ROMS FROM ZAVIDOVICI AT MARGIN

Fact - finding mission of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BH together with the representatives of the Center for Protection of Minorities and Independent visited Zavidovici.
The primary mission was to be informed of the facts concerning the explosion of a bomb in front of the house of a citizen of Rom ethnic origin.
It was found out that the members of the police professionally and efficiently did their job. The perpetrator was immidiately found and detained and legal proceedings were instituted.
During its stay in Zavidovici, the mission visited three settlements in which members of Rom minority live. It was stated that the majority of Roms live under conditions below all tolerable criteria. They live in bungled hovel, ruins without any floor, in damp conditions. There are almost no employed Roms. Only one Romany child goes to school.
Roms - returnees who came back from Germany, invited by the local authorities, are facing specific problems. They, as well as a number of other citizens whose houses had been destroyed in war operations, could be faced with evictions. No alternative place for living has been offered to them.
According to the Mission, the issue of return is being inadequately solved in Zavidovici. The information that only seven of 175 applications submitted for return to that city is only one element which speaks in favour of this statement.
The Helsinki Committee, Independent and Center for Protection of Minorities invite, in the first place, the authorities in Zavidovici as well as members of other minority groups. They remind of the obligation of authorities at all levels to respect the stipulations of the BH Constitution as well as of the BH Federation Constitution according to which their task is to respect the rights of minorities and to have non-discriminatory behaviour toward them.

For the Mission:
Srdjan Dizdarevic
President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BH

No: 28A-07/98