THE NON-DISCRIMINATION COALITION started with discrimination

On 14 August 2007, a message was sent to the list cntm@yahoogroups.com outlining the coalition’s objectives and inviting all NGOs to join and collaborate in this field. On the same day, I sent a message to nediscriminare@gmail.com from the NGO I founded and run. The message was addressed to Dana Cotici and I calculated the following: 

… we want to join this coalition because we are interested in promoting healthy principles, based on fair values, which will stop the phenomenon of discrimination. Please keep us informed of the Coalition’s activities and let us know what the program of activities is. We want to take an active part in all activities, discussions and drafting the law.

We did not receive any response to our message and request.

On September 13, 2007, almost a month later, I repeated the message and in another two days, on September 15, I received the following answer:

Thank you very much for your interest in joining the Non-Discrimination Coalition. I apologize for the delayed message. We are happy to have you as partners and I hope to collaborate as productively as possible in this process that we have started. An official letter of invitation for civil society organizations wishing to become members of the Non-Discrimination Coalition will be sent in the coming days. (Dana Cotici) 

The official invitation letter still has not come to this day, but the so-called “coalition” is fully active.

I found on this page, which was published on September 7, that another meeting was planned for September 10, where the anti-discrimination bill would be discussed.

Why aren’t those who want to participate in the drafting of the law, announced in advance? An announcement that is placed on the internet only three days before the meeting cannot inform people but can serve as an excuse for the organizers when they will be rightly accused of drafting a law without consulting the society. 

Why are we not notified by e-mail, all those who have expressed their desire to participate in the drafting of this bill?

Why were the representatives of the religious cults that have suffered a lot and are still subject to discrimination not consulted during the drafting of the law?

The discrimination applied by some influential people in this Non-Discrimination Coalition stands out from the beginning.

I suggest you study carefully the draft law and the commentary on the law and send the comments to the addresses Otilia.Bologan-Vieru@osce.org or info@cntm.md Maybe this time we will be really listened to when drafting this law.

I have a few more questions for readers. If you know the answer to them, please post them in the comments, or give us the links where we can find the answers.

1. Who are the people who initiated this project and how did these people face discrimination?
2. Which organizations initiated this project and in what way are the representatives of these organizations discriminated against?

Translated by Liza Birladeanu