Roma Refugee Organisation Dear Friends, For the first time, we Romany asylum seekers from the Czech and Slovak Republics are organising ourselves in the UK. We call on all refugee groups, churches and trades union branches for solidarity at this time of urgent need. The situation for Roma people in the Czech and Slovak Republics is growing worse. The British government seems to be ignoring information from reputable international sources about the rising persecution. We are seriously concerned about the new White Paper on immigration and asylum. Large numbers of our people are again seeking refuge in the UK - 170 arrived in the first week of August alone. They are facing detention, deportation and many other difficulties and injustices. In this situation our Organisation must act as soon as possible. We are sending you this Programme of our aims and actions. We also have speakers available. If you would like a speaker for your next meeting, please contact our Roma Refugee Organisation by phone or fax above. The Roma Refugee Organisation's most important need at present is for office premises and equipment. All donations, whether in money or in kind, will be most gratefully received. Programme of the Roma Refugee Organisation: August 1998 1. Our newly founded organisation already faces a most urgent task: ending internment of refugees who have committed no crime, and who are being driven in their hundreds to seek asylum in Britain. In the first week of August alone, 170 of our people arrived here. 2. The Roma Refugee Organisation intends to prevent newly arrived Romany refugees from being exploited: it will assist new arrivals in finding proper accommodation and provide translators and helpers to communicate with the DSS and other agencies. In the longer term, it will arrange English lessons and help those refugees who are entitled to find work to integrate. 3. The RRO holds a register of reputable immigration lawyers, and will bring asylum seekers to good firms and prevent them falling victim to 'touts' and unscrupulous advisors. 4. We demand that the Home Office recognise the Romany asylum seekers as political refugees with a well founded fear of persecution under the terms of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The UK government must acknowledge the international reports on the persecution of Roma from the UNHCR, Helsinki Watch, the Canadian government's Immigration and Refugee Board as well as specialist research organisations such as the European Roma Rights Centre and the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly. 5. The deportations of Czech and Slovak refugees must stop immediately, because the Roma are utterly denied their rights under the constitutions of both countries. Up to 20,000 Czech Roma have lost their citizenship. Moreover, the UNHCR report states specifically that refugees from Slovakia must not be deported if they would become homeless in their country of origin: the large majority of Roma asylum seekers here are in that position. 6. The Roma Refugee Organisation will counter the false information used in Home Office asylum replies over the last five years. Accurate information will be collected from experts and human rights groups inside the countries concerned and internationally. 7. The organisation wishes to make an official reply before the end of September to the Government White Paper on immigration and asylum. 8. Our community work among the Roma will include helping children to integrate at school, helping women's social problems, assisting people in substandard accommodation, teaching the Romany and increasing appreciation of Romany culture. 9. On 1st August 1998 we organised the First UK Congress of Czech and Slovak Roma at Hamilton House in London. The meeting was a great success with around 100 attending and six platform speakers. Translation and refreshments were provided. A full report in English is being prepared and printed. There was a great demand for further meetings in the South-East, so the Second Congress was held on August 21st at the United Reformed Church in Dover. The gathering voted unanimously to support the founding of the Roma Refugee Organisation. The most urgent demands were for help to detainees and victims of bad lawyers. It was also resolved to tackle corruption, and if possible to hold a large musical event to unite the community. 10. We urgently need premises to carry on our work. We are applying to Camden Council through the Equalities Unit which kindly assisted us with our London congress venue, and are also mailing an appeal to churches and trades councils. We hope that the events of Refugee Week in November can highlight the need for a Camden Refugee Centre. In the immediate short term, we have been offered a free postal address and use of the meeting room in a building rented by several environmentalist and refugee groups and publications. 11. We are making an immediate emergency appeal for solidarity to all British Traveller and Gypsy organisations, aiming to get short term help with running costs as soon as possible. We Value Your Support: Join US Roma Refugee Organisation c/o1B Waterlow Road London N19 5NJ Tel: 0171-267-8198 Fax: 0171-209-2669