One of the best known German Rapper – Sido – just outed himself as being a Sinto. Good!
Author Archives: Roma Foundation
Minorities in Scotland at a Disadvantage
Minorities in Scotland are still disadvantaged. They are poorer, have less access to education, and live in crowded housing. This also concerns Rroma.
- Minority groups in Scotland ‘still disadvantaged’ In: BBC News. 18.08.2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-37111868
Happy Birthday!
Baxalo dives! Romani Rose, the president of the German Central Council of Sinti and Roma is turning 70. Te džives jov šel berša duredir!
- Verteidiger der Demokratie. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung. 17.08.2016. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/dachau/dachauheidelberg-verteidiger-der-demokratie-1.3125545
Irish Tinkers
More on the Irish Tinkers who made headlines in Germany recently. Seems that they have been coming to Germany for at least 30 years. A fact that was little know until recently.
- Landfahrer haben “nochmal Party gemacht” In: Hessenschau. 18.08.2016. http://hessenschau.de/panorama/landfahrer-haben-nochmal-party-gemacht,landfahrer-102.html
Rome: New Camp may be Illegal
Following a formal protest from a Rroma organisation, an investigation of the legality of the proposed new camp on the Northern outskirts of Rome has been opened. The new mayor had said she would close all camps and is now seen opening a new one.
Bad!
- Nuovo campo rom a Roma Nord illegale? Dopo la denuncia ANR in Campidoglio. In: VignaClaraBlog. 18.08.2016. http://www.vignaclarablog.it/2016081863796/nuovo-campo-rom-roma-nord-illegale-dopo-denuncia-anr-in-campidoglio/
Slovakia: Extremists Patrols in Trains
The right wing party of Kotleba has launched vigilantes patrols in trains in Slovakia. This followed the alleged attack of a women by a Rrom near Levice.
Thankfully, the government is acting fast and is declaring these patrols to be illegal.
- Slovakia to ban far-right train patrols by vigilantes. In: BBC News. 18.08.2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37120830
- Kotleba’s patrols to be illegal. In: The Slovak Spectator. 17.08.2016. http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20244774/kotlebas-patrols-to-be-illegal.html
- Rechte patrouillieren in der Slowakei. In: ARD Tagesschau. 17.08.2016. http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/slowakeimiliz-101.html
Bistrita Festival
Some pictures from the Bistrita Rroma Festival which took place on August 15th.
- Tradițiile țigănești, prezentate pe pietonal. In: TimpOnline. 15.08.2016. http://www.timponline.ro/traditiile-tiganesti-prezentate-pe-pietonal/
Gold and the Vatican
An article about the Gold that was taken away from Rroma during the Holocaust in World War Two, which according to the president of the World Roma Organisation, Jovan Damjanovic, landed in Swiss banks and in the Vatican.
That 3.5 Mio Rroma died in the Holocaust is probably a very high number, experts think it is probably closer to 1.5 Million, with roughly 275’000 registered deaths (most people were not registered, even in camps, when they were immediately gassed).
That Gold transited through Switzerland, and thus also Rroma Gold, is a certainty. That some of it landed in the Vatican will be difficult to prove.
- Vatikan-Gold: Einstiger Besitz ermordeter Sinti und Roma? In: Sputnik News. 16.08.2016. http://de.sputniknews.com/politik/20160816/312139486/vatikan-gold-sinti-roma-entschaedigung.html
Albanian Rroma and Crafts
Rroma from Elbasan in Albania have gone back to their ancient craft of basket making, and are turning it into a profitable business.
Fingers crossed that it continues to be successful.
- Albanian Roma Find New Market for Ancient Craft. In: Balkan Insight. 15.08.2016. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-roma-find-new-market-for-ancient-craft-08-11-2016
Irish Tinkers – in Germany
This time, not Rroma… A large group of Irish tinkers has been camping in Hessen. Not a usual sight to see them that far off from their country of origin.
- „Dieses irre Wochenende ist vorüber“ In: Frankfurter Allgemeine. 17.08.2016. http://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/region/irische-landfahrer-ziehen-nach-5-tagen-weiter-14389126.html
- Wer sind die mysteriösen Pilger aus Irland? In: t-online (DE). 16.08.2016. http://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/gesellschaft/id_78710356/iren-in-hessen-wer-sind-die-mysterioesen-pilger-aus-irland-.html
Switzerland: Travellers in Bern
Again bad press on travellers in Switzerland. Usual story: Forced to camp somewhere in the wild or on a rented field, there are not enough sanitary installations nor containers for garbage, and as a result, people complain about garbage and smell.
This is how you force a reputation on people.
- «Wegen den Fahrenden kann ich nicht lüften» In: 20 Minutes (Switzerland). 17.08.2016. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/19960705
Switzerland and Travellers: Expelled in Neuchatel
Rroma travellers were again expelled in Neuchatel. This is becoming a real habit, and for some reason has been spiking this year, in spite of the fact that there are not that many more non-Swiss travellers than in previous years.
- La commune d’Aigle expulse des gens du voyage. In: Le Nouvelliste. 13.08.2016. http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/articles/suisse/la-commune-d-aigle-expulse-des-gens-du-voyage-566249
- Ils squattent un terrain puis s’installent ailleurs. In: Le Novelliste. 16.08.2016. http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/articles/valais/canton/ils-squattent-un-terrain-puis-s-installent-ailleurs-566793
- Une Suisse fermée au nomadisme. In: ArcInfo. 11.08.2016. http://www.arcinfo.ch/articles/regions/canton/une-suisse-fermee-au-nomadisme-565380
Caritas Switzerland: Closing Travellers Contact Point
Caritas Switzerland, a Christian charity is having some financial issues forcing them to close a few of their departments. One of them is the one for travellers, a department that opened in 1989.
- Caritas Zürich streicht Fachstelle für Fahrende. In: Blue Win. 10.08.2016. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-zurich/2016/8/10/caritas-zuerich-streicht-fachstelle-fuer-fahrende.html
Denmark: Criminalise Camps?
Denmark wants to empower the police to be able to close camps without any warrant or judgement. Not do they foresee to find lodgings to the people they will displace…
Bad.
- Danish government party wants to criminalise Roma camps. In: CPH Post. 15.08.2016. http://cphpost.dk/news/denmarks-ruling-party-wants-to-criminalise-roma-camps.html
Social Housing in the Czech Republic
Some clarifications on social housing in the Czech Republic. This theme has been taken by rightist parties saying this policy is open for abuses and of course will be abused by Rroma… Here’s what the Minister has to day.
- Czech Labor and Social Affairs Ministry responds to the myths now multiplying about social housing. In: Romea.cz. 10.08.2016. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-labor-and-social-affairs-ministry-responds-to-the-myths-now-multiplying-about-social-housing
Mariazell: Bishop defends Rroma
During the Mariazell Rroma pilgrimage, the Bishop celebrating Mass took the opportunity to defend Rroma and speak about the problems the Rroma face in Europe.
Good, and not common in the Church.
- Österreich: Bischof verteidigt Roma. In: Radio Vatikan. 14.08.2016. http://de.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/08/14/österreich_bischof_verteidigt_roma/1251359
Rome: New Camp in Spite of Promises
The new Five Star Mayor of Rome had promised she would gradually close all Rroma camps around the capital.
But right now, they are opening one in the North of Rome. Logical?
- Roma, il Comune ci ripensa: campo rom in arrivo a Roma Nord. In: Il Messagero. 14.08.2016. http://www.ilmessaggero.it/roma/cronaca/campo_rom_roma_nord_giunta_raggi-1910944.html
Czech Survivors: So little – So late…
Germany will pay 2’500 Euro to Czech Rroma Holocaust survivors. Knowing how many effectively survived (actually almost no Czech Rroma did survive, most Rroma in the Czech Republic are originally from Slovakia, having been moved there by the communists right after the war) and the time passed, this is not going to ruin Germany.
It is almost an insult…
- Ein preisgünstiger Völkermord. In: TaZ. 07.08.2016. http://www.taz.de/!5329237/
- „Ein lächerlicher Betrag“ In: Prager Zeitung. 11.08.2016. http://www.pragerzeitung.cz/index.php/home/gesellschaft/21037-ein-laecherlicher-betrag
Roma Pride in Prague
Roma Pride took place in Prague. This event is taking place since a few years, and, as the second article explains, is far from being a natural thing, as prejudices against homosexuality are often still very strong among Rroma.
- Romové na Prague Pride: Mezi Romy je homosexualita stále tabu. In: Remea.cz/ 11.08.2016. http://www.romea.cz/cz/kalendar-akci/romove-na-prague-pride-mezi-romy-je-homosexualita-stale-tabu
- Mirek Holan a Josef Ladič: Být gay už není tabu. In: Roema.cz. 30.03.2016. http://www.romea.cz/cz/romano-vodi/mirek-holan-a-josef-ladic-byt-gay-uz-neni-tabu
Early Weddings
A long article in the German paper “Die Welt” about the plight of young Rroma girls who are wed at the age of 13 or so.
Yes it happens, but no, it is not common among all Rroma. This is a typical Vlach tradition that is not common in other places. But otherwise, for a change quite well informed. They are true in the fact that traditionally, the first boyfriend is one’s husband. Overall, the article in not bad.
- Das Martyrium der Mädchen. In: Die Welt. 14.08.2016. http://www.welt.de/print/wams/politik/article157654524/Das-Martyrium-der-Maedchen.html
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