Category Archives: News Western Europe

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Suède

Stockholm Conference on Roma Genocide

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On October 20th and 21st, an international conference on the Genocide of the Roma and on Combatting Antigypsyism was held in Stockholm. The conference was both in person as well as online with over 100 participants online and ca. 50 in person. There were Roma representatives from Sweden, but also other Roma from Romania, Serbia, France, and other countries as well as researchers International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) members, as well as Swedish representatives.

The conference was held under the auspices of the Swedish presidency of the IHRA for 2022.

There was a very strong consensus among Roma who were present on the terminology: They clearly preferred the name of Roma Holocaust over the one of Genocide, having the feeling that using the latter belittles their sufferings during the period. An interesting intervention by Andrej Kotljarchuk from the Uppsala University explained that “Holocaust” has a subjective value while “Genocide” is extremely well defined. So maybe we should speak about the Roma Genocide during the Holocaust.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Germany and Racism

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According to Romani Rose, the head of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the corona pandemic have led to more antigypsyism. In the economic and energy crisis, the old tradition of “excluding scapegoats from society is being strengthened,” Rose told the Evangelical Press Service (epd). In this way, right-wing extremists offer society a culprit. Growing antigypsyism and antisemitism had reached a threatening level.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Deutsche Bahn and Roma

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Deutsche Bahn adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antigypsyism. Deutsche Bahn (DB) is sending a clear signal against antigypsyism. In the presence of the Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Romani Rose, and the Special Representative for Holocaust Remembrance and International Affairs of the Sinti and Roma at the Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Robert Klinke, DB CEO Dr. Richard Lutz adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antigypsyism. Beforehand, DB laid a wreath at the memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe who were murdered under National Socialism and commemorated the approximately 500,000 victims of this minority.

By accepting the working definition, DB is following the constructive discussions with Romani Rose and the Federal Government’s Antiziganism Commissioner, Dr. Mehmet Daimaguler, May 2022. This came about after reports of cases of discrimination against Ukraine refugees who belong to the Roma minority.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Ake Dikhea

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The German Newpaper taz is giving away 2×2 free tickets for the 6th International Roma Film Festival “AKE DIKHEA?” for the film “Time of Silence and Darkness” on October 27th. at 7:30 p.m. AKE DIKHEA is an international festival with films by and with Roma and Sinti, which has been taking place in Berlin every year since 2017. It shows the world from their perspective and asks how they see themselves and how they want to be seen.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

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Not many news this week about Roma in France, which is not surprising, as there are more pressing subjects in France right now such as the strike in the oil refineries which are causing real problems …

First a reportage in a Roma camp on Paris’ outskirts and with the people helping the residents. Then, an article about ca. 10’000 children who are not enrolled in schools in France, in spite of the law requiring it. This led some Roma last week to sure mayors of towns who refused to enrol their children. Finally, the announcement of a festival in Toulouse.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Ukraine

Discrimination?

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At the North Elementary School “Am Reitbahnsee” in Neubrandenburg in North Eastern Germany, two preparatory classes with Ukrainian students are treated differently: While some are taught in the school building, a two-room apartment was rented for around 20 children – three kilometres away from the school. They belong to the Roma minority. This way they have no contact with other students. In addition, the apartment has safety deficiencies. Those responsible deny the allegations of discrimination.

Bad.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

GianniJovanovic

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The gay German-Roma Gianni Jovanovic, born in Rüsselsheim, tells his life story on October 11th at an event of the Groß-Gerauer district adult education centre.

Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Italy, Meloni, and Roma

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An interview of Dijana Pavlovic spokesperson for the Kethane movement that protects the rights of Roma and Sinti in Italy on her views of  the victory of the far right in Italy. One of the question is typical of so-called “journalism”:

“You believe that there is a security problem in Italy. Often most of the crimes, especially those related to heritage, are committed by Roma and Sinti, how do you judge this data?”. Ms. Pavlovic’s answer is the right one: “What data? From this point of view, the data does not exist, it is just a commonly shared perception.”

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

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More news in France on Roma this week. First, a reportage on television about the anti-Roma riots in 2019 that started on rumours that Roma were stealing children. The ones who started the rumours were identified but not condemned. Sad. Near Paris, several Roma families are suing mayors for refusing to enrol Roma children in classes, something that is mandatory and guaranteed by the law. In Bobigny, near Paris, residents who had lobbied to have a camp closed as it was on private land are now defending the new camp on communal grounds. In Lyon, a camp has been growing. In Aubagne, in the South, a camp will be closed, and in Marseilles, neighbours of a squat are fed up.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Paderborn: Exhibition

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Anyone who wants to learn something about the history of the Sinti and Roma is in the right place from Sunday in the Paderborn City Museum. This is where the new exhibition “Racial Diagnosis: Gypsy” begins.

Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Italy and Crime

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Several articles about Roma, Sinti Piemontese, who were arrested for having committed at least 21 thefts in homes of elderly people by passing themselves as gas technicians.

Bad.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

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A nice article on Anina Ciuciu, a young Romanian Romni who lived in a Roma camp but is meanwhile a lawyer who fights for the right to education. Other news are more of the usual kind, unfortunately. Near Paris, parents are demanding the scolarisation of 9 Roma children; Near Nantes, Roma left a camp just to move a bit further; in Toulouse, neighbours of a camp have had enough of it; and the prefect of the Herault department, who has become known for closing Roma camps is caught up in a racist controversy following a tweet that he then subsequently deleted.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Heidelberg Documentation Centre

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The German Federal Government granted 25 million euros for the planned conversion and new construction of the Documentation Centre of German Sinti and Roma in Heidelberg. This was decided by the Budget Committee of the Bundestag. The total cost of the project is estimated at 50 million, so half of it is already covered. With this promise, further steps can now be taken, according to the chairman of the Federal Association of German Sinti and Roma Romani Rose. The first draft by the architectural office “Bez und Kock” is now to be further developed. This had already triggered a debate in the summer of 2021 because some residents of the old town were bothered by the windowless facade. The state of Baden-Württemberg had also promised funding for the project. Romani Rose would now like to speak to the state government promptly about the amount of the grant.

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

Germany and Ukrainian Roma

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The German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg supports the integration of Roma displaced from the Ukraine. All offers for refugees should also be available to members of the Roma minority and other Romani-speaking people.

Apart from the fact that few non-Roma speak Romanes (they probably wanted to include Sinti), this is welcome.

Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Italy and Roma Culture

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Three days to celebrate Roma culture: on October 3, 4 and 6 there will be the twenty-ninth edition of the Amico Rom international art competition. For the first time the event will take place in three cities simultaneously: Laterza in the province of Taranto, Lanciano in the province of Chieti and Campobasso. It is a contest of “literature dedicated to Roma and written by Roma”, explains the statement.

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