This time a newspaper in France claims that the Travellers are all Rroma … Not very smart.
Sweden seems to be following the footsteps of France and clearing Rroma migrant camps. That such a socially inclined country tolerated ghettoes for so long is already quite amazing. But a solution, it doesn’t provide. This is WINDOW DRESSING. And thanks God, some people are protesting.
A French regional Newspaper is advertising with the slogan “if we were not here, would would tell you about the live of the Rroma in the Ghetto?”
SHAME!!!
The police is finally acting against the so-called “Identitaires” who have occupied buildings where Rroma were supposed to be lodged.
Good!
The French Front National, the extreme right party is using Rroma in their populist discourse for the upcoming local elections in France. This is even used to gain electors in other communities such as Jews …
SHAME!
As usual, our chronicle on France. This time with lots of articles… The Rroma “Problem” in Arles; mobilisation against migrants in Lyon and politicians using this in their campaigns; Rroma expelled from a Gas Station where they were camping near Lyon; Rroma near Grenoble appealing to the authorities after the destruction of their camp; 2500 new beds for homless and Rroma in the Paris region; Rroma being lodged in a glasshouse in thee South West; another centre for Rroma near Lyon; while Rroma in the West hope for a mild winter; and finally, a regional conference by the communist party on Rroma and on how to help them (be reminded that communist mayors in France have not been better than their FN counterparts in these matters).
In spite of clear laws on schooling in France, it is not that easy for Rroma children to get into schools, especially if they do not have a proper address. In some cases, one has to go court …
SHAME!
A book on “Gypsies” in the Moslem world. CAREFULL – while there are many Moslem Rroma in the Balkan and in Turkey, many “Gypsies” are not Rroma but just populations who live in a way that the general population qualifies as “Gypsy”. In the Middle East, only Domari are related to Rroma – and there are not five millions of them.
And as usual, our chronicle on the visible minority in France … News about Moirans, the place near Grenoble where riots took place to ask for the release of a detained Rrom – frm the Name of the mother (VInterstein) these are most probably Manouches or Sinti (Winterstein is a common name); Militants occupied a house where Rroma are planned to be housed near Lyon; politicians target Rroma camps in a populist move prior to local elections in Wissous, in the North; controversy on the Mission Rom in Strasbourg, which tries to muzzle journalists – scary; in La Courneuve where one of the oldest camps was emptied this summer, the fate of expulsed Rroma still shocks; volunteers in the North helping homeless; and finally poverty and begging near Paris are dangerous (REALLY???)
Some additional articles on the Rroma pigrimage in Rome this week end, culminating with an audience with the Pope for a few Rroma.
To put things in relation… All the Press in France speaks about a tiny minority of Rroma, around seven thousands near Paris. The majority, estimated at about half a million is invisible …
The French Press is getting confused … They tend to indiscriminately name Rroma, Manouches, Gitans, as well as autochthonous travellers “Gens du Voyage” which is some cases leads to totally absurd descriptions of “sedentary travellers” etc. All this instead of naming things as they are: Rroma – composed of 40 or so different groups among which the Sinti, but also Lovara, Kalderasha, Manouches (French Sinti), Kale (called Gitans in France), and local travellers which have nothing culturally to do with Rroma. What is so difficult here????
Several articles are currently going around in France about “Gens du Voyage” – Travellers – who violently protested in Grenoble and near a prison where one of them was incarcerated and who was not allowed to get out of jail for a funeral of someone of his family …
The foreign Press took these travellers as being Rroma. Are they? Are they not? This highlights the issue of a way of life versus a minority. By far not all Rroma travel (think about 12 Mio travellers, we would see them more), and not all travellers are Rroma.
Could Journalists start thinking?
Politis, a French paper, is stating that Rroma are stigmatised in France by the press and politicians. They are unfortunately right.
An article on the French concentration camp of Rivesaltes. A camp that is often forgotten but was an important one in the South of France.
The French Press is getting confused … They tend to indiscriminately name Rroma, Manouches, Gitans, as well as autochthonous travellers “Gens du Voyage” which is some cases leads to totally absurd descriptions of “sedentary travellers” etc. All this instead of naming things as they are: Rroma – composed of 40 or so different groups among which the Sinti, but also Lovara, Kalderasha, Manouches (French Sinti), Kale (called Gitans in France), and local travellers which have nothing culturally to do with Rroma. What is so difficult here????
Seems that this week, the chronicle is concentrated in the North and in the Lyon region … A video on Rroma in camp in Lille and in their village of origin; political discussions with Marine le Pen on Rroma in Lille; a report on poverty in Roubaix; Rroma left a camp in Roubaix; Rroma and Iraqi Christians being lodged together in an old presbytery; police action in a camp near Lyon; and finally, the residents of a village are fighting against the arrival of Rroma.
An interview with a young 17 years old Rromni in France and her wishes for the future. A nice change to the usual presentation of Rroma in the press!
The reportage on Rroma made by “Zone Interdite” is exactly as bad as one could expect it. Seems that journalists, when reporting on Rroma do not really think about how representative their samples are … So let’s please interview a few drunk homeless French, and extend this to the whole of France …
A program aimed at giving Rroma a chance to express themselves via arts and culture took place in France. A success apparently.
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