Prague - On Thursday Minister for Human Rights Džamila Stehlíková spoke to Roma communities in Ostrava trying to dissuade them from finding happiness by emigrating to Canada.
As it turns out, the number of applications for asylum by Czech citizens has nearly reached the limit beyond which Canada can once again establish visas for Czechs.
By the end of August the number of such applications was at almost 470, whereas the limit is 500. The fact remains, however, that Canada has yet to grant any of the requests.
Canada introduced a visa requirement back in 1997. At that time 1,221 Czech citizens applied for asylum. Between 1996 and 2000 there were 1677 requests, of which 962 were fulfilled.
Two years later, in 1999, Romany were leaving for England. British civil servants documented over 1,050 requests for asylum along with approximately 3,000 people who were waiting for results of the country's asylum proceedings.
Work opportunities abroad
The wave of mass exodus of Czech citizens to this North American country is returning after several years. The lion's share of those departing belongs to families in the Romany minority who are dissatisfied with their quality of life in the Czech Republic.
The reason for departure presented by those requesting asylum is the evasion of human rights in the Czech Republic. Politicians and Stehlíková are convinced the reasons are mostly economic.
Džamila Stehlíková also believes that emigrating to a foreign country is unnecessary: "I believe that visas will not be established. That I will succeed in explaining the situation not only to the Canadian side but to Czech Romany as well," the Minister told Aktuálně.cz.
In Canada she will strive to see the country acknowledge that people living in the Czech Republic, including Romany, need not fear for their safety. According to the government, it is therefore not possible to issue political asylum, usually granted to people who face the threat of torture, death, or persecution in their country of origin.
Canada has a tradition
Organizations dealing with the situation of Romany in the Czech Republic assert that the life of this ethnic group for example in Slovakia or Romania is far more troublesome. Requests from these countries for asylum in Canada, however, number only in the dozens.
Why then is this country so enticing to Czech Romany in particular? "It has a certain tradition. Canada has the cachet of the Promised Land. It offers a community, contacts, and people who speak the same language and can help. I understand that the temptation for Romany is strong," says Stehlíková.
There is no other destination where Romany emigrate en masse. "If they were truly facing racial attacks here, they could leave for anywhere in Europe. We have no walls at the borders," says the Minister for Human Rights, who refers as such to the fact that that the Romany motivations are primarily economic.
The Canadian government provides asylum applicants accommodation and financial assistance, along with the possibility of unlimited employment.
Work for diplomats
After visits with Romany communities in Ostrava and Brno, Džamila Stehlíková plans to go to Canada, where she will present complete information about the situation of Romany in the Czech Republic over the last eleven years.
"The statistics indicate that the situation here has improved significantly. Racially motivated criminal acts have diminished radically," said Stehlíková. In the same breath, though, she adds that much work remains on this front.
The converse trip from Canada to the Czech Republic is intended by General Governor Michaelle Jean. She is, after the British Queen, the second highest ranking female politician in the country. Jean will even visit the Romany ghetto in Brno.
According to Canadian diplomats, however, her trip has nothing to do with the increased number of requests for asylum.
