Category Archives: News Switzerland

Nouvelles suisses

Travellers in Switzerland: Jura

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The parliament of the Canton of Jura in Switzerland has been debating the creation of a camping site for foreign travellers. It is symptomatic of the situation in Switzerland that one parliamentarian suggested not to do anything, as other cantons were not doing anything either …

– Gens du voyage : le Gouvernement persiste et signe. In: RFJ. 23.11.2016. http://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20161123-Gens-du-voyage-le-Gouvernement-persiste-et-signe.html [link-preview url=”http://www.rfj.ch/rfj/Actualite/Region/20161123-Gens-du-voyage-le-Gouvernement-persiste-et-signe.html”]

Nouvelles suisses

Jenische

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An interesting interview of a Jenishe writer, Simone Schönett. An insight in the culture of this group of travellers who all too often have been lumped together with Rroma.

– Jenische sind Jenische, keine „Korrnr“ In: Salot.bz. 25.11.2016. https://www.salto.bz/de/article/25112016/jenische-sind-jenische-keine-korrnr [link-preview url=”https://www.salto.bz/de/article/25112016/jenische-sind-jenische-keine-korrnr”]

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles suisses

Zurich and Prostitution

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An article about the drive through that was set up for prostitutes in Zurich. Not bad in itself, but the author claims that the prostitutes are “mostly Rroma” which is false. Yes, there are some Rromnja, especially from Hungary, but it is by far not the majority.

– Why Zurich has turned its red-light district into a drive-through, In: The Independent. 23.11.2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/why-zurich-is-turning-its-red-light-district-into-a-drive-through-a7429841.html [link-preview url=”http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/why-zurich-is-turning-its-red-light-district-into-a-drive-through-a7429841.html”]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Restrictions on Travellers

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The Canto n of St Gallen imposed further restrictions on travellers. They now have to ask for an official authorisation when the camp on private grounds (and pay the owner – up to several thousands Swiss francs).
This is bad, as Switzerland is currently barring foreign Rroma travellers from using the official camping sites for travellers.

– Neue Hürden für Fahrende in St.Gallen. In: FM1 St. Gallen. 20.11.2016. http://www.fm1today.ch/neue-huerden-fuer-fahrende-in-st-gallen/352023 [link-preview url=”http://www.fm1today.ch/neue-huerden-fuer-fahrende-in-st-gallen/352023″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: More on Gütensperger

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More articles on the Swiss Green Liberal politician Nathan Güntensperger who said “Roma do not respect agreements, lie, steal, try to cheat you and are vandals” and who has been exonerated of charges of racism.
Shame on Switzerland.

– «Les Roms mentent et volent»: le député blanchi. In 20 Minutes CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717
– Gens du voyage: l’élu biennois ne sera pas poursuivi pour discrimination raciale. In: Arc Info. 16.11.2016. http://www.arcinfo.ch/articles/suisse/gens-du-voyage-l-elu-biennois-ne-sera-pas-poursuivi-pour-discrimination-raciale-602196
– Discriminazione, il deputato Güntensperger non sarà perseguito. In: 20 Minuti CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.tio.ch/News/Svizzera/Politica/1116718/Discriminazione-il-deputato-Guntensperger-non-sara-perseguito
– GLP-Grossrat Güntensperger entgeht Rassismus-Verfahren. In: Der Bund. 16.11.2016. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/glpgrossrat-guentensperger-entgeht-rassismusverfahren/story/11753856 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Not Racist

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The Swiss politician Nathan Güntensperger who wrote in a newspaper that “Rroma do not respect agreements, steal, and lie” has been exonerated of any charges following a complaint for racism from 4 Rroma organisations and the Geselschaft für Bedrohte Völker.
In addition, these organisations literally learnt it via the press, not having immediately received the full document.
SHAME!

– Kein Rassismus-Verfahren gegen Bieler Grossrat. In: Berner Zeitung. 16.11.2016. http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/kein-rassismusverfahren-gegen-bieler-grossrat/story/12340445
– «Les Roms mentent et volent»: le député blanchi. In: 20 Minutes CH. 16.11.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/romandie/story/17817717
– Wohl kein Rassismus-Verfahren gegen Bieler Grossrat. In: Bluewin.ch. 16.11.2016. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-bern/2016/11/16/wohl-kein-rassismus-verfahren-gegen-bieler-grossra.html [link-preview url=”https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-bern/2016/11/16/wohl-kein-rassismus-verfahren-gegen-bieler-grossra.html”]

Nouvelles suisses

Lausanne: Recourse against the Begging Ban

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Lausanne: Recourse against the Begging Ban

The constitutional court of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland will have to decide on the legality of a ban against begging in that canton. The ban was prompted by the presence of less than hundred (yes!!!) beggars in Lausanne, some of which are Rroma.
There could be a few other possibilities …

– Vaud: recours contre l’interdiction de la mendicité. In: Swissinfo.ch. 09.11.2016. http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/vaud–recours-contre-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicité/42580662 [link-preview url=”http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/vaud–recours-contre-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicité/42580662″]

Nouvelles suisses

STEREOTYPES

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A really bad article from a Swiss paper. The article cites extensively an Austrian “expert” on street children and then goes on to dangerous generalisations such as “girls beg”, “boys steal” and so on.
This reinforces the stereotypes in the minds of the Swiss, as anyhow, they think that all Rroma are beggars and thieves.

– «Mädchen betteln, Buben stehlen» In: Blick. 27.10.2016. http://www.blick.ch/news/ausland/roma-banden-experte-norbert-ceipek-maedchen-betteln-buben-stehlen-id5663255.html [link-preview url=”http://www.blick.ch/news/ausland/roma-banden-experte-norbert-ceipek-maedchen-betteln-buben-stehlen-id5663255.html”]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: The Future of the Travellers

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An article about the need for so-called “Standplätze”, sites where Jenische and Sinti can spend longer periods in Switzerland. The Swiss travellers say that without these, their way of life cannot be upheld.

– Zukunft der Fahrenden liegt vielleicht im zweiten Stock. In: Der Bund. 31.10.2016. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Zukunft-der-Fahrenden-liegt-vielleicht-im-zweiten-Stock/story/26478178 [link-preview url=”http://www.derbund.ch/bern/nachrichten/Zukunft-der-Fahrenden-liegt-vielleicht-im-zweiten-Stock/story/26478178″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Lausanne and Homeless

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Lausanne, at the forefront of forbidding begging in Switzerland is confronted with ca. 200 homeless people. And only a fraction of these are Rroma … Which means, there are far less than 100 Rroma beggars in that city. Can’t be a massive problem …

– Migrants, Roms, toxicos, ils sont 200 à dormir à la rue. In: 24 Heures. 29.10.2016. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/Migrants-Roms-toxicos-ils-sont-200-a-dormir-a-la-rue/story/31681936 [link-preview url=”http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/lausanne-region/Migrants-Roms-toxicos-ils-sont-200-a-dormir-a-la-rue/story/31681936″]

Nouvelles suisses

Travellers and Rroma

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Another article on local Swiss Travellers – the Jenische – and Rroma. And the views are far appart…

– Fahrende wehren sich: «Die Leute stecken uns in die gleiche Schublade wie die Roma». In: Aargauer Zeitung. 25.10.2016. http://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/schweiz/fahrende-wehren-sich-die-leute-stecken-uns-in-die-gleiche-schublade-wie-die-roma-130667190 [link-preview url=”http://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/schweiz/fahrende-wehren-sich-die-leute-stecken-uns-in-die-gleiche-schublade-wie-die-roma-130667190″]

Nouvelles suisses

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People are finally moving against the interdiction of begging issued by the city of Lausanne. This interdiction, aimed at the few dozen Rroma beggars (never more than 60 in the whole city) is controversial as it criminalises poverty.
Leftist parties want to weaken it, while a referendum has been launched to scrap it entirely.

– Vaud: lancement d’un référendum contre l’interdiction de mendier. In: Swissinfo. 10.10.2016. http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/vaud–lancement-d-un-referendum-contre-l-interdiction-de-mendier/42506114
– Le centre-gauche veut assouplir l’interdiction de la mendicité. In: 24 Heures. 12.10.2016. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/Le-centregauche-veut-assouplir-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicite/story/11316215 [link-preview url=”http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/Le-centregauche-veut-assouplir-l-interdiction-de-la-mendicite/story/11316215″]

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles suisses Roumanie

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Two articles in the aftermath of the ban of begging in Lausanne. One by a photographer, Yves Leresche, who has been taking picture of these beggars in both Switzerland and Romania, and the other, on the actual effects of banning beggars. The bans are actually bad and make matter worse.

– Yves Leresche: «je m’étonne de l’absence de débat sur la mendicité» In: La Côte. 30.09.2016. http://www.lacote.ch/articles/regions/vaud/yves-leresche-je-m-etonne-de-l-absence-de-debat-sur-la-mendicite-1-2-585162
– A Genève, le bilan inquiétant de la loi anti-mendicité. In: Le Courrier. 29.09.2016. http://www.lecourrier.ch/142819/a_geneve_le_bilan_inquietant_de_la_loi_anti_mendicite [link-preview url=”http://www.lacote.ch/articles/regions/vaud/yves-leresche-je-m-etonne-de-l-absence-de-debat-sur-la-mendicite-1-2-585162″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland and Travellers

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Another article on Rroma travellers in Switzerland. And the perpetuation of new myths: There are more and more of them coming in Switzerland (FALSE, exactly as before), they need so-called “Transit” camping place, even though they are not in transit through Switzerland but work here, etc. And on top, the segregation of camping sites between Swiss travellers and the others is considered almost as natural.SHAME!- Die Frage der Fahrenden sorgt für Kopfzerbrechen. In: Swissinfo. 19.09.2016. http://www.swissinfo.ch/direktedemokratie/roma-kontra-jenische_die-frage-der-fahrenden-sorgt-fuer-kopfzerbrechen/33534654#commentsdo [link-preview url=”http://www.swissinfo.ch/direktedemokratie/roma-kontra-jenische_die-frage-der-fahrenden-sorgt-fuer-kopfzerbrechen/33534654#commentsdo”]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Lausanne forbids Begging

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Lausanne forbade mendacity yesterday. The vote was narrow but passed through. Begging will be fined 100.— CHF and begging with a minor even more. This measure concerns less than a hundred beggars in Lausanne. Yes, less than 100!!!!And by far not of them are Rroma.Speak about lousy populism.- CANTON DE VAUD LE GRAND CONSEIL INTERDIT LA MENDICITÉ. In: Le Matin. 28.09.2016. http://www.lematin.ch/suisse/grand-conseil-interdit-mendicite/story/31918282- La mendicité interdite grâce au vote dispersé des Verts. In: 24 Heures. 28.09.2016. http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/mendicite-interdite-canton-vaud/story/22545846- Il sera interdit de mendier dans le canton de Vaud. In: 20 Minutes (CH). 28.09.2016. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/vaud/story/Il-sera-interdit-de-mendier-dans-le-canton-de-Vaud-14415436- Trois scénarios face à la mendicité. In: Le Courrier. 26.08.2016. http://www.lecourrier.ch/142744/trois_scenarios_face_a_la_mendicite [link-preview url=”http://www.lematin.ch/suisse/grand-conseil-interdit-mendicite/story/31918282″]

Nouvelles suisses

Travellers Camp and Bern

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The Bern Government is trying to take measures against abuses and misuses of one of the travellers sites in the canton. Apparently, the list of complaints is long, including not paying rent, destroying or damaging infrastructure, aggressive behaviour, and not sending children to school.
As usual, reality is somewhat less dramatic.

– Stadt Bern nimmt Fahrende in die Pflicht. In: Berner Zeitung. 20.09.2016. http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/neue-spielregeln-fuer-standplatz-buech/story/15399016 [link-preview url=”http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/neue-spielregeln-fuer-standplatz-buech/story/15399016″]

Nouvelles suisses

More on the Racism Complaint against Swiss Politician

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Two articles on the complaint for racism against the green liberal (yes) politician from Bern, Nathan Güntensperger who made disparaging and generalising comments against Rroma in the Press.
Reaction of the public to the complaint is not exactly positive … Which shows what still remains to be done.

– Gens du voyage: plainte pour racisme déposée contre un député bernois. In: Le Nouvelliste. 21.09.2016. http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/articles/suisse/gens-du-voyage-plainte-pour-racisme-deposee-contre-un-depute-bernois-581447
– Bieler GLP-Grossrat wird des Rassismus beschuldigt. In: Bluewin. 21.09.2016. https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/regional/region-bern/2016/9/21/bieler-glp-grossrat-wird-des-rassismus-beschuldigt.html [link-preview url=”http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/articles/suisse/gens-du-voyage-plainte-pour-racisme-deposee-contre-un-depute-bernois-581447
-“]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Criminal Complaint against Politician

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The main Rroma organisations from Switzerland, together with the Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker lodged a criminal complaint for racism against the Green Liberal politician Nathan Güntensperger from Bern. This politician made derogatory and generalising comments against all Rroma in a letter to a newspaper.
The bad thing is that the 20 Minutes paper added a poll to the article: The choices were: Do you agree with the criminal complaint? No, one is allowed to say what one thinks! And a last one which was worse. Interestingly, the poll has been changed, but not for the better. That is about conflicts with travellers …

– Anzeige gegen Grossrat nach Roma-Beleidigung. In: 20 Minutes (CH). 21.09.2016. http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Anzeige-gegen-Grossrat-nach-Roma-Beleidigung-31556612 [link-preview url=”http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/bern/story/Anzeige-gegen-Grossrat-nach-Roma-Beleidigung-31556612″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Rroma feel Ignored by Berset

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Following the recognition of Jenische and Sinti by Alain Berset, Swiss Interior Minister, Rroma rightly feel excluded. Event though they number far more than Jenische and Sinti in Switzerland…
But then, in that country, Rroma is used as an almost synonym for foreigner.

– Schweizer Roma fühlen sich von Alain Berset ignoriert. In: Tages Anzeiger. 20.09.2016. http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/schweizer-roma-fuehlen-sich-von-alain-berset-ignoriert/story/21075063 [link-preview url=”http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/schweizer-roma-fuehlen-sich-von-alain-berset-ignoriert/story/21075063″]

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Travellers in Bern

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Switzerland: Travellers in Bern

Again bad press on travellers in Switzerland. Usual story: Forced to camp somewhere in the wild or on a rented field, there are not enough sanitary installations nor containers for garbage, and as a result, people complain about garbage and smell.

This is how you force a reputation on people.

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