PRESS RELEASE:

AMERICAN LAWYER BARRY FISHER WITH WORLD ROMA ORGANIZATION

President of World Roma Organization Jovan Damjanovic have managed last week between 8th and 11th June in Brussels official talks with world-wide known lawyer Mr. Barry Fisehr from Los Angeles (USA), and on those meetings was achieved total compliance about starting of cooperation that will have for objective two most-important paragraphs when it is about interests of Roma community in the world, and those are:

1. That most-important world institutions for the first time and decidedly acknowledge as a historical fact, that over the Roma, Jews and Serbs in World War II was committed genocide in accordance with the Hitler’s doctrine of Third Reich about the “final solution of Jewish issue and protection of Aryan’s blood”, due to which Roma in countries under the German occupation in Europe, as well in Croatia, where the same racial laws were brought – were generally considered as a lower race that should be eliminated.

2. Compensation claim to countries that were involved into the genocide over the Roma, which was committed in the function of realization of the state policy of those countries, foremost against Germany and Croatia, but also against the Vatican’s bank, which in the light of newfound documents became owner of part of the Roma gold, looted from the victims of genocide.

On four-day’s talks in Brussels, which were managed on behalf of World Roma Organization personally from side of the president Jovan Damjanovic, was present also a president of the Roma community of Romania Mr. Florin Cioaba and his son who is also a president of the Roma tribunal of Romania, Mr. Fadil Hrustic – commissioner for Roma diaspora in the world of World Roma Organization, Mr. Danko Vasovic – advisor of World Roma Organization for the issues of Holocaust and genocide over the Roma in World War II.

Although the topic of compensation to Roma for performed genocide in World War II was in some way present in 1998, when representatives of the World Jewish Congress and state of Israel were managing talks with Germany, Switzerland and Austria regarding the financial compensation of these countries for committed Holocaust, when Roma were also subject of talks – Mr. Barry Fisher, as one of lawyers who personally managed those negotiations in New York and the United Nations’ office at Geneva, informed president Damjanovic that there is absolutely room and that, quite opposite, all conditions are achieved for re-solution of issue of compensation to the Roma community for committed genocide from the following reasons:

Mr. Fisher categorically states that, under his belief, Roma community is for the first time capable for something like that, because it for the first time steps organized with all necessary attributes in sense of legitimacy and legality, since having in mind that Roma in the world are now represented in the World Roma Organization, on whose founding congress were present 26 countries, and in the meantime huge number of countries acknowledged and joined World Roma Organization, with tendency of further growth.

“Mr. Damjanovic, I am honored to having talks with you and I am aware of the fact that your represent all Roma of the world, because I must say that earlier that wasn’t a case which for me, as a lawyer, presents new fact. I must inform you that then process was completed unsuccessfully for Roma community, because disunity appeared owing to the fact that in talks and negotiations came forward individuals who, while allegedly represented Roma in the world, were fought only for their personal interests, which in total resulted with great financial damage to Roma community, and especially damage in historical sense. However, now I am completely aware that situation is different.”

Mr. Fisher highlighted that new evidences about genocide that president Damjanovic and World Roma Organization possess absolutely presents a new moment in entire story, which is why he suggested and potentiated that in shortest term should be opened claim against the countries that participated in genocide over the Roma, while especially stressing Croatia and Vatican’s bank.

“Our priority would still have to be Germany, as a place and country where from everything started with Hitler”, highlighted president Damjanovic, while adding that he is completely aware of terrible crimes which Pavelic and Ustashas committed in Jasenovac and NDH, which resulted in genocide and extermination of Roma in tremendous proportions.

Damjanovic stated: “We respect decision of Council of Europe which for now acknowledged number of 240.000 Roma perished in World War II. However, we know that this number is far more greater, even more than ten times greater, about which we possess documentation, and we will continue to collect new evidences and testimonies around the world with our associates so that we could now, even from this time distance, brighten genocide over the Roma committed in World War II.”

Mr. Florin Cioaba highlighted personal satisfaction that he for the first time feels that Roma community is compact and that it will best realize its interests through the World Roma Organization.

“I am personally thankful for establishing of the World Roma Organization and opening of these issues that are most important for us Roma, and with which we haven’t dealt at all until now – which is a shame” – said Mr. Cioaba to president Damjanovic, and added: “Once, ten years ago, I as a president of the Roma community of Romania, tried to manage a process and sued Germany for committed terrible genocide over the Roma of unimaginable scale in Transnistria. And what happened – then some people attacked me to give up from that, and everything ended when Germans from the embassy told me that for those crimes were responsible state of Romania of that time which was Hitler’s ally. We can extract important messages from that.” – highlighted Cioaba.

Mr. Fadil Hrustic, commissioner for Roma diaspora in the world of World Roma Organization, said among the other things:

“Well people, we are now in position to leave to our children important part of our history that in no way can be skipped. That’s why it is important to continue to endure in this objective, and I accept this mission with full hearth, with wish that our maxima that from now on each Roma should be responsible for the other Roma truly begin to live, because only like that we can make something for our interests. We must first car eabout ourselves, and only later to ask for something from others.” – concluded Mr. Hrustic.

Danko Vasovic, well-known researcher, former advisor of the president of Russel’s tribunal Vladimir Dedijer (Vasovic was his advisor until the end of Dedijer’s life in November 1990, when Dedijer was also a president of the SANU’s Commission for genocide /Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts/), also highlighted pleasure with meeting in Brussels.

“This is extremely important moral and historical issue for the Roma community, both in Serbia and former Yugoslavia, but also in entire world, and I am glad that I can give my personal contribution to those efforts, because genocide over the Roma besides being minimized since ever and forged, is not only a Roma issue. When we think a little bit better, we will realize that it is also a problem of Europe and world who watched that crime and who still remember it, and foremost of countries who committed it, which could now, after so many decades, make a gesture of recognition in sense of correcting its sins, but also financial compensation, as support and funds that could be used for welfare of Roma community which is extremely jeopardized in Europe, and what is the consequence of genocide committed over the Roma in World War II.” – said Vasovic.

Meeting in Brussels – capitol of Belgium and informal capitol of European Union, was ended with firm agreement that in following two months on the basis of reports of Mr. Fisher will be held a press conference in Belgrade, when Roma community and publicity will be completely informed with details of research and directions of the further activity of World Roma Organization.

Secretariat of
World Roma Organization Rromanipen