J. Malcolm Garcia, for the Pulitzer Center. Photo by Darren McCollester
NORTH MITROVICA, Kosovo - Pediatrician Zoran Savich has seen many lead poisoned Roma children since he began working in Osterrode Camp and Chesmin Lug Camp in 2005. He had been told the camps would be temporary and the families would be moved to a place with less toxicity. He dispensed medicines. He treated more than 300 children for lead poisoning and really thought he would be successful, but he was deceived. Year after year, the families remained in the camps. When he stopped treatment, their lead blood levels continued to rise. So he stopped going to the camps. As long as they remained on toxic land, what would be the point? They should be moved to another country free of lead but the United Nations refuses. Officials say the Roma are not refugees but internally displaced peoples and should remain in their own country. So they remain in the camps.

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