09.04.2014 The invisible Rroma in Switzerland

Plozza (2014) focuses, on the occasion of the international Rroma-day, on the invisible Rroma of Switzerland. He spoke with the Rroma representatives Stéphane Laederich and Mustafa Asan. Both emphasize the massive prejudices that still prevail against the Rroma and make a disclosure of one’s identity a difficult task: “Most Swiss Roma are not criminal and they do not pull their caravans from place to place. On the contrary, they lead a normal, almost petit bourgeois life, explains the Roma representative Mustafa Asan. “The Swiss Roma are sedentary and integrated. They live in their own homes, they have their own jobs and their own occupation […] Today, 50,000 to 100,000 Roma are living in Switzerland. One does not know that for sure. Because many of do not reveal themselves as being Roma, says Stéphane Laederich, director of “Roma Foundation” in Zurich. “Many are still afraid that they will lose their friends, their job, or certain opportunities in their career”, he says. Fearing the old prejudices about Gypsies and travelling people, they prefer to remain silent.” Asan demands that the Rroma occur more often in the public, reveal themselves and reach out to their fellow human beings. This is the only way to dismantle prejudices and stereotypes, he says. However, this has to happen with objective facts and not positive clichés as dancing and singing Rroma. The fact that not only the Rroma, but above all the majority population – that has marginalized the ethnic group for centuries – is encouraged to act, should not go unmentioned. It must signal to the minority that they are accepted and welcomed. Because integration is a process based on reciprocity that requires commitment of all parties involved (compare Aargauer Zeitung 2014, Gehrig 2014).