We reported yesterday on the Kosovo Rroma musician fighting prejudice. More about them here !
- Kosovan Musicians Play for Love and Country. In: TOL. 09.03.2016. http://www.tol.org/client/article/25669-kosovo-roma-gipsy-groove-music.html
Author Archives: Roma Foundation
More on Basle
Another article on the new camping place for Rroma in Basle…
- Neuer Standplatz für Fahrende. In: TleBasel. 09.03.2016. https://telebasel.ch/2016/03/09/neuer-standplatz-fuer-fahrende/
Kosovo: Musicians against Prejudice
Some Rroma musicians in Kosovo are using music to fight the prejudices they are facing as Rroma in Kosovo. That country, although it had one of the highest proportion of Rroma in the Balkan has been ethnically cleaned. Only ca. 25’000 Rroma remain, less that 10% of the original population.
- Musicians in Kosovo fight anti-Roma prejudice stirred up by war. In: Reuters. 07.08.2016. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-kosovo-roma-music-idUSKCN0WA025
Travelers: Camp in Basle – Switzerland
Travelers will finally have a place to stay in Basle Switzerland. A new place when they can stay overnight or for longer periods will open soon and will be run by the Association of Swiss Sinti and Roma.
Good!
- Nach langer Odyssee: Fahrende erhalten Platz in Basel. In: Basel Landschaftliche Zeitung. 08.03.2016. http://www.basellandschaftlichezeitung.ch/basel/basel-stadt/nach-langer-odyssee-fahrende-erhalten-platz-in-basel-130118936
Crime – Maybe, Rroma, and UK
Some “news” on Rroma in the UK. A “traveler” gang raked in millions with stolen cars, and an exorcism in Bulgaria …
Actually just bad journalism.
- Warning over stolen car fake papers scam which is making gypsy crime gang millions. In: The Mirror. 05.03.2016. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/warning-over-stolen-car-fake-7498820
- Bizarre video claims to show exorcism of 11-year-old gypsy girl in Bulgaria (though she may just have a nasty chest infection). In: Daily Mail. 02.03.2016. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3473336/Bizarre-video-claims-exorcism-11-year-old-gypsy-girl-Bulgaria-just-nasty-chest-infection.html#ixzz42FhgcDRa
UK: Metropolitan Police to Reopen Investigation
The metropolitan police has been asked to re-open the enquiry about racist abuse on a facebook page run by police members.
Bad that this needs to be re-visited …
- Met told to reinvestigate ‘racist abuse’ of Gypsies and Travellers on ‘secret’ police Facebook page. In: The Independent. 02.03.2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/met-told-to-reinvestigate-racist-abuse-of-gypsies-and-travellers-on-secret-police-facebook-page-a6908036.html
Exhibition of Rroma Women in Germany
An exhibition about Rromnja in Dortmund in Germany with a series of portraits of these women.
- Romni: Foto- und Interviewprojekt beleuchtet Identität, Tradition und Lebensweise von Roma-Frauen in der Nordstadt. In: Nordstatblogger. http://nordstadtblogger.de/42417
Forced Evictions in France
A summary on the evictions in France. They are illegal and inhuman …
- Forced evictions in France: inhuman and illegal. In: ERRC Blog. 04.03.2016. http://www.errc.org/blog/forced-evictions-in-france-inhuman-and-illegal/98
India Shows Interest in Rroma
Another article on the “oldest Indian Diaspora” – the Rroma!
- The survival of Roma traditions. In: The Economic Times. 13.02.2016. http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/onmyplate/the-survival-of-roma-traditions/
What Happened to Them?
A reportage on the Rroma from the camp on the railway tracks of the petite ceinture in Paris…
- Évacuation des bidonvilles : que deviennent les Roms ? In: France Inter. 10.02.2016. http://www.franceinter.fr/emission-le-zoom-de-la-redaction-evacuation-des-bidonvilles-que-deviennent-les-roms
French Chronicle …
Lots of expulsions and notices thereof this week… First in Noisiel, near Paris, where 100 Rroma were expulsed; in Wissous, the camps will be soon destroyed; In Saint Brice, the mayor is trying to get rid of the camp that was recently created on this commune; and in Hautbourdin, the expulsion is being discussed; while in Grenoble, the Rroma are getting a reprieve.
The other set of news concerns Rroma pickpockets and beggars, with several articles on that topic …
And finally, a mobilization in favour of Rroma migrants!
- Noisiel : à peine les cent Roms expulsés, l’hôtel squatté a été démoli. In: Le Parisien. 12.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/noisiel-77186/noisiel-a-peine-les-cent-roms-expulses-l-hotel-squatte-a-ete-demoli-12-02-2016-5540161.php
- Wissous : les deux camps de Roms évacués «avant le mois de mars» In: Le Républicain. 11.02.2016. http://www.le-republicain.fr/faits-divers/wissous-les-deux-camps-de-roms-evacues-avant-le-mois-de-mars
- Les bidonvilles roms de Wissous bientôt evacuees. In: Le Parisien. 11.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/wissous-91320/les-bidonvilles-roms-de-wissous-bientot-evacues-11-02-2016-5535995.php
- Camp rom à Saint-Brice : le maire lance un SOS, les riverains exceeds. In: Le Parisien. 10.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/groslay-95410/camp-rom-a-saint-brice-le-maire-lance-un-sos-les-riverains-excedes-10-02-2016-5532677.php
- Saint-Brice : l’appel du maire pour l’évacuation d’un camp de Roms. In: VO News 95. 08.02.2016. http://95.telif.tv/2016/02/08/saint-brice-lappel-du-maire-pour-levacuation-dun-camp-de-roms/
- Haubourdin: les Roms susceptibles d’être expulsés après la trêve hivernale. In: La Voix du Nord. 12.02.2016. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/haubourdin-les-roms-susceptibles-d-etre-expulses-ia21b49760n3327857?xtor=RSS-2
- Un répit pour les Roms du cours de la Libération à Grenoble. In: FR3 Alpes. 08.02.2016. http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/alpes/isere/grenoble/court-repit-pour-les-roms-du-cours-de-la-liberation-grenoble-923431.html
- Région parisienne : vague d’arrestations de pickpockets roumains. In: Le Parisien. 09.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/chessy-77700/region-parisienne-vague-d-arrestations-de-pickpockets-roumains-09-02-2016-5529177.php
- Pickpockets roms : la procureure de Meaux salue la coopération avec la police roumaine. In: Le Parisien. 12.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/chessy-77700/pickpockets-roms-la-procureure-de-meaux-salue-la-cooperation-avec-la-police-roumaine-12-02-2016-5540069.php
- Deux frères condamnés pour l’exploitation de mendiants handicaps. In: 7sur7 Belgique. http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/1505/Monde/article/detail/2615281/2016/02/12/Deux-freres-condamnes-pour-l-exploitation-de-mendiants-handicapes.dhtml
- Seine-Saint-Denis : le Front de gauche mobilisé pour les Roms. In: Le Parisien. 11.02.2016. http://www.leparisien.fr/seine-saint-denis-93/seine-saint-denis-le-front-de-gauche-mobilise-pour-les-roms-11-02-2016-5536835.php
India External Affairs Minister: Rroma are the Children of India
India’s external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj officially stated that Rroma are the children of India. India is even pondering recognizing them as a minority…
- ‘You are the children of India’: Sushma Swaraj to Romas. In: NewsGram. 13.02.2016. http://www.newsgram.com/you-are-the-children-of-india-sushma-swaraj-to-romas/
- ‘India should declare Romas as national minority of Indian origin’ In: Hindustan Times. 12.02.2016. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/india-should-declare-romas-as-national-minority-of-indian-origin/story-xlQJRtOLtSTUqId652QOnJ.html
- Links with migrant Roma community needs documentation: Swaraj. In: Business Standard. 12.02.2016. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/links-with-migrant-roma-community-needs-documentation-swaraj-116021200857_1.html
- Should India recognise the accomplished Romani people as a national minority? In: The Economic Times. 13.02.2016. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50969403.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Basle: Firebomb against Rroma
Travelling Rroma who were forced to leave their camp a few days earlier, were attacked at their new camping site. A person first started beating up a 70 years old Rroma and shortly thereafter, a firebomb was thrown at the caravans.
The police who were called let the attacker go without arresting him, even though he had severely beaten up someone without reason.
SHAME!
- Fahrende in Allschwil angegriffen. In: Tele Basel. 11.02.2016. https://telebasel.ch/2016/02/11/brandstiftung-und-taetlichkeit-gegenueber-fahrenden-in-allschwil-bl/
- «Ich sah etwas brennen und jemanden wegrennen» In: 20 Minutes Schweiz. 11.02.2016. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/basel/story/Hooligan-verpruegelt-Fahrende-30620205
- Brandanschlag auf Fahrende: Polizei gesteht Fehler bei Erstermittlungen ein. In BZ. 11.02.2016. http://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/baselbiet/brandanschlag-auf-fahrende-polizei-gesteht-fehler-bei-erstermittlungen-ein-130057855
- Pöbeleien und Brandanschlag gegen Fahrende. In: Basler Zeitung. http://bazonline.ch/basel/gemeinden/Poebeleien-und-Brandanschlag-gegen-Fahrende/story/13478068
- Nach Attacke auf Fahrende: Baselbieter Polizei lässt Angreifer laufen. In: Tages Woche. 11.02.2016. http://www.tageswoche.ch/de/2016_7/basel/711358/
Bulgarian Rroma: Begging Scheme
Two Bulgarian Rroma were sentenced in Sweden for running a begging scheme involving disabled and illeterate people. Bad.
This will be enough to renew the folktales of mafia like structures among Rroma and their involvement in begging, prostitution, etc.
- Two Bulgarians Get Jail Terms in Sweden for Running Begging Scheme, In: Novinite. 12.02.2016. http://www.novinite.com/articles/173081/Two+Bulgarians+Get+Jail+Terms+in+Sweden+for+Running+Begging+Scheme#sthash.l2zyfl7m.dpuf
Romania: Several People Fired for Theft
Several leading civil servants, among which the head of the Tax authority, were fired in Romania for having stolen funds from the EU development aid. According to prosecutors “two Romanian lawmakers and eight other persons had allegedly defrauded two projects worth a total 27.25 million lei ($6.91 million) aimed at supporting the underprivileged Roma minority.”
And one wonders why nothing changes …
- Romanian PM dismisses tax chiefs over EU funds fraud inquiry. In: Today. 12.02.2016. http://www.todayonline.com/world/romanian-pm-dismisses-tax-chiefs-over-eu-funds-fraud-inquiry
Slovakia: A Helping NGO
An interview with the president of the ETP NGO in Slovakia, a NGO that has helped hundreds of families to improve their housing conditions.
Worthwhile reading …
- ETP: State could learn from our work with Roma. In: The Slovak Spectator. 10.02.2016. http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20090771/etp-state-could-learn-from-our-work-with-roma.html
Begging in Helsinki
An article on begging and Rroma accessing social services in Helsinki is really not acceptable. It is full with factual errors (no, most Rroma who come from Romania and Bulgaria are not and never were travelers), generalises, and implicitly associates Rroma with beggars.
BAD ARTICLE …
- Reports of aggressive begging down, status of Roma dismal. In: Yle. 08.02.2016. http://yle.fi/uutiset/reports_of_aggressive_begging_down_status_of_roma_dismal/8655216
Deported Rroma Family can Return to Canada
A family of Rroma from Hungary who were deported recently is now allowed to return to Canada following the intervention of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Minister, John McCallum.
- Deported Roma refugee family receives permission to return to Canada. In: CBC News. 08.02.2016. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/roma-refugee-canada-return-1.3437968
Basle: No space for Travellers
In Basle, until April, there is no place were travellers can stay. They had to leave a place in the city, which will be established as a permanent camping site for Travellers, and they ended up squatting a field from which they were now expelled. There are to few of these sites in Switzerland to accommodate Travellers in Switzerland.
- Fahrende aus Naturschutzzone vertrieben – nun haben sie Basel verlassen. In: Basellandschaftliche Zeitung. 10.02.2016. http://www.basellandschaftlichezeitung.ch/basel/basel-stadt/fahrende-aus-naturschutzzone-vertrieben-nun-haben-sie-basel-verlassen-130054485
Rroma Refugees in Canada
Following the calls last week to review the rejected asylum claims of Hungarian Rroma in Canada, there seem to be little chances for the ones who were already deported to come back.
- Deported Roma have little chance of return despite disciplinary rulings against their lawyers. In: CNBC News – Canada. 06.02.2016. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/roma-deportations-canada-hungary-1.3429526
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