Author Archives: RF

Germany News Western Europe

Plauen: On the Fire

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The new fire in the City of Plauen may have been racially motivated. The Central Councile of German Sinti and Roma is asking for a thorough investigation of the fire that killed three people.

– Brand in Plauen möglicherweise rassistisch motiviert. In: MiGazin. 07.02.2018. http://www.migazin.de/2018/02/07/roma-zentralrat-brand-in-plauen-moeglicherweise-rassistisch-motiviert/ [link-preview url=”http://www.migazin.de/2018/02/07/roma-zentralrat-brand-in-plauen-moeglicherweise-rassistisch-motiviert/”]

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Roma and the Czech

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Seems that the resident of Prague are the most prejudiced against Roma. 82% of them have a negative opinion of them. Mind you, the rest of the country has a 76% of people with a negative opinion of Roma (only 3 out of 4 …) and 27% of people who have a negative opinion of Jews…
In which century are we?

– ÚSTR survey: Praguers most opposed to Roma, Jews. In: The Prague Daily Monitor. 08.02.2018. http://praguemonitor.com/2018/02/08/ustr-survey-praguers-most-opposed-roma-jews [link-preview url=”http://praguemonitor.com/2018/02/08/ustr-survey-praguers-most-opposed-roma-jews”]

Uncategorized

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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The controversy that followed casting a white student in the role of Esmeralda in the play based on Victor Hugo’s novel on the Hunchback of Notre Dame has made it to the front page of major newspapers in the US. Several students of the high school which scheduled the play managed to have it cancelled, saying that casting a “white” student in the role of a Romni was racist or at least cultural appropriation. Reactions against them were really bad and of course, Breitbart also pitched in.
What does it have to do with Roma: Well, actually not much, as the only thing that links Roma to this controversy is the fact that they are depicted in a play … Let’s hope that they are not the un-intended victims of this controversy.

– Casting Controversy Derailed a High School Play. Then Came the Threats. In: The New York Times. 08.02.2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/theater/hunchback-of-notre-dame-ithaca-high-school.html
– High School Cancels ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ Production After White Student Cast as Lead. In: Breitbart. 05.08.2018. http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018/02/05/high-school-cancels-hunchback-of-notre-dame-production-after-white-student-cast-as-lead/
– ‘QUITE DISTURBING’: National coverage of Ithaca High’s play controversy brings threats. In: The Ithaca Journal. 08.02.2018. http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2018/02/08/national-coverage-ithacas-hunchback-controversy-results-doxxing-threats/320826002/
– Ithaca High School pulls ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ over casting diversity outcry. The Ithaca Journal. 29.01.2018. http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2018/01/29/new-project-planned-place-ithaca-musical-hunchback-notre-dame-cancelled-amid-outcry-diversify-castin/1074212001/ [link-preview url=”https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/theater/hunchback-of-notre-dame-ithaca-high-school.html “]

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Not Only Eastern Europe …

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Roma children are at a high risk of being taken into care and removed from their parents. Not, not in Eastern Europe, but simply in the UK. And for the same reasons…

– GYPSY, ROMA AND TRAVELLER CHILDREN MORE LIKELY TO BE TAKEN INTO CARE. In: Care Appointment. 07.02.2018. https://www.careappointments.co.uk/education-training/item/43267-gypsy-roma-and-traveller-children-more-likely-to-be-taken-into-care [link-preview url=”https://www.careappointments.co.uk/education-training/item/43267-gypsy-roma-and-traveller-children-more-likely-to-be-taken-into-care”]

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Scotland: More on the Roma Photographers

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More news on the exhibition of young Roma photographers in Glasgow.

– Through the lens with Govanhill’s young Roma photographers in new exhibition. In: The Big Issue. 06.02.2018. https://www.bigissue.com/news/lens-govanhills-young-roma-photographers-new-exhibition/ [link-preview url=”https://www.bigissue.com/news/lens-govanhills-young-roma-photographers-new-exhibition/”]

News Americas

Roma Refugees in Canada

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Roma asking for asylum in Ontario are increasingly being granted the right to stay. The success rate is now at 70%. The trend is the result of removing corrupt and inept lawyers from the process.
Good!

– 70% of Roma refugee claims now positive in Ontario, after years of low success rates. In: CNC News. 07.02.2018. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/roma-refugee-claims-1.4520851 [link-preview url=”http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/roma-refugee-claims-1.4520851″]

News Eastern Europe Romania

Giuvlipen

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An article about the young Roma activist who produced and acted in the play “Giuvlipen” in Romania.

– How is Roma activist art challenging stereotypes? In: Al Jazeera. 07.02.2018. http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201802070119-0025585 [link-preview url=”http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201802070119-0025585″]

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Again …

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The page EU Scoop Doesn’t miss any opportunity to present Roma in their worst light and clearly to generalise. Purpose is clear: All Roma are criminals, cannot be integrated and … Well the rest is to be expected.
This time, this is a street light in a house…

– Gypsies Integrated a Functional Concrete Streetlamp into their House in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In: EU Scoop. https://www.euscoop.com/en/2018/2/6/roma-house-lamppost-integrated [link-preview url=”https://www.euscoop.com/en/2018/2/6/roma-house-lamppost-integrated”]

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prague and Holocaust

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The Czech Jewish community called for Tomio Nakamura to excuse himself for his comments on the Roma Holocaust and on Lety. The young Social Democrats, on the other hand, are suing Miloslav Rozner, a MP from Nakamura’s party for similar reason as he denied the Roma Holocaust.
Shame.

– Young Social Democrats suing MP over Roma Holocaust denial. In: The Prague Monitor. 06.02.2018. http://praguemonitor.com/2018/02/06/young-social-democrats-suing-mp-over-roma-holocaust-denial
– Prague Jewish Community wants SPD to apologise for words on Lety. In The Prague Daily Monitor. 06.02.2018. http://www.praguemonitor.com/2018/02/06/prague-jewish-community-wants-spd-apologise-words-lety [link-preview url=”http://praguemonitor.com/2018/02/06/young-social-democrats-suing-mp-over-roma-holocaust-denial “]

France News Western Europe

Paris: Exhibition

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A new exhibition in Paris, entitled “Mondes Tsiganes” purportedly tells the story of the “Nomads”, be they Sinti, Manouches, or Roma (Sic.).
Well, it pushes a view full of stereotypes which is historically totally inaccurate.
Shame.

– MONDES TSIGANES, L’EXPOSITION AU MUSÉE NATIONAL DE L’HISTOIRE DE L’IMMIGRATION. In: Sortir à Paris. https://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/exposition/articles/160879-mondes-tsiganes-l-exposition-au-musee-national-de-l-histoire-de-l-immigration [link-preview url=”https://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/exposition/articles/160879-mondes-tsiganes-l-exposition-au-musee-national-de-l-histoire-de-l-immigration”]

Germany News Western Europe

Mismanagement

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The State of Schleswig Holstein Sinti and Roma Association is being pilloried for mismanagement: bills for more than 60’000 EUR are missing, the member of the association used cars for private purposes, etc.
This is better than expected as in the beginning, the organisation was de-facto accused to have used money for private purposes. This no longer seems to be the case.

– Sinti und Roma: Für 60.000 Euro fehlen Belege. In: NDR. 05.02.2018. https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Sinti-und-Roma-Fuer-60000-Euro-fehlen-Belege,sintiroma110.html [link-preview url=”https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Sinti-und-Roma-Fuer-60000-Euro-fehlen-Belege,sintiroma110.html”]

Germany News Western Europe

Plauen: Fire …

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Again the city of Plauen, which made it to the headlines in December after the firebombing of a house that lodged Roma. This time, a fire in a house that housed Roma on the ground floor and other people in the upper floors killed two residents. Several of the people in that building had already escaped the previous fire.

– FEUERDRAMA IM DACHGESCHOSS: HIER STARBEN ZWEI MENSCHEN UND SECHS HUNDE. In: Tag 24. 06.02.2018. https://www.tag24.de/nachrichten/plauen-vogtland-sachsen-brand-wohnungsbrand-feuer-zwei-tote-verletzte-hunde-flammen-inferno-440938 [link-preview url=”https://www.tag24.de/nachrichten/plauen-vogtland-sachsen-brand-wohnungsbrand-feuer-zwei-tote-verletzte-hunde-flammen-inferno-440938″]

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Dire Situation

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There are roughly 5’500 who live in the Roma settlement of Trebišov, in Eastern Slovakia. The settlement is seeing an epidemic of syphilis, fuelled by the rampant prostitution that is one of the few means of existence for the people there.
Prostitution starts as young as 14 or 15. Police is not doing much.
This is bad.

– Trebišov skryl prostitútky, deti vraj medzi nimi nie sú a syfilis sa týka iba Rómov. In: SME. 02.02.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20750735/trebisov-skryl-prostitutky-deti-vraj-medzi-nimi-nie-su-a-syfilis-sa-tyka-iba-romov.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20750735/trebisov-skryl-prostitutky-deti-vraj-medzi-nimi-nie-su-a-syfilis-sa-tyka-iba-romov.html”]

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Boarding Schools

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There is a real media frenzy lately in Slovakia regarding the so-called “Roma Crime” and many suggestions of populists “solutions” to this “problem”. One of them is again the idea of setting up boarding schools. They are presented as a mean to help Roma get a better education and at reducing crime (yes). Arguments against these schools are presented here by Abel Ravasz, the Roma plenipotentiary in Slovakia.
Unfortunately, this has already been tried under communism. And, as these boarding schools were 100% Roma, the level of education provided was really low. This will happen again here. It is simply an attempt at assimilation.

– Namiesto zombi riešení pre Rómov urobme to, čo funguje. In: Dennik. 02.02.2018. https://dennikn.sk/1017448/namiesto-zombi-rieseni-pre-romov-urobme-to-co-funguje/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/1017448/namiesto-zombi-rieseni-pre-romov-urobme-to-co-funguje/”]

France News Western Europe

France: Reducing Ghettoes

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The French government intends to noticeably reduce the number of shanty towns in France in the coming five years.
REALLY? Does it take France FIVE years to find lodging for less than 20’000 People?

– Le gouvernement vise une ” réduction durable ” des bidonvilles ” dans les cinq ans à venir “. In: WEKA. 31.01.2018. https://www.weka.fr/actualite/lutte-contre-les-exclusions/article/le-gouvernement-vise-une-reduction-durable-des-bidonvilles-dans-les-cinq-ans-a-venir-61553/ [link-preview url=”https://www.weka.fr/actualite/lutte-contre-les-exclusions/article/le-gouvernement-vise-une-reduction-durable-des-bidonvilles-dans-les-cinq-ans-a-venir-61553/”]

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe Poland

Bulgaria – Poland

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Again a story that plays on the old stereotypes of Roma stealing children. A 3-year-old child who was missing in Poland was found in a Roma neighbourhood in Varna. According to the woman who kept it, the child’s mother had gone to Poland.

– The Missing Child from Poland was Found in the Roma Neighborhood of Varna. In: Novinite. 02.02.2018. http://www.novinite.com/articles/187562/The+Missing+Child+from+Poland+was+Found+in+the+Roma+Neighborhood+of+Varna [link-preview url=”http://www.novinite.com/articles/187562/The+Missing+Child+from+Poland+was+Found+in+the+Roma+Neighborhood+of+Varna”]

Bosnia News Eastern Europe

Bosnia: Roma Rights

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In spite of millions of Euros spent in Bosnia, Roma are still denied fundamental rights in Bosnia. Their situation has not improved in Bosnia, and they are still ostracised by all other Bosnians. This simply shows that nationalistic states are no place for minorities, and proves that Europe is simply looking, definitively not doing anything.

– BOSNIE-HERZÉGOVINE : MALGRÉ LES POLITIQUES SOCIALES, PAS D’AMÉLIORATION DES CONDITIONS DE VIE DES RROMS. In: Le Courrier des Balkans. 29.01.2018. https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Bosnie-Herzegovine-les-politiques-sociales-n-aident-pas-les-Roms [link-preview url=”https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Bosnie-Herzegovine-les-politiques-sociales-n-aident-pas-les-Roms”]

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Tomio Okamura

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The Czech MP and president of an extreme rightist party, Tomio Okamura, officially apologised for having been “imprecise” when he claimed that people could walk in or out of the Lety concentration camp, and then doubled up: He cirted Jan Rataj, a history professor who alleges that the Protectorate’s “Gypsy Camps” were not concentration camps…
Roma organisations have filed a crime report against Okamura. Let’s see if anything happens.

– Czech MP apologizes for “imprecision”, then urges people to read historian who calls the Romani Holocaust a “myth”. In: Romea. 04.02.2018. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-mp-apologizes-for-imprecision-then-urges-people-to-read-historian-who-calls-the-romani-holocaust-a-myth
– Czech citizens file crime report over MP’s remarks denying the suffering of Romani genocide victims. In: Romea. 03.02.2018. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-citizens-file-crime-report-over-mp-s-remarks-denying-the-suffering-of-romani-genocide-victims [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-mp-apologizes-for-imprecision-then-urges-people-to-read-historian-who-calls-the-romani-holocaust-a-myth “]

France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Russia

Vigilantes …

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This week saw many articles in the French press on the case of an elderly man, called Youcef – of North African origins, whose house was squatted by some Roma. He had not been living in the house for many years in the town of Garches-les-Gonesses, near Paris and was surprised by the squat. A youngster called Bassem, from Lyon and also of North African origins organised the youth of this city and expelled the Roma themselves without the help of the police.
This fact made it to most papers, with mostly positive reactions, although some insist on the dangers of taking justice into one’s own hand. The youngsters of the city, insist that anyhow, the police never come there nor helps them, as they are mostly of North African origins.
This is a case of minorities against minorities. And is really bad. But is the result of the policies of the French state which neglected its “banlieues” and left the Roma in camps.

– Maison squattée à Garges-lès-Gonesse : “C’est grâce à la cité qu’il a récupéré sa maison !”. In: Le Parisien. 01.02.2018. http://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/garges-les-gonesse-les-squatteurs-de-la-maison-deloges-par-des-jeunes-du-quartier-31-01-2018-7534278.php
– Qui est Bassem, le Lyonnais qui a provoqué l’expulsion des squatteurs du Val-d’Oise ? In: Le Parisien. 01.02.2018. http://www.leparisien.fr/societe/qui-est-bassem-le-lyonnais-qui-a-provoque-l-expulsion-des-squatteurs-du-val-d-oise-01-02-2018-7535772.php
– Garges-lès-Gonesse : “Face à la désertion de l’État et à l’impotence de la justice, la guerre de tous contre tous”. In: Le Figaro. 02.02.2018. http://www.lefigaro.fr/vox/societe/2018/02/01/31003-20180201ARTFIG00325-garges-les-gonesse-face-a-la-desertion-de-l-etat-et-a-l-impotence-de-la-justice-la-guerre-de-tous-contre-tous.php
– Il récupère sa maison squattée par des Roms grâce à des jeunes de la cité voisine. In: Demotivateur. 03.02.2018. https://www.demotivateur.fr/article/a-76-ans-il-perd-sa-maison-squattee-par-des-roms-avant-de-la-recuperer-grace-a-la-solidarite-de-son-voisinage-de-cite-12532
– Des jeunes de cité délogent 16 Roms squattant une maison pour la rendre à son propriétaire (VIDEOS). In: Russia Today (FR). 01.02.2018. https://francais.rt.com/france/47779-jeunes-cite-delogent-16-roms-squattaient-maison-rendre-proprietaire
– Garges-les-Gonesse: Que risque-t-on à expulser les squatteurs soi-même? In: 20 Minutes (FR). 01.02.2018. https://www.20minutes.fr/justice/2213339-20180201-garges-gonesse-risque-expulser-squatteurs
– MAISON SQUATTÉE : MIEUX VAUT S’APPELER YOUCEF QU’ODETTE ! In: Boulevard Voltaire. http://www.bvoltaire.fr/maison-squattee-mieux-vaut-sappeler-youcef-quodette/
– UN HOMME DE 76 ANS VOIT SA MAISON SQUATTÉE, DES JEUNES DE LA CITÉ VOISINE INTERVIENNENT. In: Urbanhit. 01.02.2018. https://www.urbanhit.fr/news/un-homme-de-76-ans-voit-sa-maison-squattee-des-jeunes-de-la-cite-voisine-interviennent-31816 [link-preview url=”https://www.demotivateur.fr/article/a-76-ans-il-perd-sa-maison-squattee-par-des-roms-avant-de-la-recuperer-grace-a-la-solidarite-de-son-voisinage-de-cite-12532 “]

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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More news this week in France on Roma. Main news is the subject of another post … Other than that, the mayor of the town of Sucy is again in front of the judges (third instance) for having denied Roma children the right to go to school. Let’s hope she is definitively condemned. Near Paris, in the Essons, a fire in a Roma camp injured three people. In Lille, in the North, a camp will be definitively closed. In Sètes, in the South West of France, 62 people were moved from a camp into temporary dwellings while in Montpellier, 40 Roma delegates invited themselves to a meeting of the city council. Finally, in Montpellier too, the story of an abduction of a dog by Roma. This story is doing the rounds in France, unfortunately.

– Nouveau procès pour la maire accusée de refuser des enfants roms à l’école. In: L’Express. 31.01.2018. https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/justice/nouveau-proces-pour-la-maire-accusee-de-refuser-des-enfants-roms-a-l-ecole_1981154.html
– Scolarisation d’enfants roms : la maire de Sucy sera à nouveau jugée. In: Le Parisien. 02.02.2018. http://www.leparisien.fr/val-de-marne-94/scolarisation-d-enfants-roms-la-maire-de-sucy-sera-a-nouveau-jugee-02-02-2018-7537392.php
– Vauhallan : deux femmes et un enfant brûlés dans l’incendie du camp de Roms. In: Le Parisien. 28.01.2018. http://www.leparisien.fr/essonne-91/vauhallan-deux-femmes-et-un-enfant-brules-dans-l-incendie-du-camp-de-roms-28-01-2018-7527600.php
– Essonne : 3 blessés graves, dont un bébé, dans l’incendie d’un campement Rom. In: Europe 1. 29.01.2018. http://www.europe1.fr/faits-divers/essonne-3-blesses-graves-dont-un-bebe-dans-lincendie-dun-campement-rom-3558974
– Bidonville de l’Esplanade : des Roms finalement ” invités ” à partir et non expulsés ? In: La Voix du Nord. 30.01.2018. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/307906/article/2018-01-30/bidonville-de-l-esplanade-des-roms-finalement-invites-partir-et-non-expulses
– Sète : la deuxième phase du transfert du camp s’est bien déroulée. In: Midi Libre. 02.02.2018. http://www.midilibre.fr/2018/02/01/sete-la-deuxieme-phase-du-transfert-du-camp-s-est-bien-deroulee,1622170.php
– Montpellier : quand les gitans s’invitent au conseil municipal. In: Midi Libre. 03.02.2018. http://www.midilibre.fr/2018/02/02/montpellier-quand-les-gitans-s-invitent-au-conseil-municipal,1622779.php
– Des Roms volent son chien et lui réclament une rançon. In: Wamiz. 30.01.2018. https://wamiz.com/chiens/actu/roms-volent-chien-reclament-ran-12014.html [link-preview url=”https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/justice/nouveau-proces-pour-la-maire-accusee-de-refuser-des-enfants-roms-a-l-ecole_1981154.html “]

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