Another article on the new interdiction of horse drawn carriages in the centre of Sofia. This deprives many Roma of their only source of income.
Bad.
– Les charrettes ne sont plus le dada de Sofia qui accueille l’UE. In: Swiss Info. 22.12.2017. https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/les-charrettes-ne-sont-plus-le-dada-de-sofia-qui-accueille-l-ue/43776542 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/les-charrettes-ne-sont-plus-le-dada-de-sofia-qui-accueille-l-ue/43776542″]
In the context of the Swiss presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2017, representatives from the IHRA met Roma representatives from Switzerland.
– Meeting with Roma Representatives in Switzerland. In: International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. 05.12.2017. https://holocaustremembrance.com/media-room/news-archive/meeting-roma-representatives-switzerland [link-preview url=”https://holocaustremembrance.com/media-room/news-archive/meeting-roma-representatives-switzerland”]
The Swiss are introducing new measures against “troublesome” travellers, i.e. against foreign Roma. They can now deny them the permit for work if they have not been condemned in the last two years. This may very well mean that a traffic violation will be sufficient to be denied work.
Bad, and symptomatic of the new attitude of the Swiss against Roma.
– Kantone erhalten Druckmittel gegen störende Fahrende. In: St. Galler Tagblatt. 08.12.2017. http://www.tagblatt.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/neues-druckmittel-gegen-fahrende;art253650,5162621
– Kantone bekommen neues Druckmittel gegen Fahrende. In: Barfi. 08.12.2017. https://barfi.ch/News-Schweiz-die-Welt/Kantone-bekommen-neues-Druckmittel-gegen-Fahrende [link-preview url=”https://barfi.ch/News-Schweiz-die-Welt/Kantone-bekommen-neues-Druckmittel-gegen-Fahrende”]
More articles on the vote of the Bern parliament in favour of the establishment of a camping site for travellers in the canton.
– Am Schluss gabs bei den Fahrenden ein Selfie. In: Berner Zeitung. 22.1..2017. https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/am-schluss-gabs-bei-den-fahrenden-ein-selfie/story/23767423
– Statt «Marschhalts» folgt die Planung des Platzes in Wileroltigen. In: Der Bund. 22.11.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/neuhaus-setzt-sich-mit-seiner-fahrendenpolitik-durch/story/29077277
– Berner BDP will Fahrende vertreiben. In: Nau. 23.11.2017. https://www.nau.ch/news/berner-bdp-macht-gegen-fahrende-stimmung-65269502
– Berner Kantonsparlament gegen Planungsstopp für Transitplätze. In: Swiss Info. 22.11.2017. https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/berner-kantonsparlament-gegen-planungsstopp-fuer-transitplaetze/43697220 [link-preview url=”https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/am-schluss-gabs-bei-den-fahrenden-ein-selfie/story/23767423 “]
The Parliament of the Canton Bern in Switzerland voted against a motion that would have resulted in a stop for the search and construction of a suitable camping site for foreign travellers (mostly Roma and Sinti).
The fact that Switzerland segregates its sites for travellers is actually not acceptable but seems not to be noted by anyone in the country.
– Wileroltigen wird konkret. In: SRF. 22.11.2017. https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/transitplaetze-fuer-fahrende-wileroltigen-wird-konkret [link-preview url=”https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/transitplaetze-fuer-fahrende-wileroltigen-wird-konkret”]
Homeless people, Roma, addicts etc. and some militants have spent the night outside in front of a church in the centre of town to protest about the lack of sleeping places in the town. The city is known for its interdiction of begging, something directed at Roma even though the number of beggars in the city was never more than 60.
– Ils passent la nuit dehors avec les sans-abri. Le Courrier. 13.11.2017. https://www.lecourrier.ch/154243/ils_passent_la_nuit_dehors_avec_les_sans_abri [link-preview url=”https://www.lecourrier.ch/154243/ils_passent_la_nuit_dehors_avec_les_sans_abri”]
The Jenische Organisation “Radgenossenschaft der Landstrasse” wrote to the Swiss Federal Council, deploring the increase of racism against travellers in the country, the closure of camping sites, and the inaction of the authorities. They deplore the fact that the Jenische are thrown into the same pot as other “foreign” and mostly Roma group and that politics at the same time plays one group against the other.
– Jenische fürchten den “Dammbruch”. In: Der Bund. 17.11.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/Jenische-fuerchten-den-Dammbruch/story/26684903#overlay [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/Jenische-fuerchten-den-Dammbruch/story/26684903#overlay”]
The Czech republic has been under pressure at the UN in Geneva reading Roma and the persisting racism and discrimination against them in the Czech Republic.
Good!
– INTÉGRATION DES ROMS ET MONTÉE DU RACISME : L’ONU RECOMMANDE À LA TCHÉQUIE D’EN FAIRE PLUS. In: Radio Praha. 07.11.2017. http://www.radio.cz/fr/rubrique/faits/integration-des-roms-et-montee-du-racisme-lonu-recommande-a-la-tchequie-den-faire-plus
– LE PRÉSIDENT ZEMAN CRITIQUÉ PAR LES REPRÉSENTANTS DE LA MINORITÉ ROM. In: Radio Praha. 12.11.2017. http://www.radio.cz/fr/rubrique/infos/le-president-zeman-critique-par-les-representants-de-la-minorite-rom [link-preview url=”http://www.radio.cz/fr/rubrique/faits/integration-des-roms-et-montee-du-racisme-lonu-recommande-a-la-tchequie-den-faire-plus “]
An initiative in the Canton Vaud in Switzerland to forbid begging was approved by the cantonal parliament. It is currently suspended while court proceedings against it are in progress. This raises the question as to whether begging is a right.
Actually, the real question is whether this law was racist as it was aimed solely at Roma begging in the street of Lausanne.
– Mendier est-il un droit fondamental? In: Swiss Info. 08.11.2017. https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/economie/à-la-justice-de-trancher_mendier-est-il-un-droit-fondamental-/43654278 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/economie/à-la-justice-de-trancher_mendier-est-il-un-droit-fondamental-/43654278″]
Another series of articles following the publication of the report of the Society for threatened people (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker) on Roma travellers in Switzerland.
This time, the French speaking press…
– Il faut plus de places d’accueil pour les Roms. In: 20 Minutes (CH). 31.10.2017. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/suisse/story/Il-faut-plus-de-places-d-accueil-pour-les-Roms-23778771
– Plus d’aires d’accueil pour les roms. In: Le Courrier. 01.11.2017. https://www.lecourrier.ch/153932/plus_d_aires_d_accueil_pour_les_roms
– «Les Roms nomades ont besoin de plus de places» In; 24 Heures. 31.10.2017. https://www.24heures.ch/suisse/roms-nomades-besoin-places/story/29219685 [link-preview url=”https://www.lecourrier.ch/153932/plus_d_aires_d_accueil_pour_les_roms”]
Two more articles about the press conference and report of the Society for Threatened People (Geselschaft für bedrohte Völker) on the situation of travelling Roma in Switzerland. The police is on the Roma’s side this time …
– Polizisten raten: «Schafft Plätze». In: Der Bund. 01.11.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/polizisten-raten-schafft-plaetze/story/20987035
– «Messerschleifer sind nur noch wenige». In: Tages Anzeiger. 01.11.2017. https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/messerschleifer-sind-nur-noch-wenige/story/19294584 [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/polizisten-raten-schafft-plaetze/story/20987035 “]
Quite a few articles in the Swiss Press on the presentation of a report by the Society for Threatened People (Geselschaft für bedrohte Völker) on the situation of travelling Roma in Switzerland. Key tenor in the Press, the police is agrees that one of the main issues ais the lack of proper camping sites for these travellers.
– Roma klagen über Konflikte mit der Polizei. In: Berner Zeitung. 31.10.2017. https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/roma-klagen-ueber-konflikte-mit-der-polizei/story/31389521
– Polizei teilt Forderung der fahrenden Roma nach mehr Halteplätzen. In: Blick. 31.10.2017. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/zu-wenige-halteplaetze-fuehren-vermehrt-zu-konflikten-polizei-teilt-forderung-der-fahrenden-roma-nach-mehr-halteplaetzen-id7534546.html
– Roma fordern mehr Halteplätze. In: Bluewin. 31.10.2017. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/inland/2017/10/31/polizei-teilt-forderung-der-fahrenden-roma-nach-me.html
– Erfahrung mit Fahrenden im TOP-Land. In: Top Online. 31.10.2017. http://www.toponline.ch/news/winterthur/detail/news/erfahrung-mit-fahrenden-im-top-land-0075634/ [link-preview url=”https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/roma-klagen-ueber-konflikte-mit-der-polizei/story/31389521 “]
A report by the Society for Threatened Peoples on the situation of travelling Roma in Switzerland show the increased difficulties they are facing. More camping sites are needed but also more work to fight against prejudices.
– NGO and police call for more Roma transit sites. In: Swiss Info. 31.10.2017. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/minorities_ngo-and-police-call-for-more-roma-transit-sites/43640038 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/minorities_ngo-and-police-call-for-more-roma-transit-sites/43640038″]
On Roma Travellers in Switzerland [link-preview url=””]
The Swiss Federal Tribunal suspended the current prohibition against begging in Lausanne until it statutes on the appeal against this law.
A first step!
– Interdiction de la mendicité suspendue dans le canton de Vaud. In: Swissinfo. 03.10.2017. https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/interdiction-de-la-mendicité-suspendue-dans-le-canton-de-vaud/43567020 [link-preview url=”https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/interdiction-de-la-mendicité-suspendue-dans-le-canton-de-vaud/43567020″]
The Canton Bern is stopping the search for a suitable place to create a camping site for foreign travellers. This distinction between local and foreign travellers is really bad.
– Weichenstellung in der Roma-Politik. In: Der Bund. 05.10.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/weichenstellung-in-der-romapolitik/story/12911725 [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/weichenstellung-in-der-romapolitik/story/12911725″]
Seems that the Swiss cannot find a solution to the “problem” of travellers… Really? For around 3000 people who visit Switzerland regularly?
– «Allen Efforts zum Trotz gibts weniger Plätze». In: Der Bund. 09.09.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/allen-efforts-zum-trotz-gibts-weniger-plaetze/story/11905198 [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/allen-efforts-zum-trotz-gibts-weniger-plaetze/story/11905198″]
A case showing that Roma can camp in Switzerland without being tagged as dirtying and defiling the site on which they camp… This entire polemic of foreign travellers is a self made issue.
– Wo Roma friedlich campieren. In: Der Landbote. 08.09.2017. https://www.landbote.ch/front/wo-roma-friedlich-campieren/story/12509526 [link-preview url=”https://www.landbote.ch/front/wo-roma-friedlich-campieren/story/12509526″]
A new recourse against the interdiction of begging in the canton of Vaud has been filed in the Swiss Federal Tribunal. The canton had passed this law even tough the number of beggars is ridiculously low (less than a hundred) at any given time.
– Mendicité: recours contre l’interdiction vaudoise. In: La Tribune de Genève. 04.09.2017. https://www.tdg.ch/suisse/suisse-romandemendicite-recours-interdiction-vaudoise/story/30109601 [link-preview url=”https://www.tdg.ch/suisse/suisse-romandemendicite-recours-interdiction-vaudoise/story/30109601″]
Really, an ordinance in Switzerland is trying to ban travellers from working based on “disturbing public order” …
Bad!!!!
– Une ordonnance braque les gens du voyage. In: La Tribune de Genève. 06,09.2017. https://www.tdg.ch/suisse/ordonnance-braque-gens-voyage/story/18323278 [link-preview url=”https://www.tdg.ch/suisse/ordonnance-braque-gens-voyage/story/18323278″]
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