Toxic Slag Heaps Poison Children of Kosovo. An Abuse of the FUndamental Human Rights of an Ethnic Minority

FOR YOUR MOST URGENT ATTENTION

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi

Government of Kosova,

Mother Theresa Street,

10 000

Prishtina,

Kosova

cc Christopher Dell, Ambassador, US Embassy, Kosovo

Dear Prime Minister Thaci,

I would like to hereby highlight as a matter of urgency the case of Ergin Salihi.

It is of extreme concern (i) that Ergin Salihi is NOW BACK IN OSTERODE. His chances of survival however in such a highly contaminated camp-site must surely be limited-having already fallen extremely ill from kidney failure.
(ii) There would appear to be no provision for any medical treatment for lead poisoning.

IT IS OF EXTREME CONCERN THAT THERE WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT PLAN FOR ERGIN OR THE OTHER ROMA CHILDREN WHEN /IF EVACUATED FROM THE CAMPS.

You may not be aware Minister that Ergin Salihi had been subject to an ongoing program of blood lead testing over a period of four years. Tested both in 2005 and 2007, each test, using equipment provided by the World Health Organisation, and in one case actually signed by the current head of the WHO Lead Care Task Force, showed levels of lead in his blood higher than 65 micrograms/decilitre, beyond the range of the instrument. This is over 6.5 x the level at which brain and organ damage is likely to commence in children. In spite of these repeated tests, he has never received proper medical treatment for the cocktail of 36 heavy metals found in the blood of the many of the victims living in these camps.

There would not appear to be any indication that Ergin or the other children from the camps will receive the essential ongoing medical therapy, and monitoring that their condition demands. The only child from a camp population of over 200 aged ten years or less who has ever received such treatment was taken with his family to Germany.

I would respectfully appeal to the Kosovan government, as a matter of the greatest urgency, to assure the families regarding the provision of the highest standard of medical treatment for Ergin and the other children once they are evacuated from the camps. The survival of Ergin and the other children must be of paramount concern, as it is of the families themselves. I would also respectfully appeal to you - as the provision of medical treatment for these children would appear to be unavailable in Kosovo, in accordance with the Kosovan government's obligations under the International

Convention on the Rights of the Child "to ensure to the maximum extent possible" the survival of these children and in view of the appalling failure of the international community in Kosovo to protect them for almost 10 years - to formally request the international community to now provide without delay the highest standard of medical treatment for these children once evacuated from the camps.

International Convention on the Rights of the Child:

Article 6
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.

Article 24
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. It also States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.

Thank you for your kind attention

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