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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #1371/01 3081341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041341Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8182
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001371 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH SENATE WINNER RELOCATES ROMA SETTING OFF 
STORM OF DEBATE 
 
REF: A. PRAGUE 1333 
     ¶B. PRAGUE 1356 
 
PRAGUE 00001371  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY. The forced relocation of Roma families from the 
city of Vsetin -- by a popular mayor who just won election to 
the Czech Senate -- has generated strong public debate over 
Roma rights that has impacts for the Czech Christian 
Democratic party.  The mayor, Jiri Cunek, had been considered 
a front-runner for the leadership of the party.  While the 
practice of forcibly relocating Roma is unfortunately not 
uncommon in the Czech Republic, Cunek's new-found prominence 
is shining a helpful light on the issue, and the high-level 
national debate could have a positive impact.  The debate 
comes just as series of public service announcements 
attacking prejudice against the Roma, funded by USAID, are 
being released. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Jiri Cunek -- a figure of some prominence in the 
Christian Democratic party (KDU-CSL), which has been in 
turmoil since its leader was forced to resign this summer 
(ref A) -- was recently re-elected as mayor of Vsetin, a town 
in southeastern Moravia.  But he came to national attention 
this week after winning a seat in the Czech Senate.  Vsetin 
won with the largest margin of victory in any of the 27 
run-off races that were decided October 27-28 (ref B), taking 
71% of the votes against an ODS candidate.  The fact that ODS 
won the majority of the races nationwide makes Cunek's 
victory even more remarkable.  (Although it is worth noting 
that turnout in Cunek's district was only 19% of eligible 
voters.)  Cunek's name was already in play as a possible 
KDU-CSL Chairman; his big victory in the Senate race only 
served to raise his profile. 
 
¶3. But as soon as the election was over commentators focused 
on his record of dealing with Vsetin's Roma population.  As 
mayor, Cunek had evicted some 330 Roma residents from their 
homes in the city, largely for having missed rent payments. 
Some were moved to neighboring villages; many were moved into 
prefab units that resembled stacked shipping containers. 
Cunek staunchly rejected any criticism for the evictions and 
forced relocations, and demonstrated his "resolve" by 
evicting a further two families, consisting of 26 people, 
from their homes in the week following his Senate win.  In a 
public statement he compared the relocations to a doctor 
"removing an ulcer."  When confronted with the fact that many 
of the new homes where the Roma were relocated lacked basic 
amenities like running water and heat, Cunek responded by 
asserting that a simple home is better than no home at all. 
 
¶4. Cunek's actions are unfortunately not uncommon; officials 
in several Czech towns have evicted Roma from property (much 
of it in areas slated for redevelopment) for either late 
rental payments or unsanitary conditions.  These efforts are 
often politically popular, as was the case in Vsetin.  Most 
such incidents do not receive sustained criticism or 
attention at the national level.  That is no longer the case 
in Vsetin, however.  The level of press attention and 
criticism over the past week has been intense.  Jan Kasal, 
acting head of the KDU-CSL, sharply criticized the 
relocations, saying that expulsion of families is not part of 
the party's program.  He said the party would take up the 
issue at its annual congress December 7 "because it might set 
a model which I would not like to be applied in the Czech 
Republic."  Others within KDU-CSL are calling for Cunek to 
leave the party, or even to leave politics altogether. Senate 
Vice-President Petr Pithart (KDU-CSL) is demanding a public 
apology. 
 
¶5. While some criticism from KDU-CSL members may be political 
motivated (an attempt to remove a challenger for the party 
chair), this case is refreshing as it is attracting other 
national criticism.  There have been numerous editorials 
criticizing Cunek's actions.  Some have made comparisons to 
Josef Mengele.  It remains to be seen, however, how many top 
political officials will engage on the issue, and whether the 
Senate will take any steps to prevent Cunek from taking his 
seat in the body when it reconvenes next month. 
 
¶6.  The Cunek controversy come just as a series of televised 
public service announcements and posters, paid for with funds 
from USAID, are calling attention to the problem of prejudice 
against the Roma. In a regularly run spot, a Caucasian man on 
a public bus discovers his wallet is missing, notices a dark 
skinned passenger in the back and confronts him, demanding 
that he return the missing wallet.  A young girl stands on 
her seat and points to the missing wallet, where it had 
fallen from the first man's 
pocket.  The tag line reads, "Keep an eye on your belongings, 
but also watch out for prejudice." 
 
 
PRAGUE 00001371  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶7. COMMENT: The situation confronting the Roma, the Czech 
Republic's only significant minority, is complex 
long-standing matter that defies easy solutions. 
Fortunately, the approach taken by Cunek in Vsetin is at the 
extreme end of the spectrum; unfortunately, Cunek is not 
alone in his approach.  While the resolution of this 
situation, for both the Roma former residents of Vsetin and 
for Cunek, is not yet clear, the coincidence of Mayor Cunek's 
forced relocations and Senator Cunek's election victory has 
at least forced the country and senior politicians to focus 
on the problem.  Decisions taken in the coming weeks about 
Cunek will be a sign of where KDU-CSL, and the country as a 
whole, stand on the question of Roma rights.  END COMMENT. 
GRABER