BOSNIA-ROMA

A Roma boy stands on a mound close to burning rubbish, on the edge of a Roma settlement in the Sarajevo suburb of Butmir, on April 8, 2009 — a day declared International Roma Day. Meanwhile police in Slovakia sparked outrage today after several officers were accused of brutality against six young Romas. The policemen in the eastern city of Kosice forced the six, the two youngest being 13 years old, to undress and slap and kiss each other, the Sme daily reported. The EU is concerned over the status of the 10 to 12 million Roma in Europe because in most countries their fundamental human rights are abused and they live in poverty. Some 100,000 Roma live in Bosnia-Herzegovina and have difficulties integrating into the society, often because of their traditional free lifestyle; many have no documents and parents reluctantly send their children to school. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC