Monthly Archives: April 2015

News Eastern Europe

Sulukule: Gentrification is stopped

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Years after Rroma were expelled from their oldest settlement in Europe, from the neighbourhood of Sulukule in Istanbul, the plans from the ruling AK party who intended to gentrify that part of town have now been cancelled.

This stop follows a ruling of the court of appeal against the government-based project. The court basically did not accept the government arguments that the development plans were for the good of the public.

Bravo, but pity it took so long, as Rroma are now mostly gone.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Documentary on Rroma in Bulgaria

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Gregori Stoev filmed for a year in the Mahala – the Rroma quarter – of Kjustendil, a city in Bulgaria. This documentary shatters the usual stereotypes of poverty, hopelessness, and shows that the neighbourhood also has middle class and even rich Rroma who are working, have education, etc.

According to the author, people who have seen the movie have had to re-think their views on Rroma.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

European Roma and Traveller Forum in Slovenia

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A round table with the European Roma and Traveller Forum criticized the lack of access to drinking water in some of the Rroma settlement in Slovenia. It is to be noted that Slovenia has a tiny Rroma minority.

Hungary News Americas News Eastern Europe

Canada Mission to Miskolc, Hungary

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An official Cancadian delegation is currently visiting Hungary to understand the reasons and true situation of the 40 to 50 families from the region who fled Miskolc and asked for asylum in Canada. This exodus is due to the expulsion currently under way in a Rroma neighbourhood, to make way for a parking lot for a football stadium. Rroma were pushed outside of the city. This action initiated by the mayor has already generated quite a bit of noise. Let’s see what the Canadian officials come back with, and let’s hope that they will see these were illegal expulsions.

Meanwhile, Canada expulsed a Hungarian criminal kingpin who trafficked people into Canada, coaching them to tell they were persecuted Rroma. Neither he nor most of his victims were Rroma …

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Green Party sues Rroma Autonomy in Hungary

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The Green party (LMP) is currently suing the Roma Autonomy, the Rroma self Government on Hungary for lack of transparency. They had requested information as allowed by the law but have not yet received anything.

The Roma Autonomy has been shrouded in controversy. One of his previous heads in under investigation, the current one is close to the Orban government, and anyhow the effectiveness of this organisation is far from proven.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

England: Rroma accused of Human Trafficking

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The Daily mail published a lurid article on a Rroma family who trafficked Czech immigrants and who were subsequently forced into effective slavery and mistreatment.

Human trafficking is a criminal offense and we fully condemn the acts of that family. However, the Daily Mail, by stressing the ethnicity of the offenders further the amalgamation in the public of Rroma to criminal migrants. This is totally racist and should not be tolerated.

France News Western Europe

France: Expulsions, as usual … But also solidarity

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In Hautbourdin, in France, the Mayor evacuated the local Rroma camp by dumping three truckloads of manure according to international press or mud, according to the French sources. The camp in the North of France was under evacuation order, nevertheless, the actions of the municipality go beyond decency and legality.

Volunteers and people showing solidarity went to the camp and plated crosses in the fresh mud.

Another camp was expulsed in Bron, in the Rhone region and another one in Henin-Beaumont, also in the North, while in the Grenoble region, they report on a large camp with an evangelical preacher.

Finally, in Sevran, a round table and a festival has been organised to explain who the Rroma in France truly are. The round table, held on the 17th, had a minister and several Rroma activists.

Bulgaria Czech Republic France Italy News Eastern Europe News Western Europe North Macedonia

ERRC Criticises several countries on Rroma

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The European Roma Right Centre criticised several European countries on their handling of Rroma in general and on very particular cases too, such as in the case of France.

France, Macedonia, Italy, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria were cited.

News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

Testimony of a Romanian Rromni

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A Romanian Rromni speaks out on past discriminations, current issues, and her views on the situation of Rroma. She says it right: You cannot dump people in camps and then say, it is their way of life. It is not.

News Switzerland

More Minority Status in Switzerland

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Several French speaking newspapers in Switzerland published a common article on the open letter of Rroma, Sinti, and Jenische organisations to Ms. Sommaruga, the president of the Swiss confederation, appealing for recognition as a minority in that country.

While we greet the fact that these papers who normally only publish news of stealing, begging, or whoring Rroma, effectively stated that there are 80 to 100 thousand integrated Rroma in the country, we find it less amusing that none of the organisations they cited as co-signatories of the open letter are Rroma NGOs, and indeed they signed. In addition, several of the papers still resorted to the good old clichés of caravans, poverty, and other stereotypes when setting the picture.

Czech Republic France Greece News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

Amnesty International in appeal for Rroma in Europe

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Amnesty International launched an appeal on the international Rroma day on April 8th, denouncing prejudices against Rroma that still prevail in Europe and give rise to violence and exclusion. They specifically cite the Czech Republic, France, and Greece in this appeal.

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Rroma ask for minority status

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The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports on an action of Rroma, Sinti and Jenische representatives who wrote a letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Sommaruga asking for formal recognition of the Rroma as a minority in Switzerland. The paper notes that the up to 100 thousand Rroma living in that country are well integrated, but are not represented in several state organisation, for example in the Swiss Federal Commission against Racism.

News Switzerland

20 minutes in Switzerland: Authorities know too little on Rroma

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20 Minutes reports on the fact that Rroma, Sinti, and Jenische, on the occasion of the International Rroma Day on April 8th, have written a letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Sommaruga, asking for an explicit recognition of the minority in Switzerland. The article stresses that the 80 to 100 thousand Rroma living in Switzerland are well integrated and mostly Swiss.

News Eastern Europe

International Roma Day: Ongoing discrimination and exclusion

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While many countries mark the international Rroma day on April 8th, discrimination, exclusion, and ongoing issues are still the norm for many Rroma in Europe. Europe should mark the day and remember its largest transnational European minority.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria issues statement on International Roma Day

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Bulgaria issued a statement on the International Roma Day today. While we greet the fact that the country acknowledges its minority (about 10% of the population for the last thousand years), the situation in Bulgaria has gotten much worse for Rroma in the last few years. Segregation, racism, and discrimination are on the rise. Let’s stop this in a country where Rroma have been integrated for so long!

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Life behind the wall…

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A propos Bulgaria. In Vidin, in the North Western part of the country, the Rroma settlement, the Mahala, is hidden behind a wall. This is new, for a few years back, the wall and this segregation was not there. Yes, there was a Rroma Mahala – neighbourhood – as in the entire Balkan, exactly like there were Turkish, Armenian, Jewish, Bulgarian neighbourhoods in all Balkan cities. But not a wall. And not segregation. And certainly not for “security” as is being claimed by the municipality.

This has to stop!!!!

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