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07.06.2013 Zoltan Balog and the Hungarian Rroma strategy

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According to the article in the NZZ (2013), Zoltan Balog, the Hungarian Minister of Education, Health and Social Affairs wants that Rroma feel themselves as Hungarian citizens. This also means that they should pay taxes, health insurance and pension contributions. Enrolment in employment programs and scholarships should further the integration of the Rroma in the labour market. Critics see the Hungarian employment programs as humiliating forced labour, which offers no real future.

Friday the 7th of June, Balog will lecture on “Hungary’s Roma – Problem or chance” at the University of Zurich (Zemp 2013). The lecture is organised by the alumni of the Faculty of Law, the European Institute of the University of Zurich and the Hungarian Embassy. The lawyer Philip Stolkin criticised that one thus continues a tradition of lectures set to talk about members of ethnic groups without their participation, i.e. without them. The organisers referred to Balog’s good reputation and to the freedom of expression.

Balog’s lecture proved to be the quintessence of a smart politician: he gave an eloquent, almost blooming speech on Hungary’s integration strategy for the Rroma. He began with discussion of the requirements of life in an industrial society, which he – and this at least can be criticised – he contrasted to the Rroma as a “natural society”, something which does not reflect reality. He then spoke of the forced integration during the socialist times and the portrayal of Rroma as a turning as being losers of the change of system. Concerning the present situation, there is an increasing poverty driven between Rroma and impoverished Magyars underclass, and thus an increased racism. The actual plans of the Hungarian government for Rroma were presented as a costing comparison between integration and segregation. If segregation is maintained it will cost significantly to the state than more than if Rroma were successfully integrated. Hungary European Rroma strategy is based on the promotion of education, support for the integration into the labour market and the fight against social segregation. This includes the establishment of courses on the culture, language and history of the Rroma in public schools. On this point, Balog proved that he isinfluenced by clichés when he began to speak of the role models of successful Rroma musicians: Successful Rroma are far from limited to the field of music, but are also found in many non-traditional professional groups.

All the eloquence and persuasiveness of Balog to demonstrate the enormous efforts undertaken by the Hungarian government to integrate the Rroma, the burning question of the social reality and social practice in the effective use of the Rroma needs to be asked. Balog’s lecture gave the impression it is a part of the Hungarian foreign policy aimed at leaving a positive image of Hungary with its trading partners. Reports in newspapers such as the Pester Lloyd paint a less rosy picture of the situation of Rroma in Hungary. Whether Balog’s ambitious plans are actually translated into reality is to be hoped but is also doubtful.

Source:

  • «Es geht um unsere Zukunft», Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 06.06.2013
  • Zemp, Thomas. Protest gegen Roma-Vortrag eines ungarschen Superminister. Tages Anzeiger, 03.06.2013
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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. 
Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles suisses Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

19.04.2013 Rroma in Lausanne

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Maspoli (2013) reports on an elderly woman in Lausanne, who, during the cold winter months, supplied a Rroma family living in the street for 35 days with clothing and food. The pensioner was worried about the family, consisting of the parents, two sons and a pregnant daughter in law. After about a month, in December, the family told the pensioner that they wanted to go back to Romania and broke off all contacts. A month later, the woman discovered the family begging in the city centre, again in poor clothes. She feels betrayed. A friend of her had also given money to the family, money that had been used to repay debt to a usurer in Romania and for paying the smugglers for the travel between Romania and Switzerland.

The article is written in a very one-sided manner and presents an unbalanced view on Rroma, representing them as sneaky and unreliable. Such articles contribute to the negative view of society on Rroma and can only be described as unfortunate.

Bourgeoise (2013) reports on the views of the organization Opre Rrom that questions the existence of beggar networks among Rroma. Money earned begging is very rarely handed to mafia-like networks, and is rather intended for their own families in Eastern Europe. The debate about Rroma networks is similar to the current discussions in Germany about Rroma kings and strong self-oppression among the Rroma. The UDC party in Vaud is starting an initiative to criminalize begging in almost all areas in Lausanne. Motivation for the ban is the belief that the Rroma beggars are part of organized criminal networks that one does not want to support.

Sources:

  • Bourgeoise, Lise (2013) «Les Roms de Lausanne ne font pas partie d’un réseau». In: 24heures vom 8.4.2013.
  • Maspoli, Philippe (2013) «J’ai aidé des Roms et j’ai le sentiment d’avoir été arnaquée» In: 24heures vom 19.4.2013. 
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12.04.2013 Switzerland is not an Island

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The exhibition and event series of the Association Sedhalle “Switzerland is not an island,” focuses on the exclusion of Rroma in Switzerland and Europe. Through various forms of artistic expression themes such as the relationship of norm and variance, majority and minority, internal and external representation, adaptation and self-decisions are treated. Overviews of the life of various Rroma provide an insight into the question of what it means, at the beginning of the 21st Century to be Rrom in Europe. Current political debates such as the begging ban in western Switzerland, or interdictions to be in certain places are discussed, but also the questions on counter-strategies against exclusion and discrimination will be treated.

Source:

  • Verein Sedhalle (2013) Die Schweiz ist keine Insel. In: www.sedhalle.ch [12.4.2013]
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22.03.2013Human Trafficking, Prostitution, and Rroma in Switzerland

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Simon Hehli (2013) reports on the work of 20minutes of investigators in the Zurich milieu. They search local establishments and the street scene for victims of human trafficking. Who is the victim and who is not, is not easy to determine, since the women, for fear of reprisals, often avoid the subject. The boundaries between wilful prostitution and exploitation are often not clearly defined, which makes exploitation difficult to combat. The article does not deal primarily with Rroma, but rather with the problem of human trafficking in Switzerland and the associated exploitation. It is noted that most of the prostitutes on the open street scene in Zurich are Hungarian Rroma women. It should be emphasized that there is no connection between Rroma identity and prostitution per se, apart from the glaring poverty of Rroma in Hungary. Rroma prostitution is a result of exploitation and poverty and has nothing to do with Rroma origins.

Source:

  • Hehli, Simon (2013) Mit Stettler und Kälin auf dem Roma-Strich. In: 20minuten vom 15.3.2013.  
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22.02.2013 Politicization of the Westward Migration of Rroma from Southeast Europe

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A hysteria on the mass immigration of Rroma from Bulgaria and Romania has broken up in Germany in expectation of the impeding 2014 relaxation on the freedom of movement with those two countries and the EU. A wealth of articles have been published in recent days about the predicted or already happening mass immigration, a selection of which is discussed below. The immigration of people from southeast Europe has become a political issue, as you can see from contradictory statistics and emotionally charged statements. The fear is the potential increase in social spending and benefits for these poorly educated migrants. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the integration minister of North Rhine Westphalia, Guntram Schneider, warned about this issue (Burger 2013). German politicians are now calling Southeast European governments for dedicated steps to better integrate the Rroma.

Reinhard Veser (2013) General of the Frankfurter Zeitung writes about what he sees as a fact that all Roma in Southeast Europe – mainly Romania and Bulgaria – are marginalized and poor, which results in a large migration of Roma to Western Europe. He uses this insight, to call for a clear naming and representation of the “problem.” He states: “It is wrong when, on the debate on poverty immigration from Bulgaria and Romania, those who come are not named. Most of these people are Roma”

In addition to social programs in South East Europe on should help the German cities, which are affected by the poverty driven influx of Rroma, since the efforts to better integrate the Rroma in their countries of origin is not a big success.

Also “die Welt” reported in several articles about the seemingly increasing poverty driven migration of Rroma to Germany. Between 2007 and 2011 the number of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria had increased from 64,000 to 147,000. Most of them are Rroma and were often smuggled by organized traffickers to Germany, from where they would be exploited. As a result they are often forced to earn illegal income working for dumped wages, or in prostitution or begging. Many big cities are overwhelmed by this migration and are crying for help them up as petty crime has increased dramatically and residents start to feel alienated (Von Borstel 2013, Crolly/Frigelj 2013).

The Zurich Rroma Contact Point is amazed at the ability of journalists of recognized newspapers to regurgitate politically generated knowledge uncritically and without any hesitation, presenting it as scientific fact. Recognizing that many Rroma in Southeast Europe are living in poverty and exclusion is certainly to be agreed. But from a massive immigration – even a migration – of Rroma to Western Europe, and to call for dedicated countermeasures is highly problematic. The journalists are simply reproducing once more the common stereotypes about Rroma. They establish a clear link between ethnicity and socio-economic circumstances and thus discriminate against those Rroma who are well integrated and live in total integrity in their home countries. These invisible Rroma, who are not part of the media coverage, are thus made part of one-dimensional representation that portrays Rroma as discriminated economical refugees. That transnational migration requires great courage – leaving family and friends behind – is not addressed any more than the ethnicization a poverty problem.

This problem should be identified as a socio-economic paradigm and not as an ethnic and even less presented as one. Using the latter must inevitably leave one open for accusations of racism. In this regard, Verica Spasovska calls for a committed action of the EU in all Member States (Spasovska 2013).

Even the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung agrees to this chorus of laments on the apparent mass immigration of Southeast Europeans Rroma, resulting in astronomical increases of costs for the Social Department and in the aggravation of social conflicts. The numbers from the statistical office are not questioned at all (Hauser 2013).

It needs to be noted that people, regardless of their origins, are not entitled to social assistance, “if they have not been paid in the social system by having a regular job” (Reichmuth 2013). This fact is not considered at all in the emotional debate.

The Migazin (2013) criticized the numbers of Federal Statistical Office on the immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria as inaccurate. While it is true that 147,000 people had migrated in 2011 from Romania and Bulgaria to Germany, but out of that number, a large amount of people leaving Germany needs to be excluded. If those leavers are taken into account, only 58’350 people from the countries concerned immigrated to Germany, a massively smaller number. In addition, the statistics of the Federal Department included many temporary workers would should not be counted as permanent residents.

Torsten Krauel (2013) is outraged at the apparently special treatment of Roma families in major German cities and calls for the equal treatment of all EU citizens, regardless of ethnicity. Else the “resilience of the state towards the behaviour of some Roma families could be a starting point for anti-European sentiments.” He further postulates a mass immigration of Rroma families to German social services offices, which is “not a God given state of affairs” and always talks of the so-called “Roma issue”. The article emphasizes the diversity of life among Rroma, but pours in his portrayal a collage of stereotypes, tells of Roma kings and draconian force in extended families. He notes:

The Roma families […] live in their own universe. At the same time, they are the freest and least free people of Europe. They consider themselves not bound to any State to law and have no loyalties except to their own […] The world of the Roma is as varied as ours, their values ​​are glamorous or as harsh as before in the Middle Ages – and in some of their extended families [these values] are not compatible with the ideas embodied by the Civil Code. Yes, there are child gangs. Yes, there are criminal clans. And yes, there are also large families that are not noticed by such offences. The latter are potential allies against the excesses [of others].

Although Mr Krauel, in his descriptions of the “Rroma world,” tries to give a differentiated representation of the facts, it is surprising how decisively he represents the “otherness” of the values ​​of the Rroma. The statement “They do not consider themselves bound by any state, law and have no loyalties except their own” is a crass defamation and pretentious ascription of identity to an ethnic group that can only be described as racist. It constructs the Rroma intentionally as the opposite and negation of the so-called loyal and compliant values​​. The addition of  “freedom in its positive aspect” to these statements doesn’t change much to them. He thus assignes Rroma a blanket identity of self-imposed exclusion, whereas in fact, this is  a history of foreign exclusion. Mr. Krauel writes that the Rroma value measures are “glamorous and harsh as before in the Middle Ages.” This evolutionary portrayal of the values ​​of the Rroma as an anachronism is deeply patronizing. It defames all those Rroma who are well integrated and live an integer life in European societies. Those invisible Rroma he mentions only marginally. The idea that the majority of Rroma live under the influence of regional Roma kings, can only be deemed totally absurd. At the beginning of the article, Mr. Krauel says that what was happening in German cities is not xenophobia. What he writes in this article, however, is.

The SPD politician Martin Korol (2013) recently published a paper on the “Roma in Bremen” on his webpage. In it he refers to what he deems as a striking increase  of the West migration of Romanian and Bulgarian Roma to Bremen. They are coming by families, by whole clans, not for political reasons but “because of the poverty in their country and the opportunity here to live in a warm and dry enough place, to eat to satiation and in case of emergency, to have medical treatment.” Like the majority of German media, he sees the Romanian and Bulgarian Roma as economical refugees. That in itself is not to be condemned. However, there are preposterous statements, now deleted in the newest version, in which he states that Rroma “take their daughters out of school […] to force-wed them,” and that young Rroma men “melt their brains away with adhesive fumes brain away […]. The prospect that each Rrom contributes to GNP or even to his own pension or mine “is” null” (Schirrmeister 2013) Even the current version of the text still has racist statements like, “But it amazes me now that Bremen suddenly discovered its love for Roma, who socially and intellectually still live in the Middle Ages, in an ancient patriarchal society in a way that raises the strongest concern among every party, every church and every association in Germany in general and particularly in Bremen.”

The rest of the text contains a correspondence between Korol and a person responsible for immigration in Bremen. In it, he is annoyed at the blatant disinterest, in his opinion, for the house that he wanted to give for temporary migrants. Korol is actually staging himself as a misunderstood benefactor for immigrants from South-eastern Europe.

The SPD chief of Bremen distanced himself decidedly from Korol’s paper and stated that this position was in no way in line with the social democratic values. Also, the The Rroma Contact Point can only vehemently condemn Korol’s statements and  even denounce the malicious defamation that his blog partially contains. That such statements can be made by an SPD politician in Germany is very surprising and offensive.

Sources:

  • Burger (2013) Armutsmigration wird zunehmen. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung vom 21.2.2013.
  • Crolly, Hannelore / Kristian, Frigelj (2013) Roma in Deutschland – ausgebeutet, illegal, kriminell. In: Die Welt vom 21.2.2013. 
  • Hauser, Jan (2013) Dortmund rechnet mit Millionenkosten für Roma. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung vom 21.2.2013.
  • Korol, Martin (2013) Roma in Bremen. In: http://www.martinkorol.de [22.2.2013]
  • Krauel, Torsten (2013) Gleiches Recht für alle in der Roma-Frage! In: Die Welt vom 22.2.2013.  http://www.welt.de/113817150 
  • Migazin (2013) Keine Belege für Armutszuwanderung aus Rumänien und Bulgarien. In: http://www.migazin.de/2013/02/22/keine-belege-fur-armutszuwanderung-aus- bulgarien-und-rumanien/ [22.2.2013].
  • Reichmuth, Christop (2013) Angst vor Armutseinwanderung. In: Neue Luzerner Zeitung vom 19.2.2013.
  • Schirrmeister (2013) SPD-Abgeordneter hetzt gegen Roma. In: TAZ vom 21.2.2013.
  • Spasovska, Verica (2013) Arme Roma – Ein Problem das Europa gemeinsam lösen sollte. In: Deutsche Welle vom 21.2.2013.
  • Veser, Reinhard (2013) Armutseinwanderung Roma. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung vom 22.2.2013.
  • Von Borstel, Stefan (2013) Roma-Zuwanderung – Großstädte schlagen Alarm. In: Die Welt vom 16.2.2013.
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15.02.2013 Lausanne Criminalises Begging

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The city of Lausanne has decreed numerous zones and areas in the city as areas where the begging is punishable by law. By a decision of the Municipal Council, begging near shops, public buildings, and on public transports is now criminalised. Organised begging is punished by a fine of up to 1,000 Swiss francs. This decision, according to the proponents of the initiative, is directed against organized begging and not against the poor who beg to make end meet at the end of the month. The definition of organised begging versus the poverty begging is controversial to say the least. While some see begging as the work of organised bands, for others this is just the result of poverty, and the criminalization of begging de facto is the criminalization of poverty.

Rroma Contact Point would like to emphasize that the while so-called organised Roma beggars exist, to present it as part of the Rroma identity is highly problematic. The poverty and the consequent activities such as begging, are not part of Rroma identity, but the result of institutionalized stigmatisation and exclusion.

Source:

  • Jaquet, Christiane (2013) La frousse bourgeoise face à la misère rom. In: Gauchebdo vom 8.2.2013.
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15.02.2013 Rroma Children in Emergency Shelters

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Caroline Gebhard from the 20minutes paper in Lausanne writes about the increasing number of Rroma children sleeping in emergency shelters in winter in Lausanne. The Rroma kids aged up to 6 years live in shelters and have been separated from their families which recently arrived in Lausanne. The shelters are not accustomed to accommodate children. According to those in charge of the shelters, this increase of the number of  children is probably due to the repressive policies in France and the dismantling of Rroma settlements. Vera Tcheremissinoff of Opre Rrom is quoted as saying that parents often let their children with their grandparents, when they go away to collect wood or to beg. The article concludes with the statement that most of the Rroma children are picked up again by their parents, but four or five Rroma children were left unattended.

Caroline Gebhard representation of Rroma parents as irresponsible and leaving their children unattended raises the question of the impact of such statements on Rroma. Rroma Contact Point would once more like to emphasize that individual stories should not be presented as a universal truth for all Rroma and that such a portrayal is in fact racist.

Source:

  • Gebard, Caroline (2013) Les bébés roms s’invitent dans les abris d’urgence. In: 20 minutes Lausanne vom 17.2.2013
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15.02.2013 Rroma Family Deported

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Abdoulaye Penda Ndiaye from the 20minutes paper in Lausanne reports on the expulsion of Rroma family to Macedonia. One of the two daughters of the couple had had a medical problem with the hip, which a condition not sufficiently well treated in Macedonia. The family learned about their fate just after the sudden death of their one-year son, who suffered from a genetic defect. The parents are under shock and are be treated in a hospital in Lausanne against severe depression. The Swiss Federal Office for Migration disputes the claim from the family that the father was persecuted by the Macedonian police, and also discredited the claim that medical care in Macedonia is not available. The family is therefore forced to leave the country.

Source:

  • Abdoulaye Penda Ndiaye (2013) «Mon fils est enterré ici, et on expulse ma famille!» In: 20minutes Lausanne vom 11.2.2013.
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15.02.2013 Re-Sentencing of a 21 years old Rrom

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Christian Mensch of the paper “Der Sonntag” reported on the re-sentencing in the case of a 21 year old Rrom in the Basle region. The young man had committed theft in the Swiss border area and was convicted and sentenced by the criminal judge Enrico Rosa, to two years of unconditional imprisonment despite the plea of the prosecution and defensem  for a milder sentence. Christian Mensch sees that judgment in the context of a conflict between Rosa and the Basle prosecutor about heavier sentences. As a magistrate and as an expert Rosa had earlier repeatedly criticized the prosecutor’s office work.

In this context the case of 21-year-old Romany is now being re-discussed, with the aim of “sensible” reduction of the penalty.

Rroma are often mentioned as in this article only in a negative context (here theft) and as such, the press offers a distorted view of the Rroma. The Rroma Contact Point would like to state that by far not all the 50,000 Rroma in Switzerland conform to these negative stereotypes.

Source:

  • Mensch, Christian (2013) Hartes Roma-Urteil wird neue verhandelt. In: Der Sonntag vom 10.2.2013. 
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15.02.2013 Study on the Right of Rroma in Geneva

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Law students from the University of Geneva, will conduct a study on the rights of Rroma in Geneva and present the results the public. The study deals with the ambivalence and pluralisms in jurisdiction in relation to the vulnerable situation of Rroma and their rights. Fourteen students from higher semesters will be working on this survey under the coordination of graduate students. Specifically concerns are the clarification of legal issues about their stay in Switzerland, their working right, the use of public spaces and the begging ban in Geneva. Scholars in the field of law, NGOs, police representatives, hospital staff, and representatives of the Rroma are invited to participatory seminars.

Source:

  • Roselli, Sophie (2013) Université se penche sur les droits des Roms. In: Tribune de Genéve vom 14.2.2013.
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The toughening of the begging laws through a political initiative in Lausanne happens in the context of increased public disfavour towards systematic begging. Several newspapers of the francophone part of Switzerland write about the hardening of the jurisdiction against organised begging. The new legislation is the result of a counterproposal to a public initiative against begging, started by middle and right wing parties.

Most of the journalists of the articles see Rroma as main target of this undertaking, which are perceived as professional beggars. That it is morally questionable to name people of ethnic groups in connection with criminal activities is not problematized. Neither is there made any separation between ethnic membership and socio-economic circumstances.

The toughening of the begging laws is not supposed to criminalize poverty but to prevent organized mendacity. The new legislation will prohibit begging in public transportation, next to trains stations and shops, administration buildings, museums and cash machines. It will further criminalize organized begging and mendacity in company or with the use of children. The government of Lausanne is also planning to foster the education of Rroma in Romania through a school project of “Terre des hommes” and implements an information campaign about the situation of the Rroma.

How it can be so certainly said that all organized begging is down by Rroma, is not problematized. The responsible parties and journalists don’t seem aware of the complexity of ethnic membership and its identification. The RCP therefore recommends to use national affiliation instead of ethnic membership, when it seems necessarily to label beggars according to their origins, even tough also national labels can be negatively politicized.

Véra Tchérémissinoff of the organization “Opre Rroma” criticizes the criminalization of begging, arguing that Rroma in Lausanne already now have to pay fines for camping wildly and other minor offences and this scheme won’t solve the source why people beg. Left wing party members criticized, that the new legislation will criminalize begging down out of poverty, since the distinction of organized and “normal” begging is difficult to determine.

Sources:

  • Audétat, Daniel / Prin, Mehdi-Stéphane / Trotta, David (2013) Lausanne rend la vie impossible aux mendiants. In: 24heures vom 6.2.2013.
  • Audétat, Daniel (2013) Lausanne rend la vie impossible aux mendiants. In: Tribune de Genève vom 6.2.2013.
  • Audétat, Daniel (2013) La mendicité entre bonne et mauvaise consience. In: 24heures vom 5.2.2013.
  • Bournoud, Renaud (2013) Lausanne doit passer la théorie à la practique. In: 24heures vom 7.2.2013.
  • La Liberté (2013) Lausanne durcit le ton. In: La Liberté vom 6.2.2013.
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01.02.2013 Accelerated Return of Rroma to Serbia and Macedonia

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The NZZ writes about the accelerated return of Rroma asylum seekers to Serbia and Macedonia, which is the result of a new policy of the national migration office (BfM), which implemented a so called 48-hours procedure for people from countries, which are declared safe of prosecution. This new policy may seem favorable from the viewpoint of the BfM, which sees the Serbian and Macedonian Rroma as economic migrants, which don’t have any “real” reason for migration to Switzerland. However, this viewpoint dismisses the ongoing, de facto discrimination of many Rroma in Serbia, which suffer from ongoing racism against them. The article by Andreas Ernst acknowledges, that the policy doesn’t recognize the ongoing problems of Rroma in Serbia, but the author doesn’t seem aware of the questionability of declaring a country safe of prosecution, but not considering the role of ethnic minorities like the Rroma. Ernst sees the topic as an economic issue and that Rroma should be better fostered in their home countries. The problem of de facto social discrimination doesn’t receive the attention it should. This becomes also evident, when reading the interview with Mario Gattiker, supervisor of the BfM. According to Gattiker, who takes the line with the official political assessment, there is no persecution of Rroma in the Balkans. The political categorization of Rroma as not being persecuted may be true when analyzing their situation through official evaluations. The range of what persecution really means and what Rroma people experience de facto, can not be covered by this official political assessment. One young Rroma man from Belgrad, for istance, told about his abuse through the Police of Belgrad in “Menschen bei Maischberger». He described the situation of Rroma in Serbia as one of strong discrimination.

The RCP wants to emphasize, that official political assessments of countries, declaring minorities free of discrimination, have to be consumed with prudence.

Sources:

  • ARD (2012) Feindbild Sinti und Roma: Sind wir zu intolerant? «Menschen bei Maischberger» vom 20.11.2012.
  • Ernst, Andreas (2013) Problem ist gelöst – ausser für die Roma. In: NZZ am Sonntag vom vom 27.01.2013.
  • Häuptli, Lukas (2013) Weniger Asylgesuche dank Schnellverfahren. In: NZZ am Sonntag vom vom 27.01.2013
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25.01.2013 Rroma and Edwards Said’s Orientalism

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Edwards Said’s seminal book “Orientalism” is a convenient tool to more clearly understand how knowledge about Rroma is produced and how it affects the live worlds of Rroma people in Western and Eastern Europe. It is another example of discourse analysis, and offers insights into structures of power that are involved when producing knowledge about other people.

Said examined (1978/2010) how the Orient has been portrayed and constructed by Western science in form of Orientalism. How did and does Orientalism describe the Orient and how do these bodies of knowledge work back onto reality? Said wants Orientalism to be seen as knowledge that is embedded in postcolonial power relations. East and West are seen as concepts that define themselves in relation and against each other. The Orient has been used to define it as the counterpart, the anti-idea, and counter experience to the West. Said understands the Orient as well as the Occident as constructed terms, that continue to change their meaning. Through the institutionalization of thinking about the Orient, Orientalism continually legitimized itself as the dominant, ‘true’ tale about the Orient. The term ‘Orient’ in contrast to Orientalism is used to refer to a perceived reality of what life in the Orient is like. Said distanced himself from claiming to say how the orient was really like. What he wanted to do is to deconstruct how Orientalists talked about the Orient, and how their knowledge has nearly always been part of unequal power relations between societies and people. Said disenchants the knowledge of the Orientalists as portrayals, which run the risk of ascribing labels of value and race, which leads to the domination and disciplining of people through this portrayals.  

Also the case of how Rroma are portrayed in media, by politicians and in oral culture, mostly refers to a dominant ‘tale’, similar to what Said called Orientalism. One could term it ‘Antiziganism’, but it is important to understand that the dominant tale about Roma – disseminated by lots of people – doesn’t sees itself as racist, but as representing the truth, even though it reflects stereotypes and is racist. This dominant ‘tale’, taking its knowledge from centuries of passed down prejudices, negative interpretations and mixing of identity with political issues, succeeds in dominating the way in which many people see Rroma. Many journalists take their information from oral culture and print stereotypes as ‘scientific reality’, mixing criminal actives and questions of ethnic belonging, even though there is no connection between them. Rroma who engage in criminal activities or how live in slums dominate media coverage, silencing all the other positive aspects of Rroma identity. There are no news reports on successful Rroma how live well adjusted in their society, work as a lawyer, as a bank clerk or as a writer. In Switzerland there life around 50’000 Rroma, from whom the most are well integrated, work and engage in their everyday activities. Because of the domination of negative stereotypes, most of them keep their identity a secret.  

Source:

  • Said, Edward (1978/2010) Orientalismus. Frankfurt am Main: S. Fischer Verlag.
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11.01.2013 Gypsies and the anthropology of Enlightenment

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The literary scholar Klaus Michael Bogdal wrote a book about the representation of Rroma in European literature during the last centuries. Before, he intensely concerned himself with historical discourse analysis and Foucault (Bogdal 2011). He unfolds a story of the representation of Rroma in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present, in which he shows how they have always been constructed as an antipode to bourgeois values ​​in order to differentiate and depict oneself in opposition to them. The Roma were portrayed as savages, who live in an anachronistic, archaic society. Through depicting them as a «nomadic horde» in a state of nature, they became the antipodes of bourgeois values ​​and the source «a permanent civil war against state order» (Bogdal 2011: 162).

The images that are evoked about them – which rarely have to do anything with reality – were passed down over centuries through literature and oral tradition. Negative literary descriptions were often used as ethnographic facts and further disseminated. All the pejorative stereotypes that are attributed to the Rroma – that they are thieves, children robbers, vagabonds, spies for the Ottomans – constitute a form of negative dialectics, a form of domination of men over men through knowledge. In this case, the quality of knowledge plays a secondary role. For the public it doesn’t matter if the negative stereotypes correspond to reality, but that they become the dominant narrative about the Rroma, which dominates all other narratives. This form of disciplining of humans through knowledge by misattribution is also called «epistemological violence». Bogdal states: «Die Argumentation der Kontrahenten ist weniger durch den Willen zum Wissen, als durch deutende Gewalt charakterisiert. In ihren Abhandlungen erzwingen sie die Lesbarkeit des Fremden, Anderen, indem sie dessen Zeichen nahezu beliebig innerhalb des eigenen Verstehenshorizontes deuten“ (Bogdal 2011: 146).

Miss-ascription of knowledge about the Roma was not confined to verbal forms of racism and social exclusion and discrimination, but was applied to control them. In Switzerland one used the knowledge about them, to identify, intern and chastise them. As part of the initiative “Kinder der Landstrasse” hundreds of Roma and Yenish were taken away their children and placed in orphanages, psychiatric and educational institutions or foster families. In several lectures the fascist attitude of the supervisor Alfred Siegfried became evident. However, he remained head of the organization until shortly before the dissolution in 1973. He continued to separate children from their parents, order sterilizations and internments in psychiatric hospitals and thereby made the lives of many Roma and Yenish an agony. The Rroma children were often declared mentally incompetent and therefore remained in the power of the patronizing organization (Meier 2003).

In Germany, institutionalized pejorative knowledge was distributed about them – based on pseudo-scientific racial theories that were then classified as science  – which allowed their systematic murder by the Nazis. Bogdal emphasizes that it is not knowledge about the Roma that allowed their exclusion and extinction, but the power to enforce a certain knowledge about them. He states: «Es ist also nicht das Wissen über die Zigeuner, das bestimmte staatliche Gewaltmassnahmen erforderlich erscheinen lässt, sondern ist umgekehrt nach 1933 die Macht vorhanden, ein bestimmtes Wissen in allen gesellschaftlichen und staatlichen Bereichen weitgehend durchzusetzen» (Bogdal 2011: 337). One accuses the Rroma of the destruction of the foundations of society, caused by their lack of possessions and differing lifestyle. Through this they would illegitimately demand the work of the majority. Poverty is therefore criminalized a declared a stigma. One also attributes them hereditary criminality and begins to physically measure them. In the wake of the Nazi extermination policy «actions should no longer prevented, but lives exterminated» (Bogdal 2011: 340). State racism, which builds on the deviation of a defined norm, and decides over «useful» and «useful« lives as form of biopolitics, becomes and institutionalized variable. Positive knowledge about the Rroma, as produced by the Enlightenment anthropology and ethnography, which propagate for the integration of the Roma, remain unheard. Bogdal sees a supremacy of the positivist sciences, which have dedicated themselves to progression and applied knowledge, but unfortunately create a form of negative dialectics through unethically applying their knowledge. He states: «Die beiden für die Wahrnehmung und Verortung der epochalen Wissensformationen, die aufklärerische Anthropologie und die Ethnographie, brachten vor allem in ihren philosophischen und kulturhistorischen Dimensionen immer auch positive Aspekte zur Sprache und zogen, wenn auch nur für kurze Momente, die Möglichkeit einer Assimilation und Integration in Erwägung. Hingegen haben ausgerechnet die modernen, sich dem gesellschaftlichen Fortschritt und der praktischen Anwendung verschreibenden Wissenschaften der ersten Jahrhunderthälfte die Politik der Verfolgung, Ausgrenzung und Vernichtung bewusst befördert und gerechtfertigt» (Bogdal 2011: 342).

Source:

  • Bogdal, Klaus-Michael (2011) Europa erfindet die Zigeuner. Eine Geschichte von Faszination und Verachtung. Berlin: Suhrkamp Verlag.
  • Meier, Thomas (2003) Hilfswerk Kinder der Landstrasse. In: Becker, Helena Kanyar (Hrsg.) Jenische, Sinti und Roma in der Schweiz. Basel: Schwabe & Co, S. 19–38.
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04.01.2013 Rroma in Switzerland

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The radio program «Treffpunk» from DRS1 from the 11. October 2012 elaborated on the situation of Rroma in Switzerland. Swiss-Macedonian Rroma Mustafa Asan, who also participated in the television program «The Club», speaks shortly about the majority of “invisible Rroma” in Switzerland – about 50’000 people, who keep their identity a secret and gives some examples of the language Rromanes. As already explained in former articles, many Rroma people keep their ethnic identity a secret because of the intensity of negative stereotypes attributed to them, which have embedded themselves in the minds of many people and have been 

Stefan Heinichen explains the realities behind the stereotypes: Most Rroma are not travellers but sedentary and live integrated in the different nation states. Interesting for the situation of Switzerland is the differentiation of Rroma and Yeniche: Rroma have their origins in India, whereas the origins of the Yeniche are traced back to central Europe itself. Heinichen explains that the goals of the Rroma Contact Point are to work against misinformation in the media, to sensitize the public about the topic of Rroma, to create a more realistic notion of Rroma amongst the public, the strengthening of Rroma identity, especially amongst young Swiss Rroma, to connect Rroma groups under each other, the fostering of the integration of Rroma into Swiss society and the collaboration with the authorities.

Heinichen emphasizes that Rroma identity is primarily constructed through the language Rromanes, with its Indian origins and its four main dialects: The Nordic, the Balkan, the Carpathian and the Wallachian dialect. Rromanes is mainly a spoken language, with a small amount of textualisation. Not all Rroma speak Rromanes though. The exclusion of Rroma from societies has the paradox side effect to strengthen group cohesion and identity. Heinichen also stresses the importance of the Rroma family for Rroma identity and the reverence to elderly people, especially elderly women. Another tradition, which is talked about in the program, is the notion of honor and shame, which Heinichen explains as a pillar of Rroma traditions.

One issue elaborated by Swiss folklorist Martin Heule is the view of Switzerland as a successful «integration machine», which builds upon economic inclusion. In his perspective, the 50’000 Rroma living in Switzerland were successfully integrated through the well functioning local economy, which incorporated them successfully. Excessive economic competition, as it can be found in more poor countries in Eastern Europe, fosters racial hatred and mutual discrimination.

Source:

  • SRF (2012) Roma in der Schweiz. «Treffpunkt» vom 11.11.2012.
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04.01.2013 Rroma as “hostile others”

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The television program “Der Club” of the Swiss national television company arranged a discussion about the topic of Rroma as “hostile others”, appearing in public only in connection with negative events. The participants of the discussion were Stefan Heinichen of the Rroma Contact Point Zurich, Mustafa Asan, a Swiss-Macedonian dual citizen and Rroma, Alexander Ott, supervisor of the immigration authorities of the police corps Bern, Julia Kuruc, social worker for the women organization “Flora Dora”, Brigitte Hagmann, supervisor of the section West-Balkans of the DEZA and Martin Heule, a folklorist. The discussion started with the topic of Rroma being publicly present as beggars and what backgrounds and motives there are to this activity. The participants agreed upon the insight to differentiate between Rroma identity and the criminal activities – begging or more explicitly organized begging, is prohibited in many Swiss cities. More importantly however, it was criticized that criminal activities are often hasty and uncritically attributed to Rroma, even though most people are not capable of identifying the language Rromanes or other markers of Rroma identity. Therefore, there is a picture of criminal Rroma, which is actively produced and spread by public actors as the police, un-reflected media and public persons, which builds on prejudices and lacking knowledge about Rroma. Not rarely, people of East-European origin, which are not Rroma and who engage in criminal activities, are identified as Rroma.

Another important aspect is the striking poverty of many minority groups in Eastern Europe, often even big parts of the entire population. This socio-economic hardships force people to organize and band with each other in order to overcome lacking means of financial income. Organized begging – as Julia Kuruc states – is therefore often not a choice, but a necessity for survival.

The negative stereotypes attributed to Rroma are so strongly anchored in many European societies, that also in Switzerland, people of Rroma origin are often reluctant to publicly state their Rroma identity. The consequences can be social exclusion, the strengthening of prejudices against persons and consequently more disadvantages. Therefore, many Rroma prefer to label themselves with their nationality and keep their ethnic identity a secret.

Mustafa Asan stated, that from his viewpoint, the events concerning Rroma are often reduced to a perspective of majority-society, excluding problems as the lacking will of majorities to integrate and support Rroma and therefore change their ongoing problem of exclusion and discrimination. Stefan Heinichen added, that one should stop to speak of a “Rroma problem” but start to speak of a societal problem. Of European society, which still has striking problems in integrating Rroma economically, socially and politically. Brigitte Hagmann criticized the lacking efforts of many East-European governments to actively change the miserable situations of Roma. On the other hand, it would be to simple to ascribe Rroma just to role of victims, but that it is necessary that Rroma themselves deploy an active part in changing their situations long- and short-term.

Another aspect is the difficulty of portraying the way Rroma really life. Life worlds of Rroma are very diverse, depending on their family and national history, their religion, their insisting on traditions or their subsequent softening and alteration, their group membership and social integration. Heinichen clearly hesitates when asked to explain Rroma traditions.  

As goal to improve the conditions of Rroma the participants identify better integration into the education system and better embedding and access to the economic sphere. Also, the problem of severe poverty of many people in Eastern Europe, which is important to separate from the topic of Rroma, has to be addressed.

Also the German television program «Menschen bei Maischberger» on ARD elaborated on the notion of Rroma as hostile others. Only seven days after the Swiss program, it joined elected green politician Claudia Roth, Christian-civil politician Joachim Herrmann, supervisor of the Central Council of Roma and Sinit in Germany Romani Rose, Rroma attorney Nizaqete Bislimi and Swiss journalist Philipp Gut from the «Weltwoche» in a discussion. The debate also started with the elaboration on the established negative stereotypes about Rroma, which since several hundred years continue to negatively influence the life worlds of Rroma. The discussion then continued with Philip Gut denouncing criminal activities of Rroma in Switzerland. He stated again and again, that his article in the «Weltwoche» was based on proofed facts, but he failed to intelligently distinguish criminal activities from the topic of Rroma identity and origins. Romani Rose and Claudia Roth therefore accused him of deliberately making a racist connection between ethnic origin and criminal activities. Gut defended himself by explaining that what he condemned was that certain Roma groups used children to implement burglaries, but that he didn’t accuse the Rroma as a whole of criminal activities. However, the mere fact, that he made a connection between Rroma and criminal activities, was enough to evoke the outrage of Romani Rose and other participants of the discussion.

Taking side with Romani Rose’s viewpoint, the author wants to emphasize the importance of not making an undifferentiated connection between criminal activities and Rroma ethnic identity. The making of this connection fails to consider vital questions of respect and ethics towards an ethnic group as the Rroma.

Source:

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21.12.2012 Forced Return of Rroma in Kosovo

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Forced return of Rroma to the Kosovo

The ‘Society for Threatened Peoples’ elaborates and criticizes the practice of the Swiss Department of Migration for forcing Rroma back to Kosovo, even though their successful reintegration into the Kosovo society is not certain. They state that between 2010 and November 2012 661 persons belonging to an ethnic minority have been forced to return to the Kosovo. Despite the “Memorandum of Understanding” signed between the Kosovo and Switzerland in the beginning of 2012, which should assure favorable conditions for members of minorities as civil registration, access to education and protection from discrimination, the situation of Rroma in the Kosovo has not improved. The report states that discrimination against Rroma, Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians is ongoing and people belonging to this groups face everyday victimization in working, education, mobility, use of their language and access to public services. According to the report, between 73-84% of Rroma, Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians in the Kosovo are currently unemployed.

Because of these shortcomings, the report criticizes and strongly advises against the forced return of Rroma to Kosovo. The RCP appreciates the objective, critical assessment of the ‘Society for Threatened Peoples’ and takes sides with its demand. Especially the forced return of entire families, with children who attended Swiss schools, has to be heavily criticized. Often, these children don’t speak Albanian and therefore face difficulties with re-schooling in the Kosovo. 

Source:

  • Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker (2012) Wiederausreise statt Reintegration? Die Situation der unter Zwang rückgeführten Roma, Askahli und Ägypter. Ostermundigen: Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker Schweiz.
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