Daily Archives: juillet 26, 2015

France Nouvelles suisses Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Espagne

Travellers, Gitans, Roma, or the confusion of journalists

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An article about a few Rroma who stopped in a field near Payerne and had to leave as the field’s owner did not want them to stay highlights the misinformation and confusion among journalists:

The title uses “Gitans” – who are not travellers, by the way, and are found only in the South of France and Spain (also called Cale); the text uses “Gens du Voyage, i.e. Travellers, which can be Rroma but could also mean Jenische (Swiss travellers) or French Travellers; and finally the police states that these are most probably “Roma” from neighbouring France. We are just missing Sinti in this article to complete the confusion!

Bulgarie Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Bulgarian Rroma in Italy: The silent migration

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A new book about the Bulgarian Rroma migration to Italy called “the Silent Migration” was recently published in Italy. The article and book reviews the situation of these migrants in various parts of Italy.

A worthy read!

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

Social benefits, migration, and EU Law

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A Rromni from Romania who emigrated to Ireland in 2008 and supported herself with begging and food vouchers is claims the Irish department of social protection refusal to pay her welfare benefits including child support breaches EU law. The department, on its side, claims that it did so on the “right to reside” test basis, i.e. that she de facto has no legal right to stay in Ireland in the first place.

Something to follow. But regardless of the results, a negative publicity for Rroma, as they are often accused to come to the UK and Ireland to cash in social benefits.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Russie

Austria, the Anschluss, and the Nazis

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A chilling review of the annexation of Austria with the support of the overwhelming part of the population, and the history of Austria under the Nazis. Besides the Austrian soldier deaths (ca. 270’000) in Eastern Europe and Russia, Austrian minorities got decimated: From around 190’000 Austrian Jews, 65’459 were killed in the Holocaust, while from the roughly 11’000 Rroma (Burgenland and Sinti), at least 7’000 perished. These latter numbers are to be taken with caution, as no one really knew how many Rroma there were, and the German did not keep tabs on field executions or gas chambers.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

The life of a Romanian Rroma family in Paris

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The story of a migrant from Romania, who, before he managed to get a job with the RATP (Paris Transport Authority), was camping on the place de la République in Paris. He reports on his life and how he managed slowly and step by step to find his footing in Paris.

Worth reading!

Bulgarie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

High electric meters discriminate against Rroma

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The European court of Justice has issued a warning against the Bulgarian electricity company which installed electric meters at a height that renders them inaccessible, this in a predominantly Rroma part of Dupnitsa. According to the court of justice, this constitutes “ethnic discrimination”.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

UK Police in racist Facebook controversy

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The metropolitan police has been engulfed in a controversy surrounding a “secret” Facebook page that officers used to air racist comments about minorities, including Rroma. In several comments, the comments accused the GT (Gypsy and Travellers) to live exclusively on crime.

This cannot be tolerated from the police!

 

Nouvelles suisses Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Rroma beggars with dogs

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There are apparently several beggars in Lausanne – Rroma – who are begging with a dog. A foundation for the protection of animals has accused them of drugging their dogs, an accusation that could not be substantiated by the cantonal veterinarian. This may be a new tack of these beggars, now that begging with small children is effectively forbidden.

In spite of all the drama in the Media, we speak here of a few scores of beggars, a very tiny number in comparison to the well established and integrated Rroma in Switzerland.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Residents from Garmen in Sofia’s street protest

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In a further escalation of the conflict in Garmen, around 150 residents from Garmen staged a protest in Sofia to request the demolition of 120 “illegal” Rroma houses in their village.

This escalation of an already festering problem will not resolve anything, and is providing ammunition to populist politicians on the overall minority “issue” in Bulgaria.

This has to stop!

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

The Roma Road

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A French book, called “La Route du Rom”, a wordplay on the famous transatlantic sailing race “la Route du Rhum”, raises questions about the nation states, and about Rroma nd their integration. Unfortunately, the book also serves quite a few of the standard stereotypes about Rroma, about clans, about persecutions, about poverty. While we can agree with the goal, we find the path rather difficult to swallow.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

School and Rroma: A trial in France

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Another report on the trial of a French mayor (we reported a while back) of the town of Sucy en Brie who was accused of having denied 5 Rroma children their right to education. The mayor was cleared of all charges, but the fact remains that Rroma children, without a formal housing document, as often denied education, in spite of French law.

A shame.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Further article on the Dachau Theatre Project

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A further article on the Dachau Theatre project, a project fighting stereotypes and played by Rroma and Sinti children. That this play is staged in Dachau, the site of one of the earliest concentration camps in Germany is really symbolically important.

Bulgarie Allemagne Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

There is no invasion …

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According to the Council of Europe, and this in spite of what populist politicians claim, there has been no “invasion” of Rroma from Bulgaria and Romania since citizen from these countries have been granted free circulation within the EU. The Council of Europe criticises the “unfounded” numbers cited by the press in the migration debate in several European countries, such as the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.

We wholeheartedly agree!

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Serbie

Report on a Rrom refugee from Serbia

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An article on a Rrom who fled Leskovac in Serbia and is now in Germany. He has few chances to stay as Germany has decreed Serbia to be a safe country, but still hopes he can stay.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Volunteers in Rroma camps

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Volunteers from a catholic organisation are taking care of children in a camp near Paris during July. Let’s see what this bring, but more than playing with the children will be required to close the issue of illegal camps in France.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

4000 expulsions: Another Article

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Another article on the 4’000 Rroma that were expulsed by the French government in the first six months of 2015. Note the small mistake in the title : “Trimestre” – [quarter] instead of the half year. Never mind!

Lituanie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Holocaust educators visit Lithuania

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US Holocaust educators from Florida visited Lithuania to share and develop strategies on some of the controversial aspects (i.e. local participation) of the Holocaust; to better understand what happened in Lithuania; to learn international law; to understand prejudices and to fight against them. On prejudice, they will also discuss the one against Rroma. Let’s see!

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Auschwitz’s accountant: 4 years of Prison

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Auschwitz’s accountant, Oskar Grönning, was condemned to 4 years of prison as an accessory to murder to 300’000 people. These are the documented victims of Auschwitz, with roughly 21’000 Rroma and Sinti. One should never forget though that people who were sent directly to the gas chambers were not registered and the overall number of victims was much higher in Auschwitz.

– Auschwitz-Prozess: Vier Jahre Haft für SS-Mann Gröning. In: Osnabrücker Zeitung. 15.07.2015. http://www.noz.de/deutschland-welt/niedersachsen/artikel/596012/auschwitz-prozess-vier-jahre-haft-fur-ss-mann-groning-1

 

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Another report on the expulsions of the Ivry Camp

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L’Humanité – the French communist newspaper – reports on the evictions of the large camp in Ivry and states that the state is devoid of means to help Rroma. One should also remind readers that expulsions have been requested by mayors of all political parties, including the communist one.

And one should also remind France that the migrant Rroma to which so much newspaper space is devoted are a small fraction of Rroma living in France.

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