Monthly Archives: May 2018

Political Voice

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The 15th Meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (CAHROM) was held in Athens on 24 May 2018 and saw a call for more political voice for Roma.
Let’s hope this translates into more than just a call …

– John WARMISHAM at CAHROM: ‘’If Roma have a political voice, they can stand up for their rights and fight anti-Gypsyism’’. In: COE. 24.05.2018. https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/john-warmisham-at-cahrom-if-roma-have-a-political-voice-they-can-stand-up-for-their-rights-and-fight-anti-gypsyis-1

Ukraine: Video

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A video on Roma in the Ukraine in the context of the recent attack in Ternopil region.
This being a Russian News outlet, some of the comments are to be taken with a word of caution.
Fact remains, the perpetrators of the attacks are largely not arrested and much less condemned.

– ПРИЧИНОЙ НАПАДЕНИЙ РАДИКАЛОВ НА РОМОВ МОЖЕТ БЫТЬ ПОЛИТИКА ИЛИ ОТВЛЕЧЕНИЕ ВНИМАНИЯ. In: RU TSN. https://ru.tsn.ua/video/video-novini/prichinoy-napadeniy-radikalov-na-romov-mozhet-byt-politika-ili-otvlechenie-vnimaniya.html

Croatia: No Proof

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Following the statements by Branimir Bunjac, a Croatian MP from the Živi Zid party (a populist party) that Roma bride were sold in Northern Croatia, the press took the information over and splashed it everywhere.
Now the police stated they had NO EVIDENCE of such transactions.
No further comments.

– Police have no information on Roma brides being sold to marriage. In: Total Croatia. 24.05.2018. https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/28535-police-denies-young-roma-brides-being-sold-to-marriage

Bad Publicity

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Another article on bride selling – this time in Croatia, a country where racism runs anyhow high. Again, the right question is not being asked: Is it “selling” or is it an early wedding with the Vlach tradition of paying the father of the bride.
Such small differentiations are probably too much to ask.

– Young Roma Brides Sold in Northern Croatia. In: Total Croatia. 23.05.2018. https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/28515-young-roma-brides-sold-in-northern-croatia

Italy and Lega

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Now the Lega is part of the Italian government. And they are really racist against Roma. They are being branded as thieves and told their camp will be bulldozed and they will be sent back – to where? Most of them are born in Italy.

– Roma community outraged over Italy party leader’s discrimination. In: Al Jazeera. 23.05.2018. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/roma-community-outraged-italy-party-leaders-discrimination-180523185716479.html

Cultural Weeks

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Wiesbaden will hold cultural weeks against Anti-Tziganism between the 29th of May and the 24th of June. The Roma Philharmonic will give also give a concert, having secured the funding. Many other events will take place over the month.

– „Kulturwochen gegen Antiziganismus“ mit Ausstellung, Konzerten und Diskussionen in Wiesbaden. In: Weiesbadener Tagblatt. 22.05.2018. http://www.wiesbadener-tagblatt.de/freizeit/kunst-und-kultur/musik/kulturwochen-gegen-antiziganismus-mit-ausstellung-konzerten-und-diskussionen-in-wiesbaden_18786241.htm

Slovakia and an Anthropologist

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The case of Professor David Scheffel, a Canadian anthropologist and long-time advocate of the Roma now being accused of paedophilia is continuing its course. He is being judged in Slovakia and was found apparently in possession of pornographic materials.
Bad whichever way this comes out.

– SVET O SLOVENSKU: Je to pedofil, alebo ochranca Rómov? In: Dnes 24. 21.05.2018. http://www.dnes24.sk/svet-o-slovensku-je-to-pedofil-alebo-ochranca-romov-299506

French Chronicle …

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Not many news this week in France. In Nantes, three new shantytowns have appeared close to the highway. In Marseilles, the state is trying to stabilise and improve the situation rather than the usual evictions. In Poitiers, a squat was dismantled. In Alfortville close to Paris, another squat was closed. Finally, a condemnation for murder in Biarritz og two Roma who killed a third one.

– Près de Nantes. Vies de Roms au bord de l’autoroute. In: Ouest France. 15.05.2018. https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/sainte-luce-sur-loire-44980/les-roms-du-bord-de-l-autoroute-5759734
– À Marseille, l’État expérimente la stabilisation plutôt que l’expulsion des Roms. In: Marsactu. 16.05.2018. https://marsactu.fr/letat-roms-acieries-saint-antoine-squat-stabiliser/
– Le squat du boulevard du Grand Cerf à Poitiers évacué, l’entrée murée. In: France Bleu.
– 15.05.2018. https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/le-squat-du-boulevard-du-grand-cerf-a-poitiers-evacue-1526397638
– Alfortville : les Roms installés dans l’ancien centre Toulon expulses. In: Le Parisien. 17.05.2018. http://www.leparisien.fr/val-de-marne-94/alfortville-les-roms-installes-dans-l-ancien-centre-toulon-expulses-17-05-2018-7721502.php
– Biarritz : les “golfeurs” violents finissent “au trou”. In: Sud Ouest. 18.05.2018. https://www.sudouest.fr/2018/05/18/biarritz-les-golfeurs-violents-finissent-au-trou-5068133-4037.php

Italy and Populists

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Matteo Salvini – the leader of the Norther League – is on a crusade. He wants to dismantle all the Roma camps and clearly also to expel them outside of Italy. He is grossly exaggerating the number of Roma living in those camps, citing 40’000 whereas the last serious statistic found less than 12’000.
In any case, the Lega agrees with the 5 stars, and it is not really good for Roma.

– La “ruspa” di Salvini contro i rom e sinti. Per ora. In: Farodi Roma. 19.05.2018. http://www.farodiroma.it/la-ruspa-di-salvini-contro-i-rom-e-sinti-per-ora/
– Campi nomadi, il presidente dei rom: “Giusto smantellarli, noi pronti a collaborare”. In: Dire. http://www.dire.it/17-05-2018/203347-campi-nomadi-il-presidente-dei-rom-giusto-smantellarli-noi-pronti-a-collaborare/

Ukraine: Artists Action

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Several Ukrainian artists built a makeshift house to remind people about the plight of Roma and others who live in shantytowns in the Ukraine.
On the second article in “Korrespondent”, there are many comments that are really scary against Roma.

– В центре Киева построили жилье для ромов (Фото). In: ABC News. 18.05.2018. http://abcnews.com.ua/ru/news/v-tsentre-kieva-postroili-zhile-dlia-romov-foto
– В центре Киева воссоздали хижину ромов. In: Korrespondent. 19.05.2018. https://korrespondent.net/city/kiev/3972345-v-tsentre-kyeva-vossozdaly-khyzhynu-romov

Slovenia and Roma Shantytowns

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The President of the Republic, Borut Pahor, met with Roma representatives, the municipalities and the state in what happens to be the biggest consultation on Roma in the Presidential Palace. Purpose was discussing the housing situation of Roma, and the fact that many of them live without electricity, water, and sewers.

– Brez elektrike in kanalizacije okrog polovica Romov na jugovzhodu države. In: Dnevnik. 17.05.2018. https://www.dnevnik.si/1042822276
– Živijo v Sloveniji, a nimajo dostopa do pitne vode in električnega omrežja. In: STA. 16.05.2018. https://siol.net/novice/slovenija/zivijo-v-sloveniji-a-nimajo-dostopa-do-pitne-vode-in-elektricnega-omrezja-467585

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