ILLUSION OF WELFARE – NEW REALITY OF MONTENEGRO
According to the recent information gathered by LGBT Forum Progress, at least four persons were granted asylum in Montenegro based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Furthermore, we have learned that at least that many persons are in the process of seeking asylum on the same grounds. All of them are currently residing in the Asylum Centre in Spuž, from where they have reached out to LGBT Forum Progress and sought support, advice, and aid in learning Montenegrin language. We maintain a regular contact with them, and assist them as much as we can.
Although it complimentary that Montenegro is showing the readiness to become a home and a shelter to those people who had to flee from half-the-world away for being gay, lesbian, trans, etc.; we must show concern and wonder if this comes as a direct result of actual progress of our system, or is it just another carefully constructed illusion meant to fool our European supervisors.
If our system has indeed matured and developed so much, and is not just a smokescreen, we ought to ask the Government and the Parliament of Montenegro to answer the questions that come up naturally:
1. If everything is so good in Montenegro, then why is our system of Social (un)protection and (un)care unable to help its citizens that have no roof over their heads, a single cent of income, and suffer violence and discrimination? How can you guarantee to others that they will get everything they need in Montenegro, when you let your own people freeze and starve on the streets and outside the institutions of the system, and cannot help us?
Have you already forgotten the case of a young gay man who was deported from Sweden, after his asylum application got rejected, and when he was guaranteed that his country can take him back and help him?
2. Are we so safe and secure as a country, like you are assuring us every day, that one trans person from South Asia or Central Africa will be able to go freely to the store, without having their head bashed in or ribs broken? You say and guarantee that we are safe, but countless cases of attacks on LGBTIQ persons and activist remain unsolved, without any hope or chance that they ever will.
Do you not recall the cowardly attack on Stevan Milivojević from January 2016, that was done by “unknown individuals” in broad daylight?
3. If our country has progressed so much in the field of protection and respect of human rights and acceptance of all of it citizens, then why do we see dozens of educated and perspective LGBTIQ people leaving every year, never to return? And not just LGBTIQ persons, but hundreds and hundreds of young people, that are a future of this country.
4. How can you guarantee to someone that they will be able to build a life and have a new beginning in Montenegro, when almost one quarter of our population is unemployed, and at least ten percent of them live below the absolute poverty line? Is this the economic prosperity and growth you proudly brag with in Europe?
You say that Montenegro is a modern, democratic and European country. You claim that we are leaders in the region and the jewel of the Balkans. You assure us that we are doing fine and that there is no reason to complain. Shame on you!
You are the representatives of the people of Montenegro – the very same people that suffers because of your negligence and lack of care. Than act like ones – be the voice of all of us, give strength to our words and take responsibility for your (in)actions. Unions and treaties come and go, one power replaces the other; but the people of Montenegro stay here. Never forget that.
LGBT Forum Progress
ILUZIJA BLAGOSTANJA – NOVA STVARNOST U CRNOJ GORI
Prema internim saznanjima nevladine organizacije LGBT Forum Progres, u proteklih šest mjeseci najmanje četiri lica su dobila azil u Crnoj Gori po osnovu njihove seksualne orijentacije i/ili rodnog identiteta. Dodatno, saznajemo da je barem još toliko lica u postupku traženja azila po istom osnovu. Sva lica su trenutno smještena u Centru za azilante u Spužu, odakle su kontaktirali LGBT Forum Progres i zatražili podršku, savjet i pomoć pri učenju crnogorskog jezika. Trenutno sa tim licima imamo stalan kontakt, i pomažemo im koliko je to moguće.
Iako je pohvalno što država Crna Gora pokazuje spremnost da bude dom i utočište ljudima kojima je život ugrožen na drugom kraju svijeta zbog toga što su gejevi, lezbejke, trans osobe i sl., ne možemo a da se ne zabrinemo i ne zapitamo da li je to rezultat stvarnog napretka našeg sistema, ili samo još jedna u nizu pažljivo iskonstruisanih varki za naše evropske supervizore.
Ako je naš sistem zaista toliko sazreo i razvio se, i nije samo dimna zavjesa, onda molimo Vladu i Skupštinu Crne Gore da nam da odgovore na pitanja koja se ovdje sama nameću:
1. Kada je u Crnoj Gori toliko dobro, zašto imamo sistem socijalne (ne)zaštite i (ne)brige koji nije u stanju da se stara o svojim građanima i građankama koji nemaju krov nad glavom, jednog centa primanja i trpe nasilje ili diskriminaciju? Kako možete da garantujete drugima da će u Crnoj Gori imati sve što im treba, kada ni svom narodu ne možete da pomognete, već nas puštate da se smrzavamo i gladujemo na ulicama i ispred institucija sistema?
Zar ste već zaboravili na gej mladića koji je deportovan iz Švedske nakon što mu je odbijen zahtjev za azilom, a potom garantovano da njegova država može da ga primi nazad i pomogne mu?
2. Zar smo toliko bezbjedna i sigurna država, kao što nas uvjeravate svakoga dana, da će jedna trans osoba iz južne Azije ili centralne Afrike moći da ode do prodavnice, a da joj neko ne razbije glavu ili polomi rebra? Kažete i garantujete da jesmo, a nebrojeni slučajevi napada na LGBTIQ osobe i aktiviste u Crnoj Gori ostaju neriješeni, bez nade i izgleda da će ikada biti.
Sjećate li se kukavičkog napada na Stevana Milivojevića u januaru 2016. koji su počinila „NN lica“ u sred bijela dana?
3. Ako je naša država zaista toliko napredovala u polju zaštite i poštovanja ljudskih prava i prihvatanja svih svojih građana i građanki, zašto nam iz godine u godinu zemlju napušta na desetine obrazovanih i perspektivnih LGBTIQ osoba? I ne samo LGBTIQ osoba, već i na stotine mladih ljudi, koji su budućnost ove zemlje.
4. Kako možete nekome da garantujete da će moći da izgradi život i ima novi početak u Crnoj Gori, kada nam je skoro četvrtina stanovništva nezaposlena, i kada najmanje deset procenata njih živi ispod apsolutne linije siromaštva? Zar je ovo taj ekonomski prosperitet i rast kojim se hvalite pred Evropom?
Kažete da je Crna Gora moderna, demokratska i evropska zemlja. Tvrdite da smo lideri u regionu i biser Balkana. Uvjeravate nas da nam je dobro i da nemamo razloga da negodujemo. Kako vas nije sramota!?
Vi ste predstavnici i predstavnice naroda Crne Gore – istog onog naroda koji pati i trpi zbog vaše nebrige i nemara. Onda se tako i ponašajte – budite glas svih nas, dajte snagu našim riječima i preuzmite odgovornost za svoja (ne)djela. Unije i savezi dođu i prođu, jedna sila zamijeni drugu; ali crnogorski narod ostaje gdje jeste. To ne zaboravite.
LGBT Forum Progres
