A new genetic study about Rroma clearly shows their origins and part of their migrations. Serious and interesting.
Geneva fines beggars. The fine is set at 220.— CHF, a steep sum when one thinks that begging brings in at most 20-30 CHF per day. This is being used to actually deport people as, when they are not in apposition to pay, they de-facto become criminals (they are sent to prison) that can be sent back to their country of origin with an interdiction to come back to Switzerland.
An article about the engagement of NGOs in Lausanne to enroll 6 young migrant Rroma in schools there. Well done, but let’s not forget that these migrant Rroma represent less than ONE PERCENT of the Rroma in Switzerland. And these go to school, and even to university!
An article on the migrants that sleep outside in Lausanne. 30 to 80 on average. And, yes, while there are a few Rroma amongst them, they are by far not the majority.
In Geneva, four Rroma were arrested and are accused to have trafficked a mentally disabled person and forced him to beg in Geneva’s streets. As always, when such a case occurs, all the usual clichés about organised bands, human trafficking, and so on come back about Rroma.
If they really did it, which still needs to be proven, then they are criminals. The fact that they are Rroma has nothing to do with that.
At least a journalist who went inside the camp! A view on the Rroma who have been filling Swiss Newspapers with the wedding near Zurich. Some facts on life, work, and on religion, as these are evangelical, and on the fact that Rroma are not welcome on places for travellers in Switzerland.
Another article that shows that the fears of the population and the populism of some politicians and newspapers bears no relation to reality.
Closure of the Wedding story. After all it was positive, Rroma paid, didn’t leave a mess, etc. Much ado about nothing (showing the Swiss fascination with toilets).
The 2nd of August is the official international day of remembrance of the Holocaust on Rroma and Sinti. Several organisations (here just as a sample) are planning commemorations in Germany and Austria.
Unzensuriert.at, an Austrian web journal once again fell into blatant populism and stereotypes on the Swiss Rroma Wedding. Oh my, what a publicity for the newlywed.
An article in Watson pokes fun at the media fascination in Switzerland with the Rroma wedding near Zurich. Noting that where does Switzerland goes if Farmers do what they want with their land, but also noting that 20 Minutes said that as the population was on holidays, there were concern about potential thefts, clearly equating Rroma with thieves.
Let’s challenge these idiotic stereotypes!
At least some reactions to the fact that the Rroma were there legally. Dani Huber on the topic and generally on the press. But the article is pretty bad.
20 minutes, as usual. No content, crap news, and just sensation.
Still more on the wedding near Zurich. Too much, to say the least for the lack of news at all. This time, the reaction of the Rroma Foundation on the topic.
The Rroma wedding in Zurich filled the Swis German papers yesterday and probably will continue to do so for a while. 600 Rroma, nearly a 100 caravans, all for a wedding. A farmer rented them the field.
Again a case of a Rroma wedding near Zurich were roughly 70 caravans gathered to celebrate a wedding. These travelling Rroma are from France and Germany (with a corresponding passport) and are members of a pentacostal church. A farmer rented them his land for 5’000 Swiss Francs. People in the village are annoyed and are asking why nothing is being done by the police.
A typical controversy, including the fact that people defecate in the open, and thus befoul the region and adjacent wood.
But the WORST are the commentaries: Bigots and racists seem to love these news.
An article about a few Rroma who stopped in a field near Payerne and had to leave as the field’s owner did not want them to stay highlights the misinformation and confusion among journalists:
The title uses “Gitans” – who are not travellers, by the way, and are found only in the South of France and Spain (also called Cale); the text uses “Gens du Voyage, i.e. Travellers, which can be Rroma but could also mean Jenische (Swiss travellers) or French Travellers; and finally the police states that these are most probably “Roma” from neighbouring France. We are just missing Sinti in this article to complete the confusion!
There are apparently several beggars in Lausanne – Rroma – who are begging with a dog. A foundation for the protection of animals has accused them of drugging their dogs, an accusation that could not be substantiated by the cantonal veterinarian. This may be a new tack of these beggars, now that begging with small children is effectively forbidden.
In spite of all the drama in the Media, we speak here of a few scores of beggars, a very tiny number in comparison to the well established and integrated Rroma in Switzerland.
Totally inappropriate article which appeared a while back in a smaller paper in the Wallis region of Switzerland. It de- facto assimilates Rroma with thieves and burglars bands who will rob all houses and flats they can lay their hands on. Clearly, in the distorted mind of this journalist, these bands are also forcing their children to steal. The journalist is somehow cautious, stating that one is not sure that these bands are Rroma, but devotes a large excerpt about Rroma in general which leaves little doubt about his opinion.
PLEASE join our protests against this!
An article about newly arrived beggars in Lausanne, beggars who are more aggressive and younger that the “local” ones, i.e. the ones who have been in Lausanne for several years. It is not clear from the article where these new beggars are coming from nor whether they really all are Rroma.
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