Category Archives: News Switzerland

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Travellers, Rroma, Sinti, Jenische

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Travellers, Rroma, Sinti, Jenische

Following requests for some camps for travellers in the region of Biel/Bienne in Switzerland, the unfortunately usual discussion about who is what started anew in the press. Who are Jenische (Swiss travellers, also present in France, Germany, Austria); Sinti, who in Switzerland are often intermarried with Jenische but otherwise come from France, Germany and Italy; Rroma, whom the Swiss understand as “Foreign Travellers”, who are mostly French and German Rroma etc…

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe News Switzerland

Switzerland pays 8 Mio CHF to Bulgaria for Rroma Integration

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Switzerland pays 8 Mio CHF to Bulgaria for Rroma Integration

Switzerland just signed an agreement with Bulgaria providing 8 Mio Swiss Francs to the municipalities of Burgas, Ruses, and Sliven to further Rroma (and other minorities) inclusion, centring on education and basic health care. In view of the more and more extremist views of the general population towards minorities and Rroma in particular, this in a country that used to be tolerant, one wonders whether this is the right approach.

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Rroma Wedding in Switzerland

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Rroma Wedding in Switzerland

First news since a long time in the Swiss Press about “foreign travellers”, i.e. Rroma. 500 of them camped in a village in Thurgau, North East of Zurich, to celebrate a wedding. Finally they left as one of the members of the group die in a car accident in Germany and the wedding was cancelled.

The journalist was not particularly sensitive: He used the word “Sippe” [clan], said that people were afraid that the same issues as a fews years back in the French speaking part of Switzerland would occur, etc. In brief, he or she regurgitated the usual stereotypes. Shame.

News Eastern Europe News Switzerland Romania

Yves Leresche: Exhibition on Rroma in Lausanne

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Yves Leresche: Exhibition on Rroma in Lausanne

Until May 23, Yves Leresche’s exhibition in Lausanne depicts the lives of some of the Romanian Rroma beggars who came to Switzerland. It goes between Lausanne and Romania, and shows a very humane picture of these people, far from the criminal bands prejudices.

These picture should nevertheless not lead to the belief that this is the only Rroma reality. In fact, it is the reality of a small group of Rroma from a few villages in the same Romanian region. Many Rroma are integrated, especially in Switzerland where beggars, thieves and other stereotypical Rroma only make a tiny percentage of the overall Rroma population there.

News Switzerland

Travellers in Switzerland

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Travellers in Switzerland

The Swiss Travellers, the Jenische, are currently making the headlines in Switzerland. One of their organisations, the so-called “Bewegung” [Movement] has occupied an unused parcel in the city of Zurich to protest for the lack of camping places for travellers in the Canton and city of Zurich. This new organisation also walked out of a working group covering other Jenische and Rroma organisations and the Swiss Federal Authorities, stating that this working group was far to slow (due to complete in 2018) and anyhow was more of an alibi exercise.

The acute lack of camping places has led to other occupations, for example in Basle, but also to some excesses whereby the Swiss Jenische want “segregated” places, i.e. want foreign travellers and Rroma be quartered in other places. The rationale is that the foreign travellers do not comply to the rather strict Swiss regulations. In our opinion, this is not a reason to warrant segregation. This can be resolved by enforcement. But fact is: Lack of space leads to disputes and to such statements.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe News Switzerland Romania

Romania: Between poverty and the hope of integration

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Romania: Between poverty and the hope of integration

Swissinfo reports on Swiss help for Rroma in villages in Romania and on the fact that the Swiss government is making Rroma a priority for their foreign aid, especially to Romania and Bulgaria.

The report focuses on an initiative of Terre des Hommes, funded by the Swiss government in several villages in South Western Romania.

News Eastern Europe News Switzerland News Western Europe

Amnesty: Who are Rroma

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Amnesty: Who are Rroma

amnestyAmnesty wrote a FAQ sheet on Rroma. Not bad, but still perpetuating some stereotypes. Rroma “travelled from place to place”. This is clearly false in many places, in the Balkans but also in Western Europe. Pity that they couldn’t get over their stereotypes.

News Switzerland

More Minority Status in Switzerland

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More Minority Status in Switzerland

Several French speaking newspapers in Switzerland published a common article on the open letter of Rroma, Sinti, and Jenische organisations to Ms. Sommaruga, the president of the Swiss confederation, appealing for recognition as a minority in that country.

While we greet the fact that these papers who normally only publish news of stealing, begging, or whoring Rroma, effectively stated that there are 80 to 100 thousand integrated Rroma in the country, we find it less amusing that none of the organisations they cited as co-signatories of the open letter are Rroma NGOs, and indeed they signed. In addition, several of the papers still resorted to the good old clichés of caravans, poverty, and other stereotypes when setting the picture.

News Switzerland

Switzerland: Rroma ask for minority status

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Switzerland: Rroma ask for minority status

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports on an action of Rroma, Sinti and Jenische representatives who wrote a letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Sommaruga asking for formal recognition of the Rroma as a minority in Switzerland. The paper notes that the up to 100 thousand Rroma living in that country are well integrated, but are not represented in several state organisation, for example in the Swiss Federal Commission against Racism.

News Switzerland

20 minutes in Switzerland: Authorities know too little on Rroma

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20 minutes in Switzerland: Authorities know too little on Rroma

20 Minutes reports on the fact that Rroma, Sinti, and Jenische, on the occasion of the International Rroma Day on April 8th, have written a letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Sommaruga, asking for an explicit recognition of the minority in Switzerland. The article stresses that the 80 to 100 thousand Rroma living in Switzerland are well integrated and mostly Swiss.

News Switzerland

Switzerland: No space for foreign travellers

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The camping place for travellers in Winterthur is now closed to foreign travellers. Official reason given is that a while back, some travelling Rroma left the place in dire state. Hence the interdiction.

That the behaviour of a few people should not be taken as grounds for a blanket interdictions should have occurred to the city of Winterthur… This is simply not acceptable in the 21st century.

News Switzerland

A movie on Rroma beggars in Lausanne

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A movie on Rroma beggars in Lausanne

Another documentary on Rroma beggars in Switzerland. It is amazing how a very small number of people seems to fascinate an entire country. In Lausanne, there are no more than 60 beggars at any time, and not all of them are Rroma. In Switzerland, there are at most 1’000 such beggars, thieves, prostitutes, and they are represented as a horde invading this peaceful country… Even theough there are 80 to 100 thousand well integrated Rroma there.

In Brief, another movie, another view on the same old stereotypes.

News Switzerland

The French speaking Swiss press equates Rroma with poor migrants

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The French speaking Swiss press equates Rroma with poor migrants

The newspaper “La Liberté” in a series of recent articles equates Rroma with poor migrants who come to Switzerland to beg. There is no differentiation, and the implicit ethnicisation of a social problem and the projection thereof on all Rroma is simply not acceptable.

They also mention the exhibition from Yves Leresche, a photographer who has captured many shantytowns and who shows the poor face of Rroma. All in all, this re-inforces the negative views that are already prevailing among the general population.

When one thinks that all the beggars, prostitutes and thieves in Switzerland number less than a thousand, which is not even 1.5% of the Rroma population of the country, one sees how far these views are from reality.

News Switzerland

22.02.15 Rroma, these unknown people whom we love to hate

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22.02.15 Rroma, these unknown people whom we love to hate

In Geneva, a theatre piece directed by Jérôme Richer questions the way we see Rroma. His show, oscillating between humour and seriousness serves many of the stereotypes on Rroma and their origins in the family and traditions. However, the actor and director mixes several topics in his presentation, speaking about travellers, speaking about Jenische, and the resulting picture, while coming from good intentions, misses the point. Rroma are clearly not as the gadže see them…

– Genecand, Marie-Pierre. Les Roms, ces inconnus qu’on adore détester. In: Le Temps. 19.02.2015. http://www.letemps.ch/…/Les_Roms_ces_inconnus_quon_adore_dé…

News Switzerland

31.12.2014 Swiss Government gives in: Jenische, Rroma, participate in the newly created commission

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The Swiss government – represented by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (BAK) – recently incited representatives of Jenische, Rroma, Sinti, and generally travellers to kick off a task force on the preservation of minorities and their culture. While the plenary session effectively achieved some kind of parity and representation, the working group created to devise the policies and projects was overwhelmingly non minority. Only two representatives of Jenische Organisations were invited to participate.

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Siegrist (2014) reports on the latest novel by Swiss writer Hans Schaub. The book, entitled “The blonde gypsy girl” [German: Das blonde Zigeunermädchen] tells the story of a German Gadje (non-Rroma) woman, who falls in love with a travelling Rroma musicians. She gives up her bourgeois life and henceforth lives with her travelling lover, whereby she experiences adventures and austerity. As this brief synopsis already reveals, the plot is pervaded by many stereotypes about Rroma: on one hand, there is the conviction that Rroma are traveling musicians and showmen. In addition, Siegrist review of the book, the terms “Gypsy”, “Rroma”, “travelers” and “Yeniche” are mistakenly equated: “Well, it is a novel, a fictional story, says Hans Schaub: “But, the impetus for the story was lawsuit that took place in 2010 in Zurich.” At that time, travelers stood before court, says Schaub, and he found that many prejudices were reflected in the media. “The Roma were generally poorly talked down.” Based on these findings, his story was developed. “I assume that there are no malicious ethnicities, but rather evil humans.” The author Hans Schaub, 70 years old, moved to Menziken in 2009, where he devotes himself to writing. As a former council chairman and head of the Department of Social Welfare in a Zurich municipality, Schaub had been in contact with travelers in Switzerland, most of the time about the question of travelling sites.” The book may tell an adventurous story about the contact between different cultures. Nevertheless, there is the problem that Schaub spreads prejudiced and simply false information about Rroma: most Rroma in Switzerland – an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people, are sedentary and well integrated. In addition, Yeniche and Rroma are not the same. The Swiss travelers are mainly Yeniche that have European roots and speak the language Yeniche that traces back to the Yiddish and Germanic language. The Rroma however originated from India and speak Rromanes, originating from the Sanskrit. Most Rroma are sedentary, as evidenced by some Ottoman tax registers since their arrival in Europe. These important details Schaub didn’t research thoroughly enough for his book and instead focuses on the dramatic and romanticized aspect of the casual “gypsy life”.

Hungary News Eastern Europe News Switzerland

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Odehnal (2014) reports on the hopelessness of the Rroma who returned from Switzerland. The 60 Rroma travelled to Switzerland in late October to apply for asylum. The applications were rejected immediately, because of the status of Hungary as an EU-country. Although Rroma are not politically persecuted in Hungary, they face severe discrimination in every day life. This fact was paid little attention to by the Swiss asylum authority: “On the evening of October the 19th, the 37-year-old Laszlo and his wife Anita, her five children and other Roma families boarded a coach to leave their home city of Miskolc in northern Hungary for ever, and to apply for asylum in Switzerland. Their homes in a former working class neighbourhood, in which the streets only have numbers, are soon to be demolished. […] Many families have received the termination of their lease, some houses have already been demolished. In addition, the Roma complain about discrimination and racism by authorities and the far-right Jobbik party. Job vacancies are barely available in the surroundings – and if so, Roma have no chance when applying. […] Piroska Fórizs must vacate her apartment in May. She has no idea how to proceed with her and their five children. Yes, she confirms the rumour in the village that her husband has committed suicide last week: “He was just depressed, did not know how to proceed.” The two oldest boys found their father hanged outside the house in the morning, she says.” Odehnal also spoke with the vice-mayor of Miskolc, Peter Pflieger, on the development aid of Switzerland in his city. The 1.2 million Swiss francs from the Swiss contribution have been used to clean two small rivers, to renew the riverside building and to save frogs. The fact that one could have easily built numerous apartments for the needy with this money is not mentioned. Since the economic and Euro crisis that has impoverished a growing strata of Hungarian, and the rise of the right-wing nationalist Fidesz, the Rroma are confronted with a revivified xenophobia. The 600,000 to one million Rroma in Hungary belong to all strata of society and professions. By the public presence of marginalized Rroma, the notion of the minority remains very one-sided and pejorative.

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21.11.2014 Swiss German media: one-sided coverage of Rroma

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Schindler (2014) reports on the November 18th Rroma Foundation’s press conference. The foundation presented the results of their five-year study on the coverage of Rroma in the Swiss German print media. The result is devastating: the various newspapers (NZZ, Blick, 20 Minuten Tages-Anzeiger, Beobachter, Weltwoche, Wochenzeitung (WOZ)), despite their different political orientation, all report in a one-sided way on the Rroma. In the media representation, the minority is reduced to a minority of marginalised, criminal Rroma. The majority of integrated Rroma – in Switzerland 80,000 to 100,000 people – is hidden: “If the is a report on Roma in Switzerland, the texts are exclusively speaking of beggars, thieves, and prostitutes, which are organised in patriarchal clans and cause problems. How many Roma are living in Switzerland, how unobtrusively they live and how well they are integrated, the reader does not learn – unlike in Germany or France, where the media report more balanced, according to the study. In the international departments however, the attention reduces them to victims, the study states. They are described almost exclusively as poor, uneducated and socially excluded” (Schindler 2014). Sutter (2014) focuses on the social effect of this one-sided reporting, in her reportage for SRF 2 Kultur. She emphasizes that at the press conference Stéphane Laederich appealed to ethical responsibilities of journalists. They should ask themselves whether a mentioning of ethnicity in relation to criminal offenses is morally acceptable: ““We want to point out that the image of begging clans does not correspond to reality.” The stereotypes that can be repeatedly found come in part of the Western European middle Ages. The image of child stealing, pagan, thieving Roma has legitimized their persecution and murder several times in the past. In connection with the reporting in Switzerland, Stéphane Laederich speaks of “intellectual arson that can all too easily turn into a real arson.” Therefore a ticking time bomb in the current European climate where right-wing nationalists celebrate great successes in voting” (Sutter 2014). Now the journalists are asked to act. It is up to them to replace this one-sided reporting with a differentiated picture of minority, and to encourage the readers to think critically. That alone can be the aspiration of good journalism. Therefore, the reference that the media necessarily report about the negative or extraordinary, misses the concerns of the Rroma Foundation: journalism hast to be more than just information, it must provide a realistic notion of the world and its minorities (compare Jirat 2014).

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