Belgrade, Sept 22, 2009
During yesterday's regular visit to the settlement in Makis, where some Roma resettled from Gazela have been placed, representatives of the Regional Centre for Minorities accompanied by a journalist from a Swedish radio, were informed in a telephone conversation, that City Secretary for Social Protection, Mr. Djukic, has prohibited any pictures being taken of the settlement and that there is to be no interviewing of inhabitants without prior permission granted by the Secretariat. In response RCM requested today this prohibition in written form.

The Regional Centre for Minorities has visited these settlements as requested by the inhabitants of the settlements and have informed the public about the critical conditions and undelivered promises made by the City Government. Three weeks after the resettlement, cooking stoves which had been promised were not delivered. Often eight member families are placed in one sanitary containers and in few settlements static containers are shared by more than fifteen families.

Inhabitants are especially concerned by the priviledges bestowed on the appointed Representatives of resettled Roma. In some settlements they were given their own static container, or as in Makis, one of the containers was is turned to a food shop, run by the Representative. Our demand from the authorities in charge is to investigate these reports of unequal treatment of resettled Roma from Gazele and to scrutinize the reports of corruption and unlawful behaviour.

Limiting the work of human rights organizations does not contribute to the advancement of Romas situation nor the enhancement of Roma and minority rights. The Regional Centre for Minorities will continue, in spite of this prohibition, to visit these settlements and will continue to inform the public of the situation in the settlements and the continuing status of their human rights.

For more infromation contact Jovana Vukovic, Regional Centre for Minorities,
jovana@minoritycentre.org