17 Mar UN must take immediate action to provide justice for minority communities placed in poisoned camps

UN rights expert urge that United Nations must take immediate action to provide justice and remedies for displaced minority communities who were housed in UN camps constructed on toxic wasteland in Kosovo.

Around 600 members of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities were placed in the camps between 1999 and 2013 on land known to have been contaminated by lead. Approximately half were children under the age of 14.

Lead poisoning is believed to have contributed to the deaths of several children and adults. Other former residents are said to be still experiencing a myriad of health problems, such as seizures, kidney disease, various physical and mental disabilities and memory loss.

In 2016, Human Rights Advisory Panel recommended that the UN should take appropriate steps towards payment of adequate individual compensation to 138 members of the three communities and issue a public apology for having failed to comply with human rights standards.

The panel identified multiple violations of human rights – including the rights to life, health and freedom from inhumane and degrading treatment – as well as of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Reports of lead poisoning among residents were available as early as 1999, and protective measures to prevent lead exposure were taken for peacekeeping soldiers in 2000. However, preventative measures for the residents were not taken until 2006.

Young children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning and can suffer profound and permanent adverse health effects, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system.

In addition to his meetings with victims and officials from the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Special Rapporteur has also been in direct contact with the office of the UN Secretary General regarding efforts to provide a remedy.

The voluntary Trust Fund, which was set up in 2017, has never been activated because it has not received any contributions from the international community.

You can find more information about the case of housing on lead contaminated soil in Kosovo here: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Environment/ToxicWastes/Pages/LeadContaminationKosovo.aspx

References from the official website of the United Nations