National Roma Centrum Kumanovo

Free legal aid

Narrative report

01.January 2006 - 31.October 2006

Activities were realized by:

• Asmet Elezovski – coordinator
• Nikola Dzimrevski - legal adviser
• Katerina Spasevska - legal adviser
• Ljatif Demirovski - assistant

Short review of project’s activities

Work of the Office for free legal aid

In the past period of 10 months in the office were prepared files for judicial and administrative bodies and organizations with public empowerment. Legal advices and instructions for the citizens regarding exercising of basic human rights were provided in very large number. From the beginning of the year till 31.10.2006, between 2 000 and 2 500 citizens have visited the office for free legal aid, which is indicating the importance of the office when many citizens are social cases and persons which do not have income under any basis, and are included in one of the project’s groups. Of immense importance for realization of project’s activities is the increased cooperation between NRC on one hand, and on the other well cooperation with certain institutions of public character as Ombudsman’s Office is, administrative bodies and organizations as Center for social work, Ministry of Interior - Department for Interior Affairs Kumanovo, certain municipality authorities, these cooperations are product of well functioning of the office. Mediation between the official bodies, organizations and citizens is evident parallel with the development of the cooperation especially with administrative bodies while certain rights guaranteed with current legal regulative are concerned. All stated activities are related with direct realization of citizen’s rights in front of relevant institutions. Mentioned activities realized by NRC under the project “Free legal aid,” were accomplished without any bigger obstacles, and with much bigger efficiency and increased confidence among the citizens, as outcome of effective work of the office. Activities related with education were realized during October, when we thought it is appropriate. Education has indirect influence on accomplishing of citizens rights, and is of immense importance representing preventive action for reducing human rights violations and defeating their practical realization. Educational activities are related with distribution of brochures regarding social protection rights, and direct meetings with citizens, as mentioned above topics were civil rights and methods for accomplishing in front of the institutions, as well as for institutional structure in Republic of Macedonia. (more…)

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Under initiative of the MEP’s leaded by Els de Groen, on 28 November 2006, for the first time in the history of European Parliament will be held an political event “Roma in Europe”, which contents will marked with the appearance of famous flamenco dancer JOAQUÍN CORTÉS, who with it’s art skills will deliver the an message, enhancing the awareness for existance of Roma people in Europe. For more information contact els.degroen-assistant%europarl.europa.eu (replace % with @)

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Congress website: http://www.ezaf.org/IIIIAZK/indexen.html

Congress description:

III. International Antiziganism Conference 2006 (brief overview) The III. international Antiziganism Conference 2006 will be held on the grounds of the Concentration Camp Memorial Site Neuengamme. Its special unifying theme is the “Holocaust and Genocide of the Roma and Sinti in Europe”. Along with the persecution of the Roma and Sinti in the Nazi period, the conference will also look at post-war developments. Sinti and Roma from various European countries will speak at the conference from their concrete life worlds as the real “experts” on their own history. In addition, scholars at universities, representatives of NGOs and institutions in the majority society, politicians and ordinary citizens will also give papers or discuss an array of relevant topics and questions. Presenters will examine the National Socialist genocide in Eastern and Western Europe and the continuation of injustice after 1945. One thematic focus will be papers on specific countries presented by Roma and Sinti from Western, Eastern and South eastern Europe. As local “experts,” they can present a situated insight into the persecution of the Roma and Sinti under National Socialism in their specific region, and the continuities in Antiziganism down to today. Groups focusing on specific themes and topics will then deepen the discussion after these presentations. In contrast with the international Antiziganism conferences in 2004 and 2005, this year a main focus will be on the experience and knowledge of the Roma and Sinti themselves - instead of the previously largely “academic” vantage dominated by perspectives of the majority society. The topic of genocide will not be limited here solely to German history. In this context, an attempt will be made to bring together the past and present and to illuminate the fate of Roma and Sinti across the European continent, East and West. Programme:  http://www.ezaf.org/down/progIIIIAZKen.pdf Congress registration form: http://www.ezaf.org/registration_december/index.php Deadline for registration November 29th 2006

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Respected, National Roma Centrum (NRC) is hereby reacting to the video clip published on Kajgana’s portal in November 2006 in the humour and satire category, and unofficially the same recording is used by some owners of mobile phones. The video clip published on the Macedonian site of Kajgana, and this kind of children’s representation in media, is representing brutal violation of children’s rights. We strongly condemn this act and we urge to find any and all perpetrators and culpable persons. We demand and urge for investigation to be carried out in order to discover the identity of the child, and of the culpable persons as well. Today is 20 of November, World Day of the Child, and Republic of Macedonia has sighed the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is obliged to respect the rights and obligations under this Convention. In 1993, the Republic of Macedonia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and in 2003, it ratified the two Optional Protocols to the Convention. In this respect, we remind you of:

• Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child:

1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

• Article 16 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child:

1. No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.
2. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

• Article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child:

1. States Parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community.

With such an approach in the work of the media and publishing events and materials on WEB sites, basic rights of the child are endangered which are guaranteed with national legislation and international instruments for legal protection. All relevant subjects in Republic of Macedonia should help to document violence, prevent it and to protect the child, in discovering the identity of perpetrators and all persons involved.

With respect Asmet Elezovski

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