KOSOVO ( RNN Agency ), January the 7th , 2000
The war in Kosovo was factor for changes in many political and economic courses of many European and world countries. But the biggest changes and consequences happens in Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia, and the people there are still feeling them. The Albanians are going back in their homes in Kosovo, but it is not so for in Roma people from Kosovo. The war over but Roma are leaving Kosovo under pressure. For the last few months many Roma left from Kosovo and today it is almost impossible to find Roma who is still living in Pristina. Many Romani houses are burnt, the former Roma municipalities are not existing anymore. In few cities and villages you can find very small number of Roma people who stayed in Kosovo. Most of them are forced to declare themselves as Albanians or Egyptians because of the present situation. According to the information that we are receiving it is very hard to think about the returning of the Roma in Kosovo in one year. Larger part of the refugees are staying consistent to their demands for leaving into third countries until the whole situation in Kosovo gets normal.
After a couple of months stay in the camp Stenkovac 2 UNHCR accommodated the Roma refugees in few winter camps Saraj, Ljubanci, Pretor, Struga, Dare Bombol. But still 257 refugees remained in Stenkovac 2 in tents because UNHCR didn’t provide accommodation for them. Considering their situation and because of the following New Year’s and religious holidays the Roma Community Center "DROM" Kumanovo on 26 December 1999 (Sunday) made visit of the camps Stenkovac 2 and Saraj and give humanitarian help for 86 families –446 refugees from Kosovo. The humanitarian help was made up of food, hygienic means, milk, pampers and sportswear for children. The help was received by the refugees with great joy, but the children were the gladdest because Santa Clause came to visit them and he brought presents for them. The help was provided from the donations sent to us from many foreign institutions-(Arbeitskreis zur Pflege des literarischen Werks von Prof.Dr.theol.Markus K.Barth-Oswald-Schweiz, Dr.Stephen D.Crocco Princeton Theological University USA
Juerg Martin Hafeli&Rose, daugthter –Marie Barth Haefeli,son-in-law Switzerland.)
In realization of the delivery of this help for the refugees RCC"DROM" was helped by IRC-D.Pendovski and CARE-S. Hamilton, organizations taking care for the refugees in the camp Stenkovac 2. The help was realized from these institutions.
In the same time to the following organizations, single persons:
Klod Agner Kahn
Amanda Sebestyen
Haefeli Juerg- Switzerland
Geyser Lucille
Liza Ekstrom
- they gave us enormous support and help
Roma Association Australia
Marko D. Knudsen RomNews Network
Roma Regional Program Budapest-Jud Nirenberg, Sejdo Jasarov, Istvan Forgacs, Bernard Rorke
Linsey Pollak-KIN KIN. OLD.4571. Australia
Arbeitskreis zur Plege des literarishen Werks von Prof.Dr.theol.Markus K.Barth-Oswald-Schweiz, Dr.Stephen D.Crocco Princeton Theological University USA
Juerg Martin Hafeli&Rose, daugthter –Marie Barth Haefeli,son-in-law Switzerland
RCC"DROM" in its name and in the name of the refugees accommodated in Macedonia would like to thank them for their help, so important for alleviation of the bad position of the refugees.
RCC "DROM" is appealing to all Roma and non Roma organizations for help to the Roma refugees in the collective winter centers: Ljubanci, Dare Bombol, Stenkovec 2, Saraj in Skopje, pretor and Struga.
Happy New Year and religious holidays.
P.S. UNHCR and the Government of R.M has accommodated the last refugees in the camp Stenkovec 2 in Probishtip.
Asmet Elezovski member of board Roma National Congress
RCC’DROM"Kumanovo
Tel.fax:++38990127558
e-mail:asmet@romanationalcongress.org
drom@soros.org.mk
Pictures follow: