Daily Archives: May 10, 2015

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: A hard life for girls

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An article on the Rroma Mahala in Vidin, in North Western Bulgaria. The article, while dispelling some of the stereotypes of many children, still pushes some age old prejudices, stating that marriage occurs by abduction (ritually, yes, practically, unknown), that child brides are the norm etc. What most journalists tend to blend out is that in Rroma tradition, one is married if one sleeps with one’s boyfriend. So effectively, by this standard, most of girls in Western Europe are not that different … What is different tough is that there is little contraception, resulting in early pregnancies, dropping out of schools, etc. All things that are a social poverty issue and have de facto nothing to do with Rroma.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prostitution … Again

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A first article in the Swiss German press since the publication of a study on the bias of newspapers in that country against Rroma (See Rroma Foundation). This time, a Swiss man allegedly bought a young Czech Rromni from a Rrom in the Czech Republic for prostitution for the sum of 256 CHF. The whole thing flew off as the woman shouted while crossing the border and she was subsequently freed.

Sad story. But what we liked, it is the first time where such a story is brought without saying that this is “typical” or “culturally driven” for Rroma. It is a criminal deed that, unfortunately does exist. It is not a cultural trait of a minority. And we are happy that this is the way it was reported.

Hungary News Americas News Eastern Europe

Rita Iszak: A Rromni and the special rapporteur for the UN on Minorities

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A portrait and interview of a Hungarian Rromni activist who worked first at the European Roma Right Centre (ERRC) and who is now the special raporteur for Minority issues at the UN.

Well done!

News Switzerland

Travellers in Switzerland

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The Swiss Travellers, the Jenische, are currently making the headlines in Switzerland. One of their organisations, the so-called “Bewegung” [Movement] has occupied an unused parcel in the city of Zurich to protest for the lack of camping places for travellers in the Canton and city of Zurich. This new organisation also walked out of a working group covering other Jenische and Rroma organisations and the Swiss Federal Authorities, stating that this working group was far to slow (due to complete in 2018) and anyhow was more of an alibi exercise.

The acute lack of camping places has led to other occupations, for example in Basle, but also to some excesses whereby the Swiss Jenische want “segregated” places, i.e. want foreign travellers and Rroma be quartered in other places. The rationale is that the foreign travellers do not comply to the rather strict Swiss regulations. In our opinion, this is not a reason to warrant segregation. This can be resolved by enforcement. But fact is: Lack of space leads to disputes and to such statements.

News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Serbia

Graduate Level Education for Rroma

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Many young Rroma are rebelling against so-called scientific evidence on and about Rroma. They are rebelling against statements such as “that Roma mothers willingly accept evaluation of their children as mentally disabled so that they can reap social benefits” found in a Serbian scientific journal. The Central European University is starting a program of graduate studies aimed at young Rroma so that they can contradict such nonsense from the inside!

All the luck to them!

Bulgaria France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

French “Normality”: Summer expulsions

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The French Press is again full of news on forced eviction of illegal Rroma camps in France. This is nearly the only news that is given about Rroma in France.

Several articles are devoted to the evacuation of the camp in Saint-Herblain near Nantes. In this case, these are to a large extent French Rroma / Manouches, and not newer migrants from Romania and Bulgaria.

Other than that, a camp emptied in Argenteuil; another one in Limeil-Brévannes; one in Bonneuil-Limeil; while a Rroma camp is blocking the reconversion of a former prison in Loos; and in Ivry, Rroma are appealing against an imminent expulsion. Finally, Rroma who were recently expulsed are asking the prefect for new lodging, as is required by the French law prior to an eviction.

News Western Europe

Holocaust and Rroma

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In the context of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, Martin Schulz visited Auschwitz and paid tribute to the victims of the camp, among which were many Rroma.

A novel, “Jacob’s Colour” speaks about the Rroma holocaust. A long reviews on the book has been written in the Guardian. Unfortunately, the use the “Porrajmos” terms, which is not used by Rroma generally but was introduced by scholars. This choice of word, which denotes rape in Vlax dialects is a misnomer for the Holocaust.

Albania France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

French Prefect in front of tribunal

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The prefect of Lyon, Mr. Michel Delpuech, has to appear in front the administrative tribunal of Lyon following a complaint from about 60 Romanian Rroma who were expulsed from their illegal camp by order of the prefect. There is a further complaint from Kosovars and Albanians for the same reason. The Prefecture states that there is no legal basis for asking to be re-lodged, as this is purely required for asylum seekers and not for EU citizen.

We hope he gets convicted…

France Germany News Western Europe

We are Gypsies, and are not like Rroma

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Reportage on French Gitans (Gitanos) in Montpellier facing off the new immigrants. As in Germany, one has a similar reaction: We are Gitanos, they are [foreign] Rroma. We are not like them … This is the same as the Sinti in the famous Sinti and Rroma … While this is perfectly understandable, this should not be taken as a “truth”. Gitanos, Manouches, Sinti, and about 40 different other groups are all Rroma.

France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

France: Integration is also possible

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An nice article on a young Rrom from Romania who managed to get out of the camps, get a job, a flat, and a nearly normal life.

It shows that in spite of Mr. Valls’ statement that Rroma cannot integrate that they do, given the chance.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungarian Rroma Murders – Conviction upheld

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The appellate court in Budapest upheld the first instance judgment against the perpetrators of the hate crimes against Rroma in Hungary. Three of the perpetrators are sentenced to life without parole, while another forth one to 13 years in Prison.

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