Category Archives: News Switzerland

News Switzerland

Bern and City Nomads

Published by:

The so-called “Stadtnomaden” or “City Nomads”, a group of alternative people living in caravans in field on the city outskirts were originally forced to move every three months per decree from the municipality. They now successfully claimed the same rights as the travellers and are now allowed to stay for a full 6 months on the same place.
Very nomadic …

– Stadtnomaden dürfen neu sechs Monate bleiben. In: 20 Minuten (CH). 01.03.2017. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Stadtnomaden-duerfen-neu-sechs-Monate-bleiben-15705929 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Stadtnomaden-duerfen-neu-sechs-Monate-bleiben-15705929″]

News Switzerland

Switzerland and Minorities

Published by:

The Swiss government approved the 4th report on the protection of minorities in Switzerland, a report due to the EU in the context of the Swiss signature of the convention on the protection of minorities.
Originally, the Swiss only recognised Travellers, expanded this to Travellers, Jenische, Sinti and Rroma at a later sateg and have now dropped both Travellers and Rroma.
BAD

– La Suisse poursuit ses efforts pour la protection des droits des minorités nationales. In: Albinfo. 17.02.2017. http://www.albinfo.ch/fr/la-suisse-poursuit-ses-efforts-pour-la-protection-des-droits-des-minorites-nationales/
– La Suisse manque toujours d’aires pour les gens du voyage. In: La Côte. 15.02.2017. http://www.lacote.ch/articles/suisse/la-suisse-manque-toujours-d-aires-pour-les-gens-du-voyage-636841 [link-preview url=”http://www.albinfo.ch/fr/la-suisse-poursuit-ses-efforts-pour-la-protection-des-droits-des-minorites-nationales/ “]

News Switzerland

Stefan Eicher

Published by:

The Swiss and internationally renowned musician Stefan Eicher is embarking on a new endeavour, trying to find his Jenisch roots. He is a prominent member of that minority who was severely discriminated against in Switzerland.

– Die Musik einer Minderheit. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 01.02.2017. https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/kino/unerhoert-jenisch-die-musik-der-fahrenden-ld.142810 [link-preview url=”https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/kino/unerhoert-jenisch-die-musik-der-fahrenden-ld.142810″]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Bad Press

Published by:

The latest news in the French speaking part of Switzerland give a really bad light on Rroma: A human trafficker – bringing in beggars and prostitutes to Switzerland was condemned. To ne noted the trafficker does not seem to be a Rrom, something that will be probably lost on the readers.
In another story, child weddings are being celebrated in Switzerland too. And of course, Rroma are also cited.
In another of those stories, four young Rroma are in court for the rape of a minor Swiss girl near Lausanne.
Overall, what a picture this gives of Rroma … Even though there are 80-100’000 well integrated Rroma in the country.

– Un convoyeur de mendiants roms condamné. In: La tribune de Genève. 01.02.2017. http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Un-convoyeur-de-mendiants-roms-condamne/story/13469260
– Mariages de mineurs célébrés aussi en Suisse. In: 20 Minutes (CH). 29.01.2017. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/suisse/story/Mariages-de-mineurs-celebres-aussi-en-Suisse-29780439
– Une «tournante» met la justice dans l’embarras. In: 24 Heures. 31.01.2017. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/tournante-met-justice-embarras/story/31079326 [link-preview url=”http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Un-convoyeur-de-mendiants-roms-condamne/story/13469260 “]

News Eastern Europe News Switzerland Romania

Lausanne: Salvation Army and Homeless

Published by:

The Salvation Army in Lausanne opened up a shelter for the homeless in Lausanne. Most of the people taking advantage of it in the cold spell in Lausanne are Rroma – mostly from Romania.

– «Ce qui compte, c’est mettre les enfants au chaud» In: 24 Heures. 27.01.2017. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/c-mettre-enfants-chaud/story/11029090 [link-preview url=”http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/c-mettre-enfants-chaud/story/11029090″]

News Switzerland

Published by:

The Canton of Berne, in Switzerland is presenting a new project of law aimed at forbidding some of the work that is done by travellers such as painting, renovations etc. This measure is clearly directed against Rroma from neighbouring countries but will hit all Travellers in Switzerland.
SHAME.

– Schweizer Fahrende wehren sich. In: Berner Zeitung. 23.01.2017. http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/schweiz/Schweizer-Fahrende-wehren-sich/story/26395637
– Protest gegen ungerechtfertige Vorwürfe. In: SRF. 23.01.2017. http://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/protest-gegen-ungerechtfertige-vorwuerfe
– Le canton de Berne fâche les gens du voyage. In: RFJ. 19.01.2017. https://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20170119-Le-canton-de-Berne-fache-les-gens-du-voyage.html [link-preview url=”https://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20170119-Le-canton-de-Berne-fache-les-gens-du-voyage.html”]

News Eastern Europe News Switzerland Romania

Switzerland: Beggars

Published by:

An interview of a Romanian Rroma beggar. Unfortunately, with all stereotypes that one can think of: Arranged weddings, early pregnancies, large families, poverty etc. This is the life of this family and quite a few others but is not the entire Rroma reality.

– « Mendier, c’est tout ce qui me reste à faire » In: L’Hebdo. 17.01.2017. http://www.hebdo.ch/les-blogs/pirolt-sabine-rédacteur-lhebdo/«%C2%A0mendier-c’est-tout-ce-qui-me-reste-à-faire%C2%A0»
– Et si l’on commençait par dire bonjour aux mendicants. In: 24 Heures. 18.01.2017. http://www.24heures.ch/signatures/reflexions/commencait-bonjour-mendiants/story/17545650 [link-preview url=”http://www.hebdo.ch/les-blogs/pirolt-sabine-rédacteur-lhebdo/«%C2%A0mendier-c’est-tout-ce-qui-me-reste-à-faire%C2%A0» “]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Criminalisation

Published by:

A long article on the results of the interdiction of begging in the canton of Vaud, in the French speaking part of Switzerland. The main result is the de-facto criminalisation of beggars, and as a result, at least from a police perspective, providing legal grounds to expulse these from Switzerland.
Bad.

– D’indésirables, les Roms sont désormais passés à criminels. In: L’Hebdo. 12.01.2017. http://www.hebdo.ch/hebdo/cadrages/detail/d’indésirables-les-roms-sont-désormais-passés-à-criminels
– Le référendum pour la mendicité est un échec et se transforme en petition. In: 24 Heures. 13.01.2017. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/Le-referendum-pour-la-mendicite-est-un-echec-et-se-transforme-en-petition/story/16429645 [link-preview url=”http://www.hebdo.ch/hebdo/cadrages/detail/d’indésirables-les-roms-sont-désormais-passés-à-criminels “]

News Switzerland

Published by:

The Swiss Federal Council has reviewed the result of a task force on Jenische, Sinti and Rroma. According to the press, the government wants to recognise Jenische and Sinti as a Swiss minority. Rroma are once again considered to be “foreign”.
No comments …

– Bund bestätigt Stossrichtung bei Fahrenden. In: Bluewin. 21.12.2016. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/inland/2016/12/21/bundesrat-will-jenische-und-sinti-anerkennen-und-u.html
– Bundesrat will Jenische und Sinti anerkennen und unterstützen. In: Obwaldner Zeitung. 21.12.2016. http://www.obwaldnerzeitung.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/Bund-bestaetigt-Stossrichtung-bei-Fahrenden;art46447,923332 [link-preview url=”https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/inland/2016/12/21/bundesrat-will-jenische-und-sinti-anerkennen-und-u.html “]

News Switzerland

Switzerland and Travellers

Published by:

The new president of the Foundation for the future of Swiss travellers, Christoph Neuhaus wants to create temporary camping sites for travellers. This follows the rejection of a more permanent setup in Bern this year.
Good, and let’s hope these are open to non-Swiss travellers, as this is often not the case.

– Neuhaus ist «am Klinkenputzen» – auf der Suche nach provisorischem Transitplatz. In: Der Bund. 23.12.2016. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Neuhaus-ist-am-Klinkenputzen–auf-der-Suche-nach-provisorischem-Transitplatz/story/11306644 [link-preview url=”http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Neuhaus-ist-am-Klinkenputzen–auf-der-Suche-nach-provisorischem-Transitplatz/story/11306644″]

News Switzerland

Beggars in Switzerland

Published by:

Beggars are being fined in several French speaking Swiss cities. This is a ploy that allows the authorities to jail and deport them should they not pay them. But surprise, they are now paying their fines …

– Les mendiants se sont mis à payer leurs amendes. In: 20 Minutes (CH). 13.12.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/Les-mendiants-se-sont-mis-a-payer-leurs-amendes-10569195 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/Les-mendiants-se-sont-mis-a-payer-leurs-amendes-10569195″]

News Switzerland

Rroma in Switzerland

Published by:

A talk about Rroma in Switzerland. True – we are a lot here, and most of them integrated. The ones people see make not even a percent of all of us…

– https://www.facebook.com/gesellschaftfuerbedrohtevoelker/videos/1333720893354832/ [link-preview url=”https://www.facebook.com/gesellschaftfuerbedrohtevoelker/videos/1333720893354832/”]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Lausanne and Begging

Published by:

An article on Rroma beggars in Lausanne, their income (very low) and their aspirations. It features the organisation Opre Rom which helps the Rroma to find a decent job. It is good, as this shows that begging is not a choice, and certainly not a criminal entreprise.

– «Ce n’est pas un choix» In: Le Corrier. 08.12.2016. http://www.lecourrier.ch/144922/ce_n_est_pas_un_choix [link-preview url=”http://www.lecourrier.ch/144922/ce_n_est_pas_un_choix”]

News Switzerland

Lausanne: Occasional Begging

Published by:

Lausanne banned begging a while back. Now they are backing off in saying that “occasional” begging should be allowed, i.e. if you don’t have enough money for your public transportation ticket.
In fact, they are trying to keep the interdiction in place for Rroma only … They could say it, it would be at least transparent.

– «Le concept de mendicité occasionnelle stigmatise les Roms» In: La Tribune de Genève. 30.11.2016. http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Le-concept-de-mendicite-occasionnelle-stigmatise-les-Roms/story/11362085 [link-preview url=”http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Le-concept-de-mendicite-occasionnelle-stigmatise-les-Roms/story/11362085″]

News Switzerland

Robert Huber

Published by:

The former president of the Radgenossenschaft der Landstrasse, Robert Huber, died last week at the age of 83 after a long illness. He was one of the key Jenische activists in the early days, forcing the Swiss state to admit its racist policies of removing children from Jenische families (until 1972). He will be buried this coming Friday.
May he rest in peace.

– Langjähriger Präsident Huber 83-jährig gestorben. In: NZZ. 28.11.2016. http://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/aktuelle-themen/jenische-in-der-schweiz-langjaehriger-praesident-huber-83-jaehrig-gestorben-ld.131106
– Morto Robert Huber, a lungo presidente degli Jenisch svizzeri. In: Swissinfo. 28.11.2016. http://www.swissinfo.ch/ita/morto-robert-huber–a-lungo-presidente-degli-jenisch-svizzeri/42713244 [link-preview url=”http://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/aktuelle-themen/jenische-in-der-schweiz-langjaehriger-praesident-huber-83-jaehrig-gestorben-ld.131106″]

News Switzerland

Travellers in Switzerland: Jura

Published by:

The parliament of the Canton of Jura in Switzerland has been debating the creation of a camping site for foreign travellers. It is symptomatic of the situation in Switzerland that one parliamentarian suggested not to do anything, as other cantons were not doing anything either …

– Gens du voyage : le Gouvernement persiste et signe. In: RFJ. 23.11.2016. http://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20161123-Gens-du-voyage-le-Gouvernement-persiste-et-signe.html [link-preview url=”http://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20161123-Gens-du-voyage-le-Gouvernement-persiste-et-signe.html”]

News Switzerland

Jenische

Published by:

An interesting interview of a Jenishe writer, Simone Schönett. An insight in the culture of this group of travellers who all too often have been lumped together with Rroma.

– Jenische sind Jenische, keine „Korrnr“ In: Salot.bz. 25.11.2016. https://www.salto.bz/de/article/25112016/jenische-sind-jenische-keine-korrnr [link-preview url=”https://www.salto.bz/de/article/25112016/jenische-sind-jenische-keine-korrnr”]

Hungary News Eastern Europe News Switzerland

Zurich and Prostitution

Published by:

An article about the drive through that was set up for prostitutes in Zurich. Not bad in itself, but the author claims that the prostitutes are “mostly Rroma” which is false. Yes, there are some Rromnja, especially from Hungary, but it is by far not the majority.

– Why Zurich has turned its red-light district into a drive-through, In: The Independent. 23.11.2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/why-zurich-is-turning-its-red-light-district-into-a-drive-through-a7429841.html [link-preview url=”http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/why-zurich-is-turning-its-red-light-district-into-a-drive-through-a7429841.html”]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Restrictions on Travellers

Published by:

The Canto n of St Gallen imposed further restrictions on travellers. They now have to ask for an official authorisation when the camp on private grounds (and pay the owner – up to several thousands Swiss francs).
This is bad, as Switzerland is currently barring foreign Rroma travellers from using the official camping sites for travellers.

– Neue Hürden für Fahrende in St.Gallen. In: FM1 St. Gallen. 20.11.2016. http://www.fm1today.ch/neue-huerden-fuer-fahrende-in-st-gallen/352023 [link-preview url=”http://www.fm1today.ch/neue-huerden-fuer-fahrende-in-st-gallen/352023″]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: More on Gütensperger

Published by:

More articles on the Swiss Green Liberal politician Nathan Güntensperger who said “Roma do not respect agreements, lie, steal, try to cheat you and are vandals” and who has been exonerated of charges of racism.
Shame on Switzerland.

– «Les Roms mentent et volent»: le député blanchi. In 20 Minutes CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717
– Gens du voyage: l’élu biennois ne sera pas poursuivi pour discrimination raciale. In: Arc Info. 16.11.2016. http://www.arcinfo.ch/articles/suisse/gens-du-voyage-l-elu-biennois-ne-sera-pas-poursuivi-pour-discrimination-raciale-602196
– Discriminazione, il deputato Güntensperger non sarà perseguito. In: 20 Minuti CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.tio.ch/News/Svizzera/Politica/1116718/Discriminazione-il-deputato-Guntensperger-non-sara-perseguito
– GLP-Grossrat Güntensperger entgeht Rassismus-Verfahren. In: Der Bund. 16.11.2016. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/glpgrossrat-guentensperger-entgeht-rassismusverfahren/story/11753856 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717″]

rroma.org
en_GBEN
de_DEDE fr_FRFR en_GBEN