*Repatriation Plans: Romano Them calls for the respect of Human Rights*
26 February 2008 – In a document published today, *Romano Them* warns about
plans to forcibly repatriate Roma and other so-called vulnerable groups to
Kosovo after independence. *Romano Them* refers to the adoption by the Kosovo
government in October 2007 of two policy documents, the Readmission Policy and
the Strategy for the Reintegration of Repatriated Persons, which lay down the
groundwork for the readmission of a large group of forced returnees after
UNMIK's departure.
Both documents and in particular the Reintegration Strategy put the accent
on the reintegration of so-called vulnerable groups which have so far
benefited from a relative protection against forced repatriations on the
basis of the UNHCR's position on the continued need for international
protection of individuals from Kosovo.
Several references indicate that Roma, together with Ashkalija and Kosovo
Egyptians will be among the first targets of forced repatriations, *Romano
Them* says. Both documents seem to indicate that the UNHCR's position will
be increasingly hollowed out by administrative practice. *Romano
Them* refers to a note issued by the German Federal Ministry of
Interior in December last year explaining that in future the geographic origin
of a person from Kosovo will determine whether a person can be forcibly
repatriated or not.
*Romano Them* stresses out that the main deterrent to the return of Roma to
Kosovo has been the unstable security situation and their lack of trust in
the Kosovo institutions to protect their rights. Referring to official
reports, Romano Them points out at the persistent discrimination of Roma in
Kosovo which includes their neglect in the reconstruction process.
Forced returns of Roma to Kosovo, under the given circumstances, raise a
number of human rights issues, not only in relation with refugee protection,
but also in terms of guaranteed political, economic, and social rights, *Romano
Them* says. For *Romano Them*, they constitute an implicit acknowledgment by
the international community of its failure to create the conditions for safe
returns of Roma and other minorities to Kosovo as part of its mandate under
UNSCR 1244 (1999).
*Romano Them* is an independent internet platform informing about the
situation of Roma in Kosovo and Kosovo Roma in diaspora.
The document is available on the website of *Romano Them*.
See:
http://kosovoroma.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/by-force-if-necessary-minority-returns-to-kosovo-after-independence/
*Romano Them*
URL: http://kosovoroma.wordpress.com/
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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