The
Belgrade municipal authorities destroyed a Roma settlement by force
last Friday morning (3. April 2009). 50 houses were demolished.
Approximately 250 persons, amongst them many children and ill persons,
were made homeless. In the past nights many of the evicted had to sleep
under the open sky. Through negotiations of international organizations
a part of the evicted were offered some containers in the suburb of
Boljevci on Saturday night (4. April 2009). But protesting locals
prevented the Roma to go to Boljevci and they destroyed the containers.
At the moment (5. April) there is no alternative solution in sight.
3) The destruction of the „illegal” settlement was
not announced on time. The bulldozers came as a surprise to the
affected persons.
4) Many of the affected persons (around 50 percent) are refugees from
Kosovo, which were expelled by Albanian nationalists. They found
precarious conditions to survive in Belgrade. Now there existence is
attacked a second time.
Since Friday there are daily protests in front of the municipal palace (Skupština grada) in Belgrade.
More Information here and Videos here
Please send protest letters to the Belgrade authorities.
Here is a possible text:
Solidarity Appeal: Support Roma Housing Struggle in Belgrade, Serbia
Today, Roma organizations and allies in Belgrade, Serbia are organizing
a demonstration in response to the demolition of the Roma community’s
housing units in Block 67 situated in the New Belgrade. The violent and
surprising move to destroy people’s homes and an entire community was
organized by the City of Belgrade authorities with the support of
Belgrade City Major Dragan Djilas. Your solidarity is needed!
On Friday morning (April 3rd), the forcible and violent eviction of
Roma families living in the Block 67 neighbourhood began. The residents
of this community say that the demolitions began during a surprise
invasion beginning at six in the morning led by heavy police presence
and special forces. Police brutality resulted in an emergency
evacuation of two women from the community. Peoples’ entire belongings
were left behind in the ruins. A part of the community is now spending
the night in front of the City Council. They are without warm clothes,
blankets, food, and medicine (many people had to leave them behind).
Residents say that during the day unidentified youth on motorcycles
were provoking and instilling fear in the community.
In the meantime, no alternative housing has been secured by the city
government, nor is anyone taking care of these needs. Belgrade’s Major
Djilas announced that it is “necessary that they be removed from that
area so that we can build a new boulevard necessary for the development
of the city, and holding of events being planned in the future.” He
also threatened to deploy police forces to remove any protesters
attempting to bloc the streets. These actions were preceded by a media
campaign that justified the expulsion of Roma living in New Belgrade
under “security” and “city image” considerations in the lead up to the
Universiad 2009. Through his statements, Major Dragan Djilas has
contributed to the fascist relationship towards Roma citizens and
justified the destruction of their homes. as An “alternative” the city
officials are suggesting to remove the building of a fence around the
community so that “the city’s deformities won’t be seen during the
Universiade.”
Does this mean that the Universiade will be paid for with human lives if necessary?
Our fellow citizens who have been left without home are determined to
fight for their rights, their right to life, freedom, housing and work.
Today (Saturday) at 1pm a protest is being organized against the brutal
behavior through which the Belgrade government prefers to solve the
city’s problems. Support people that have been thrown onto the streets
in this violent way. We must stand in solidarity with the Roma of
Belgrade, we must not allow that people’s houses are destroyed, that
fascist walls are built and that people are fenced into ghettoes!
We call on international solidarity in conjunction with these actions:
PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING: (1) Mayor’s office of the City of
Belgrade; (2) President’s Office of the Republic of Serbia; (3) Head
Office of the International University Sports Federation (organizing
the Universiade in Belgrade); (4) Your nearest Serbian embassy or
consulate.
(1) Mayor’s Office:
E-mail:
natasa.golubovic@beogradsg.org.yuThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Head of Office, tel: 3246-764, 3229-787
tel: 3247-424, tel/fax: 3344-675
Natasa Golubović
independent expert associate in international affairs
Dear Mayor Dragan Djilas:
I am writing to express my outrage at the recent racist expulsion of 50
families from the Roma community of Block 67, near Belvil in New
Belgrade.
I demand that your government take all necessary measures to provide
restitution to the residents of the community and prevent any further
expulsion of Roma families or their further social exclusion.
Belgrade can not expect to rebrand itself in the eyes of the world by
hosting Universiades or Eurovision contests while it continues to deny
fundamental rights to housing, employment, life and security to its
residents, particularly the most vulnerable and socially excluded.
I demand that your government respond and meet its obligations under a
number of international conventions and work towards securing the
rights of Roma residents instead of deploying police forces to suppress
them and engaging in “social cleansing.”
Kind regards,
____________
(2) President of the Republic of Serbia:
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Andricev venac 1, 11000 Beograd, Serbia
tel: +381 (0)11 3632-007, 3632-136
e-mail: kontakt.predsednik@predsednik.
rs
www.predsednik.rs
Dear President Boris Tadic:
I am writing to express my outrage at the recent racist expulsion of 50
families from the Roma community of Block 67, near Belvil in New
Belgrade.
I implore your government take all necessary measures to sanction the
Belgrade City Authorities and ensure they provide restitution to the
residents of this Roma community and work towards preventing any
further expulsion of Roma families or their further social exclusion in
Serbia.
Belgrade can not expect to rebrand itself in the eyes of the world by
hosting Universiades or Eurovision contests while it continues to deny
fundamental rights to housing, employment, life and security to its
residents, particularly the most vulnerable and socially excluded.
I demand that your government respond and meet its obligations under a
number of international conventions and work towards securing the
rights of Roma residents instead of deploying police forces to suppress
them and engaging in “social cleansing.”
Kind regards,
——————-
