Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Frankreich News Westeuropa

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Another one of these misinformed “documentaries” in France that show one can say anything about Roma. Here, in one of the main TV chanels, where they say there are 17’000 Roma in France – well, if you use that (as the French do) aas a synonym for Romanian Roma of recent arrival, this is correct. But nevertheless, this is pitifull.

Other news are a festival, l’Arbre vagabond in Chambon-sur-Lignon; a vampo near Nantes, where there was a fire fater which it was vacated; another campo where the city of Nantes dives itself 4 years (yes) to relocate Roma from a camp; and in the same city, a new Roma camp in a site that is full of arsenic and mercury.

The French have done nothing in more than twenty years to integrate around 20’000 Roma from Romania. They are still living in slums, being evicted and resettling in another one. Shame.

News Osteuropa Polen Rumänien

Romano Feminist Theatre

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Romano Feminist Theatre

An interview with Mihaela Dragan, founder of a feminist Roma theatre. She says “My grandmother was a matriarch, so I always had feminism first-hand, although I didn’t know that such a word existed. At home, I saw that women are born leaders.”

The manifesto “Roma Futurismi” written by Mihaela Dragan, was translated into Polish by Marta Orczykowska for the Łódź of Many Cultures Festival.

News Osteuropa Polen

Auschwitz – Oświęcim Pogrom

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Auschwitz – Oświęcim Pogrom

In the Polsih town of Oświęcim, better known by its German name, a pogrom against Roma took place in October 1981. Antoni Rokicki’s report “Wystraczy spark” is a documentary on these events.

Dr. Joanna Talewicz, an anthropologist from Oświęcim and president of the W Stronę Dialogu Foundation, talks about the fact that the pogrom is still a taboo topic, even in some Roma families. “We, the Roma, often bear collective responsibility for things we did not do,” she says.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Slovenia: New Centre

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Slovenia: New Centre

In the Roma settlement of Dobruška Vas in the municipality of Škocjan, the new premises of the multi-purpose Roma centre, which also includes a kindergarten, were officially opened today. The centre was burned down in March this year, and the municipality decided to replace it with a new one. “Especially in the desire to help children,” said Mayor Jože Kapler.

According to the mayor, the new center is built out of three new containers that the municipality rented and remodeled. The municipality also provided water and electricity for the center, and built playgrounds next to it. The entire investment cost around 70,000 euros.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Slovakia: Interview

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Slovakia: Interview

An interviw with MP Viliam Tankó, who also represents Slovakia in boxing and, who in is own words says that had to live with my mother near a garbage dump. He also explains why he recently left the movement of Matovič who scored high within the Roma population in Slovakia. Since then, he worked as a non-affiliated member of parliament until, together with Michal Šimeček, he announced two weeks ago that he was joining the club of the strongest opposition party, Progresívne Slovensko.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

80 Years Ago

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80 Years Ago

80 years ago, the Nazis massacred 24 Roma in the settlement near Žiari nad Hronom. They herded people into houses and set them on fire.

Of all the men, women and children, only a 14-year-old girl was saved from death by fire. She managed to jump out of the window of the burning house and hide. After a few days, the locals took her to the hospital, but they were detained by a military patrol and the girl was shot on the spot, ethnologist Arne Mann describes the event.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Roma Settlements and Waste

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Roma Settlements and Waste

An article about the issue of waste from a Roma settlement in Slovakia (an ‘Osada’) which washes down in a water reservoir below. Of course, the blame is on Roma who dump garbage and more behind their houses.

But …

There is no garbage collection, there are no sewers, and in many of those settlements, there is no runnign water. Now, who’s to blame?

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Slovakia and the Persecution of Roma

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Slovakia and the Persecution of Roma

An article about a book on the persecution and deportation of Roma during World War Two in Slovakia. It unfortunately centres on “nomadism” and puts a caravan as an image. That there had never been nomadic Roma in Slovakia is not mentioned.

So, with good ntentions, this cements stereotypes.

Griechenland News Westeuropa

Conference in Greece

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Conference in Greece

A conference on Antisemmitism and anti-Roma racism in Greece on October 17th. It goes unter the motto “Let us never forget” and investigates the roots of the Holocaust, a systematic genocide during World War II,  which targeted, Jews and Roma on ethnic grounds. Its roots lie in long-standing prejudices and the radicalization of exclusionary ideologies during the nation-building period of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Understanding this historical context is crucial to recognizing and combating similar forms of discrimination today.

Europe News Osteuropa Rumänien

A book on Rudari Migration

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A book from 2023 about Rudari, a Vlach Roma group now found all over Europe. It investigates their migrations and history.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Slovakia and Culture

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The trio known as Rudeboys Radio, consisting of Otec Mirec, Spunkey and Romski, are known in club culture for their dynamic performances. In their sets, the guys combine several musical genres such as hip-hop, baile funk, R’n’B and house.

Father Mirec, Spunkey and Romski also told us about their DJ career, which brought them to the forefront of the club scene not only in Slovakia, but also abroad. They revealed their view of the current situation in Slovak culture, which has recently faced many challenges. They revealed how they perceive the change in atmosphere and control by the authorities, which often interfere with the freedom of the club scene.

News Osteuropa Slowenien

Slovenia, Roma. In Murska Sobota

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The Roma Academic Club organized a discussion in the Regional and Study Library in Murska Sobota while reading Roma literature entitled Sar zapisje Romi [How Roma write]. An exhibition titled Me som _ Jaz sem [I am] was also on display. The traditional mini Roma Olympics took place in Murska Sobota, where children could try out several sports. Maribor’s Kralji ulice association orgnised an excursion to Murska Sobota for Romnja. With the recording of the concert, one will remember the musician Igor Misdaris, the singer of the band Šukar.

News Osteuropa Ukraine

Ukraine and Roma

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One of those articles in the Ukrainian press… The article says “In Brovary [On the Eastern Side of Kyiv], a man lives on a bench, and Roma families have settled in his house and lead an immoral (sic.) lifestyle”. According to local residents, Roma have been living in two houses on the street for more than two yearsThey are aggressive, threaten their neighbors, deal with drugs, organize car races on the streets, etc. The houses where their large families live are unsanitary, children do not study and do not go to kindergartens.

Difficult to unravel, but bad in any case.

News Osteuropa Slowakei

Slovakia and Forced Sterilisations

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Romnja, who were sterilized in the past in present day Slovakia, are demanding compensation. This initiative has been going on for more than twenty years and is still not fulfilled. It is possible that, like other problems, society in Slovakia will “avoid” this issue. Promises will remain at the verbal level, but we will not receive real compensation.

Czechia introduced a law to compensate women a while back, but are still dragging their feet in actually compensating the victims.

Tschechische Republik News Osteuropa

Czechia: The Wall

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25 years ago, On October 25th, in the Czech town of Úští nad Labem, the local government built a fence made of prefabricated parts, which separated the Roma neighbourhood from the rest.

The structure, 1.8 meters high and 60 meters long, was removed after six weeks under pressure from the government and after protests by Czech and foreign human rights defenders, who saw it as a manifestation of racism.

News Schweiz

Switzerland and Begging

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Very soon, begging in the streets of Lausanne, Vevey or Yverdon will no longer be a good idea. On October 1st, the Grand Council of Vaud adopted a new law on begging that is stricter than the draft of the Council of State, which prohibits the persons concerned from begging in a large number of places, such as markets, near public buildings, daycare centres, schools, playgrounds, banks, post offices, cash machines and parking meters, shops, medical and care facilities, museums, theatres and cinemas.

While the law was originally thought against Roma beggars, it affects many drug addicts who are Swiss too…

Frankreich News Westeuropa

French Chronicle …

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Not much this week in France The coutnry is more focused on its government (or potential lack thereof) than about Roma. Only one notable article about the closure of a larg Roma camp near Nantes.

Kosovo News Osteuropa

Kosovo, Roma, and Discrimination

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Members of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities face discrimination in hiring processes, and even when they do get a job, they face an environment of exclusion, as they often become the object of ridicule and insults, due to their ethnicity. They mainly do temporary work, and usually manual labor, maintenance and street vending. Civil society activists say the situation is no better than in the private sector, even in the public sector, where quotas for marginalized communities are often abused.

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