.
Discriminatory law enforcement regarding the employment among Roma
A substantial proportion of discrimination is caused by the
authorities
themselves which fail to penalize racist action against Roma.
One of the issues that created much controversy Roma in Romania
confront
on an almost daily basis is the discrimination from the State
Institutions, namely the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection when
a
private agency, the Office of Human Resources Labor posted in front of
its headquarter, very recently, advertisements for job openings which
clearly specified that Roma should not apply. Here I would like to
quote
some of the example of such advertisements:" We hire bodyguards,
military service required, Roma are excluded".
As a reaction to this fact, we have organized of a press conference
with
official representatives and other Roma NGOs to debate upon the
gravity
of this problem. A representative of the Ministry of Labor who
participated to the press conference stated that such advertisements
job
"is an just isolated case to be prosecuted". Nevertheless,
we have
reliable proofs that these facts occurs very often in the print media
with job advertisements and even offers to sell apartments, I quote: I
sell apartment, 2 rooms, Roma are excluded from buying".
The higher rate of unemployment among Roma leads to social exclusion,
marginalization and poverty and the chances for them to get an
ordinary
job are minimal when encountering such racist attitudes from the State
Institutions.
We know very well that the physical and moral characteristics are an
obstacle for the Roma in the employment who are perceived as lazy,
thieves, dirty, inadequate behavior amongst others. Their traditional
occupations still have a future, but are discouraged. Despite all the
worthwhile initiatives therefore levels of disadvantage, inequality
and
prejudice experienced by Roma in Romania are little changed. These are
the reasons for the Roma to ask for asylum or to migrate in the
Western
countries where they can find a better way to survive. While Roma
should
gain to some extent from the current general improvement in living
standards, the danger remains that most will be left behind.
We have repeatedly expressed our sense of frustration in face of the
hesitancy of the Romanian State to condemn clear and without
equivocation such discriminatory attitudes against Roma, despite
political commitments to prevent ethnic hate, intolerance and racially
motivated biases, including commitments within the OSCE.
In his respect, Romani CRISS, an organization mostly formed by Romani
members, has the mandate to combine the civic militantism in order to
respect Roma rights as persons and as a minority, with the
implementation of public policy programs for the benefit of Roma
community.
CRISS advocates in multiethnic communities from Romania with Roma
population in order to consolidate the local democratic institutions
based on respecting of citizenship, political, economic, social and
cultural rights. We have proceeded to an advocacy campaign against
racism towards Roma. The press conferences, the letters (you may find
distributed the letter we have sent to the Ministry of Labor).
Mr. Chairman,
Such racist attitudes promoted even by a Romanian State Institutions
are
a serious violation of the equal chances that all citizens of Romania
should enjoy of, including those who belong to the Roma origin. The
lack
of a law, which should punish such kind of racist treatments, leads
Romania to a situation coming from the dark age of slavery, whereas
nobody and nothing can oppose to the wave of racial discrimination.
These things still occur, whereas Romania tries (at least
theoretically)
to implement a PHARE program for improving the Roma situation. We are
now in the process of elaborating the strategy for the protection of
human rights and improvement of the living conditions of Roma together
with the Inter-ministerial Sub-commission for Roma (SIR) as part of
the
Department for the Protection of National Minorities and
representatives
of Ministries of Resort and Roma specialists in various fields. This
is
an encouraging proof of the changes which took place in Romania, one
year ago and which allow the public recognition and the political
participation of Roma communities the public life of the country.
Nevertheless, we came to realize that the Romanian State contributes
to
the discrimination against Roma.
We had less expectations that this attitude would come from the
Ministry
of Labor and Social Protection, under which the serious human rights
violation has produced, is represented in the Interministerial Sub-
Commission for Roma (SIR) and has even elaborated its own strategy
regarding the improvement of Roma situation. Such manifestations are
rather slowing down the process of Romania integration in the European
structures by highlighting in a disfavored manner the efforts of the
NGO's and of some of the official representatives. Even though a
private
institution may not be sanctioned for a discriminatory treatment
against
Roma, the State Institutions should be an example of tolerance.
Therefore, we consider that it is unacceptable that the State
institutions promote a policy of racial discrimination in a full
process
of adjustment to the democratic norms imposed by the European Union.
Romani CRISS has made public its intention to proceed to legal
measures
in order to stop such kind of human rights violation by pursuing in
asking the support of the international institutions for human rights.
And in this respect, I would also call the Committee on the
Elimination
of Racial Discrimination to support us in our future actions to
prevent
racial discrimination.
I would like here to emphasize the significant contribution brought by
the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in bringing the Roma
issues into the attention of the OSCE participating States, through
his
insightful Report on the situation of Roma, completed in March, this
year, when recognizing the particular problems of Roma, discrimination
in employment, the living conditions, etc (Chapter I, II,
pg.32,33) . I
equally would like to welcome the new "Draft recommendation of
the
Council of Europe on improving the economic and employment situation
of
Roma/Gypsies and travelers in Europe".
For detailed arguments in this issue, I would also refer to the
document
"Conclusions and recommendations of the Commission of
Investigation of
the International Organization of Labor (1991, Geneva) when it is
recognized and analyzed as well the discrimination in employment
against
Roma.
Finally, I would like to highlight briefly some of the most accurate
recommendations, which should be considered to combat racial
discrimination.
Recommendations
1. The state should ensure that
the right to employment is fully
exercised.
2. Government must ensure that Roma are not victims with respect
of
employment.
3. The Romanian State should punish any kind of such discriminatory
acts
or attitudes through the adoption of an anti-discrimination law. It
should be ensured that public officials who discriminate are
sanctioned
for discriminatory actions towards minorities.
2. Romanian State must ensure the adoption of a Law for the Protection
of National Minorities.
Thank you for your attention."
Romani CRISS is a nongovernmental organization which goal is to
promote
the Roma minority rights through civic militantism, local development
programs and public policies.For more infromation, please contact us:
Romani CRISS- Roma Center for Social Intervention and Studies
Buzesti, no.19, sector 1, Bucharest,Romania
Tel/fax: 00401 231 41 44
00401 212 56 05
e-mail:criss@dnt.ro
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