The Irish government unveiled a plan to improve integration and reduce discrimination against Travellers and Roma in the country.
Good!
– Traveller and Roma strategy targets access to employment, health. In: The Irish Times. 14.06.2017. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/traveller-and-roma-strategy-targets-access-to-employment-health-1.3118689
The leader of the Five Star movement, Beppe Grillo stated he wants to close the Roma camps that dot the surroundings of Rome and other major Italian cities and fight against beggars.
Two issues here: First – this has been promised by the Five Star movement several times (and by its mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, numerous times, and second – Beppe Grillo is using all STEREOTYPES on can imagine: “Those who say they have no income and go around in luxury cars are out. Those who ask for money in the metro, with kids in tow, are out. What’s more, vigilance against purse snatchers on the metro will be raised.”
Bad
– Scrap Rome’s Roma camps and beggars. In: ANSA.13.06.2017. http://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2017/06/13/scrap-romes-roma-camps-and-beggars_163db6e0-035a-4bd1-a1d5-9c1f80213d9f.html
The Czech Roma association ROMEA filed a complaint after having been threatened on their Facebook page with a comment “Burn down all of Romea”.
Prosecutor and Police agreed that this does not constitute a crime … Really???
– Czech prosecutor agrees with police that threat to burn down ROMEA is not a crime. In: Romea.cz. 12.06.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-prosecutor-agrees-with-police-that-threat-to-burn-down-romea-is-not-a-crime
A follow up on the beatings by the police of Roma residents from the Slovak town of Zborov. On April 16th, the police beat up children, pregnant women, and finally threatened residents in case a video of the incident would be released (which happened).
Shame that the police can do this, double shame that they have not yet been prosecuted.
– https://youtu.be/OrCwfhc9leo
– Slovakia: Romani residents of Zborov tell Romea.cz that police beat children, pregnant women, threatened retribution if video released. In: Romea.cz. 12.06.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-romani-residents-of-zborov-tell-romea-cz-that-police-beat-children-pregnant-women-threatened-retribution-if-video
An article on the newly created European Roma Cultural Institute and on what it means to Roma overall.
– At home in Europe: Roma tell their story. In: DW. 12.06.2017. http://www.dw.com/en/at-home-in-europe-roma-tell-their-story/a-39209585
A portrait of a Roma radio editor Igor Dužda. And some interesting facts about the pre and post war situation of Roma in Slovakia as well as the creation of the current slums in the country. These did not really exist prior to the war as Roma were found in every village, and if settlements there were, they were small.
– Prvý redaktor rómskeho rozhlasového vysielania Igor Dužda: Nemám rád nespravodlivosť. In: SME Domov. 09.06.2017. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20552820/prvy-redaktor-romskeho-rozhlasoveho-vysielania-igor-duzda-nemam-rad-nespravodlivost.html#axzz4jlJunxGG
A reportage about the dismal living conditions of Roma in Bosnia and Hercegovina. Many Roma were displaced during the war – ethnically cleansed from Serbian regions – and are still living in temporary camps and settlements.
– NEDOSTOJNO ŽIVLJENJE ROMOV V BIH. In: RTV4. 11.06.2017. http://4d.rtvslo.si/arhiv/prvi-dnevnik/174476436
There has been much less news lately in France about Roma. Whereas there used to be many articles in the Press, there are now much less, which is good.
In Bobigny, near Paris, the camp can stay for the time being. In Triel-Carrièrres, in the Paris region, a camp is not that lucky and will be closed. In addition, a fire – probably of criminal nature burnt part of the camp. In Valmy, in North Eastern France, another camp was closed. In the North, in Roubaix, another camp was evacuated while the justice declared an eviction of Roma to have been illegal and finally, in Lille, several of the owners of the land on which a camp is located went to court to force an evacuation.
– Bobigny : un sursis pour les familles du campement rom. In: Le Parisien. 09.06.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/bobigny-93000/bobigny-un-sursis-pour-les-familles-du-campement-rom-09-06-2017-7035054.php
– Bobigny. Les Roms en appellent à la justice. In: L’Humanité. 07.06.2017. http://www.humanite.fr/bobigny-les-roms-en-appellent-la-justice-637017
– Bobigny : les Roms se concertent après l’arrêté d’évacuation. In: Le Parisien. 26.05.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/bobigny-93000/bobigny-les-roms-se-concertent-apres-l-arrete-d-evacuation-26-05-2017-6986658.php
– Triel-Carrières : les quatre camps des Roms bientôt fermés. In: Le Parisien. 31.05.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/carrieres-sous-poissy-78955/triel-carrieres-les-quatre-camps-des-roms-bientot-fermes-31-05-2017-7002666.php
– Incendie criminel dans le camp de Roms. In: 78 Actu. 16.05.2017. http://www.78actu.fr/incendie-criminel-dans-le-camp-de-roms_49184/
– APRÈS LE DÉMANTÈLEMENT DU CAMP VALMY, LES ROMS LOGÉS PROVISOIREMENT AU GYMNASE. In: Place Grenet. 25.05.2017. http://www.placegrenet.fr/2017/05/25/apres-le-demantelement-du-camp-valmy-les-roms-loges-provisoirement-au-gymnase/139630
– Le camp de Roms du quai de Bordeaux évacué ce vendredi matin. In: La Voix du Nord. 19.05.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/165127/article/2017-05-19/le-camp-de-roms-du-quai-de-bordeaux-evacue-ce-vendredi-matin
– Une décision de justice donne raison à la famille rom, a posteriori. In: La Voix du Nord. 06.06.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/173795/article/2017-06-06/une-decision-de-justice-donne-raison-la-famille-rom-posteriori
– L’occupation de la ferme de l’Éperonnerie encore en débat au tribunal. In: La Voix du Nord. 08.06.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/175060/article/2017-06-08/l-occupation-de-la-ferme-de-l-eperonnerie-encore-en-debat-au-tribunal
– Trois procédures en attente pour l’expulsion de camps de Roms. In: La Voix du Nord. 18.05.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/164737/article/2017-05-18/trois-procedures-en-attente-pour-l-expulsion-de-camps-de-roms
There is a strong push by Roma organisations in Switzerland to have Switzerland recognise August 2nd the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. The day has already been recognised by the European Union, and, as this year Switzerland is heading the Holocaust Remembrance Commemorations, Switzerland should recognise it too.
This day was chosen as it marked the end of the Zigeunerlager at Auschwitz, with the remaining inmates executed during the night.
– «Man muss sich bewusst sein, dass 500’000 Roma vernichtet wurden». In: Der Bund. 09.06.2017. http://www.derbund.ch/schweiz/standard/man-muss-sich-bewusst-sein-dass-500-000-roma-vernichtet-wurden/story/13979654
An exhibition called “Racial Diagnosis: Gypsy” – the term used by the Nazis to brand Roma as inferior beings, opened in Nuremberg. It tells the story of the persecution under the Nazis, but also the story of the survivors post 1945.
– »Rassendiagnose: Zigeuner« im Doku-Zentrum Nürnberg. In: Sontagsblatt. 08.06.2017. http://www.sonntagsblatt.de/artikel/kultur/rassendiagnose-zigeuner-im-doku-zentrum-nuernberg
A reportage on the police finding on an attempted attack against Roma in Zabrze, near Katowice in Southern Poland. The perpetrators of this attack which occurred end of March are hooligans well known to the police.
Nice the police acted. Not always the case in Poland.
– Zabrze: Atak kiboli na Romów. Policja zatrzymała już dziesięciu pseudokibiców. In: Nazemiasto. 08.06.2017. http://zabrze.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/zabrze-atak-kiboli-na-romow-policja-zatrzymala-juz,4144294,artgal,t,id,tm.html
The Roma settlements (called Osada) are is so poor conditions that tuberculosis is quite common. And it is difficult to heal (it is often resistant against many antibiotics). Slovakia is trying to tackle the problem, forming staff who will work in the settlement themselves.
– V boji s tuberkulózou v osadách majú pomôcť aj terénni pracovníci. In: Korzar. 09.07.2017. https://spis.korzar.sme.sk/c/20554751/v-boji-s-tuberkulozou-v-osadach-maju-pomoct-aj-terenni-pracovnici.html#axzz4jaOqLf6Z
A successful dancer openly says she is a Romni. Good but not easy in a country where Roma are continuously discriminated upon.
– Úspešná tanečníčka: Nie je hanbou byť Rómom. In: Aktuality. 08.06.2017. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/494935/uspesna-tanecnicka-nie-je-hanbou-byt-rom/
The Ombudsman judged that the city of Helsinki acted rightfully in refusing to open a shelter for Roma.
Really???
– Ombudsman: Helsinki city acted lawfully in Roma shelter refusal. In: Yle. 07.06.2017. https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/ombudsman_helsinki_city_acted_lawfully_in_roma_shelter_refusal/9654632
Two more articles on the opening of the European Roma Institute for Art in Berlin last Thursday. From the New York Times and the Smithonian.
– Lifting Up the Arts and Culture of Europe’s Roma in Berlin. In: The New York Times. 09.07.2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/09/arts/design/lifting-up-the-arts-and-culture-of-europes-roma-in-berlin.html?_r=0
First-Ever Roma Cultural Institution Opens in Europe. In: The Smithonian. 09.07.2017. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-ever-roma-cultural-institution-opens-europe-180963620/
The German Socialist party (SPD) is accusing the rightist coalition in parliament to block the establishment of a planned expert committee of the Bundestag for the historical workup of the discrimination against the Sinti and Roma in Germany.
A pity.
– „Hierzulande besonders menschenverachtende Angriffe gegen Roma“. In: Die Welt. 08.06.2017. https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article165326151/Hierzulande-besonders-menschenverachtende-Angriffe-gegen-Roma.html
The European Roma Institute for Art and Culture was formally inaugurated yesterday in Berlin in presence of politicians and George Soros.
Great!
– Roma cultural center launched in Berlin. In: Deutsche Welle. 08.06.2017. http://www.dw.com/en/roma-cultural-center-launched-in-berlin/a-39161296
– Künstler kämpfen gegen Vorurteile. In: Tagesschau.de. 08.06..2017. https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/roma-institut-berlin-101.html
– Ein Ort, an dem die Roma ihre Geschichte selbst erzählen. In: Süddeutsche. 08.06.2016. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/sinti-und-roma-ein-ort-an-dem-die-roma-ihre-geschichte-selbst-erzaehlen-1.3538636
– A place to call our own’: Europe’s first Roma cultural centre opens in Berlin. In: The Guardian. 08.06.2017. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/08/roma-artists-launch-art-cultural-centre-institute-berlin
– Roma artists and writers launch cultural institute in Berlin. In: The Art Newspaper. 08.06.2017. http://theartnewspaper.com/news/news/roma-artists-and-writers-launch-cultural-institute-in-berlin/
– Center showcasing European Roma culture set up in Berlin. In: WRAL.com. 08.06.2017. http://www.wral.com/center-showcasing-european-roma-culture-set-up-in-berlin/16749805/
Amnesty International criticised Italy for its treatment of Roma, especially for the evictions of camps.
– Amnesty International criticises Italy for treatment of Roma. In: New Europe. 07.06.2017. https://www.neweurope.eu/article/amnesty-international-criticises-italy-for-treatment-of-roma/
An article about the situation of Roma travellers in Switzerland and about a project aimed at helping them. Result: One can discuss with the authorities – this has improved, but the results are worse than ever. There is a strong discrimination in Switzerland against non-Swiss travellers.
– Ohne Halt durchs Bernbiet. In: Der Bund. 08.06.2017. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/ohne-halt-durchs-bernbiet/story/29087215
A reportage about the Roma in Switzerland. They are integrated, but are definitively not saying anything about their identity…
– INPUT KOMPAKT: Schweizer Roma – verborgen leben mitten unter uns. In: SRF. 07.06.2017. https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/input/input-kompakt-schweizer-roma-verborgen-leben-mitten-unter-uns
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