VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPG #0126/01 0561552
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251552Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0097
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 2936
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1720
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0152
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0047
RUEAHQA/OSAF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR H, TURNER AND SCHLAGER, EUR/NCE FOR TRATENSEK 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV OSCE PREL EZ
 
SUBJECT:  PRAGUE - U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION DELEGATION MEETS KEY 
CZECH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 
 
¶1.   (U)   Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Congressman Alcee 
Hastings (D-FL), the Co-Chairman and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki 
Commission, respectively, led a congressional delegation to Prague 
from February 18-20.  The delegation, which also included 
Congresswoman Louise McIntosh-Slaughter (D-NY) and Congressman 
Michael McNulty (D-NY), focused on human rights issues in the Czech 
Republic in advance of the February 21 Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) winter session in Vienna.  While in 
Prague, the delegation met with representatives of the Roma and 
Jewish communities, held meetings with Czech government officials, 
and participated in a press conference at Radio Free Europe/Radio 
Liberty. 
 
ROMA AND MINORITY RIGHTS 
------------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU)   The delegation met with representatives of the Roma 
community, lawyers, and social activists dedicated to monitoring 
conditions of the nation's estimated 200,000-strong Roma community. 
In their meeting, the activists painted a tough picture of Roma life 
in the Czech Republic.  They outlined the vicious cycle of anti-Roma 
prejudice: substandard education, lack of jobs, high unemployment 
and economic disparity.  They also expressed frustration that 
government officials have advised them to seek redress for wrongful 
sterilization cases in the courts, when all but a handful of such 
cases are barred by statutes of limitation.  The Chairman and 
Co-Chairman expressed their deep concern over such issues, and 
stated that the solution lay in the country's leaders taking more 
practical steps to improve education and job opportunities for the 
Roma population.  Congressman Hastings, who has been to the Czech 
Republic several times before, said that while he has noticed some 
improvements in the last 10 years, the pace of change is too slow 
and national and local level-leadership must be prepared to champion 
Roma issues more publicly. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The delegation reiterated these concerns in meetings with 
key Czech government officials.  In a meeting with Deputy Foreign 
Minister Jan Kohout, Senator Cardin stated that lack of Roma 
integration and the past practice of forced sterilization of Romani 
women were key concerns for the U.S. Government.  He also 
acknowledged that these are not just Czech issues but issues that 
confront much of Europe.  Kohout emphasized that the Czechs believe 
economic growth provides the best opportunity for Roma integration. 
He cited recent growth of seven percent in the Czech economy as a 
sign that job opportunities exist, and referenced government support 
for small pilot programs dealing with social integration. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  In a separate meeting, Czech Senate President Premysl 
Sobotka highlighted the government's proactive efforts to address 
minority issues through the government council for minority issues, 
as well as the office of the Ombudsman; he also acknowledged that 
many of these issues - particularly with respect to the Roma - are 
several generations old.  Sobotka emphasized that the government has 
made education a top priority, as this will facilitate greater 
integration of minorities.  He indicated that some minorities, such 
as the Vietnamese, have done exceptionally well in Czech schools, 
while others, such as the Roma have not progressed in the same 
manner.  Part of the problem, he said, is getting Roma parents to 
send their children to school. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  In a meeting with Ombudsman, Otakar Motejl, who 
investigated and filed an official report on the forced 
sterilization cases, the delegation explored the history of 
sterilization practices before and after the communist regime. 
Motejl explained that the program of sterilization that existed 
prior to 1989 was "legal" in the sense that government commissions 
existed to monitor and approve any sterilization decisions; monetary 
payments were also common to win the agreement of women who, in 
Motejl's estimation, were largely Roma.  After 1989 a criminal 
investigation was opened into the program.  While some 320 cases 
were identified, no criminal charges were ever brought. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  In 2005, Motejl became aware of cases of forced 
sterilization dating from the post-1989 period and, in his capacity 
as Ombudsman, he opened an official investigation.  He identified 
"less than one hundred" cases, nearly all of them involving Roma 
women (but at least three victims identifying themselves as 
non-Roma), which occurred in 30-40 Czech hospitals.  (Motejl also 
said he believed there were many more cases beyond those he 
investigated, but that the women were too ashamed to admit they had 
been sterilized.)  These cases were sent to the Prosecutor's office 
for criminal investigation, but none have resulted in criminal 
suits; this is true in part because there is a five-year statute of 
limitations for criminal cases (three years for civil cases).  With 
Motejl and other Czech officials, the delegation urged the 
 
 
 
government to provide some compensation to the victims, and to 
encourage steps (perhaps through professional associations) to hold 
doctors and hospitals accountable for the operations.  They also 
thanked Motejl for his attention to the issue and his detailed 
investigation. 
 
 
 
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) With respect to proposed anti-discrimination legislation, 
Deputy Foreign Minister Kohout indicated that the draft legislation 
(required by the EU) is currently under consideration in the Czech 
Parliament and will be voted on next month.  President of the Senate 
Sobotka promised to provide delegation members a copy of the 
legislation. 
 
PROPERTY RESTITUTION 
--- -------------------------------- 
 
¶8.   (SBU) The delegation inquired about the status of property 
restitution cases of U.S. citizens with the MFA, Czech 
Parliamentarians, and representatives of the government's Human 
Rights Council.  The MFA acknowledged that these cases have been 
difficult to resolve, particularly those cases involving individuals 
that fail to meet Czech citizenship requirements. An official from 
the Government Human Rights Council, Lucie Otahalova, observed that 
the Czech Republic had been repeatedly criticized by the UN Human 
Rights Committee for its discriminatory treatment of American 
property claimants.  Czech Senator Mejstrik also indicated that the 
current and previous Czech governments were not of the same mind as 
to how to resolve these cases, but he opined that the government is 
willing to move forward on the outstanding cases.  While Deputy 
Foreign Minister Kohout suggested there was no political will to 
re-open the issue of restitution, he suggested some form of 
compensation might be possible.  Erika Schlager, Counsel for 
International Law at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is preparing a 
letter for the government with illustrative U.S. cases. 
 
ANTI-SEMITISM 
------------------ ---- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The delegation also discussed the Czech response to last 
year's anti-Semitic demonstrations on the anniversary of 
Kristalnacht and the possibility of an extremist group demonstration 
in March.  Representatives of the Jewish community said they were 
generally satisfied with the public reaction to the extremist 
manifestations.  The delegation urged Czech leadership to protect 
the freedoms of speech and assembly, but to be respectful of dates 
or sites that are sensitive to the Jewish community. 
 
MISSILE DEFENSE 
--- ---------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)   Both the MFA and the Czech parliamentarians stated 
their support for our missile defense negotiations.  Senate 
President Sobotka cited the threat of terrorism as the greatest 
danger that currently exists and the reason for Czech involvement in 
Iraq and Afghanistan.  He stated that he strongly believes in 
monitoring the situation in "stormy parts of the world," and that 
this requires "active defense."  Sobotka noted that Czech experts 
are intensively engaged in the Missile Defense negotiations and he 
looks forward to a successful conclusion. 
 
 
 
VISA WAIVER 
------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU)   Representative Hastings praised Czech efforts to bring 
down the visa refusal rates and noted that he hopes the Czech entry 
into the VWP can be brought to fruition in the near future.  Kohout 
noted the recent meetings that the GOCR held with DHS A/S Barth and 
that the Czech Republic's visa refusal rate remains under 10 
percent.  He also indicated that the Czechs are in favor of signing 
a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. by the end of February 
and that this is an extremely important issue symbolically for the 
Czechs, as it demonstrates parity between our two countries as 
strategic allies. 
 
¶12. (U) The delegation also had an opportunity to interact with 
domestic and international media during a press conference on 
February 19 at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 
 
 
DODMAN