Category Archives: News Switzerland

Switzerland and Roma

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The Swiss government through its Federal Council refused a demand by Roma organisations to be recognised as a national minority in the sense of the framework agreements on the protection of national minorities.
This is even more frustrating as the Swiss recognised Sinti and Manouches …

– Roma denied official minority status in Switzerland. In: Info Suisse. 01.06.2018. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/minority-rights_roma-denied-official-minority-status-in-switzerland/44161476 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/minority-rights_roma-denied-official-minority-status-in-switzerland/44161476″]

More on the Complaint

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First reactions in Switzerland on the complaint against an SVP politician who made derogatory comments about Roma travellers.

– SVP-Politiker hat Anzeige am Hals. In: FM1 Today. 31.05.2018. http://www.fm1today.ch/svp-politiker-hat-anzeige-am-hals/781689 [link-preview url=”http://www.fm1today.ch/svp-politiker-hat-anzeige-am-hals/781689″]

Switzerland: Complaint

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The Society for Threatened People and the Association of Sinti and Roma Switzerland have lodged a complaint against a SVP (right wing populist party) politician for racism and incitation to racial hatred for his comments on Roma travellers.

– «Das ist rassistisch» Strafanzeige gegen Arboner SVP-Mann nach Verbalattacke auf Fahrende. In: Tagblatt. 30.05.2018. https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/nach-verbalattacke-auf-roma-strafanzeige-gegen-den-arboner-svp-fraktionspraesidenten-ld.1024762 [link-preview url=”https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/nach-verbalattacke-auf-roma-strafanzeige-gegen-den-arboner-svp-fraktionspraesidenten-ld.1024762″]

Switzerland and Holocaust

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An article on Ceija Stojka in the Swiss press, and information about the Holocaust on Roma. This is news in Switzerland, as Roma generally are only beggars or travellers …
Good.

– Le travail de mémoire de Ceija Stojka. In: Le Temps. 25.05.2018. https://www.letemps.ch/culture/travail-memoire-ceija-stojka [link-preview url=”https://www.letemps.ch/culture/travail-memoire-ceija-stojka”]

Switzerland …

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Yet again a SVP politician making rabid statements against Roma. So far, no one made a formal complaint to the police. This is unfortunately being felt as almost useless in Switzerland where a politician stating that all Roma lie, are lazy, dirty etc. has not been considered to the worthy of a condemnation …

– Aussagen zu Roma waren «grenzwertig». In: Tagblatt. 25.05.2018. https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/kreuzlingen/aussagen-zu-roma-waren-grenzwertig-ld.1023682 [link-preview url=”https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/kreuzlingen/aussagen-zu-roma-waren-grenzwertig-ld.1023682″]

Roma Travellers

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Several Roma are camping in Rüthi in the canton Saint Gall. They are apparently gathering for a wedding. The press is saying residents are afraid of the dirt, depredations etc. that will certainly occur.
Well, how about seeing first, and then saying what happened …

– Anwohner bangen vor Hochzeit unter Fahrenden. In: 20 Minuten CH. 23.05.2018. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/ostschweiz/story/Fahrende-in-Ruethi-23594499 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/ostschweiz/story/Fahrende-in-Ruethi-23594499″]

Bern: Camping Sites

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The discussion on sites for travellers in the canton of Bern is a never-ending story. Two sites cannot be used, and now maybe an alternative on prison land can be found…

– Fahrende auf Land von Gefängnis? In: 20 Minuten (CH). 18.05.2018. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Fahrende-auf-Knast-Land–16907062 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Fahrende-auf-Knast-Land–16907062″]

Romanes and Switzerland

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Seems that the Swiss are waking up – Romanes is now on the maps for journalists …
Took a while.

– Dix petites langues de la Suisse. In: Swissinfo. 08.05.2018. https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/societe/diversité-linguistique_dix-petites-langues-de-la-suisse/44100380 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/societe/diversité-linguistique_dix-petites-langues-de-la-suisse/44100380″]

Roma in Switzerland

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An article on Roma in Switzerland and their struggle to be recognised. Good that one speaks about it, but a pity that “Roma” is being translated a “Mensch” [human being], as this is said “manuš” in Romanea (and in Sanskrit).

– Ein Leben als Projektionsfläche. In: WOZ. 10.05.2018. https://www.woz.ch/1819/roma-in-der-schweiz/ein-leben-als-projektionsflaeche [link-preview url=”https://www.woz.ch/1819/roma-in-der-schweiz/ein-leben-als-projektionsflaeche”]

Switzerland: Condemned

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Two Bernese politicians from the youth section of the right-wing party SVP were effectively convicted for racism for a picture depicting “stinking” Roma during the election campaign for the Bern parliament this spring.
They are appealing their conviction.

– Die Chefs der Berner JSVP müssen vor den Richter. In: Der Bund. 07.05.2018. https://m.derbund.ch/articles/5af0784dab5c37201c000001 [link-preview url=”https://m.derbund.ch/articles/5af0784dab5c37201c000001″]

Travellers in Switzerland

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The new law in the canton of Neuchatel in Switzerland is all but friendly towards travellers. In fact, it is so bad, that it may very well contradict basic human rights and definitively agreements signed with the EU…
An appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal has been made by several organisations.

– Fahrende sehen sich im Kanton Neuenburg diskriminiert. In: Watson. 24.04.2018. https://www.watson.ch/Schweiz/articles/338482985-Fahrende-sehen-sich-im-Kanton-Neuenburg-diskriminiert [link-preview url=”https://www.watson.ch/Schweiz/articles/338482985-Fahrende-sehen-sich-im-Kanton-Neuenburg-diskriminiert”]

Switzerland and Travellers

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The Swiss Federal Tribunal will have to decide a recourse against the new law on Travellers issued by the Canton of Neuchatel. This law is definitively repressive and singles out a minority. As such, it cannot be accepted.

– Bundesgericht soll Neuenburger Gesetz zum Aufenthalt von Fahrenden für ungültig erklären. In: GfbV. 24.05.2018. https://www.gfbv.ch/de/medien/medienmitteilungen/bundesgericht-soll-neuenburger-gesetz-zum-aufenthalt-von-fahrenden-fuer-ungueltig-erklaeren/ [link-preview url=”https://www.gfbv.ch/de/medien/medienmitteilungen/bundesgericht-soll-neuenburger-gesetz-zum-aufenthalt-von-fahrenden-fuer-ungueltig-erklaeren/”]

Lausanne and Beggars

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Again an article on beggars in Lausanne, this time accusing the police of being to lenient. It is forbidden to beg in that city if in company of children.
Lots of noise for less than a hundred people in that city.

– MENDICITÉ À LAUSANNE: LA POLICE FERME TROP LES YEUX. In: Le Matin. 30.03.2018. https://www.lematin.ch/suisse/Mendicite-la-police-ferme-trop-les-yeux/story/16931136 [link-preview url=”https://www.lematin.ch/suisse/Mendicite-la-police-ferme-trop-les-yeux/story/16931136″]

Switzerland: Law on Travellers

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The Law on travellers proposed by the Canton of Bern is getting bashed by a law professor who considers it illegal. The proposal would bring drastic measures against travellers who would be treated in the same way as hooligans.
Bad law, good critique!

– «Lex Fahrende» erhält miese Noten. In: Der Bund. 14.03.2018. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/lex-fahrende-erhaelt-miese-noten/story/18895340
– Jus-Professor kritisiert «Lex Fahrende». In: Berner Zeitung. 14.03.2018. https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/kanton-bern/jusprofessor-kritisiert-lex-fahrende/story/12727031 [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/lex-fahrende-erhaelt-miese-noten/story/18895340 “]

Switzerland: More on the Complaint

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Another report on the complaint against the Youth SVP (rightist party) in Bern and their discriminatory poster. The worrisome fact is that after having initially forbidden the post, Facebook re-authorised the post.
Bad…

– Strafverfahren gegen JSVP wegen «Zigeuner»-Plakat eingeleitet. In: Nau. 12.02.2018. https://www.nau.ch/news/strafverfahren-gegen-jsvp-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-eingeleitet-65308361
– Facebook lässt «Zigeuner»-Plakat der JSVP wieder zu. In: Nau. 05.04.2018. https://www.nau.ch/politik-wirtschaft/facebook-lasst-zigeuner-plakat-der-jsvp-wieder-zu-65305448 [link-preview url=”https://www.nau.ch/news/strafverfahren-gegen-jsvp-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-eingeleitet-65308361 “]

Switzerland – Racism

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The Bern Young SVP (the Swiss rightist party) who posted a poster against Roma are now being investigated by the prosecutor’s office for racism.
Let’s see whether they will be condemned, which is far from sure in Switzerland.

– Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt gegen Jung-SVP-Chefs. In: Blick. 11.03.2018. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/rassismus-verdacht-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-staatsanwaltschaft-ermittelt-gegen-jung-svp-chefs-id8097534.html [link-preview url=”https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/rassismus-verdacht-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-staatsanwaltschaft-ermittelt-gegen-jung-svp-chefs-id8097534.html”]

Camping Site

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A site for “foreign” travellers (i.e. Roma) is opening in Brügg, Switzerland. Switzerland has a policy of de-facto segregation – reserving sites for Swiss travellers only. This is a rather recent development, started around 2014.

– Transitplatz für Fahrende in Brügg. In: Bauernzeitung. 08.03.2018. https://www.bauernzeitung.ch/news-archiv/2018/transitplatz-fuer-fahrende-in-bruegg [link-preview url=”https://www.bauernzeitung.ch/news-archiv/2018/transitplatz-fuer-fahrende-in-bruegg”]

Switzerland and EU

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Following the late report of Switzerland on the Framework Agreement for the Protection of National Minorities, members from the Council of Europe were in Bern to speak with representatives of the Government and f the minorities. Jenishe, sinti, and also Roma organisations were also included in this dialogue.

– Europarat nimmt im Bernbiet die Lage der Jenischen und Sinti unter die Lupe. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/region/europarat-nimmt-im-bernbiet-die-lage-der-jenischen-und-sinti-unter-die-lupe/story/11801374 [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/region/europarat-nimmt-im-bernbiet-die-lage-der-jenischen-und-sinti-unter-die-lupe/story/11801374″]

SVP and Roma

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The SVP, the Swiss rightist party distanced itself from its Bernese youth branch following their publication of a racist poster on the internet.
This poster was removed from Facebook in the meantime but led to an indictment of the Young SVP party for incitation to racist hatred.

– Mutterpartei rüffelt Berner Jung-SVP-Chefs. In: Blick. 25.02.2018. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/svp-zoff-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-mutterpartei-rueffelt-berner-jung-svp-chefs-id8034423.html
– Dieses Bild wird eingeklagt. In: Tageswoche. 24.02.2018. https://tageswoche.ch/gesellschaft/dieses-bild-wird-eingeklagt/ [link-preview url=”https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/svp-zoff-wegen-zigeuner-plakat-mutterpartei-rueffelt-berner-jung-svp-chefs-id8034423.html “]

More on the Swiss SVP

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Another article, this time in French on the poster of the rightist SVP in Switzerland and the complaint against them from the Association of Sinti and Roma Switzerland.

– Des Roms choqués par une caricature des Jeunes UDC. In: 24 Heures. 23.02.2018. https://www.24heures.ch/suisse/roms-choques-caricature-jeunes-udc/story/17982232 [link-preview url=”https://www.24heures.ch/suisse/roms-choques-caricature-jeunes-udc/story/17982232″]

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