Category Archives: News Switzerland

News Switzerland

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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″]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Not Racist

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The Swiss politician Nathan Güntensperger who wrote in a newspaper that “Rroma do not respect agreements, steal, and lie” has been exonerated of any charges following a complaint for racism from 4 Rroma organisations and the Geselschaft für Bedrohte Völker.
In addition, these organisations literally learnt it via the press, not having immediately received the full document.
SHAME!

– Kein Rassismus-Verfahren gegen Bieler Grossrat. In: Berner Zeitung. 16.11.2016. http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/kein-rassismusverfahren-gegen-bieler-grossrat/story/12340445
– «Les Roms mentent et volent»: le député blanchi. In: 20 Minutes CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717
– Wohl kein Rassismus-Verfahren gegen Bieler Grossrat. In: Bluewin.ch. 16.11.2016. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-bern/2016/11/16/wohl-kein-rassismus-verfahren-gegen-bieler-grossra.html [link-preview url=”https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-bern/2016/11/16/wohl-kein-rassismus-verfahren-gegen-bieler-grossra.html”]

News Switzerland

Lausanne: Recourse against the Begging Ban

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Lausanne: Recourse against the Begging Ban

The constitutional court of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland will have to decide on the legality of a ban against begging in that canton. The ban was prompted by the presence of less than hundred (yes!!!) beggars in Lausanne, some of which are Rroma.
There could be a few other possibilities …

– Vaud: recours contre l’interdiction de la mendicité. In: Swissinfo.ch. 09.11.2016. http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/vaud–recours-contre-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicité/42580662 [link-preview url=”http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/vaud–recours-contre-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicité/42580662″]

News Switzerland

STEREOTYPES

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A really bad article from a Swiss paper. The article cites extensively an Austrian “expert” on street children and then goes on to dangerous generalisations such as “girls beg”, “boys steal” and so on.
This reinforces the stereotypes in the minds of the Swiss, as anyhow, they think that all Rroma are beggars and thieves.

– «Mädchen betteln, Buben stehlen» In: Blick. 27.10.2016. http://www.blick.ch/news/ausland/roma-banden-experte-norbert-ceipek-maedchen-betteln-buben-stehlen-id5663255.html [link-preview url=”http://www.blick.ch/news/ausland/roma-banden-experte-norbert-ceipek-maedchen-betteln-buben-stehlen-id5663255.html”]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: The Future of the Travellers

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An article about the need for so-called “Standplätze”, sites where Jenische and Sinti can spend longer periods in Switzerland. The Swiss travellers say that without these, their way of life cannot be upheld.

– Zukunft der Fahrenden liegt vielleicht im zweiten Stock. In: Der Bund. 31.10.2016. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Zukunft-der-Fahrenden-liegt-vielleicht-im-zweiten-Stock/story/26478178 [link-preview url=”http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Zukunft-der-Fahrenden-liegt-vielleicht-im-zweiten-Stock/story/26478178″]

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Lausanne and Homeless

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Lausanne, at the forefront of forbidding begging in Switzerland is confronted with ca. 200 homeless people. And only a fraction of these are Rroma … Which means, there are far less than 100 Rroma beggars in that city. Can’t be a massive problem …

– Migrants, Roms, toxicos, ils sont 200 à dormir à la rue. In: 24 Heures. 29.10.2016. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/Migrants-Roms-toxicos-ils-sont-200-a-dormir-a-la-rue/story/31681936 [link-preview url=”http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/Migrants-Roms-toxicos-ils-sont-200-a-dormir-a-la-rue/story/31681936″]

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