Today, we honor the #memory of the victims of the #RomaGenocide during WW2. Several 100s of thousands were deported & killed.
— Swiss Peace and Human Rights (@SwissPeaceHR) August 2, 2022
Our responsibility is to #remember & stand up against #racism & for #pluralism und #HumanRights. @TheIHRA
📽️ Statement by Ambassador S. Geissbühler ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5iQSYUyH9z
Two camping sites for travellers are planned on the left bank of the lake of Zurich. Needless to say, the communes are against it.
After an appeal was dismissed against the decision not to pursue a camping site in the Canton St. Gallen, the umbrella organization of the Swiss Yenish and Sinti is now relying on the cantonal structure plan, which provides for a long-term place – and is taking the judgment to the next higher instance.
One of the main so-called “Transit” camping sites in Switzerland is in need of renovation …
There are not enough camping sites for Roma travellers in Basle, Switzerland …
Nothing new.
The rightist Swiss paper the Weltwoche, who has written numerous derogatory articles about Roma and now does the apology of Putin wrote a comment on the new German Anti-Roma Racism commissioner. And what does the Weltwoche have to say: simply that “The anti-Semitism commissioner shows how successful this is: the number of anti-Semitic incidents has been increasing since he came into existence”.
SHAME on them.
The condemnation for incitation to racial hatred and discrimination against two young SVP politicians (the youth branch of a populist rightist party in Switzerland) was finally confirmed by Switzerland’s highest court.
Good!
On why using the term Zigeuner (Gypsy) is racist.
– „Zigeuner ist rassistisch“: Sinti und Roma wehren sich gegen „Zigeuner“-Begriff. In: Tele Bärn. 08.04.2019. https://www.telebaern.tv/telebaern-news/zigeuner-ist-rassistisch-sinti-und-roma-wehren-sich-gegen-zigeuner-begriff-134318036
An interview in Switzerland on why the name Zigeuner should not be used.
– https://www.facebook.com/telebaern/videos/vb.178943478804405/1318587358283910/?type=2&theater
The canton of Berne is setting aside quite a bit of money to create a permanent camping site for travellers in Villeroltigen. Good, except that they segregate between “Swiss” and “Foreign” travellers. And the SVP, the populist right wing party already stated that they would do a referendum on the topic.
– 3,3 Millionen Franken für ausländische Fahrende. In: Tele Bärn. 13.03.2019. https://www.telebaern.tv/telebaern-news/33-millionen-franken-fuer-auslaendische-fahrende-134205439?utm_source=shared-facebook&fbclid=IwAR2P9OnGYhvOIxFBNmx9nCOzjU1tFOfRMqlH2qAhVGUrkRe2fSWMUmI7DLk
An article on the perennial Swiss issue of sites for travellers with a mention of the fact that Roma are still not recognised in that country (but Sinti are) …
– Mehr Halteplätze für Fahrende. In: Der Bote. 19.02.2019. https://www.bote.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/mehr-halteplaetze-fuer-fahrende;art46447,1157032
A recourse has been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights against the interdiction and criminalisation of begging in the canton Vaud and the city of Lausanne.
– Recours déposé à Strasbourg contre l’interdiction vaudoise de la mendicité. In: RTS. 01.02.2019. https://www.rts.ch/info/regions/vaud/10185827-recours-depose-a-strasbourg-contre-l-interdiction-vaudoise-de-la-mendicite.html
– Vaud: recours à Strasbourg contre l’interdiction de mendier. In: Radio Lac. 01.02.2019. https://www.radiolac.ch/actualite/vaud-recours-a-starsbourg-contre-linterdiction-de-mendier/
The Swiss government is planning to spend half a million dollars annually to better protect minorities including Roma from militant extremism and terrorism…
That’s pretty much saying we don’t put any money into this …
– Minority groups to benefit from better protection. In: Swiss Info. 30.01.2019. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/consultation-plans_minority-groups-to-benefit-from-better-protection/44719558
The co-head of the young SVP – the rightist populist party in Switzerland – who was condemned for racism is a policeman. He was transferred to an internal department. Actually, he should be dismissed immediately as soon as the sentence is definitive.
– Spahr wegen «Zigeuner»-Plakat versetzt. In: 20 Minutes. 21.01.2019. https://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Basler-Polizist-wegen-Zigeuner-Plakat-verurteilt-31053323?fbclid=IwAR1VhliD-xmMr5oA9aWhjixom2aqx3TreiquNodIBn1gIVdVbumWZCn3yl8
– Basler Polizei versetzt Jung-SVPler Adrian Spahr. In: Blick. 21.01.2019. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/kein-ausgang-mehr-nach-zigeuner-plakat-basler-polizei-versetzt-jung-svpler-adrian-spahr-id15129197.html
– Nach Zigeuner-Hetze: Basler Polizist wurde von der Front abgezogen. In: Argauer Zeitung. 21.01.2019. https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/basel/basel-stadt/nach-zigeuner-hetze-basler-polizist-wurde-von-der-front-abgezogen-133988832
– Nach Zigeuner-Hetze: Basler Polizist wurde von der Front abgezogen. In: Basler Zeitung. 21.01.2019. https://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/basel-stadt/nach-zigeuner-hetze-basler-polizist-wurde-von-der-front-abgezogen-133988832
More reaction on the condemnation of two youth leader of the rightist populist SVP party in Switzerland. The politicians are appealing…
– «Zigeuner»-Plakat war rassistisch. In: Blick. 14.01.2019. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/junge-svpler-verurteilt-zigeuner-plakat-war-rassistisch-id15114343.html?fbclid=IwAR0if0GfbvEKO6BfmFkiWEazOidJZKrcsYLT0zk_1h-61oj_R5QJbdUpBL4
– JSVP zieht Gerichtsurteil an Obergericht weiter. In: 20 Minuten (CH). 14.01.2019. https://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/JSVP-Chefs-vor-Gericht-wegen–Zigeuner–Inserat-30478043?fbclid=IwAR3q0z8Ym5LKnpUroVrnzemVonUGjzKsXD19sYiIJsFUmKG-t7Ks-IDlfIA
– Swiss court rules ‘foreign gypsy’ cartoon was racist. In: The Local (Switzerland). 15.01.2019. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190115/gypsy-cartoon-published-by-youth-wing-of-swiss-peoples-party-ruled-racist
– Young Swiss politicians convicted for ‘gypsy’ poster. In: Swissinfo. 15.01.2019. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/racism-trial_young-swiss-politicians-convicted-for–gypsy–poster/44681418
There seems to be change in the air. For the first time, politicians were condemned for racism against Roma. In this case, the leaders of the youth fraction of the SVP, the rightist populist party in Switzerland were condemned for a cartoon against Roma travellers.
A first, and hopefully, this will slow down these kind of actions.
– «Kritik ist erlaubt, aber mit Augenmass». In: Der Bund. 14.01.2019. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/chefs-der-jungen-svp-bern-wegen-wahlplakat-verurteilt/story/20109238
– Roma-Organisation und GfbV begrüssen Verurteilung der Jungen SVP Bern wegen Rassismus. In: GfbV. 14.01.2019. https://www.gfbv.ch/de/medien/medienmitteilungen/junge-svp/
You can be Swiss and a victim of racism… In fact it is quite prevalent in the country.
– Rassismus trotz Integration: Wenn Schweizer diskriminiert warden. In: Limmattaler Zeitung. 05.01.2019. https://www.limmattalerzeitung.ch/limmattal/region-limmattal/rassismus-trotz-integration-wenn-schweizer-diskriminiert-werden-133920822
Basel opened a new camping site for travellers recently, and thus closed the old provisional site. Well, not quite … Seems that some travellers were allowed to stay there.
– Zoff um ehemaligen Fahrenden-Platz. In: Tele Basel. 03.01.2019. https://telebasel.ch/2019/01/03/zoff-um-ehemaligen-fahrenden-platz/
An interview of Stefan Heinichen on Roma, Switzerland, and Racism.
– “Die Behörden haben Angst vor den Roma, weil sie nichts über sie wissen”. In: Swissinfo. 23.12.2018. https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/gesellschaft/anerkennung-von-minderheiten_-die-behoerden-haben-angst-vor-den-roma–weil-sie-nichts-ueber-sie-wissen-/44608000
– «Les autorités ont peur car elles ne savent rien sur les Roms». In: Swissinfo. 23.12.2018. https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/societe/reconnaissance-des-minorités_-les-autorités-ont-peur-car-elles-ne-savent-rien-sur-les-roms-/44575924
The EU doesn’t approve the way Switzerland is treating its Roma minority. The EU reciew of the 4th Report by Switzeralnd on the Framework Agreement for the Protection of National Minorities is scathing on Switzerland. Amongst others, it says Switzerland needs to take concrete actions against racism and hate speech; improve the infrastructure for travellers; cease discrimination of foreign Roma travellers; tell Switzerland that their criteria for recognition of the Roma minority need to be reviewed; and asks the country to stop racial profiling…
Welcome to the “cradle of democracy”…
The Geselschaft für Bedrohte Völker Press communiqué: https://mailchi.mp/0d3d78fe0120/medienmitteilung-gutachten-des-europarats-zeigt-handlungsbedarf-zur-situation-von-jenischen-sinti-und-roma?e=107f67f2cd
And the EU Report: https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/eda/de/documents/aussenpolitik/voelkerrecht/4-gutachten-schweiz-schutz-nationaler-minderheiten-31.05.18_de.pdf
And the whole overview from the Swiss administration: https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/de/home/aussenpolitik/voelkerrecht/internationale-uebereinkommenzumschutzdermenschenrechte/rahmenuebereinkommen-europarat-schutz-nationaler-minderheiten.html
Deutsch 
English (UK) 
Français