The Nationwide Reconciliation Committee remains a very important partner in our fight and efforts for integration, for equality and social rights. Heartily thanks are heard from all Albanian Rom about the support and encouragement given to us by this committee. Besides the other minorities, Rom community also lives in Albania. Rom comprise a considerable part of Albanian population. Their number amounts to 150 thousand, almost 5 % of the major population. They are dispersed in the districts of Tirana, Elbasan, Lushnje, Berat, Fier, Korçe, Gjirokaster, Durres, Fushe – Kruje, etc., so the largest density is in the Middle Albania, Southeast and South; they have settled less in the Northern part. Starting from their origin they are vivid participants in the entire social range. But they live in a difficult economic situation. The educational level is very low. It should be stressed that Rom children are most preferred of “the employed”; they are a prey of various traffickers. They are used as a source of profit in the street, in the markets as the youngest “traders” of the time. So, they lack freedom. Much is spoken about Albanian youth education and integration in general. Not separated from this society are also the Rom children who now comprise the most considerable community. Very frequently they feel the need to learn and be entertained in an organized and cultured way as the civil and human life development requires. But, compelled, they have adopted to that life that none would wish. Nowadays when the entire humanity fights for the cultural and educational level increase, it would not be pleasant that these children develop their culture in the markets as the youngest “traders” of the time. Their age and the problems that have should not be the same with those of their parents. So, their economic aid often does not suffice to make them feel children, but it is the educational and the entertaining aid that does. One is impressed when one reads in various newspapers articles writing: “6 month children are bought at 250 thousand leks one piece, whereas those above one year up to 350thousand leks one piece.” “These processes vary according to the child’s age and health.” So, human beings market. These are inhuman and cruel acts. Rom children should join their age-mates; they have the right to have a contemporary educational and entertaining level. The question arises; where is the state role? Conventions write: “The state is obliged to do the utmost to prevent children kidnapping, sale or trading. This means Rom children too. Rom children wish to attend school encounters obstacles by the wrong mentality. They do not feel equal to their classmates. The teachers make a tacit discrimination. This is a reason that makes them quit school very early. We have such cases in Tirana, Levan, Fier, Morave, Berat, Korçe, Fushe- Kruje and elsewhere. Like the entire society, Rom minority should have equal rights like the others. Unfortunately, Rom do not know these written rights and very often they are “victims” of not knowing them. They do not know how to demand their rights. In these conditions we cannot speak of this community integration. More than anyone, it is up to the new generation to make the first step for a normal development of this community. Tolerance as a universal value of human rights has characterized Albanian people with regard to religious faiths and coexistence with ethnic minorities. Our belonging as Rom should not be considered as negative element, on the contrary as a human value that should be treated by others evaluating it as a school of tolerance promotion by which democracy nature and quality is measured. But what has been done for this wound of Albanian society? Which are these society reactions for this very evident fact? We should stress that they have been considered very little, because unfortunately, it is very difficult to confirm concrete solution of the problems. We come again to the question: What is the state role in the question of minorities and ethnicities in Albania? No support and no solution even when the problems are emergent. Stressing it, I assert that the state does not know or it has little interest to know this community, and let alone solving its problems. The institutions deep indifference makes Rom, and especially the children, feel inferior in front of the open civil society. I may stress that excellent students have come out of these children who study in Albania and abroad and they are evaluated in the high levels of the foreign society. So, Rom know how to study. Very frequently we encounter the fact that the wish to attend school regularly in the Rom children is not lacking but it is up to the state to create the teaching conditions. The case of 68 children in Morave of Berat is indeed to be concerned because they lack no will to go to school but there are no conditions. They learn in very difficult conditions, currently in a building offered by the community itself. The current school is 1.5 – 2 km far from this community. The case should be stressed because we have to do with a community of about 300-350 families. The children’s number amounts to 100 if there would be normal conditions to study. The same happens in Levan, Fier, where there is a community of 450-500 families or with 3000-35000 inhabitants. For this school year, 100 children have been registered, but unfortunately the attendance duration lasted no longer than 3 months and the number is ever decreasing. This is so for some reasons: quitting comes because of the maltreatment by the teachers. There is discrimination and despising. Our activists raised this problem to the school directorate, but they found no support by the school principal, neither by the central directorate. Presently the existing schools are 1.5 – 2 km far from the houses. So, these are the reasons why the children do not attend the school regularly. “Amaro Drom” community, assessing the fact as very concerning, treated it with the relevant ministry, Ministry of Education and Sciences, but there is no solution; the state has no intention to invest in this community education and development. Rom community integration in Albanian society is not hindered only by the discriminating prejudices but by a series of other objective and subjective factors. The relatively very low level of community individuals’ schooling comprises a serious obstacle for their integration in society in a dignified level. To face this problem, “Amaro Drom” community among others, should define well the strategy for the individuals educational level increase coordinating the efforts with the respective state institutions and the NGO-s which are interested about the integration problems of ethnic communities in Albanian society. For their emancipation important is that they free themselves from a sort of psychology of being “second hand citizens”. We demonstrate the capability to be worthy of equal rights. We think that we will lack no support fro the NGO-s I the future. The Nationwide Reconciliation Committee remains a very important partner in our fight and efforts for integration, for equality and social rights. Heartily thanks are heard from all Albanian Rom about the support and encouragement given to us by this committee. |
