The newspaper 2010/2011

« Triangle Génération Humanitaire offers support to victims of conflict, natural catastrophes and other events causing precarious living conditions ». This sentence from our notice of intent appeared particularly relevant in June 1999 when we discovered the situation of Rom populations in Mitrovica, Kosovo. The 1999 war in Kosovo marked public opinion. But small minorities, collateral victims forced into exile were forgotten. This was the case of the Rom community.

Before the war, some 8000 inhabitants, sedentary for over 150 ans, formed the Rom communauty in Mitrovica. Manipulated by the Serbs, accused by the Albanians of aiding the repressive forces, the Roms fled to the north of Kosovo, a Serb enclave. When the KFOR, NATO¹’s peace support operation in Kosovo, subsequently failed to protect the Roms’ unoccupied homes, over 750 houses were destroyed and the population condemned to exile.

While a few Roms found refuge abroad, most had to stay in Kosovo, not only for economic reasons, also because no country appeared preoccupied by their fate.

In November 1999, the UN Refugee Agency opened five provisional camps near the Trepca mining center, close to Mitrovica, north of the country, for the internally displaced people.

By 2000, the World Health Organization² had already recommended the immediate evacuation of these camps due to excessive presence of lead, arsenic and cadmium that can cause considerable and irriversable harm to the exposed populations’ health (damage to the brain, nervous system, reproductive system and kidneys; slowed growth and learning problems for children). Yet despite these recommendations, the situation goes on…

A project for the reconstruction of the IDPs original area, which would allow closure of the camps, has been planned, but no calendar has of yet been determined. In addition, the Roms fear violent harassment should they return.

Although the situation of displaced people inside Kosovo has still not been solved, several European countries have launched a forced repatriation of refugees to Kosovo policy. The success of return depends on the country’s national reconcilaition, this alone could allow Roms in exile to come back to Kosovo in acceptable sanitory and security conditions. A tough objective seeing as many individuals known to be responsible for the persecution of the Rom have yet to answer for their crimes.

Tolerated in times of peace, persecuted in times of political or economical instability,  this appears to be the destiny of the Rom people.

¹North Atlantic Treaty Organization
²World Health Organization