At this camp, I witnessed the most inhumane living conditions of the Roma 1st hand.
I was so incensed and upset by what I experienced that I could suddenly think of nothing else. I had come looking for answers and I was choking on what I found.
But there was no doubting that I needed to witness this for myself.
The scene burned its way into my psyche, branding it forever.
My driver tried to take some of the edge off the experience by taking me on a long drive.
He turned off his meter and we drove slowly back to the old city. He started to share many things.
"I know where a Gypsy Museum is. Would you like to see it?"
"I remember an interview with a Roma teacher...I think I can find his place."
We spent several hours together finding the places and people.
It was a valuable experience in many ways.
He opened up and we began to talk in earnest about the situation from various perspectives.
"In the time of socialism, everyone had a job, an apartment, education and security.
Despite differences, we lived as equals. When Tito died and our system crumbled, factories closed,
the economic changes were too much, the war took place and we lost everything. Society is
still struggling for even basic necessities. I myself am 40 years old, and I still live with my parents.
I am on a long waiting list for an apartment. My girlfriend and I cannot marry and raise a family
as a result. I work 2 jobs, long hours to make ends meet. This is the case for many Serbians now.
If apartments were given to Roma ahead of Serbians, there would be turmoil. We are all waiting.
This camp has been here for 2 years. Most of these people are recent arrivals from Kosovo,
hoping to find a more hopeful situation in Serbia.. They would be at the bottom of the list for housing. They might wait many years for help."
The situation was complex and difficult, yet this was insufferable. I had only a few hours left
before flying back to the States. I agonized over what could/should be done. My first thought
was to find a way back to the camp and give my extra cash, but there was no way to make that happen.
A part of me wondered if it would be received as an insult.
I was deeply moved by their plight, but I couldn't find my place in the situation.
Everything that I tried to do was blocked on some level. I would have to wait for guidance.
When guidance came, it was not what I expected.
I wanted to DO something...and quickly. Instead I was told to do nothing but pray...for now...
and to pray hard! I was reminded that that is the most powerful act.
I put all my heart and mind into it. I prayed that the government would no longer turn a blind eye
and that it would move these people to shelter that was decent and safe.
I thought of nothing else for many days.
I returned home, a bit heavy-hearted, but with a sense of force and determination.
Prayer has many times turned impossible situations around.
I went back home and back to work with their situation pressing in my mind and heart.
Just 7 days later, as I was scanning for news articles on the recent International Roma Day.
I stumbled on camera footage of the very same camp!
On that day, the camp made headlines around the world.
It was being dismantled by order of the mayor of Belgrade! Incredible!
People were being registered for services of all kinds and they were being moved into various kinds of housing and otherwise resettled in safer conditions. I also found that there were many NGOs, media and welfare organizations on the scene, monitoring the situation. Though there was some criticism of decisions made by the government, the evidence bore out that the Roma were given new housing in many cases and that they were well-treated. They were given money to live as well as funds to rebuild homes in their old villages. Families remained intact and were carried by buses.to their new homes. Army trucks and personnel came to load their goods and transport them to new locations.
They still faced struggle for sure, but at least this burning garbage dump was behind them.
To all my readers, thanks for your patience these last months. This was a difficult chapter to write.
There is still much to understand and learn...
warm salutations to all the good Gypsies...
next. post.:.a weekend with Roma author, Ray Buckland... and.meeting some unexpected Gypsies!
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