Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic and Sterilisation

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A long article on the forced sterilisations conducted in Czechoslovakia and then in the Czech and Slovak republics, until very recently. These sterilisations were solely motivated by eugenics.
No one has ever been convicted for such a crime, but they should.

– Racism’s cruelest cut: coercive sterilisation of Romani women and their fight for justice in the Czech Republic (1966-2016) In: Open Democracy. 24.01.2017. https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/bernard-rorke-marek-szilvasi/racisms-cruelest-cut-coercive-sterilization-of-roman [link-preview url=”https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/bernard-rorke-marek-szilvasi/racisms-cruelest-cut-coercive-sterilization-of-roman”]

Ukraine: Camp on a Dump

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A reportage on a Rroma camp built on a garbage dump in the village of Ribne, near Ivano-Frankivsk. Roughly 500 Rroma live there in appalling conditions, and it seems to be growing.
Bad

– Франківець показав, як живе близько п’ятиста циган на сміттєзвалищі у Рибному (фото). In: Версіі. 19.01.2017. http://versii.if.ua/novunu/frankivets-pokazav-yak-zhivut-500-tsigan-na-smittyezvalishhi-u-ribnomu-foto/ [link-preview url=”http://versii.if.ua/novunu/frankivets-pokazav-yak-zhivut-500-tsigan-na-smittyezvalishhi-u-ribnomu-foto/”]

Czech Republic: Politics and Rroma

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An interview of a Rroma activist who condemns the recruitment by extremist parties of Rroma to support anti-migrant policies. The same happens in Hungary and in other countries. In Hungary, the government even dsaid that should migrants come in, they would have to cut social help for Rroma …

– Jozef Miker: It irritates me when Workers Party supporters recruit Roma against migrants. In: Romea. 21.01.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/jozef-miker-it-irritates-me-when-workers-party-supporters-recruit-roma-against-migrants [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/jozef-miker-it-irritates-me-when-workers-party-supporters-recruit-roma-against-migrants”]

Switzerland: Beggars

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An interview of a Romanian Rroma beggar. Unfortunately, with all stereotypes that one can think of: Arranged weddings, early pregnancies, large families, poverty etc. This is the life of this family and quite a few others but is not the entire Rroma reality.

– « Mendier, c’est tout ce qui me reste à faire » In: L’Hebdo. 17.01.2017. http://www.hebdo.ch/les-blogs/pirolt-sabine-rédacteur-lhebdo/«%C2%A0mendier-c’est-tout-ce-qui-me-reste-à-faire%C2%A0»
– Et si l’on commençait par dire bonjour aux mendicants. In: 24 Heures. 18.01.2017. http://www.24heures.ch/signatures/reflexions/commencait-bonjour-mendiants/story/17545650 [link-preview url=”http://www.hebdo.ch/les-blogs/pirolt-sabine-rédacteur-lhebdo/«%C2%A0mendier-c’est-tout-ce-qui-me-reste-à-faire%C2%A0» “]

Slovakia: Remembering the 20th Century

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An article and testimonies of Rroma and their lives in the 20th century in central Slovakia. Holocaust, life under communism, the fall of the Iron curtain.

– Rómovia spomínajú na 20. storočie: Gadžo bol mojej dcére za svedka. In: Spravy Pravda. 21.01.2017. http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/417444-romovia-spominaju-na-20-storocie-gadzo-bol-mojej-dcere-za-svedka/ [link-preview url=”http://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/417444-romovia-spominaju-na-20-storocie-gadzo-bol-mojej-dcere-za-svedka/”]

Slovenia: Give them a Chance

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The project “give them a chance” was presented recently in Lendava. The project with its partners from Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia prepared a training program for teachers in various education programs and vocational training for adults taught by members of the Roma ethnic minority. As explained by Rachel Hojnik in the People’s University of Lendava the targets of this program are adult educators who work in areas where members of the Roma ethnic minority live.

– Tri države združile moči v projektu za večjo uspešnost izobraževanja odraslih Romov. In: Pomurec. 19.01.2017. http://www.pomurec.com/vsebina/41370/Tri_drzave_zdruzile_moci_v_projektu_za_vecjo_uspesnost_izobrazevanja_odraslih_Romov [link-preview url=”http://www.pomurec.com/vsebina/41370/Tri_drzave_zdruzile_moci_v_projektu_za_vecjo_uspesnost_izobrazevanja_odraslih_Romov”]

Racism in Czech Schools

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The reality in Czech schools: Racism against Rroma is prevalent. Read the article …
BAD.

– Carmen Russo: The Fight For a Better Future. Battling Racism in Czech Schools. In: Romea.cz. 12.01.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/the-fight-for-a-better-future-battling-racism-in-czech-schools-carmen-russo
– Carmen Russo: Útěk za lepší budoucností a boj s rasismem v českých školách. In: Romea.cz. 16.01.2017. http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/carmen-russo-utek-za-lepsi-budoucnosti-a-boj-s-rasismem-v-ceskych-skolach [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/the-fight-for-a-better-future-battling-racism-in-czech-schools-carmen-russo “]

Slovenia: Gentrification

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In Krško, the municipality is planning a residential neighbourhood on the site of a Rroma settlement. A petition was launched and the Slovenian government referred it back to the municipality…
This is not the first time that Rroma are evicted in this manner.

– Krški župan Stanko: Vlada odgovornost pri nameravani gradnji na območju romskega zaselka prelaga na občino. In: STA. 20.01.2017. https://www.sta.si/2347637/krski-zupan-stanko-vlada-odgovornost-pri-nameravani-gradnji-na-obmocju-romskega-zaselka-prelaga-na-obcino [link-preview url=”https://www.sta.si/2347637/krski-zupan-stanko-vlada-odgovornost-pri-nameravani-gradnji-na-obmocju-romskega-zaselka-prelaga-na-obcino”]

Slovakia and world War Two

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A testimony of massacres of Rroma during World War Two in Slovakia. Rroma there were often accused to collaborate with the resistance and were therefore deported or simply executed. While this was true in some cases, in others, this was simply a pretext to kill Rroma.
The testimony here is about a massacre in the village of Čierneho Balog in central Slovakia.

– Neviem, kde sa vo mne tá odvaha nabrala. In: Dennik. 20.01.2017. https://dennikn.sk/blog/neviem-kde-sa-vo-mne-ta-odvaha-nabrala/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/blog/neviem-kde-sa-vo-mne-ta-odvaha-nabrala/”]

More on Odessa

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A follow up on the anti-Rroma posters and leaflets being distributed in Odessa since the end of last year. The people who distribute them are still not identified, and it seems that not much is being done …

– Як боротись з ксенофобними листівками? In: Громадське Радіо. 15.01.2017. https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/rankova-hvylya/yak-borotys-z-ksenofobnymy-listivkamy [link-preview url=”https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/rankova-hvylya/yak-borotys-z-ksenofobnymy-listivkamy”]

Hungary Condemned

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The European Court for Human Rights condemned Hungary for its lack of protection of Rroma against extreme rightist violence. This is the consequence of a march of ca. 500 Jobbik members through a Rroma neighbourhood in Devecser, chanting racist slogan and threatening the Rroma who lived there. The police did of course nothing.

Ungarn wegen mangelndem Schutz von Roma vor Rechtsextremen verurteilt. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 17.01.2017. https://www.nzz.ch/international/europaeischer-menschenrechtsgerichtshof-ungarn-wegen-mangelndem-schutz-von-roma-vor-rechtsextremen-verurteilt-ld.140407 [link-preview url=”https://www.nzz.ch/international/europaeischer-menschenrechtsgerichtshof-ungarn-wegen-mangelndem-schutz-von-roma-vor-rechtsextremen-verurteilt-ld.140407″]

Hungary: Some Help

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A small grassroots project helping Rroma in Hungary. Not many, but better than nothing.

– Roma-Familien in Ungarn bekommen Unterstützung aus Eickel. In: WAZ. 18.01.2017. http://www.waz.de/staedte/herne-wanne-eickel/roma-familien-in-ungarn-bekommen-unterstuetzung-aus-eickel-id209319103.html [link-preview url=”http://www.waz.de/staedte/herne-wanne-eickel/roma-familien-in-ungarn-bekommen-unterstuetzung-aus-eickel-id209319103.html”]

Together we Can

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Romea, the Czech Rroma Information network is planning to introduce weekly interviews of people who are helping Rrom and their integration. We will certainly highlight these in the newsfeed!

– Together We Can: David Tišer. In: Romea. 18.01.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/together-we-can-david-tiser [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/together-we-can-david-tiser”]

Gdansk and the Attacks

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The Gdansk police could not determine the perpetrators of last year’s assault on two Roma families living in a Rroma settlement. The attack on 15 people took place on May 11th of last year before and after a football match. Suspicions are that the police did not really do much to find the culprits.

– Napadli na dwie rodziny, ale pozostają bezkarni. In: Fak24. 18.91.2017. http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/trojmiasto/gdansk-napad-na-romow-sprawcy-pozostaja-bezkarni/emf6c5k [link-preview url=”http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/trojmiasto/gdansk-napad-na-romow-sprawcy-pozostaja-bezkarni/emf6c5k”]

Slovakia: Wallenberg Price

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The recipients of this year Wallenberg price, named after the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in Hungary during World War Two were named. Among them there is a Rroma association, Chakra teachings of Moldava nad Bodvou. The aim of the association is to achieve integration through education.
Well done!

– Wallenbergovu cenu získalo aj slovenské rómske združenie. In: Aktuality. 17.01.2017. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/407616/wallenbergovu-cenu-ziskalo-aj-slovenske-romske-zdruzenie/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/407616/wallenbergovu-cenu-ziskalo-aj-slovenske-romske-zdruzenie/”]

The Story of an Expulsion

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An interview of the young Rromni Leonarda Dibrani who was expulsed from France together with her family (in spite of being in school). While they were expelled to Kosovo, she now lives in Croatia, which says a lot about the “safety” of Kosovo for Rroma. And it is difficult for her.
A worthy read on the damage of mistaken Refugee policies.

– La jeune rom kosovare, expulsée avec sa famille de notre pays en 2013, a raconté son quotidien en Croatie à “BFMtv”. “Je peux venir en France quand je veux !”, a-t-elle notamment lancé. In: Planet.fr. 09.01.2017. http://www.planet.fr/international-la-nouvelle-vie-de-leonarda-en-croatie.1280920.29335.html
– Leonarda Dibrani : “J’ai envie de revenir en France pour remercier les gens qui m’ont aidée. In: France Infos. 09.01.2017. http://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/roms/expulsion-de-leonarda/leonarda-dibrani-j-ai-envie-de-revenir-en-france-pour-remercier-les-gens-qui-m-ont-aidee_2008851.html [link-preview url=”http://www.planet.fr/international-la-nouvelle-vie-de-leonarda-en-croatie.1280920.29335.html “]

Slovakia: Fico, Rroma, and a Change of Attitudes

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Smer, the party of the Slovak prime minister Fico remains popular among Rroma. A large part of the 33 Rroma mayors in the country are in Smer.
But, lately Fico has made statements at his party gathering in Prešov stating that Rroma abuse social help and claimed he would stop it, that one needs to send the police into Rroma settlements, and other repressive measures.
Bad that it too swings towards the hard line of the extreme right. Bad for the half million Rroma in that country.

– Smer je medzi Rómami populárny. Fico aj tak vytiahol v boji o voliča protirómsku kartu. In: Opoštova Banka. 15.01.2017. http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/lukrativni-volici.html [link-preview url=”http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/lukrativni-volici.html”]

A Book on Romanian Migrants

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A new book gives a series of 10 portraits of Romanian migrants, with of course Rroma among them. The book’s title “Does the Sun Rise in the West” is meant to give a face to the more than 3 Mio Romanians who left their countries in search of a better life.

– BLOG • LE SOLEIL SE LÈVE-T-IL À L’OUEST ? PORTRAITS DE MIGRANTS DE ROUMANIE. In: Le Courrier des Balkans. 14.01.2017. https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/bazar/blogs/l-en-dehors-balkanique-o-le-blog-de-nicolas-trifon/blog-o-le-soleil-se-leve-t-il-a-l-ouest-portraits-de-migrants-de-roumanie [link-preview url=”https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/bazar/blogs/l-en-dehors-balkanique-o-le-blog-de-nicolas-trifon/blog-o-le-soleil-se-leve-t-il-a-l-ouest-portraits-de-migrants-de-roumanie”]

Poland: Litzmannstadt Ghetto

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Poland commemorated the 75th anniversary of the liquidation of the Rroma camp in the Litzmannstadt Ghetto. In the Litzmannstadt Ghetto (created by the occupation authorities in February 1940), a very small area was separated as a Gypsy camp (Zigeunerlager). More than 5,000 Roma and Sinti deported from Burgenland on the border between the Austro-Hungarian were interned there. The camp was separated from the Ghetto by double barbed wire and deep moat, and the windows were boarded. In such terrible conditions Rroma – most of which were small children – had no chance of survival. There was immediately a typhus epidemic broke out, which decimated the population. On January 5, 1942, the Nazis began deportation to the extermination camp at Chelmno on the Ner. Within a week Gypsy camp was liquidated. Not a single person survived.

75. rocznica likwidacji obozu cygańskiego w Litzmannstadt Getto [ZDJĘCIA, FILM]. In: Polska Times. 12.01.2017. http://www.polskatimes.pl/fakty/kraj/a/75-rocznica-likwidacji-obozu-cyganskiego-w-litzmannstadt-getto-zdjecia-film,11684650/ [link-preview url=”http://www.polskatimes.pl/fakty/kraj/a/75-rocznica-likwidacji-obozu-cyganskiego-w-litzmannstadt-getto-zdjecia-film,11684650/”]

Ukraine: Kolyadi

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An article on the tradition of Kolyadi – Rroma Christmas songs – in the Ukraine. This tradition is still alive, and is illustrated by a Rromni poet interviewed here.

– Поетеса Рані Романі розповіла про ромські традиції Різдва. In: Правовий Простір. 13.01.2017. http://legalspace.org/ua/napryamki/posilennya-romskikh-gromad/item/8491-poetesa-rani-romani-rozpovila-pro-romski-tradytsii-rizdva [link-preview url=”http://legalspace.org/ua/napryamki/posilennya-romskikh-gromad/item/8491-poetesa-rani-romani-rozpovila-pro-romski-tradytsii-rizdva”]

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