VZCZCXRO8606
RR RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHVEN #0196/01 2111408
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291408Z JUL 08
FM USMISSION USOSCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5866
INFO RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000196 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM IT CZ BU RO OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE DISCUSSES ROMA/SINTI INTEGRATION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary and Comment: On July 10-11, the OSCE and 
civil society representatives discussed Roma and Sinti 
Integration, highlighting the need for increased Roma/Sinti 
participation, taking an integrated approach to addressing 
the root causes of discrimination, and more comprehensive 
data collection. Discriminatory practices in Italy sparked an 
impromptu NGO protest and a side event on the same issue 
elicited only a weak Italian governmental response. The 
meeting was useful in reviewing limited progress on the 
implementation of the Roma/Sinti Action plan and highlighted 
that there remains a clear lack of political will from many 
participating States for full implementation. End Summary and 
Comment. 
 
¶2.  (U) The OSCE held the second of three annual 
Supplementary Human Dimension meetings (SHDM) in Vienna on 
July 10-11, 2008 to discuss Sustainable Policies for Roma and 
Sinti Integration.  Participants included representatives 
from participating States and civil society.  The working 
sessions discussed the role and responsibility of regional 
and local authorities, good practices at the local level, and 
policies that facilitate equal access to public services. The 
meeting also included three side events on recent European 
Court of Human Rights judgments, building partnerships 
between Roma communities and local authorities, and 
fundamental rights and freedoms of Roma in Italy. 
 
Civil Society Recommends Advisory Councils 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (U) At a civil society roundtable side event, Roma/Sinti 
civil society representatives shared concerns about the lack 
of political will in implementing the OSCE Roma/Sinti Action 
Plan. Their recommendations, presented to the participating 
States at the opening sessions, included encouraging 
increased participation of Roma/Sinti in decision making such 
as through the establishment of Roma Advisory Councils, 
encouraging disaggregated data collection, and implementing 
existing commitments, laws, action plans. 
 
Experts Agree 
------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) At the first working session on the role and 
responsibility of regional and local authorities to assist in 
integrating Roma, Dr. Joachim Ott, Coordinator of the Roma 
Action Group from the European Commission, outlined the need 
for targeted activities that take an integrated approach 
linking housing, education, discrimination, and other issues 
affecting the integration of Roma. He advocated Roma 
involvement at all stages of the decision making process at 
the local, regional, and national levels and asked the OSCE 
to hold countries accountable at the next Human Dimension 
Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw. 
 
Sharing of Best Practices Encouraged 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U) The second working session discussed good practices 
and major challenges in improving the situation of Roma at 
local levels with examples from municipalities. Mr. Juan 
Ramon Vilchez-Enriquez presented Catalonia as a success story 
outlining an Interdepartmental Commission and a Roma People's 
Advisory Council whose projects addressed education, health, 
and cultural mediation. Recommendations from the working 
session included the establishment of a data base on best 
practices, integrating programs, appointing qualified Roma to 
public offices, supporting capacity building efforts for 
local authorities and NGOs, and encouraging local authorities 
to provide transport to schools as well as waiving school 
registration fees when necessary. While examples from 
municipalities were cited as good models, it was acknowledged 
that one formula cannot be universally applied. 
 
Access to Education and Social Services Needed 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6.  (U) The third working session discussed policies to 
facilitate equal access of Roma/Sinti to public services with 
particular emphasis on social services and education. Ms. Eva 
Rizzin called for the integration of the Romani language and 
history into the curricula for Roma and non-Roma children in 
order to facilitate cultural mediation. Participants 
frequently emphasized that disadvantages for Roma children 
start before kindergarten, underscoring the importance of 
pre-K education. While education was cited as important, many 
remarked that it is not a "silver bullet" or "magic cure" and 
that approaches to integrating Roma/Sinti must link education 
with other issues, including housing. 
 
Italian Fingerprinting Sparks NGO Protest 
----------------------------------------- 
 
USOSCE 00000196  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7.  (U) Roma NGO representatives erupted in a spontaneous 
demonstration at the July 10 opening session.  The NGOs held 
up photographs and called for Italy to discontinue its policy 
of mass fingerprinting of Roma.  The room broke out in 
applause following the unscheduled intervention. 
 
¶8.  (U) Later, at a side event on the Fundamental Rights and 
Freedoms of Roma in Italy, NGO representatives offered 
stirring testimonies on the state of the Roma population in 
Italy.  One ethnic Roma activist described the beating by 
Italian police of a young Roma girl, winner of a UNICEF 
painting competition, and her family; the refusal of two 
schools in Milan to register fifty Roma students; and the 
Italian government's requirement that Roma who accept 
government-assisted housing sign a contract stating that they 
will have no visitors. A representative of the Italian 
government acknowledged that the Roma face poor living 
conditions in Italy but did not accept blame.  When pressed 
about the Italian ordinance calling for the mass 
fingerprinting of Roma, the Italian representative denied the 
claim, stating that the fingerprinting is not directed 
towards a specific ethnic group but rather at individuals who 
do not have permanent residence in Italy. 
 
Judicial Remedies for Roma Outlined 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) A side event on the Effective use of the European 
Court of Human Rights judgments focused on two court cases - 
the D.H. and others v. Czech Republic and the Hadereni case 
from Romania. In the first case, the court ruled against the 
Czech government's apparent policy of segregation of Roma 
children into remedial schools. The representative from the 
European Human Rights Center complained that the subsequent 
disbanding the remedial schools has led to largely cosmetic 
improvements. The Czech representative from the Office of the 
Council for Roma Community Affairs privately agreed with this 
assessment. In the Hadereni case the court ruled that Roma 
face systematic discrimination in the judicial system and the 
ruling resulted in judiciary reform in Romania though there 
continue to be problems in implementation. 
 
 
Local Partnerships Highlighted 
------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (U) A side event on building partnerships between Roma 
communities and local authorities was poorly attended 
probably because it was held at the same time as the event on 
Roma in Italy. NGOs in Albania, Italy, and Bulgaria 
reiterated the persistent problems of child trafficking, high 
drop out and illiteracy rates which lead to high unemployment 
rates, and poor living conditions faced by the Roma/Sinti 
populations.  NGOs presented peer educator programs where 
youth are trained to help street children and their families 
navigate the education and public services systems. A 
Bulgarian Roma activist described his efforts to get Roma 
issues into the local budget by getting elected to the City 
Council. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Comment:  The meeting was useful in evaluating the 
limited implementation of the Roma/Sinti Aciton plan and in 
highlighted some successes and good practices.  According to 
most interlocutors, many participating states still lack the 
political will to address key issues of Roma integration. 
Italy was roundly criticized for its Roma policies, 
especially its fingerprinting program but was unapologetic. 
End Comment. 
SCOTT