Bosnia FPU visits Roma community in Bijeljina.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 000492

DEPT FOR CA/EX,CA/FPP, CA/VO, AND EUR/SCE (MIKE FOOKS); DEPT ALSO
PASS TO KCC; POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION MANAGERS; VIENNA FOR DHS
MARLA BELVEDERE; DEPT ALSO PASS TO DHS SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KFRD CVIS CMGT CPAS ASEC BK

SUBJECT: Bosnia FPU visits Roma community in Bijeljina.


1. [Summary] Sarajevo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) visited the Roma
community in the Bosnian city of Bijeljina, the second largest town
in the Republika Srpska. Bijeljina, once considered the largest and
the richest Roma community in all Bosnia, now shows signs of
economic distress, a likely factor in our recent uptick in Roma
consular cases. [End of Summary]


2. (SBU) Our FPU met with three representatives of the Roma NGO
"Association of Roma from RS": President Pasaga Beganovic, Vice
President Hamdija Husic, and Mr. Husic's wife, Sofija Ivanov, who
works on women and children issues. The consular section recently
received several non-immigrant visa applications from Roma, as well
as fraudulent documents for a U.S. citizenship claim from members of
this community.


3. The Roma population in Bijeljina today is estimated to be between
3,000-4,000, a decrease of 50% from the pre-war numbers. During the
war, the population declined to about 300 Roma. These were the
poorest families, and most of them were harassed by extremist
groups. The other Roma found their way to Western Europe, and an
estimated 1,000 went to the United States. While some Roma have
returned to Bijeljina, one complication for potential donors to
these returnees is in identifying who are local Roma versus
newly-arrived Roma from Serbia or Kosovo. As with the 60,000 Serb
newcomers that settled in Bijeljina from other parts of Bosnia,
there are often tensions over receipt of donated funds between new
and old groups.


4. Economic opportunities for the Bijeljina Roma are scarce. Roma
income is derived primarily from collecting and selling used metal
(iron, copper, aluminum). As the global prices plummet, from highs
of 300 euro to lows of 20 euro for one ton of recycled iron, the
Roma are encountering even more dire economic conditions.


5. NGO representatives say there are virtually no Roma officially
employed in any municipality service, government-owned, or
privately-owned companies in Bijeljina. Native Roma who applied for
donations of agriculture machinery were all rejected. Often already
living below the poverty line, the Roma claim that the local
government is discriminating against them them by not paying much
attention to their basic needs. In one instance, they said that
even attempts to rename local streets in the Roma community for
their heroes and celebrities have been ignored.


6. Roma representatives informed FPU about an alleged scam to enter
the European Union. Namely, all three of the representatives stated
that for a price between 2,000-3,000 euro, facilitators would
provide "sometimes forged and sometimes genuine" visas for European
Union countries.


7. Name changing also seems to be a common tactic for those Roma who
were forced to leave Germany and other Schengen countries. They
routinely come back to Bijeljina and legally change their names.
Once they acquire a new name, they obtain new documents and
passports that help them return to the same countries with a new
identity.


8. Roma family life continues to be conducted in traditional ways.
The majority of Roma marriages are not officially registered with
the municipality or local religious denominations, but rather
performed in accordance with their traditions. The master of
ceremonies is called "Stari svat" and he plays the role of both
public registrar and priest. Very often the bride and groom are not
older than 15. In Bijeljina, family size ranges between four to a
dozen children. The Roma leaders also stated that many Western
European Roma come to Bijeljina in search of spouses, and those
couples tend to have their wedding ceremonies only after they leave
Bosnia and return to their country of residence.


9. Although Roma NGOs are making visible efforts to organize
literacy courses, and in spite of the fact that there are increasing
number of Roma children enrolled in the regular elementary schools,
most of the Bijeljina Roma women and children are illiterate.


10. In the largest Roma neighborhood in Bijeljina, FPU noted that
the size of their houses range from shacks to very large, expensive
and richly decorated buildings. Those with funds to build large
houses are generally the Roma that have returned from Western

SARAJEVO 00000492 002 OF 002


Europe.


11. Comment: Bijeljina's Roma population is familiar with adversity.
They suffered greatly in World War II, and then the 1992-1995 war
brought them additional suffering. The remaining Roma in Bijeljina
do not hide their wish to leave their hometown in order to work
abroad, mainly in Western Europe, but increasingly in the United
States as well. End comment.


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