> ** Original Subject: ERRC Position Paper on Protecting Romani Refugees
> ** Original Sender: European Roma Rights Center <[log in to unmask]>
> ** Original Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 15:12:09 -0400

> ** Original Message follows...

>Protecting Romani Refugees around Europe: A Position Paper by the European
Roma Rights Center
October 19, 2000

The European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) is an international public interest
law organisation which monitors the situation of Roma in Europe and
provides legal defence in cases of human rights abuse. The post-1989 era
has been punctuated by episodes in which groups of Roma have fled countries
in Central and Eastern Europe and sought international protection. In many
instances, reception of Romani refugees in the countries to which they have
fled has been inadequate. Asylum in Europe has become a right often not
available in practice, and much of the asylum system in Europe appears
infected by racism in general, and anti-Romani sentiment in particular. On
the occasion of the International Consultation on Roma Refugees and Asylum
Seekers organised within the framework of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Implementation Meeting on Human Dimension
Issues, the ERRC has submitted a position paper to Mr Gérard Stoudmann,
Ambassador and Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE, presenting ERRC concerns in the field of asylum
and refugee protection, and providing a series of recommendations aimed at
their remedy. A copy of the ERRC position paper was also sent to Mr Nicolae
Gheorghe, Advisor on Roma and Sinti Issues to the OSCE. The full text of
the ERRC position paper is available on the Internet at:
http://errc.org/publications/letters/2000/refugee_positionpaper.shtml



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The European Roma Rights Center is an international public interest law
organisation which monitors the rights of Roma and provides legal defence
in cases of human rights abuse. For more information about the European
Roma Rights Center, visit the ERRC on the web at http://errc.org.

European Roma Rights Center
1386 Budapest 62
P.O. Box 906/93
Hungary


Telephone: (36 1) 42 82 351
Fax: (36 1) 42 82 356

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SUPPORT THE ERRC!

The European Roma Rights Center is dependent upon the generosity of
individual donors for its continued existence. If you believe the ERRC
performs a service valuable to the public, please join in enabling its
future with a contribution. Gifts of all sizes are welcome; bank transfers
are preferred. Please send your contribution to:

European Roma Rights Center
Budapest Bank Rt.
99P00402686
1054 Budapest
Bathory utca 1
Hungary


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