kosovo 09. april 1999

RNN EXCLUSIVE :
Situation on Balkan

Kumanovo / MACEDONIA ( RNN Correspondent ), May the 27th, 1999

The citizens of Yugoslavia are forced to stay in darkness trough the night. Reason for that are the bombings of NATO. The number of victims is increasing and the material damage too. The damages of Roma are big, their houses are ruined, there are victims and their number is uncertain. Beside the suffered damages by Yugoslav forces, NATO suffered too. The Yugoslav Army Forces gave statements on the Serb state television about the high morality and readiness for defense of their own country. The gatherings of citizens with song and music are still happening. The number of inhabitants of Kosovois reducing. Kosovo is empty. According to the information received, the situation of Roma in Yugoslavia is very difficult. Most of the Roma activists, from political, cultural, nongovenmemtal organizations, are recruited in the Yugoslav Army, or left in some foreign country. In Belgrade, according to the information of Dragoljub Askovic for the Roma refugees-Autonomy Wives Center with 3000 packages helped the Roma refugees from Kosovo accommodated in Belgrade. On the contrary in most of the Serbian cities: Nis, Vranje, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica…there is humanitarian help arrived from Greece, from catholic and Christian churches, and it is given only to the Serbs, but not to Roma because they are Muslims. One of the revolted Roma people declared: Do I have to change my religion for one package, it is not fair, all citizens of Yugoslavia are stroked from the war, and therefore I appeal to those who want to help to the citizens of Yugoslavia not to do it according to religions bases of the people. Roma people are suffering long long time ago. Should the war endanger their lives more and more and even destroy it. Which interest is the war? Roma's, certainly not. Macedonia The situation of refugees in Macedonia is more and more difficult and beside the mentioned and recived help, the efforts of the Macedonian government for caring the refugees are enormous. This is to big burden for Macedonia. The refugees from camps visited Albania and after their return they said that they wouldn't like to leave to Albania because the living conditions there are worst than those in Macedonia. No matter how, the number of refugees in Macedonia is increasing every day, on the border crossing-place Blace. For 24 hours in Macedonia came in 1200 new refugees. The citizens of Kumanovo are hearing loud noises of planes every day, and now it is all of the night. A group of Roma citizens from Kumanovo expressed their wish to leave to Serbia and to donate blood, hoping that they will help to their Roma brothers with this. The Roma organizations from Macedonia helped by Karitas Esen, Open Society Institute Macedonia-Skopje, and Roma Regional Program Budapest, MCIES, MEDJASI, are providing humanitarian help for the refugees accommodated through families. The received help is small for time period of 10 days. There are cases when the refugees are without food a number of days. Day by day the revolt of Roma citizens in Kumanovo is increasing, that revolt is excusable because the people are in very bad position. If we are working these days on the fields, they are digging for 200 denars a day or 6 DM and they will receive it after two months. It is the unchangeable Roma history, live today then tomorrow. Roma people are giving a message: VISIT OS AND MAKE SURE. The previous week arrived help from Signor Haefeli Juerg from Muralto, the transport of humanitarian help for the Roma social cases from Kumanovo is paid with those means. In Skopje live more Roma people there more Roma organizations are placed in Skopje, and people there have the possibility to provide more humanitarian help. It was presented through media. It isn't so so for Kumanovo and Tetovo, because for everyday presence in Skopje you need finances, managing for transport of the consignments. Roma outside Skopje don't have that privilege, the foreign organizations, commissions to visit them and see their troubles. The Roma organization RCC "DROM"-Kumanovo is managing lots of works and problems, it receives packages for the refugees, minimal consignments for the social cases(100) and it should be delivered to the most difficult ones. How to be divided when 3000 Roma are in very bad position. The decisions of the donators must be respected, but they are very unreal in these cases and they can make much bigger problems and increase of the revolt of Roma families. A revolt of the Macedonian citizens is noticed too, it is justificable because there are workers who haven't received salary for 5 months, but they are still working. The situation is difficult in any way.

Asmet Elezovski is Board member of the Roma National Congress Emails:
asmet@romanatioanlcongress.org
drom@romanatioanalcongress.org
Donation Bank Contact:
Stopanska Banka a.d.-Skopje
SWIFT:STOB MK 2X
Bank account: 40100-623-79
Asmet Elezovski
Ljube Gacev 6
91300 Kumanovo
Makedonija
Tel:++38990127558

Note from the editorial office:
Germany's Hotline on Kosovo Refugees in Germany, they said they will provide help in finding family members.
Telephone: + 49 911 943 77 77

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