Daily Archives: avril 26, 2013

26.04.2013 The Rroma, the EU and the Freedom of Movement

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Plüss (2013) reports on the plans of several EU member states – and also of Switzerland – to restrict the movement of persons in Europe. This freedom of movement allowed people, so far without a work permit, to settle in another state and to pursue an occupation and to a certain extent receive social benefits. The EU criticized the plans of Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands, who want to clamp down on so-called poverty immigrants from Eastern Europe. From the perspective of the relevant EU Commission, mass immigration is a politicised perception of the concerned countries, but not a statistical reality in itself. The EU also has been working for several years on its own strategy to prevent the feared Westwards migration from Eastern Europe. It strives to better integrate ethnic groups such as Rroma in their home countries. However, many involved parties question the success of these ventures.

Kopeinig / Kramar (2013) report on a heated atmosphere on this debate in Berlin and Vienna. The interior ministers of Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands complain about the abuse of the welfare by poor immigrants, who are frequently Rroma. The ministers of Germany and Austria, Hans-Peter Friedrich and Johanna Mikl-Leitner are currently in the middle of an election campaign and thus request in this regard a clear distinction between the treatment of nationals and immigrants. Even the conservative press in the UK warns against a mass immigration of Rroma from Eastern Europe, an immigration whose factuality is but hard to establish. In addition, the one-dimensional abuse of social welfare that is talked about is to be questioned. The contexts behind such migration as well as the sources and facts of the migration numbers are too little discussed.

In the still ongoing debate in Germany about the feared mass immigration from Romania and Bulgaria, the first concrete actions are being taken. Berlin’s integration commissioner Monika Lüke confirmed the plans of the capital to provide emergency shelter for up to 100 homeless immigrants. The city government wants to forestall the exploitation of immigrants by landlords, respectively prevent them from their questionable practices of high rents, low quality abodes. Integration Senator Dikel Kolat also adopted a so-called “Action Plan Roma”. There are already 160 welcoming classes for Rroma children to prepare their integration into German schools with a strong focus on German language courses. The planned shelters are part of the action plan. Resistance against this project is increasing. The City Council Carsten Engelmann for social affairs commented negatively against the plans, fearing that current local tenants and landlords would be negatively impacted or even forced to leave (Thomsen 2013).

Loy (2013) added further to the subject by pointing out that Kolat plans transition home for foreign newcomers whose financing it still pending. He also states that many Rroma have had bad experiences with government bodies and administration and thus have reservations in engaging with authorities. The Senator responsible for integration earnestly hopes on the successful integration of Rroma children through professional training programs. She also denies the controversy surrounding the welfare abuse. 80% of Romanians and Bulgarians in Berlin are employed and thus entitled to receive social security benefits.

Siebert (2013) presents an interview with Benjamin Marx, a representative of the organisation “Aachen Siedlungs- und Wohnungsgesellschaft” which works on the integration of immigrant Rroma. In the Berlin district of Neukölln, there are 600 Rroma families, most from Fântânele in Romania. Marx travelled to Fântânele to get an idea of ​​the life there. Life there offers few prospects and poor educational opportunities, which is why the migration to Germany is associated with hopes for a better future. Marx seems itself also not entirely free from prejudices. He is quoted with a statement bordering on defamation: “It is hard to imagine a situation in which families of Gypsies would be able to live in a good neighbourhood with someone else. Among them, own groupings emerge, they ‘arrange things’, ‘promise stay in Germany’, for which they ask for money.” Such statements are an unnecessary generalisation and one-dimensional representation of members of an ethnic group that can only be described as stupid. Especially the statement that Rroma are not be able to live together with other people can only be described as racist. Marx also questions the sense of the inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria in the EU. This was a terrible mistake, because the countries were not yet ready for it. Siebert leaves this statement without comments and therefore adds to the overall strangeness of this article, which can only be described as one-sided.

The Cologne City Gazette (2013) reports on defamatory statements of Cardinal Joachim Meisner against Rroma from Slovenia. He is referring to Rroma as not able to inegrate, and to Rroma families as having many children. The Cologne social critic Günther Wallraff sharply criticises these statements in the article. Meisner’s remarks reminds “of the propaganda from other times aimed directly at the forced sterilisation of women of so-called anti-social child-rich families.” In this Wallraff refers of course to the systematic destruction of Rroma under the Nazis, where they were branded as anti-social.

Christine Langenfeld, chairman of the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration, is committed to the successful integration of immigrant Rroma. There is a need for a successful mediator between immigrants, political authorities and local communities. She also engages herself to prevent the formation of lawless areas within economy, something that affects Rroma in particular. The Rroma have a right to protection by the law, since the EU is not only a domestic market but also a community of values ​​is (German Turkish News 2013).

Lehner (2013) reports on a podium discussion in Salzburg, where the correspondent and author Mappes-Niediek and the writer Karl-Markus Gauss debated on the impoverishment of Eastern Europe. Mappes-Niediek criticised the economic policies of Western European and international business leaders who have contributed with their massive measures to impoverishment of broad sections of the population in Southeast Europe. The EU needs to primarily promote local economies and not waste too much energy on poorly engineered social policies. The writer Gauss severely criticised the European banking sector, which consumed lots of tax money, thus preventing these funds from being used to boost the labour market. Mappes-Niediek also pointed to a little-known fact. Until the mid 19th century, Rroma in Romania were treated as slaves: “Roma were completely subjugated for many centuries, not even owning their own bodies. Families were torn apart, their members are sold separately. This influences the current situation, as they never possessed land, land that they could have passed by inheritance.” He also points to the deterioration of the situation since the fall of the Eastern Bloc. Previously many Rroma were working, albeit poorly paid. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the employment crisis means that unemployment increased massively. This impoverishment for many Rroma meant a return and a reliance on traditional economic and life forms, which often are no longer appropriate.

In Freiburg, 500 people demonstrated against the forced deportation of approximately 60 Rroma from Germany. The demonstration was organized by the action group “the right to stay”, against the deportation policy of the red-green government (Badische Zeitung 2013).

Bochtler (2013) reports on a Rroma family in Freiburg, which is affected by the deportation policy. The Sacipis family has successfully integrated, all family members go for a job, but now finds itself faced with deportation. Local activists are fighting for a more sensitive approach with members of the minorities and demand that one considers the history of German Roma policy in this question. The outcome of the conflict remains unclear for the time being.

Sources:

  • Badische Zeitung (2013) 500 Demonstranten protestieren gegen Roma-Abschiebung. In: Badische Zeitung vom 21.4.2013. 
  • Bochtler, Anja (2013) Etlichen Roma-Familien in Freiburg drohen Abschiebungen. In: Badische Zeitung vom 19.4.2013.
  • Deutsch Türkische Nachrichten (2013) SVR-Vorsitzende: Roma-Zuwanderung stellt Kommunen vor eine grosse Herausvorderung. In: Deutsch Türkische Nachrichten vom 23.4.2013.
  • Kölner-Stadtanzeiger (2013) Günter Wallraff kritisiert Meisner. In: Kölner-Stadtanzeiger vom 23.4.2013.
  • Kopeinig, Margaretha/Kramar Konrad (2013) Roma: Angst vor der importierten Armut. In: Der Kurier vom 26.4.2013.
  • Lehner, Gerhard (2013) Armut unter Roma: Schwere Kritik an EU. In: ORF vom 22.4.2013.
  • Loy, Thomas (2013) Senat plant Hilfe für die Roma. In: Der Tagesspiegel vom 23.4.2013.  
  • Plüss, Mirko (2013) Ventilklausel einmal anders rum. In: Tages-Anzeiger vom 25.4.2013.
  • Siebert, Armin (2013) Integration von Sinti und Roma in Deutschland: “Harzer Straße ist keine Lösung”. In: Stimme Russlands vom 23.4.2013.
  • Thomsen, Jan (2013) Notbleiben für Familien. In: Berliner Zeitung vom 26.4.2013. 

26.04.2013 Rroma Policy in France

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Atlantico (2013) reports on the latest undertakings of the right-wing opposition politician Marie Le Pen, who gave a press conference in front of a Rroma camp in an industrial zone in the French department of Essonne. The leader of the National Front emphasised that, should she be elected, she would eliminate all Rroma camps. She also criticised the center and left parties for opening France to eastern EU countries, leading to a de facto abolition of borders. She stated she would organise a referendum that will lead to the end of the European Union.

According to La Dépêche (2013), some residents of the Rroma camp approached the crowds of journalists. But there were no public exchange between Le Pen and the Rroma. La Dépêche estimates that currently about 20,000 Rroma are live in around 400 informal camps in France. The pastor Frédéric Gatineau wanted to show the settlement to Le Pen.  However, she quickly left the area reflecting he entrenched prejudices against Rroma. Gatineau stated: “Je pense que si elle rencontrait ces personnes, elle aurait peut-être un autre discours. […] Je pense qu’elle aurait été bien reçue. Ils ne pas la connaissent spécialement, ils n’ont pas d’a priori … J’étais prêt à l’accompagner mais elle est partie vite bien dans sa belle voiture noire. “ [I think that had she met people, she would maybe have held another discourse. I think she would have been well received. They do not know her and thus have no pre-conceived ideas about her … I was ready to go with her, but he left really fast in her nice black car]

Rotman (2013) emphasizes in his article that Le Pen defends her position without blinking. She argues that she doesn’t stigmatize anybody, that she speaks of the reality that no one dare to mention. That Le Pen doesn’t want to meet the people who are behind this reality itself says a lot about her understanding of reality. Her position is the result of her convictions, beliefs and values, not of social reality.

In “Les Berges du Va” in Nice, an illegal Romany camp will be evacuated. The head of the district, Eric Ciotti, argues for the removal refererring to the public health and public safety. Opponents counter this by saying that many of the local children were successfully enrolled in school and that to vacate the settlement is a step backwards on the integration of Rroma. On the question of where the Rroma will go after the eviction, Ciotti answers that this is the responsibility of the government. The judgment of the court on the eviction is expected in  the next two weeks (Binacchi 2013).

In Bobigny, near Paris, a fire destroyed part of a Rroma camp with about 250 residents. The cause of the fire is unclear. Several barracks were destroyed. Investigations, whether it was an arson act are running. Since January 2013, over 1000 Rroma in twelve different localities  had to leave their camps because of fires or pogroms A political motivation behind the numerous fires is therefore not unlikely (Libération 2013).

In Lyon, ten Rroma families who were evicted from an illegal settlement, benefit from Catholic Care. The priest Matthieu Thouvenot decreed that the parish of Gerland should provide food and shelter to 50 Rroma from the disbanded settlement, half of them children. The local church hall was converted for this purpose into  housing. The local court ruled a few days later that the prefecture should find permanent settlement for the evicted Rroma or pay for a compensation of 75 euro per person and per day. In the district near Gerland there is a tradition of Catholic charity. Representatives of the church are seeking dialogue with the French Ministry of the Interior, arguing that the situation of Rroma needs to be viewed and managed in a more differentiated way (Schittly 2013).

Sources:

  • Atlantico (2013) Marine Le Pen : elle prône les démantèlements massifs devant un camp de Roms. In: Atlantico vom 26.4.2013. 
  • Binacchi, Fabien (2013) Les Roms installés sur les berges menacés d’expulsion. In: 20minutes France vom 23.4.2013.
  • La Dépêche (2013) Devant un camp de Roms, Marine Le Pen promet «le renvoi de tous les clandestins». In: La Dépêche vom 26.4.2013.
  • Libération (2013) Un incendie d’atelier se propage à un camp rom à Bobigny, 250 évacués. In: Libération vom 25.4.2013.
  • Rotman (2013) Marine Le Pen en plan com devant un camp rom. In: Libération vom 26.4.2013.
  • Schittly, Richard (2013) Les catholiques de Lyon au secours des Roms sans abri. In: Le Monde vom 22.4.2013.

26.04.2013 Rroma in the UK

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A one-sided article from the Daily Mail (2013) reports on the eviction of a Rroma settlement in Meriden, Warwickshire. The settlement, referred by the authors as being illegal, was subject to disputes between Rroma and local residents who formed a local movement against the settlement and have been active in court for the last three years. The competent court issued a ruling in favour of the residents and to the misfortune of the local Rroma. According to the article they had legally purchased the land for £ 100,000 from a businessman. Why the settlement is referred to by the journalists as illegal remains unclear. It is, however, explained that the planning applications submitted were rejected for fixed caravans. The residents organized blockades to make it impossible for the Rroma to enter the settlement or at least to hinder them. Many of the now displaced Rroma had to resign from their employment because they have nowhere to live. Some of them set a caravan on fire as a protest before leaving the place. In the appendix of the article there is a series of comments about the outcome of the process, a large majority of which can be considered to be racist.

The head of the family – Noah Burton – will try to sell the land again (BBC 2013). Capelo (2013) suggests, in contrast to the other articles, that the land was an agricultural parcel and not one for settlements.

Sources:

  • BBC (2013) Last Gypsy family leaves illegal Meriden site. In: BBC News vom 21.4.2013.
  • Capello, Esh (2013) Meriden gypsies start fires at illegal camp before departing. In: Birmingham Post vom 19.4.2013.
  • Daily Mail (2013) Gypsies move out of illegal camp after THREE YEAR battle with villagers… but not before they started a few fires and burned a caravan. In: Daily Mail (UK) vom 20.4.2013. 

26.04.2013 Rroma in Quebec

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Larouche (2013) reports on the fate of some one hundred Rroma from Romania, some of which are refugees, some who, in part – it is claimed – were sent to Quebec as part of a criminal network for, among other things, thefts. With international coordination, a Rroma settlement in Craiova was raider by the police, and the alleged instigators of this network were arrested. These people had an intricate knowledge of the Quebec apparently due to having been there on organized the crime trips. According to the Canadian investigators, some of those migrants only became criminal only after their arrival due to debt. Respondents said to have become delinquent because of poverty and because of social exclusion.

The Rroma Contact Point would like to emphasize that while the existence of criminal networks is not to deny, these have nothing to do with the Rroma identity per se. Thisis exactly the error that many journalists repeatedly commit when they report on Rroma.

Source:

  • Larouche, Vincent (2013) Des criminels parmi les réfugiés: la filière rom. In: La Presse (Canadien) vom 24.4.2013. 

26.04.2013 Criticism of the U.S. State Department on Hungary’s Minority Policy

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Pester Lloyd (2013) reports on the subdued reaction of the Hungarian government on the U.S. State Department report on the human rights situation in Hungary. The government criticised the report as flawed and prejudiced. The report criticises the continued discrimination against Rroma in access to educational institutions and to the labour market. In addition, nothing was done against the regular parades of right-wing groups in 2012 in Rroma settlements. The Hungarian State Secretary Kovaks criticised the report on the basis that it considers the problems of the Hungarian state only “on the basis of human rights.”

Source:

  • Pester Lloyd (2013) Ungarn weist US-Kritik an Romapolitik zurück, Start gemeinsamer Roma-Projekte mit Deutschland. In: Pester Lloyd vom 22.4.2013. 
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