Once again Rroma are in the news on education, being the lowest achievers according to the statistics. Bad, but actually these statistics need to be looked at carefully. If you don’t know how many Rroma there are, how can you give a percentage ????
– ‘Firmer grip’ needed on education improvement grants. In: BBC News. 21.02.2017. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-39032241
Germany is now emulating the French in terms of expulsions of a few Rroma from camp to camp. Latest in the series, in Frankfurt, where 30 people were evicted. Could be solved more simply …
– Rumänenlager im Gutleutviertel wird überraschend geräumt. In: Frankfurter Neue Presse. 21.02.2017. http://www.fnp.de/lokales/frankfurt/Rumaenenlager-im-Gutleutviertel-wird-ueberraschend-geraeumt;art675,2488070
A view from Slovakia on the integration of Rroma from the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities. According to him, integration is a local matter, and needs to be tackled at the lowest level.
While he definitively is right that integration happens at the lowest level, one needs a push from above to get things going…
– Integrácia Rómov je miestna záležitosť. In: Dennik. 17.02.2017. https://dennikn.sk/685353/integracia-romov-je-miestna-zalezitost/
Romania had 5 centuries of Rroma slavery and it was only abolished in 1862. The subject is still nearly taboo and is not taught in schools. It is thus quite impressive to see a theatre play in Bucharest by a Rromni.
– L’esclavage des Roms, la « Grande Honte » de la Roumanie. In: Café Babel. 20.02.2017. http://www.cafebabel.fr/societe/article/lesclavage-des-roms-la-grande-honte-de-la-roumanie.html
Surprise, the winner of the Eurovision contest for representing the country in the next Eurovision contest in Kiev is a Rroma singer. Will be the first time that Hungary is represented by Rroma…
As for the song, well, it is in Hungarian …
– Joci Pápai is Hungary’s choice for Eurovision 2017. In: Eurovision TV. 18.02.2017. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=joci_papai_is_hungarys_choice_for_eurovision
– Joci Pápai – Origo (Hungary) 360° A dal performance. In: Eurovision TV. 19.02.2017. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/multimedia/videos?id=256593
– Hungary: “Origo might even have societal impact on the country”. In: ESC Daily. 20.02.2017. http://www.escdaily.com/hungary-origo-societal-impact/#
– HUNGARIAN GYIPSY MUSICIAN JOCI PÁPAI WILL CELEBRATE DIVERSITY IN EUROVISION 2017. In: Hungary Today. 20.02.2017. http://hungarytoday.hu/news/hungarian-gyipsy-musician-joci-papai-will-celebrate-diversity-eurovision-2017
The movie Papusha about the Polish Rromni Papuša (Bronisława Wajs) made it down under in New Zealand. Whether the movie provides an insight in the life of Rroma remains to be seen.
– Insights into the Roma way of life. In: Wellington Weekly News. 18.02.2017. http://www.wellington-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=105159&headline=Insights%20into%20the%20Roma%20way%20of%20life§ionIs=news&searchyear=2017
Slovak officials have stopped Marian Markovič, a Rroma businessman from distributing food to homeless and disadvantaged people in Komarno. Official reason are food regulations.
One wonders …
– Slovakia: Romani businessman stopped from distributing food to the homeless by authorities. In: Romea.cz. 15.02.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-romani-businessman-stopped-from-distributing-food-to-the-homeless-by-authorities
A bit of an outcry in Austria after a giant of the food industry stated it wanted to open a meat factory for processing pork on the site of a former Nazi camp where Rroma and Jews were interned. In addition, the former owners of the land claimed they were never received any compensation for the land that was seized.
Seems to be a K&K thing …
– La construction d’une usine à viande sur un ancien camp nazi autrichien crée la colère. In: The Times of Israel. 19.02.2017. http://fr.timesofisrael.com/la-construction-dune-usine-a-viande-sur-un-ancien-camp-nazi-autrichien-cree-la-colere/
Not that many news this week either on the Rroma camps. A to start, two news that are more positive. Rezé, a town in Western France is setting space aside for Rroma and in the South West, a delegation went to Strasbourg to see how they dealt with Rroma, as it is better there. On the other hand, a insertion village in Saint Open, near Paris is being closed; a fire in a squat near Paris forced ca. 80 Rroma on the street; a new squat in the North; and finally a really bad news with a young women aggressed in the North by 5 or 6 young Rroma. Luckily, she could defend herself and flee.
– Rezé prépare cinq terrains pour intégrer les Roms. In Ouest France. 15.02.2017. http://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/nantes-44000/reze-prepare-cinq-terrains-pour-integrer-les-roms-4803165
– L’appel de Mérignac pour régler la question des squats de Roms. In: Rue89 Bordeaux. 15.02.2017. http://rue89bordeaux.com/2017/02/delegation-metropolitaine-etudier-question-squats-de-roms/
– Le village Rom en stand-by. In: La Gazette. 13.02.2017. http://www.gazettevaldoise.fr/2017/02/13/le-village-rom-en-stand-by/
– Village d’insertion Rom. Saint Ouen l’Aumône met fin au test. In : Le Parisien. 13.02.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/saint-ouen-l-aumone-95310/village-d-insertion-rom-saint-ouen-l-aumone-met-fin-au-test-13-02-2017-6678540.php
– Dammaries les Lys : les Roms menacés d’expulsion. In : Le Parisien. 16.02.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/dammarie-les-lys-77190/dammarie-les-lys-les-roms-menaces-d-expulsion-16-02-2017-6686514.php
– Dammaries les Lys. 80 Roms évacués suite à un incendie dans un bâtiment désaffecté. In : La République. 15.02.2017. http://www.larepublique77.fr/2017/02/15/80-roms-evacues-suite-a-un-incendie-dans-un-batiment-desaffecte/
– Des squatteurs investissent une ferme abandonnée propriété de Horseland. In : La Voix du Nord. 19.02.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/120792/article/2017-02-19/des-squatteurs-investissent-une-ferme-abandonnee-propriete-d-horse-land
– Agressée par des ados le long de la Deûle, une joggeuse lance l’alerte. In : La Voix du Nord. 18.02.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/120727/article/2017-02-18/agressee-par-des-ados-le-long-de-la-deule-une-joggeuse-lance-l-alerte
– Unejoggeuse agressée dans un parc par 5 ou 6 mineurs lance l’alerte sur Facebook: “Ils veulent me déshabiller, m’embrasser, me toucher…” in : Sud Info (BE). 19.02.2017. http://www.sudinfo.be/1791801/article/2017-02-19/une-joggeuse-agressee-dans-un-parc-par-5-ou-6-mineurs-lance-l-alerte-sur-faceboo
An interesting article on the situation of Rroma in Germany, more than 70 years after the end of the Nazi regime. You could think it has changed. Not really unfortunately. Racism, discrimination, ignorance.
Bad reality.
– Over 70 Years Ago, Nazis Victimized This Community. They Still Struggle For Acceptance. In: Huffington Post. 18.02.2017. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nazis-roma-acceptance_us_5893c6a4e4b0c1284f252321
The new president of the Council of the Roma community Jožek Horvat Muc sated recently that the state should be aware that the Roma community has issues, some of which are long-term, and that these must be addressed together with the local community and must be funded.
– Horvat Muc: Morali bi opredeliti sistemsko financiranje romske skupnosti. In: STA. 12.02.2017. https://www.sta.si/2353830/horvat-muc-morali-bi-opredeliti-sistemsko-financiranje-romske-skupnosti
According to Roman Kwiatkowski, the president of the Association of Rroma in Poland, the integration policies of the government for Rroma failed in several municipalities. Housing funds were used by mayors to buy houses for Rroma in other municipalities, thus trying to get rid of their local Rroma, and residents are often extremely opposed and combat plans to re-locate Rroma in proper housing.
– Romowie mają satysfakcję z „nicnierobienia” samorządów. In Sądeczanin. 13.02.2017. http://sadeczanin.info/wiadomosci/stowarzyszenie-romow-z-satysfakcja-przyjelo-nicnierobienie-samorzadow
The Central Council of Sinti and Roma in Germany issued a statement about the Berlin Festival and the movie on Django Reinhardt’s life.
They greeted the release of this movie and the fact that it was shown at the opening of the festival, stating that the festival gave a strong signal that the situation of minorities always reflects the situation of the society at large.
Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma würdigt den Berlinale Eröffnungsfilm ‚Django‘. In: Scharf Links. 13.02.2017. http://www.scharf-links.de/45.0.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=59445&cHash=21442e4d7e
Hungary is not getting better. This time, it is the celebration of the escape of Nazi forces (Hungarians and Germans) from Budapest which was encircled by the Russian army at that time. And this in Nazi uniforms …
– NEO-NAZIS, HUNGARISTS, AND ANTI-SEMITES. In: Hungarian Spectrum. 16.02.2017. http://hungarianspectrum.org/2017/02/16/neo-nazis-hungarists-and-anti-semites/
A few days ago, at the initiative of the Forum of Roma Councillors Slovenia in Novo Mesto, a meeting Rroma councillors and activists was held.
The Chairman of the Forum of Roma Councillors, Darko Rudaš, said that in recent times things happened that should never have had to happen: “Municipalities, churches and private owners sold their land on which the Roma live, and demand that they leave. Municipalities review municipal zoning plans and design commercial zones and residential neighbourhoods on land where the Roma live. This happened, for example, in the municipalities of Krško, Škocjan and elsewhere. Many Roma neighbours have become impatient and built walls near Roma settlements, such as in Grosuplje. On the other hand, in some settlements the Roma still live without basic consumer needs such as water and electricity. We must not allow our children in the 21st century to live with the lack of opportunities for personal development. This has to change, even if the government falls.”
BAD
– Če je denar za migrante, naj bo tudi za Rome. In: Svet 24. 14.02.2017. http://svet24.si/clanek/novice/slovenija/58a1b6c04e6b8/ce-je-denar-za-migrante-naj-bo-tudi-za-rome
The Swiss government approved the 4th report on the protection of minorities in Switzerland, a report due to the EU in the context of the Swiss signature of the convention on the protection of minorities.
Originally, the Swiss only recognised Travellers, expanded this to Travellers, Jenische, Sinti and Rroma at a later sateg and have now dropped both Travellers and Rroma.
BAD
– La Suisse poursuit ses efforts pour la protection des droits des minorités nationales. In: Albinfo. 17.02.2017. http://www.albinfo.ch/fr/la-suisse-poursuit-ses-efforts-pour-la-protection-des-droits-des-minorites-nationales/
– La Suisse manque toujours d’aires pour les gens du voyage. In: La Côte. 15.02.2017. http://www.lacote.ch/articles/suisse/la-suisse-manque-toujours-d-aires-pour-les-gens-du-voyage-636841
The other victims of the Kosovo war, the Serbs, the Rroma, Moslem Slavs, Turks, and even Albanians are increasingly asking for justice. Many of them were killed by the UCK, were ethnically cleansed from their ancestral homes.
Up till now, no one was condemned for those acts, even in the case of Haradinaj who was judged in the Hague’s tribunal. In that latter case, several witnesses were subjected to extreme pressure not to appear in court.
Let’s hope for justice!
– Les victimes de «second ordre» du Kosovo. In: La Tribune de Genève. 13.02.2017. http://www.tdg.ch/monde/victimes-second-ordre-kosovo/story/22753153
– Oubliées, les victims de la rébellion kosovare réclament justice. In: Media 24. 13.02.2017. https://www.medias24.com/filafp/afp-81110-Oubliees-les-victimes-de-la-rebellion-kosovare-reclament-justice.html
A new association for Rroma and Sinti in Augsburg has been created and is being officially presented at the town hall. The organisation wants to promote the culture, combat discrimination and stereotypes, and remember the victims of the Holocaust.
– Eine Stimme für Sinti und Roma: Augsburger Regionalverband hat große Pläne. In: Stadtzeitung Augsburg. 17.02.2017. http://www.stadtzeitung.de/augsburg-city/politik/eine-stimme-fuer-sinti-und-roma-augsburger-regionalverband-hat-grosse-plaene-d21806.html
An excellent article about facts and fiction or alternative news in social media, but also in the politics in Slovakia. Rroma are increasingly the victims of such false news, and in Slovakia, even the prime minister Fico, is spreading those lies.
– Hoaxes ascend to mainstream politics. In: The Slovak Spectator. 16.02.2017. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20457561/hoaxes-ascend-to-mainstream-politics.html
A focus for public health in Europe – the health of its Rroma minority.
– A year of opportunity for Roma health. In: European Public Health Alliance. 13.05.2017. https://epha.org/a-year-of-opportunity-for-roma-health/
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