An article about the increasing xenophobia and racism in Sweden. Scary.
The OSCE stated that peace and stability in Europe is not possible without the inclusion of Rroma. There are several ways to interpret this, but let’s hope for the best.
Under new UK planning rules, travellers would apparently have to prove their ethnicity… Which is (a) racist, (b) not that easy – how do you do it?
These methods were in vogue in the beginning of the 1930’s with proven results.
Shame!
A report of the European Parliament on the current situation of Rroma in several EU countries and their discrimination in housing.
In his speech to Rroma representatives, Pope Francis told Rroma not to fall into crime so as to break free of prejudice. Translated, this de facto means that the pope thinks that (a) many Rroma are criminals and (b) this is the root cause of their discrimination.
Wrong in both cases …
Germany’s new asylum laws are raising ethical questions, especially in the case of Rroma. The new law foresees potential internment of refugees, something that, in the case of Rroma would not be acceptable.
A MUST READ!
An Austrian is provocatively suggesting that Rromanes whould be made an official EU language, after all, 12 Mio is not that small a country in Europe!
In spite of clear laws on schooling in France, it is not that easy for Rroma children to get into schools, especially if they do not have a proper address. In some cases, one has to go court …
SHAME!
An article from the Humboldt State University on “Gypsies” and what is really means.
An exhibition in Augsburg speaks about the discrimination that Rroma encountered and still live in Germany and in the Czech Republic.
A book on “Gypsies” in the Moslem world. CAREFULL – while there are many Moslem Rroma in the Balkan and in Turkey, many “Gypsies” are not Rroma but just populations who live in a way that the general population qualifies as “Gypsy”. In the Middle East, only Domari are related to Rroma – and there are not five millions of them.
And as usual, our chronicle on the visible minority in France … News about Moirans, the place near Grenoble where riots took place to ask for the release of a detained Rrom – frm the Name of the mother (VInterstein) these are most probably Manouches or Sinti (Winterstein is a common name); Militants occupied a house where Rroma are planned to be housed near Lyon; politicians target Rroma camps in a populist move prior to local elections in Wissous, in the North; controversy on the Mission Rom in Strasbourg, which tries to muzzle journalists – scary; in La Courneuve where one of the oldest camps was emptied this summer, the fate of expulsed Rroma still shocks; volunteers in the North helping homeless; and finally poverty and begging near Paris are dangerous (REALLY???)
Some additional articles on the Rroma pigrimage in Rome this week end, culminating with an audience with the Pope for a few Rroma.
To put things in relation… All the Press in France speaks about a tiny minority of Rroma, around seven thousands near Paris. The majority, estimated at about half a million is invisible …
The French Press is getting confused … They tend to indiscriminately name Rroma, Manouches, Gitans, as well as autochthonous travellers “Gens du Voyage” which is some cases leads to totally absurd descriptions of “sedentary travellers” etc. All this instead of naming things as they are: Rroma – composed of 40 or so different groups among which the Sinti, but also Lovara, Kalderasha, Manouches (French Sinti), Kale (called Gitans in France), and local travellers which have nothing culturally to do with Rroma. What is so difficult here????
The Red-Green Government of Thuringia wants to protect Rroma and Sinti from discrimination. About time…
An interview of Ayhan Küçükboyacı, a Turkish Rroma musician.
An international Rroma pilgrimage started on Friday in Rome and will culminate with an audience with the Pope on Monday.
Yes, indeed – Rroma are from Northwestern India and left there more than a thousand years ago. Genetic studies show this quite clearly. Mind you, if you speak Rromanes, you don’t necessarily need a study to find this out …
Several articles are currently going around in France about “Gens du Voyage” – Travellers – who violently protested in Grenoble and near a prison where one of them was incarcerated and who was not allowed to get out of jail for a funeral of someone of his family …
The foreign Press took these travellers as being Rroma. Are they? Are they not? This highlights the issue of a way of life versus a minority. By far not all Rroma travel (think about 12 Mio travellers, we would see them more), and not all travellers are Rroma.
Could Journalists start thinking?
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