The situation
of the Roma has not evolved markedly over the past year. It remains characterised
by widespread discrimination, as anti-Roma prejudice remains high and
protection from the police and the courts often inadequate, and by social
exclusion.
One illustration of
discriminatory attitudes comes from the city of Usti nad Labem, where local
authorities maintained their decision of last year to build a ceramic fence
to separate Roma and non-Roma residents in a street of the city. The Government
took a clear position opposing the wall and has, so far, succeeded in suspending
its construction. However, in line with the constitutional provisions
regarding disagreements between the central government and local authorities,
the next decision rests with the Chamber of Deputies, which is scheduled
to discuss the issue in October.
It is essential that
the decision taken by the Chamber will fully respect the human and civil
rights of all parties involved.
According to an official
report, the number of followers of extremist movements has doubled between
1997 and 1998 to almost 10,000. 133 crimes motivated by extremism or racism,
mostly against Roma, were committed in 1998, 100 of which have been cleared
up. As illustrated by recent judgements of district courts, sentences for
criminal offences motivated by racism or national intolerance often remain
inadequate.
Nevertheless, a number
of positive steps were taken following the appointment at the end
of 1998 of a Human Rights Commissioner, with responsibilities for the Council
for Nationalities, the Inter-Ministerial Roma Commission and the Council
for Human Rights.
Thus, the Government
action plan of October 1997 detailing measures to improve the situation
of the Roma has mostly been fulfilled, with for example many Roma advisors
and assistants appointed to Ministries, district authorities and schools.
In addition, amendments to the legislation on citizenship adopted in July
will allow large numbers of Roma to regain Czech citizenship. Measures
to improve employment prospects for the Roma are foreseen in the new National
Employment Plan of May as well as in a subsequent package of additional
measures adopted in June. An amendment to the Employment Act includes an
anti-discrimination provision. The Government also charged the Ministries
of Education, Interior and Justice with a number of concrete tasks aimed
at eradicating the spread of racism, neo-fascism and extremists movements.
Finally, an expert group was set up to draft a detailed long term strategy
for the integration of the Roma by the end of 1999. The representation
of Roma in the Inter-Ministerial Roma Commission has been increased from
6 to 12.
These steps have not
been accompanied, however, by an increase in the very small permanent staff
of the inter-Ministerial Roma Commission, which still has no budget to
implement policies and no executive power. Education levels remain low
and Roma still make up some 70 % of children sent to special schools for
the mentally handicapped; out of the 100 preparatory schools set up in
1998 to prepare Roma children for mainstream primary schools, around a
third are reported to have actually been set up in the schools for the
mentally handicapped. Roma unemployment remains very high at 70-90 %. Health
and housing conditions of the Roma communities are still much worse than
those of the mainstream population. Changing attitudes at the local level
remains a challenge, as illustrated by the case of Usti nad Labem and recent
judgements of district courts. Since the beginning of 1999, several hundreds
Roma requested asylum in the United Kingdom.
The greater attention
paid by the government since September 1998 to the improvement of the condition
of the Roma needs to be translated into a comprehensive long-term policy
to fight discrimination and social exclusion. This policy must be backed
by adequate financial support and focus on implementation at the local
level.