First group of Roma sent back to Kosovo

Priština-based human rights organizations point out that the return process "could increase social problems in Kosovo" and that the social situation in Kosovo "does not offer any guarantees of this process succeeding".

The pace of the return will "only increase the already high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime in Kosovo", they say.


Why cant we just call a spade a spade, in other words what the above translates as is something like this:

'Large numbers of the Albanian population and members of the authorities are racist and violent towards any and every ethnic minority in the province. So if we are going to return displaced ethnic minorities to their homes, these racist elements of the ethnic Albanian population need to be re educated and punished with fines and imprisonment for any racial abuse directed at minorities.

If the authorities in this province fail to act on these hate crimes then sanctions should be imposed on the province with a view to regime change, if there is no improvement in the situation.

This would show everyone in the region that racial intolerance is unacceptable in a modern civilised society.

We live in hope.

poor roma people !
how can they send them to this hell?

If there is no room for refugees to return to their own homes even thought they have lived in Kosovo for hundreds, if not thousands of years, we can make room by sending back hundreds of thousands albanians who crossed illegaly from Albania in resent years. It's not the fault of returnees that Kosovo is failing as a society. However, it is mindblowing that this province is doing so horribly even thought some of the mightiest countries are helping this wellfare case. Kosovo is the biggest failure and dissapointment in EU/American politics.

just see the movie 'Kenedi is returning home' by Zelimir Zilnik. It is about this theme.
It shows basically how Roma refugees from Kosovo is being brought back to Serbia and Kosovo against their will and with the kids that do not speak Serbian/Albanian. Their houses and property stolen or destroyed by the Albanians, and on top threathened if they claim anything back they are going to get beaten up.
In fact they are left off on their own devices in the Belgrade airport (from there on they have to make it somehow to Kosovo on their own?!).
So consider this: Germany recognizes Kosovo but extradict Kosovo citizens to Serbia?

The US needs the base in Kosovo and will not antagonise the Albanians. The US is already fighting unsuccessful wars and they don’t need another conflict on their hands. So this gives the Albanians a free hand to really show what and who they are. They do not tolerate anyone else, not even other Muslims such as Turks or Roma.

They practice blood feuds that go back 70 to 100 years and it is most common to see peasants ploughing their fields with a Kalashnikov at their sides for protection against their own neighbours. I never believed that in the 21 Century this would or could have occurred until meeting some of these people that have had to emigrate to save their lives.

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.

Wait, so Prishtina human rights groups say Kosovo is unsafe and unfit for refugees to return to yet we have EuroCrats, UN and NATO people coming to Washington and Brussels telling us all how much Kosovo is supposedly "progressing" as a beacon of multi-ethnic tolerance. What a joke. If K-Albanians are too intolerant and can't be trusted not to attack non-Albanians, why are they being given a state???

Nikshal...we're not keen on getting Kosovo back, Kosovo is Serbian.

This crude experiment of Kosovo will be reversed eventually, in our lifetime or the next, but rest assured, this red headed stepchild is DOA.

"Kosovo is the biggest failure and dissapointment in EU/American politics.
(MikeC, 29 September 2009 15:54)"

Why so keen on having Kosovo as part of Serbia then?!

The number of 50,000 Kosovan Roma just in Germany seems rather high. Based on even serbian estimates around 250,000 people left Kosovo after NATO, and most of these are supposed to be serbs, with few thousand Roma. Unless there were much more Roma than Serbs?!

Its a fact that most of Roma in Kosovo were and are very poor and simlpy 50,000 of them could not afford to pay thousands of Euros each to get to Germany illegally. And Germany did not take many refugees during the war, certianly not in thousands.

We are also beings led to believe that there are thousands more Roma in other western countries. Even by serbian figure the Roma percentage in Kosovo was never that high.

So where did they get this figure from?

Its a combination of a number of things:

Most Roma in the Balkans probably believed that if they say they are from Kosovo they will be able to claim and get asylum. Many albanians from Albania have done the same over the years. Therefore within those 50,000 a big chunk are Roma from other countries.

And it is also possible that Germany and other EU countries are trying to use Kosovo and get rid of their Roma problem.

I think its much easier for K.Serbs to return than Roma. K.Serbs will get much more attention from Kosovan Goverment (for whatever reason), and help from Serbia and fellow K.Serbs.

Roma are likely to end up in quite a difficult position because as we know there are not that many jobs going around.

MikeC - the hundred of thousands of Albanian that crossed over from Albania into Kosovo were Kosovo refugees returning home after fleeing Serbian terror police and paramilitary. The evidence of which is preserved in the Hague.

"Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

LOL!

Like all those 'refugees' that came to Europe in 1999 from Albania claiming to be from Kosovo and refusing to have local translators at the immigration centers who would immediately spot this deception.

Unfortunately Miles has it exactly right.

Still, the Kosovo Albanians and their fan club in Europe can claim that Kosovo is becoming 'more multi-ethnic' whilst reality is that Kosovo has become Europe's Potemkin village.

Kosovo, Back(wards) to the Future!A

Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war.

Why these people come to Kosova. Italian government should take them back to Roma where they live.

If the authorities in this province fail to act on these hate crimes then sanctions should be imposed on the province with a view to regime change, if there is no improvement in the situation.

This would show everyone in the region that racial intolerance is unacceptable in a modern civilised society.

We live in hope.
(miles, 29 September 2009 11:25)


Look who's talking!?

"There are an estimated 50,000 Roma from Kosovo living in Western European countries, most in Germany."

That is a very high number considering that the 1991 census showed there to be 45,760 Roma in Kosovo.

don't worry:germany wants just to help us and let us prove than we can do better than them.If rich european countries can not afford to help roma ,kosovo is supposed to do better!At least we will try to do the best it can!

The reintegration and resettling of these Roma people will be quite the challenge in a non-democratic, intolerant and hostile atmosphere in the K-Albanian run sectors of Kosovo i Metohija. With the microscope on the Pristina regime now, to see how they will help these people adjust to the conditions, it will be a daunting task, that will end in failure. Hostile elements will feast on this opportunity and the useless K-Alb regime will do nothing but sulk and whine to international organizations that they can't handle an influx of people now.

Why these people come to Kosova. Italian government should take them back to Roma where they live.
(Arsim, 29 September 2009 16:52)

?????????

I would have like the article to tell what happened next to those Roma. Was there some ngo to help them? Did UNMIK/ICO feel any responsibility? What about the Kosovo government? Or local Roma selforganisations?

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.
(Ratko, 29 September 2009 18:27) exactly what serbs from serbia were doing in the eu during 1999 kosovo war.
(niko kurkuli, 29 September 2009 19:41)

The question is now: who has the longest nose??

Roma are likely to end up in quite a difficult position because as we know there are not that many jobs going around.
(nikshala, 29 September 2009 18:53)

So what. If they are from Kosovo they have every right to return and receive help from "Kosova" government like any other citizen.

Are Albanians planning to make them feel unwelcome because they are afraid that some jobs might go to their fellow citizens?

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.
(Ratko, 29 September 2009 18:27) exactly what serbs from serbia were doing in the eu during 1999 kosovo war.

Priština-based human rights organizations point out that the return process "could increase social problems in Kosovo" and that the social situation in Kosovo "does not offer any guarantees of this process succeeding".

The pace of the return will "only increase the already high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime in Kosovo", they say.

Was this maybe the hidden agenda...

roberto says..."we human beings all possess high and low impulses, and it should be up to our leaders, political, ethical, what-have-you, to bring out the best in us"

Up to our leaders?
So, because our political or ethical leaders do a poor job of motivating, we humans do bad things?
I am reminded here of the old phrase, "the devil made me do it?"
So, our leaders are responsible for our aveirot?
My jewish friends tell me that it is our free will, not a Rabbi, that allows us to correct our aveirot with teshuva.
We humans, using our free will, are responsible for our own acts.

"That is a very high number considering that the 1991 census showed there to be 45,760 Roma in Kosovo."

The Roma people were very under counted in the census. Many were pressured to register as Albanians. Many had Albanian names and only knew the Albania names due to pressure by the Albanians.

The Romas list many of their people kidnapped or killed by the KLA and say some of them are listed as missing or killed Albanians instead of their true ethnicity.

Why isn't Serbia offering to take these people? Aren't Kosovar Roma, Serbian citizens?

I thought Kosova was part of Serbia??

""Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

LOL!

Like all those 'refugees' that came to Europe in 1999 from Albania claiming to be from Kosovo and refusing to have local translators at the immigration centers who would immediately spot this deception. " (Aleks)

Thanks Aleks for letting us know..... ooppps i just noticed that I actually wrote that myself in my comment!

Whats your point anyway? That albanians from Albania used Kosovo to get to EU? Yes thats true, everyone knows that!

It just goes to confirm my point a part of that 50,000 Roma quoted are not from Kosovo but they have said that thinking they'll be able to stay in EU.

Try to read other people's comments to the end and understand the point they are trying to make, before you jump like a child LOL-ing

i'm not surprised that this article promoted fresh attacks ag. the albanians of kosovo/a, but for me it raises impt points:

1-- how have the needs of these roma people been dealt with in germany?

2 -- will there be attempts to return these folk to their homes in kosovo/a (if they had them)? build new ones?

3-- will the intl community help to fund the needs of the people involved, in all of their various forms, or is it just a "dump and run" program?

4-- what are these ngo's and govt groups doing to promote tolerance and multi-cultural democracy in kosovo/a? for human rights ngo's to just warn "it might work out badly" (assuming this is really what they are saying)
is really a cop-out it would be preferable to be assertive and pro-active so as to get around and past negative reactions.

we human beings all possess high and low impulses, and it should be up to our leaders, political, ethical, what-have-you, to bring out the best in us. the opposite of the usual demagoguery we read about here, which is non-stop promoting nationalism in ways that bring out the very worst in (esp.ly) young people.

i would appreciate responses, esp.l from our kosovar colleagues.

thanx.

robert-0

My, you are quite petty and fragile aren't you nikshala?.

My comment was particularly that that those albanians who claim to have come from Kosovo was that they had the right kind of 'help' from the right kind of albanians (hence my comment about refusing local translators) who would lie about them being from Kosovo.

The Roma that were ethnically cleansed by the KLA had no such organized 'help'. Albanians not refugees, Roma real refugees. Geddit?

I'll leave you to continue your denial and whitewashing KLA crimes

50 000 roma from Kosovo? Are the european trying to get rid of their Roma by sending them all to Kosovo?

How absurd for a human rights organisation to be taking such a stupid position.

By these statements, the so called 'human rights' organisation is confirming that Albanians are an intolerant people. Racist, bigoted, arrogant & xenophobic.

Surely EU/USA did not have in mind such an outcome when they bombed Serbia to create 'a free and independent' Kosovo. Surely Kosovo was not to be ethnically pure.

I can just imagine what their position might be if the 200,000+ Serbs who fled Kosovo decided to return to their ancestral homes.

It is possible to have 50,000 Kosovo Roma in Germany. They have been out of Kosovo for some time; expect natural population growth over the years to get to that number.
I would like to see 300,000 Serbs rock up at the Kosovo border demanding entry to re-claim their ancestral homes.

So what. If they are from Kosovo they have every right to return and receive help from "Kosova" government like any other citizen.

(Peggy, 30 September 2009 02:53)

Peggy, on this you are correct. However, I suspect that if they are like the folks working the corners in Pristina, within 2 weeks they will be back where they were expelled from.

If the authorities in this province fail to act on these hate crimes then sanctions should be imposed on the province with a view to regime change, if there is no improvement in the situation.

This would show everyone in the region that racial intolerance is unacceptable in a modern civilised society.

We live in hope.
(miles, 29 September 2009 11:25)


Look who's talking!?

Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war.

Why these people come to Kosova. Italian government should take them back to Roma where they live.

"There are an estimated 50,000 Roma from Kosovo living in Western European countries, most in Germany."

That is a very high number considering that the 1991 census showed there to be 45,760 Roma in Kosovo.

don't worry:germany wants just to help us and let us prove than we can do better than them.If rich european countries can not afford to help roma ,kosovo is supposed to do better!At least we will try to do the best it can!

MikeC - the hundred of thousands of Albanian that crossed over from Albania into Kosovo were Kosovo refugees returning home after fleeing Serbian terror police and paramilitary. The evidence of which is preserved in the Hague.

poor roma people !
how can they send them to this hell?

The US needs the base in Kosovo and will not antagonise the Albanians. The US is already fighting unsuccessful wars and they don’t need another conflict on their hands. So this gives the Albanians a free hand to really show what and who they are. They do not tolerate anyone else, not even other Muslims such as Turks or Roma.

They practice blood feuds that go back 70 to 100 years and it is most common to see peasants ploughing their fields with a Kalashnikov at their sides for protection against their own neighbours. I never believed that in the 21 Century this would or could have occurred until meeting some of these people that have had to emigrate to save their lives.

"Kosovo is the biggest failure and dissapointment in EU/American politics.
(MikeC, 29 September 2009 15:54)"

Why so keen on having Kosovo as part of Serbia then?!

The number of 50,000 Kosovan Roma just in Germany seems rather high. Based on even serbian estimates around 250,000 people left Kosovo after NATO, and most of these are supposed to be serbs, with few thousand Roma. Unless there were much more Roma than Serbs?!

Its a fact that most of Roma in Kosovo were and are very poor and simlpy 50,000 of them could not afford to pay thousands of Euros each to get to Germany illegally. And Germany did not take many refugees during the war, certianly not in thousands.

We are also beings led to believe that there are thousands more Roma in other western countries. Even by serbian figure the Roma percentage in Kosovo was never that high.

So where did they get this figure from?

Its a combination of a number of things:

Most Roma in the Balkans probably believed that if they say they are from Kosovo they will be able to claim and get asylum. Many albanians from Albania have done the same over the years. Therefore within those 50,000 a big chunk are Roma from other countries.

And it is also possible that Germany and other EU countries are trying to use Kosovo and get rid of their Roma problem.

I think its much easier for K.Serbs to return than Roma. K.Serbs will get much more attention from Kosovan Goverment (for whatever reason), and help from Serbia and fellow K.Serbs.

Roma are likely to end up in quite a difficult position because as we know there are not that many jobs going around.

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.
(Ratko, 29 September 2009 18:27) exactly what serbs from serbia were doing in the eu during 1999 kosovo war.

If there is no room for refugees to return to their own homes even thought they have lived in Kosovo for hundreds, if not thousands of years, we can make room by sending back hundreds of thousands albanians who crossed illegaly from Albania in resent years. It's not the fault of returnees that Kosovo is failing as a society. However, it is mindblowing that this province is doing so horribly even thought some of the mightiest countries are helping this wellfare case. Kosovo is the biggest failure and dissapointment in EU/American politics.

Priština-based human rights organizations point out that the return process "could increase social problems in Kosovo" and that the social situation in Kosovo "does not offer any guarantees of this process succeeding".

The pace of the return will "only increase the already high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime in Kosovo", they say.


Why cant we just call a spade a spade, in other words what the above translates as is something like this:

'Large numbers of the Albanian population and members of the authorities are racist and violent towards any and every ethnic minority in the province. So if we are going to return displaced ethnic minorities to their homes, these racist elements of the ethnic Albanian population need to be re educated and punished with fines and imprisonment for any racial abuse directed at minorities.

If the authorities in this province fail to act on these hate crimes then sanctions should be imposed on the province with a view to regime change, if there is no improvement in the situation.

This would show everyone in the region that racial intolerance is unacceptable in a modern civilised society.

We live in hope.

Why isn't Serbia offering to take these people? Aren't Kosovar Roma, Serbian citizens?

I thought Kosova was part of Serbia??

i'm not surprised that this article promoted fresh attacks ag. the albanians of kosovo/a, but for me it raises impt points:

1-- how have the needs of these roma people been dealt with in germany?

2 -- will there be attempts to return these folk to their homes in kosovo/a (if they had them)? build new ones?

3-- will the intl community help to fund the needs of the people involved, in all of their various forms, or is it just a "dump and run" program?

4-- what are these ngo's and govt groups doing to promote tolerance and multi-cultural democracy in kosovo/a? for human rights ngo's to just warn "it might work out badly" (assuming this is really what they are saying)
is really a cop-out it would be preferable to be assertive and pro-active so as to get around and past negative reactions.

we human beings all possess high and low impulses, and it should be up to our leaders, political, ethical, what-have-you, to bring out the best in us. the opposite of the usual demagoguery we read about here, which is non-stop promoting nationalism in ways that bring out the very worst in (esp.ly) young people.

i would appreciate responses, esp.l from our kosovar colleagues.

thanx.

robert-0

Nikshal...we're not keen on getting Kosovo back, Kosovo is Serbian.

This crude experiment of Kosovo will be reversed eventually, in our lifetime or the next, but rest assured, this red headed stepchild is DOA.

"Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

LOL!

Like all those 'refugees' that came to Europe in 1999 from Albania claiming to be from Kosovo and refusing to have local translators at the immigration centers who would immediately spot this deception.

Unfortunately Miles has it exactly right.

Still, the Kosovo Albanians and their fan club in Europe can claim that Kosovo is becoming 'more multi-ethnic' whilst reality is that Kosovo has become Europe's Potemkin village.

Kosovo, Back(wards) to the Future!A

Wait, so Prishtina human rights groups say Kosovo is unsafe and unfit for refugees to return to yet we have EuroCrats, UN and NATO people coming to Washington and Brussels telling us all how much Kosovo is supposedly "progressing" as a beacon of multi-ethnic tolerance. What a joke. If K-Albanians are too intolerant and can't be trusted not to attack non-Albanians, why are they being given a state???

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.

""Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

LOL!

Like all those 'refugees' that came to Europe in 1999 from Albania claiming to be from Kosovo and refusing to have local translators at the immigration centers who would immediately spot this deception. " (Aleks)

Thanks Aleks for letting us know..... ooppps i just noticed that I actually wrote that myself in my comment!

Whats your point anyway? That albanians from Albania used Kosovo to get to EU? Yes thats true, everyone knows that!

It just goes to confirm my point a part of that 50,000 Roma quoted are not from Kosovo but they have said that thinking they'll be able to stay in EU.

Try to read other people's comments to the end and understand the point they are trying to make, before you jump like a child LOL-ing

just see the movie 'Kenedi is returning home' by Zelimir Zilnik. It is about this theme.
It shows basically how Roma refugees from Kosovo is being brought back to Serbia and Kosovo against their will and with the kids that do not speak Serbian/Albanian. Their houses and property stolen or destroyed by the Albanians, and on top threathened if they claim anything back they are going to get beaten up.
In fact they are left off on their own devices in the Belgrade airport (from there on they have to make it somehow to Kosovo on their own?!).
So consider this: Germany recognizes Kosovo but extradict Kosovo citizens to Serbia?

Roma are likely to end up in quite a difficult position because as we know there are not that many jobs going around.
(nikshala, 29 September 2009 18:53)

So what. If they are from Kosovo they have every right to return and receive help from "Kosova" government like any other citizen.

Are Albanians planning to make them feel unwelcome because they are afraid that some jobs might go to their fellow citizens?

roberto says..."we human beings all possess high and low impulses, and it should be up to our leaders, political, ethical, what-have-you, to bring out the best in us"

Up to our leaders?
So, because our political or ethical leaders do a poor job of motivating, we humans do bad things?
I am reminded here of the old phrase, "the devil made me do it?"
So, our leaders are responsible for our aveirot?
My jewish friends tell me that it is our free will, not a Rabbi, that allows us to correct our aveirot with teshuva.
We humans, using our free will, are responsible for our own acts.

arta said, "Many Roma from the Balkans claims to be from Kosova to have it easier for political asylum during the war."

This is exactly what albanians from albania were doing.
(Ratko, 29 September 2009 18:27) exactly what serbs from serbia were doing in the eu during 1999 kosovo war.
(niko kurkuli, 29 September 2009 19:41)

The question is now: who has the longest nose??

Why these people come to Kosova. Italian government should take them back to Roma where they live.
(Arsim, 29 September 2009 16:52)

?????????

"That is a very high number considering that the 1991 census showed there to be 45,760 Roma in Kosovo."

The Roma people were very under counted in the census. Many were pressured to register as Albanians. Many had Albanian names and only knew the Albania names due to pressure by the Albanians.

The Romas list many of their people kidnapped or killed by the KLA and say some of them are listed as missing or killed Albanians instead of their true ethnicity.

50 000 roma from Kosovo? Are the european trying to get rid of their Roma by sending them all to Kosovo?

Priština-based human rights organizations point out that the return process "could increase social problems in Kosovo" and that the social situation in Kosovo "does not offer any guarantees of this process succeeding".

The pace of the return will "only increase the already high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime in Kosovo", they say.

Was this maybe the hidden agenda...

The reintegration and resettling of these Roma people will be quite the challenge in a non-democratic, intolerant and hostile atmosphere in the K-Albanian run sectors of Kosovo i Metohija. With the microscope on the Pristina regime now, to see how they will help these people adjust to the conditions, it will be a daunting task, that will end in failure. Hostile elements will feast on this opportunity and the useless K-Alb regime will do nothing but sulk and whine to international organizations that they can't handle an influx of people now.

I would have like the article to tell what happened next to those Roma. Was there some ngo to help them? Did UNMIK/ICO feel any responsibility? What about the Kosovo government? Or local Roma selforganisations?

My, you are quite petty and fragile aren't you nikshala?.

My comment was particularly that that those albanians who claim to have come from Kosovo was that they had the right kind of 'help' from the right kind of albanians (hence my comment about refusing local translators) who would lie about them being from Kosovo.

The Roma that were ethnically cleansed by the KLA had no such organized 'help'. Albanians not refugees, Roma real refugees. Geddit?

I'll leave you to continue your denial and whitewashing KLA crimes

How absurd for a human rights organisation to be taking such a stupid position.

By these statements, the so called 'human rights' organisation is confirming that Albanians are an intolerant people. Racist, bigoted, arrogant & xenophobic.

Surely EU/USA did not have in mind such an outcome when they bombed Serbia to create 'a free and independent' Kosovo. Surely Kosovo was not to be ethnically pure.

I can just imagine what their position might be if the 200,000+ Serbs who fled Kosovo decided to return to their ancestral homes.

It is possible to have 50,000 Kosovo Roma in Germany. They have been out of Kosovo for some time; expect natural population growth over the years to get to that number.
I would like to see 300,000 Serbs rock up at the Kosovo border demanding entry to re-claim their ancestral homes.

So what. If they are from Kosovo they have every right to return and receive help from "Kosova" government like any other citizen.

(Peggy, 30 September 2009 02:53)

Peggy, on this you are correct. However, I suspect that if they are like the folks working the corners in Pristina, within 2 weeks they will be back where they were expelled from.