The Ukrainian city of Pavlovgrad in the East of the country is being lauded for its action towards its Roma minority and its support of the Roma association “Amaro Kher”.
Good, but frankly, the situation in Ukraine is not that good for Roma.
– Intercultural cities: good practice examples. In: Council of Europe. https://www.coe.int/en/web/interculturalcities/-/successful-roma-of-pavlograd [link-preview url=”https://www.coe.int/en/web/interculturalcities/-/successful-roma-of-pavlograd”]
An essay on negative stereotypes against Roma in the Ukrainian city of Lviv. Unfortunately, these stereotypes have been recently reinforced by the presence of a group of criminal Roma in the centre of the city and the inability of the police to deal with the issue.
As a result, all Roma are considered in a negative light, regardless of what they do.
This is bad, but alas, not new.
– ЯК МОЖНА ПОДОЛАТИ СТЕРЕОТИПИ ПРО РОМІВ У ЛЬВОВІ. In: TVOE MISTO. 19.03.2018. http://tvoemisto.tv/blogs/yak_mozhna_podolaty_stereotypy_pro_romiv_u_lvovi_92132.html [link-preview url=”http://tvoemisto.tv/blogs/yak_mozhna_podolaty_stereotypy_pro_romiv_u_lvovi_92132.html”]
The Council of Europe chided Ukraine on the continuing discrimination of Roma in that country. The Advisory Committee recommends that the Ukrainian authorities immediately enact appropriate legislation to protect national minorities; promote respect and fight against = stereotypes in political discourse and society as a whole; provide firm legal guarantees for the protection and use of all minority languages; help in stopping the constant segregation of Roma children in schools and ensuring that the rights of national minorities will not be limited due to changes in administrative boundaries.
Let’s see …
– Совет Европы обеспокоен дискриминацией ромов в Украине. In: Komsomolskaja Pravda. 16.03.2018. https://kp.ua/politics/603512-sovet-evropy-obespokoen-dyskrymynatsyei-romov-v-ukrayne [link-preview url=”https://kp.ua/politics/603512-sovet-evropy-obespokoen-dyskrymynatsyei-romov-v-ukrayne”]
An article about volunteers helping homeless and Roma in Kiev. Nice, but actually disturbing: A state of life, i.e. being homeless is cobbled together with a minority. This amalgamation is dangerous as it perpetuates clichés about the minority.
It would have been simple to say “homeless” and add “and among them some Roma” …
– Kyiv volunteers help homeless, Roma people. In: Kyiv Post. 01.03.2018. https://www.kyivpost.com/lifestyle/people/journalism-of-tolerance/kyiv-volunteers-help-homeless-roma-people.html [link-preview url=”https://www.kyivpost.com/lifestyle/people/journalism-of-tolerance/kyiv-volunteers-help-homeless-roma-people.html”]
Another article in the Press on Roma criminality. According to the article, residents of Kiev complain massively about Roma who “steal everything they see” …
How about complaining about some of the politicians and oligarchs who effectively already stole everything there was to steal?
– Киевляне массово жалуются на ромов: воруют все, что видят. In: Narodna Pravda. 10.02.2018. https://ru.narodna-pravda.ua/2018/02/10/kyevlyane-massovo-zhaluyutsya-na-romov-voruyut-vse-chto-vydyat/ [link-preview url=”https://ru.narodna-pravda.ua/2018/02/10/kyevlyane-massovo-zhaluyutsya-na-romov-voruyut-vse-chto-vydyat/”]
In spite of the police statement that the number of thefts has decreased, many residents in Kiev hold Roma responsible. They say that the fines that are imposed for theft do not deter crime.
Bad that Roma are singled out without any proof.
– Воровство в Киеве: горожане жалуются на ромов. In: Kiev Segodnia. 08.02.2018. https://kiev.segodnya.ua/kaccidents/vorovstvo-v-kieve-gorozhane-zhaluyutsya-na-romov-1112362.html [link-preview url=”https://kiev.segodnya.ua/kaccidents/vorovstvo-v-kieve-gorozhane-zhaluyutsya-na-romov-1112362.html”]
An article on the fate of the Roma who were expelled from their houses in a pogrom in the Odessa region following the murder of a young girl in August 2016. These Roma never returned home, as they would not be accepted back in their village.
The Police actually evicted all Roma from the village. These went to court and with great difficulties, managed to have a criminal case opened, also against the police. The case is proceeding. Let’s see what happens.
– Для изгнанных из Лощиновки ромов требуют компенсацию 700 тысяч гривен. In: KP. 30.01.2018. https://kp.ua/incidents/599589-dlia-yzghnannykh-yz-loschynovky-romov-trebuuit-kompensatsyui-700-tysiach-hryven [link-preview url=”https://kp.ua/incidents/599589-dlia-yzghnannykh-yz-loschynovky-romov-trebuuit-kompensatsyui-700-tysiach-hryven”]
A short documentary of the Roma in Western Ukraine, the region abutting Slovakia and Hungary on the Western side of the Carpathian mountains.
– https://www.facebook.com/westukrnews/videos/511804342494135/ [link-preview url=”https://www.facebook.com/westukrnews/videos/511804342494135/”]
Activists are helping Roma to integrated. Always to be taken with a grain of salt, as Human Rights are not necessarily the best angle for integration. Education of the overall population and generally education are key.
But good an necessary job in any case!
– Human rights activist from Kharkiv helps Roma community to integrate. In: Kyiv Post. 25.12.2017. https://www.kyivpost.com/lifestyle/people/journalism-of-tolerance/human-rights-activist-kharkiv-helps-roma-community-integrate.html [link-preview url=”https://www.kyivpost.com/lifestyle/people/journalism-of-tolerance/human-rights-activist-kharkiv-helps-roma-community-integrate.html”]
The Eastern Slovak Gallery in Košice presents an exhibition of Roma Photos from Subcarpathian Ukraine from the beginning of the 20th century.
It is a presentation of previously unknown photographs of Roma from a Czech official, translator and amateur photographer Rudolf Hůlka, whose work is kept in the Slavonic Library in Prague.
– Vystavujú Fotografie Rómov z Podkarpatskej Rusi. In: Korzar. 04.11.2017. https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20688676/vystavuju-fotografie-romov-z-podkarpatskej-rusi.html [link-preview url=”https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20688676/vystavuju-fotografie-romov-z-podkarpatskej-rusi.html”]
One year after the pogroms in Odessa, the situation doesn’t get better, to the contrary.
– A year on from Odessa “pogrom”, Ukraine’s Roma face rise in mob justice. In: Reuters. 25.09.2017. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-rights-roma/a-year-on-from-odessa-pogrom-ukraines-roma-face-rise-in-mob-justice-idUSKCN1C01RN [link-preview url=”https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-rights-roma/a-year-on-from-odessa-pogrom-ukraines-roma-face-rise-in-mob-justice-idUSKCN1C01RN”]
When the Roma speaker of a small town is shot dead by the former mayor. A tale of militant anti-Roma racism.
– „Geschossen, bis einer tot war“ In: Taz. 01.09.2017. http://www.taz.de/!5440611/ [link-preview url=”http://www.taz.de/!5440611/”]
September is the month to commemorate the victims of the massacre at Babi Yar where Jews but also many Roma were brutally executed by the German troops.
No memorial to this day really mark the site. A new attempt is being started to be completed in time for the 80th anniversary of this massacre.
– In Ukraine, it’s time for a Holocaust memorial at Babi Yar. In: The Hill. 31.08.2017. http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/348756-in-ukraine-its-time-for-a-holocaust-memorial-at-babi-yar [link-preview url=”http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/348756-in-ukraine-its-time-for-a-holocaust-memorial-at-babi-yar”]
A long article on the commemorations on August 2nd in the Ukraine, a place where many Roma were killed, for example at Babi Yar – the site of the notorious Jewish killing.
– На Подолі у Києві, в Одесі – усюди були люди, які переховували ромів від геноциду. In: Radio Chiriklo. 06.08.2017. https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/chiriklo/na-podoli-u-kyyevi-v-odesi-usyudy-buly-lyudy-yaki-perehovuvaly-romiv-vid-genocydu [link-preview url=”https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/chiriklo/na-podoli-u-kyyevi-v-odesi-usyudy-buly-lyudy-yaki-perehovuvaly-romiv-vid-genocydu”]
Many Roma were displaced by the combats in Eastern Ukraine and are struggling to find a place elsewhere in the Ukraine, as discrimination and prejudice is ripe.
They cannot go back either – nationalism and Roma are never friends.
– Strangers in Their Own Land. In: TOL. 24.07.2017. http://www.tol.org/client/article/27072-ukraine-donbas-roma-minorities-displaced-people.html [link-preview url=”http://www.tol.org/client/article/27072-ukraine-donbas-roma-minorities-displaced-people.html”]
More than 300 people, roughly 100 families of Rroma have had to leave their homes in Kiev following threats against them. Just after the families left, 5 houses were torched.
This is ethnic cleansing and occurred just before the Europvision.
– Kiev Calling: Ethnic Cleansing Ahead of Eurovision Song Contest. In: ERRC Blog. 12.05.2017. http://www.errc.org/blog/kiev-calling-ethnic-cleansing-ahead-of-eurovision-song-contest/171 [link-preview url=”http://www.errc.org/blog/kiev-calling-ethnic-cleansing-ahead-of-eurovision-song-contest/171″]
A site devoted to the Rroma Holocasust in Ukraine and specifically, an exhibition on the deportation of the Rroma of Transnistria during World War Two. The Romanian regime deported many Rroma to the Transnistria region during the War, and many died there.
– ВИСТАВКА ПРО ГЕНОЦИД РОМІВ У ТРАНСНІСТРІЇ. In: Roma genocide.com.ua. http://romagenocide.com.ua/vystavka-pamyatai-aby-protystoyaty/ [link-preview url=”http://romagenocide.com.ua/vystavka-pamyatai-aby-protystoyaty/”]
The situation is not getting better in Kiev. After the eviction of one settlement on April 5th, and then the burning and closure of an informal settlement on April 13th, Rroma have asked for police protection and the ombudsman was called in.
The situation in Ukraine is getting worse for Rroma.
– Як органи влади реагують на виселення ромів у Києві? In: Hromanske Radio. 17.04.2017. https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/chiriklo/yak-organy-vlady-reaguyut-na-vyselennya-romiv-u-kyyevi [link-preview url=”https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/chiriklo/yak-organy-vlady-reaguyut-na-vyselennya-romiv-u-kyyevi”]
The War in Ukraine between nationalists leaves little space for Rroma. They had to flee.
– Roma families displaced by the war in eastern Ukraine face a double bind of poverty and discrimination. In: Relief Web. 15.03.2017. http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/roma-families-displaced-war-eastern-ukraine-face-double-bind-poverty-and [link-preview url=”http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/roma-families-displaced-war-eastern-ukraine-face-double-bind-poverty-and”]
Surprise, the winner of the Eurovision contest for representing the country in the next Eurovision contest in Kiev is a Rroma singer. Will be the first time that Hungary is represented by Rroma…
As for the song, well, it is in Hungarian …
– Joci Pápai is Hungary’s choice for Eurovision 2017. In: Eurovision TV. 18.02.2017. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=joci_papai_is_hungarys_choice_for_eurovision
– Joci Pápai – Origo (Hungary) 360° A dal performance. In: Eurovision TV. 19.02.2017. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/multimedia/videos?id=256593
– Hungary: “Origo might even have societal impact on the country”. In: ESC Daily. 20.02.2017. http://www.escdaily.com/hungary-origo-societal-impact/#
– HUNGARIAN GYIPSY MUSICIAN JOCI PÁPAI WILL CELEBRATE DIVERSITY IN EUROVISION 2017. In: Hungary Today. 20.02.2017. http://hungarytoday.hu/news/hungarian-gyipsy-musician-joci-papai-will-celebrate-diversity-eurovision-2017 [link-preview url=”http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=joci_papai_is_hungarys_choice_for_eurovision “]
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