ECRI: Situation of Crimean Tatars has not improved

Politics - 21 February 2012, Tuesday 17:05

AQMESCIT/ SIMFEROPIL (QHA) - The European Commission is concerned about the current situation of the Crimean Tatars, which has not improved in the recent times, reads a report on Ukraine published on the official website of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).
Although the Government of Ukraine has drawn up plans of action against xenophobia and racial and ethnic discrimination, the disbanding of the State Committee for Nationalities and Religion has left a vacuum in this connection. The country has no comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, noted in the report.
The report reveals the decrease in the number of racist attacks in recent years in Ukraine. However, it says, the problem is far from being resolved.
“The authorities are, of course, aware of the need to deal with neo-Nazi and skinhead football fans. Nevertheless, the Ministry of the Interior has abandoned its efforts to monitor racist incidents and groups systematically. Moreover, the extent of the problem is masked because perpetrators of hate crime tend to be prosecuted as hooligans,” reads a statement.
The organization also said that the situation of Crimean Tartars has not improved, neither has that of Roma, many of whom lack identity documents, despite some municipalities’ efforts to promote their social inclusion. Police misconduct against this and other vulnerable groups, such as migrants and asylum-seekers, is also frequently reported.
In the report, ECRI has made a number of recommendations, among which the following three require priority implementation and will be revisited in two years’ time: identify the body that will coordinate the work on combating racism and racial discrimination and ensure that its staff have strong expertise in these fields; guarantee at all times fair and effective refugee-status determination procedures and finally settle the issue of who is responsible; set up an independent body for receiving complaints about racism and racial discrimination against the police.
The report was prepared following ECRI’s contact visit to Ukraine in April 2011 and takes account of developments up to June 2011.





 
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