Daily Archives: June 7, 2013

Hungary News Eastern Europe News Switzerland

07.06.2013 Zoltan Balog and the Hungarian Rroma strategy

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According to the article in the NZZ (2013), Zoltan Balog, the Hungarian Minister of Education, Health and Social Affairs wants that Rroma feel themselves as Hungarian citizens. This also means that they should pay taxes, health insurance and pension contributions. Enrolment in employment programs and scholarships should further the integration of the Rroma in the labour market. Critics see the Hungarian employment programs as humiliating forced labour, which offers no real future.

Friday the 7th of June, Balog will lecture on “Hungary’s Roma – Problem or chance” at the University of Zurich (Zemp 2013). The lecture is organised by the alumni of the Faculty of Law, the European Institute of the University of Zurich and the Hungarian Embassy. The lawyer Philip Stolkin criticised that one thus continues a tradition of lectures set to talk about members of ethnic groups without their participation, i.e. without them. The organisers referred to Balog’s good reputation and to the freedom of expression.

Balog’s lecture proved to be the quintessence of a smart politician: he gave an eloquent, almost blooming speech on Hungary’s integration strategy for the Rroma. He began with discussion of the requirements of life in an industrial society, which he – and this at least can be criticised – he contrasted to the Rroma as a “natural society”, something which does not reflect reality. He then spoke of the forced integration during the socialist times and the portrayal of Rroma as a turning as being losers of the change of system. Concerning the present situation, there is an increasing poverty driven between Rroma and impoverished Magyars underclass, and thus an increased racism. The actual plans of the Hungarian government for Rroma were presented as a costing comparison between integration and segregation. If segregation is maintained it will cost significantly to the state than more than if Rroma were successfully integrated. Hungary European Rroma strategy is based on the promotion of education, support for the integration into the labour market and the fight against social segregation. This includes the establishment of courses on the culture, language and history of the Rroma in public schools. On this point, Balog proved that he isinfluenced by clichés when he began to speak of the role models of successful Rroma musicians: Successful Rroma are far from limited to the field of music, but are also found in many non-traditional professional groups.

All the eloquence and persuasiveness of Balog to demonstrate the enormous efforts undertaken by the Hungarian government to integrate the Rroma, the burning question of the social reality and social practice in the effective use of the Rroma needs to be asked. Balog’s lecture gave the impression it is a part of the Hungarian foreign policy aimed at leaving a positive image of Hungary with its trading partners. Reports in newspapers such as the Pester Lloyd paint a less rosy picture of the situation of Rroma in Hungary. Whether Balog’s ambitious plans are actually translated into reality is to be hoped but is also doubtful.

Source:

  • «Es geht um unsere Zukunft», Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 06.06.2013
  • Zemp, Thomas. Protest gegen Roma-Vortrag eines ungarschen Superminister. Tages Anzeiger, 03.06.2013
News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

07.06.2013 The Khamoro Festival in Prague

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Schultheis (2013) writes about the Khamoro Festival in Prague. With concerts and lectures, the festival fights against prejudice, against one-sided reporting, segregation in schools and the exclusion from the economy. The economic crisis further reinforces racism. The closure of factories after the fall of Communism led to a strengthening of segregation. More and more young well-educated Rroma put poverty-linked stereotypes into question. Rroma representatives criticise in particular that most Rroma programs are initiated by non-Rroma. Gabriela Hrabaňová of the Rroma network Ergo flatly states: “We need more Rroma expertise and Rroma participation. For the last 20 years, those affected have not been involved in the planning of Roma projects. For example, in 2012 at the European Roma Platform there were only two Rroma out of 29 speakers. This is if we were to speak of women’s emancipation and leave women outside.”

Source:

  • Schultheis, Silja (2013) Festival Khamoro: Zur aktuellen Lage der Roma in Tschechien. In: hagalil online vom 4.6.2013. 
Czech Republic News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

07.06.2013 Sobering Status Quo on Rroma in the Czech Republic

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The Praguer Zeitung (2013 I / II) paints a sober picture on the situation of Rroma in the Czech Republic. The relationships between Rroma and the ethnic Czechs of the majority of the society are at a low ebb. In recent weeks, there were repeated pogroms against Rroma who remained nonviolent only thanks to massive police intervention. The segregation of Rroma children in public schools continues and, according to the Prague newspaper, is one of the causes of the bad relationship between the population groups. The EU Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks called recently to abolish the so-called “practical schools” where Rroma children who are declared to be mentally retarded are parked. A campaign to raise the awareness of the value of education among Rroma needs to take place.

Sources:

  • Prager Zeitung (2013/I) Unerreichtes Ziel. In: Prager Zeitung online vom 5.6.2013.
  • Prager Zeitung (2013/II) Handgreiflichkeiten bei Anti-Roma-Demonstration. In: Prager Zeitung online vom 30.5.2013.  
News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

07.06.2013 Rroma Kings and Begging Gangs

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The Kurier (2013) reports on the Austrian Norbert Ceipek. Ceipek is the head of the “Drehscheibe Augarten“, an organisation which takes care of delinquent children and young people in Vienna. He came under public criticism for his statements that the majority of apprehended children were member of begging gangs and that village chiefs sent them to beg, steal or into prostitution in the West. Key point of criticism are the controversial status and role of beggar gangs and Rroma kings among the Rroma. While representatives such as Ceipek see a massive presence of begging gangs and pimps, critics see the structures of exploitation described as massively exaggerated and more as an exception than as the norm. One needs in any case to criticise the representation the exploitation of Rroma by Rroma as a normal state. This perspective reduces the complexity of the social disintegration of Rroma to a problem of self-repression, creating a wrong counterweight to the social exclusion.

Source:

  • Kurier (2013) Wenn die Armut in den Westen schnappt. In: Kurier (Österreich) vom 6.6.2013. 
France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

07.06.2013 Rroma in France

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Damase (2013)  informs about the aspirations of Rroma in Val-de-Marne to be registered for voting. Most of the Rroma living in the camp of Ivry, have been residing there for several years and, at least theoretically, are entitled to voting. However, the problem is obtaining the necessary documents. Most of them have an European identity card but almost no one possesses an official residency confirmation. From the perspective of the supporters of this idea, granting  voting rights would further the integration of Rroma. The Ivry Rroma camp, with about 250 people, is meant to be evicted since two months.

The evictions in France hold continue. Filippi Paoli (2013) reports on the evacuation and resettlement of roughly 60 Rroma from Vieux-Lille. The families could be temporarily accommodated in Rouvignies, Bethune and Calais in a hotel and a rehabilitation foyer. Those affected are not hugely enthusiastic, as they don’t know how long they can remain in the temporary accommodations.

Sources:

  • Damase, Laura (2013) Des Roms tentent de s’inscrire sur les listes électorales d’Ivry. In: France Info vom 7.6.2013.
  • Filippi-Paoli, Sophie (2013) Les Roms évacués du Vieux-Lille relogés à Rouvignies, Béthune et à Calais. In: La Voix du Nord vom 6.6.2013. 
Germany News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

07.06.2013 Rroma Debate in Germany

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The Bremen SPD politician Martin Koroll lost his membership rights in the SPD for the coming two years. On his website, in an opinion on his political goals, Koroll published xenophobic statements against Rroma. The judgment was pronounced by the Social Democratic Party’s arbitration committee. Koroll had proclaimed that Rroma live socially and intellectually “in the Middle Ages”, in an “age-old patriarchal society” in which men have “no inhibitions to send the children to work instead to school, their break their wives’ teeth and treat themselves to steel teeth [protheses].” Many of the young Rroma men, according to Koroll, “melt their brains by sniffing adhesives vapours” (Zier 2013). Koroll’s opinions were since a long time on his website, but only became a public topic after his entry into the Bremen state parliament. The SPD distanced himself decidedly from Koroll’s statements and expressly emphasized that these were his views and not those of the SPD. Therefore, procedure for his expulsion from the party was submitted and remains pending. The Young Socialists of Germany commented on the non-exclusion of Koroll as a non-logical decision. Koroll has “made populist slogans socially acceptable.” Koroll commented on the measures against him as a being “educationally and politically misplaced” (Zier 2013).

Frenzel (2013) provides information on the trip of the Neuköln Education Councillor Franczisca Giffey to Romania. Giffey travelled to Romania to meet with interest groups and politicians in order to assess the future development of the migration issues between the two countries. In her interview with the Daily Mirror, the Education Councillor confirmed the glaring poverty gap between Germany and Romania and the social disintegration facing the Rroma. She also noted glaring contradictions between statements by government politicians and those of NGOs. The state politicians stressed that there would be no significant increase in migration flows due to the persons agreement with the EU. The representatives of NGOs noted that there was no sign of a speedy improvement of the economic situation in the country, and that therefore, one should expect many poverty refugees in the future. With regard to life in both countries, Giffey sees a clear difference in terms of the education in Germany, but not in terms of housing situation. In this regard Rroma in Romania often fare better. The Education Councillor wants in particular to ensure that immigrant Rroma do not become welfare cases. The awareness that self-initiative is required needs to be promoted. The controversial issue in the debate in Germany, namely the extent the predicted immigration, is not discussed in the interview.

Barthels (2013) reported on the presentation series “Cineromani – Empowering Roma Filmmakers” in  the Collegium Hungaricum Berlin (CHB). To mark the event, current as well as older cinematic works on the life of Rroma are shown. They cover a broad spectrum ranging from self and external views of the Rroma, to religious and sexual identity and to questions the right to stay and to forced deportations. The presentation series can also criticized its renewed exclusion of the Biennale.

Sources:

  • Barthels, Inga (2013) Blicke hinter das Klischee. In: Die TAZ vom 4.6.2013.
  • Frenzel, Veronica (2013) „Es werden weiterhin Roma kommen“. In: Der Tagesspiegel vom 2.6.2013. 
  • Zier, Jan (2013) Ab in die Ecke, Genosse! In: Die TAZ vom 3.6.2013. 
Hungary News Eastern Europe News Switzerland

07.06.2013 Nyiregyhaza and Street Prostitution at the Zurich Sihlquai

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Baumann (2013) reports from the north-eastern Hungarian city of Nyiregyhaza, where according to the report of the project group IRIS 2012 (Sex Educatio 2012) a majority of women prostituting themselves at the Zurich Sihlquai come from. Most of the Rroma houses in Nyiregyhaza were formerly barracks for Hungarian soldiers who were neglected since the 70s. The settlement of the Rroma is a segregated place behind the railway tracks, called Huszar. Unemployment among the residents of Huszar is blatantly high and lies, according to a university study around 70%. There is a kind of word of mouth in Nyiregyhaza about the fast money that can be earned at the Zurich streets. Also, as emphasized by the study of Sex Educatio, prostitution in Hungary greatly restricted due to repressive legislation. According to the social worker Katalin Szoboszlai of Collina most women were pushed out of their own environment to work as prostitutes. Classic trafficking is rare. This is contradicted by statements of employees of the counselling centre “Flora Dora”, who find a smooth continuum between the extremes of trafficking and so-called voluntary prostitution: Even relatives can push or force their own to degrading activities.

The study of sex Educatio (2012) indicates that the majority of sex workers belong to the Zurich Rroma groups the Romungro or Olah. How they arrived at this information is not discussed. We know  that the original question in the study stated “are you Hungarian or Rroma?”. Most respondents replied Hungarian. How one arrived at the conclusion of a majority of Rroma is unclear in the study itself. The one-sided focus on Rroma is therefore to be critically questioned. Prostitution needs to be seen as a result of structural violence that arises from poverty, socio-economic circumstances and social exclusion. That there is a relationship between ethnicity and social segregation, is undeniable. It is questionable, however, to restrict the issue of poverty prostitution to Rroma and thus give to giving an ethnic dimension.

Sources:

  • Baumann, Meret (2013) Trügerische Hoffnung auf schnelles Geld. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung vom 6.6.2013.
  • Sex Educatio (Hrsg.) (2012) IRIS 2012: Die Situation von ungarischen Strassenprostituierten in ungarischen Städten und in Zürich. Downloadversion: www.sexeducatio.hu

 

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