Fwd: Helsinki Commissioners Voice Outrage Over Wall
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Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 08:47:06 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: Fwd: Helsinki Commissioners Voice Outrage Over Wall
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
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Fwd: Helsinki Commissioners Voice Outrage Over Wall
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From: Gore, Chadwick <[email protected]>
CSCE NEWS RELEASE
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
234 Ford House Office Building
Contact: Chadwick R. Gore
Washington, DC 20515-6460
(202) 225-1901
Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Co-Chairman
Helsinki Commissioners Voice Outrage Over Wall
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chadwick R. Gore
October 15, 1999
(202) 225-1901
Washington, DC - "The wall in Usti nad Labem is a symbol of
intolerance and racism against Roma that cannot be allowed to stand in
today's Europe," said Commission Chairman Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ),
following the construction of a wall between Roma and non-Roma
residents in the Czech city of Usti nad Labem on Wednesday (October
13). "The human rights situation in the Czech Republic has taken an
alarming turn for the worse."
Plans to build the wall between Roma and non-Roma residents on Maticni
Street were announced in May 1998 by Usti Mayor Ladislav Hruska, a
member of Vaclav Klaus' Civic Democratic Party. Since then, the wall
has been the subject of intense criticism by non-governmental human
rights organizations and representatives of the Organization on
Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, and the
Council of Europe. In May 1999, the Czech Cabinet adopted a
resolution opposing the wall, but took no decisive action to prevent
it from being built. Last week, efforts by municipal authorities to
begin construction of the wall resulted in a temporary stalemate, as
approximately 50 Romani demonstrators occupied the construction site.
At 4:00 a.m. on October 13, police cordoned off the site and
construction of the wall was hastily completed. On the evening of
October 13, the Czech Chamber of Deputies adopted a resolution by a
vote 100 to 58 opposing the wall, but local officials in Usti have
remained defiant and say they will not remove it.
Chairman Smith continued, "I have been heartened by some of the
improvements this year in the human rights situation for Czech
Republic's Romani minority, especially the change in the Czech
citizenship law. I regret that Czech officials have allowed this
controversy to escalate to these proportions. As long as this crisis
persists, the Usti wall will erode the Czech Republic's international
standing and cast a shadow over U.S.-Czech relations. Dialogue on
many other issues of mutual interest will inevitably share the agenda
with the wall in Usti. These developments certainly undermine the
credibility of those who have argued that Romani asylum seekers from
the Czech Republic do not have a well-founded fear of persecution."
Ranking Commission Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) added: "Last year,
during the debate on NATO expansion, I supported the admission of the
Czech Republic. I noted there were issues of concern there, including
discrimination against the Romani minority. At the same time, I
stated my belief that Czech leaders were committed to resolving these
problems. I certainly expected to see an improvement with respect to
those problems - not their escalation. Today, I want to voice my
profound concern about the >wall in Usti nad Labem. I urge every
leader of every Czech political party to voice his unequivocal
opposition to this symbol of racism."
"It reportedly took an 80-member police cordon to enable this wall to
be built," observed Ranking Commissioner Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD).
"But human rights activists have long vowed to take sledge hammers to
any wall there. Is there going to be a permanent police presence in
Usti to maintain this wall? This is just not normal."
-30-
Chadwick R. Gore
Communications Director
U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
234 Ford House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-6064
[email protected]
http://>www.house.gov/csce/
(202) 225-1901; fax (202) 225-4394
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