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21.03.2014 Fire in Rroma camp in Fontaine

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France 3 (2014) reports on a fire in a Rroma camp in Fontaine, in the region of Grenoble. Most of the dwellings of the thirty residents were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable:  “The fire broke out in the Rroma camp behind the BUT store at around 15 o’clock, near the Gérard Philippe high school. The residents of the camp and the students who were present at the site were quickly evacuated. Firefighters believe explosions of gas bottles in the barracks caused the fire. Several of them in fact exploded but the firefighters were able to cope with the flames.” Two men were slightly injured. The residents of the camp were housed in tents by the city council of Fontaine (see Le Dauphiné 2014). – The safety deficiencies in illegal settlements are the subject of repeated political disputes. While certain politicians interpret these as a justification for rigorous evictions, others see them as evidence for the need to better supply the camps with water, electricity and sanitation, rendering improvised installations unnecessary, installations which indeed show security flaws.

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21.03.2014 Bohuslav Sobotka wants to fight discrimination against Rroma

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Acting Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stated in a message to the Council of Europe that he wants to fight discrimination against Rroma in the Czech Republic. At the end of February, the human rights minister of the council, Nils Muiznieks, wrote a letter to Sobotka, in which he expressed his concern about the marginalization and discrimination against Rroma. Muiznieks called forth a firm approach of the Czech government against anti–Rroma demonstrations and pogroms that are taking place all over the Czech Republic and are often organized by extreme right-wing groups. Twenty-two Rroma were victims of racially motivated attacks in 2013. Sobotka announced in his reply that his government is striving to curb the exclusion and discrimination against Rroma. He wants to support all the mayors of the country actively in taking action against anti-Rrroma demonstrations and pogroms. The government is also working on a national Rroma integration strategy. The racism of the population is in part due to poor social and economic conditions, the prime minister said, but this does not justify in any way the scapegoating of the Rroma for these problems. The Council of Europe has repeatedly criticized Czech Republic for the marginalization of the minority (Prague Daily Monitor 2014). It is much to be hoped that these statements will be followed by concrete actions and not, as it unfortunately often happens, remain only intentions.

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19.03.2014 Visible Rroma in Helsinki

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Yle Uutiset (2014) reports about visible Rroma in Helsinki. The number of immigrants from Southeast Europe has increased significantly compared to the previous year. Already four hundred Rroma are said to have entered to Finland this spring, as much as last year during the summer peak. The article focuses solely on visible Rroma. In addition, it sweepingly assumes that a majority of the immigrants will end up as beggars in the streets of Helsinki, which is racist. It is now being discussed whether begging should be criminalized in Finland. Finnish officials argue that such a criminalization of begging does not fights poverty and is in contradiction to the free movement of persons in Europe.

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19.03.2014 The Rroma and the European free movement of persons

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Rosendorff (2014) reports on an informal Rroma camp in the Gutleutviertel of Frankfurt am Main. The 19 Romanian Rroma who lived so far on an industrial wasteland must vacate the location. The social security office will clarify whether the residents of the settlement have pursued social insurance work. If not, they are not entitled to social security benefits and are likely to be expelled, Rosendorff states. The 37-year-old Rrom Mirkea sees the asylum system as unfair. He criticizes: “My country is terribly corrupt, and I can not get a job there”, he says. “Why does Europe exist? We are all colleagues. I do not understand why so many German say ‘shit Romanians’. We have financed our food by collecting returnable bottles. We do not steal”, asserts Mirkea.” The deportation method described is in conflict with the free movement of workers within the European Union, to which Romania and Bulgaria belong since January 2014. Under this scheme, residents of member states are allowed to reside six months or longer in another EU-member state if they are actively looking for a job.

Die Linke (2014) criticizes in a recent statement the efforts of the government coalition to classify the countries Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as safe countries of origin. With this decision, asylum reasons such as discrimination and exclusion would no longer be recognized: “As long as even only one asylum seeker from these countries is recognized as requiring protection, there can be no acceleration of proceedings by law. In 2013, at least 64 Serbian and 43 Macedonian asylum seekers were recognized as refugees or were given protection from deportation on humanitarian grounds. In two thirds of these cases, recognition was granted only by the courts, because the measures taken under an emergency procedure by the federal office for migration and refugees were wrong.” Die Linke criticizes correctly that the discrimination against Rroma is insufficiently highlighted by such country analyses. When determining migration policies, economic and not socio-political considerations are central to decisions, which is done at the expense of minorities such as the Rroma.

Gedziorowski (2014) spoke with Joachim Brenner, director of the Förderverein Roma. Brenner criticizes the widespread reservations about the minority and the polemical discourse against immigrants that is not dominated by facts but suspicion and emotions: “The whole terminology of tide, currents and wave – this is scaremongering. We took notice that we have to do more in the social counselling, but we also have to work with more people who live in poor conditions. [ … ] The last demoscopic studies by sociological institutes show that the resentments have not diminished, but still are manifest. When looking for housing Sinti and Roma have major problems.” Brenner further criticizes that it is above all a lack of political will, which leads to the marginalization of poor people and minorities, and not the lack of financial resources, which are certainly present. This may be seen with reference to the housing project Kulturcampus Bockenheim, which encountered great resistance by the welfare department from the very beginning.

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19.03.2014 “The health of the Rroma”

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Dupiot (2014) reports on the mostly inadequate health care of Rroma in French and Romanian slums. The reasons for the poor integration of immigrated Rroma into the French health system are inadequate language skills, lack of clarity about their rights and forced evictions. In terms of health conditions in the camps, Dupiot criticizes the often poor hygienic conditions in terms of water quality and sanitary facilities. The same is the case Rroma in Romania, where poor sanitary conditions lead to diseases such as tuberculosis, a “disease of poverty”. It must be emphasized that the health problems are a problem of poverty and have nothing to do with the culture of the Rroma, as sometimes stated by outsiders.

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19.03.2014 Integration of Rroma in Montreal

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Solyom (2014) focuses on the integration of Rroma in Montreal, based on the enrolment of Rroma children. Many immigrant Rroma families from Eastern Europe have great reservations about public schools because they made bad experiences with public services in Europe. This applies in particular to school psychologists, who are often responsible for the wrongful admission to special school in Eastern Europe. For example, some parents didn’t give their phone number to the local school, fearing that their children could become victims of discrimination and bullying there: “In Europe, school is seen as an arm of the government, and when you’re Roma, you always assume you’ll be treated badly,” Savic [a Romni mediator] says, adding that if there’s a conflict between a Roma student and a non-Roma student, the Roma student is blamed. “Even my family doesn’t always say they’re Roma. Here, being Roma is exotic. There, people stop talking to you.” It is also thanks to Savic that Rroma children were not, as initially planned, incorporated into a separate class, but allocated into existing classes. However, the motivation to attend school is weakened by forthcoming repatriations. Two-thirds of the Rroma immigrants are deported back to Eastern Europe.

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19.03.2014 Geneva squat evicted

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Tribune de Genève (2014) and 20 minutes (2014) report on the eviction of an occupied house in Geneva. The vacant property had been inhabited by fourteen Rroma, the journalists state. The owner of the house asked the police to evict the house, but did not want to press charges. The house has been the cause for discussions several times already: “The multi-family house has been the cause for conflicts in Geneva for years. The owners want to demolish the building, which is referred to by opponents as the “eyesore”. The building has even been vilified by the foundation for elderly and social housing (Flpai), whose director did not hesitate to let it brick up, as it was still inhabited in 2007.” In the public perception, Rroma live almost exclusively in slums or squats. The articles cited here reinforce this idea. The fact that a large part of the Rroma are living unobtrusive and integrated is almost never mentioned.

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19.03.2014 Fire in Rroma camp in Montgeron

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Numerous French newspapers report on the fire in Rroma camp in Montgeron. The fire broke out in the night from 16th to the 17th of March. About half the dwellings were destroyed by the fire. Fortunately, nobody of the approximately 140 residents, including 50 children, was hurt. The residents of the camp were relocated to a nearby gym. A planned eviction of the camp was scheduled for the end of March 2014. Rroma shanty-settlements are regularly the scene of incidents such as fires. However, there is disagreement over the question as to whether the fires are indeed the result of insufficient safety precautions, as repeatedly emphasized by the authorities, or whether political intentions and therefore arson are behind it (20 minutes in 2014, Le Parisien 2014 Le Républicain 2014).

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19.03.2014 Fassin: residents are not automatically against Rroma

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French sociologist Eric Fassin writes an article against the media which is often equating residents with Rroma-phobics. This viewpoint was suggested and strengthened by the French media and nationalists: “Why this astonishment? It means that residents are not perceived as bobos [bourgeois-bohème] (and vice versa) – neither sociologically nor politically. Since the campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy against prostitution during the mayoral elections in 2001, the “resident” is, the new figure of the nation.” Local residents are not a homogeneous mass of Rroma-phobics as stated by the Front National and the other right-wing populists. Rather, the social reality is determined by heterogeneity. Also the people who are committed to the Rroma and their rights are ordinary locals: “In short, it is high time to change our socio-political vocabulary. The bobos [bourgeois-bohème] are also local residents. Conversely, there are good neighbours whose commitment is stimulated by pity and indignation and not by bitterness. Finally, we need to stop believing that voters and the elected governmental majority are […] free of Roma-phobia.” Fassin addresses with his article an important topic in the public debate about Rroma that so far has received too little attention. Up till now, medias were almost exclusively dominated by articles talking about a confrontation between local residents and migrant Rroma. That this is not the norm cannot be stressed often enough. More on the subject can be read in Fassin’s book Rome et Riverains: Une politique Municipale de la race.

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19.03.2014 Commemorating the Rroma-Holocaust

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The Giessener-Allgemeine (2014) reports on an event to commemorate the Rroma of Giessen murdered by the Nazis. The historian Engbring-Romang talked about the persisting prejudice against the minority and the poor recognition of the exclusion and persecution of the Rroma. As a particular concern, the historian sees social acceptance of pejorative stereotypes: “More than 40 percent of Germans do not want to live in the neighborhood of Sinti and Roma. According to a survey by the Allensbach Institute – in 2011. “And those are only the ones that adhere to their prejudices”, Engbring-Romang the reviews the result.” It is therefore the task of the present society to break with deadlocked prejudices and replace them with independent, critical thinking and empathy. The fate of the fourteen Sinti, who were deported to the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau on the 16th of March 1943, remains unknown to this day, the newspaper states.

Helwig replaces this lack of clarity with a detailed analysis of the history of Johanna Klein and her family. On March 16th 1943, the parents and six siblings of Klein were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Klein herself could stay in Giessen because she suffered from diphtheria at the time. After her recovery, she was also deported. It is thanks to the “atypical racial characteristics” in eugenic terms that Klein was not murdered like the rest of her family in the concentration camp: “My blonde hair and blue eyes saved me”, says Johanna Klein. […] “Otherwise, I too would have gone through the oven”, the statement bursts out of the 84-year-old, while tears run down her cheeks. “I have to think about it every day.” Because then, her younger siblings Anna and Friedrich remained behind.  “This plagues me to this day.” Both were murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau as were previously the parents and the three siblings Karl, Mathilde, and Wilhelmine.” (Helwig 2014).

Several German newspapers report about the death of 91-year-old Rrom and Holocaust survivor Reinhard Florian. Florian was interned into the concentration camp Mauthausen in 1941. This was followed by forced labour in the camps Auschwitz, Monowitz, Rydultau and Blechhammer. Florian was present as a contemporary witness in the post-war years and “a living example that [the] memory of the crimes of the Nazis is an obligation for the present.” With the exception of a brother and the father, all eighteen members of his family were murdered. In October 2012, he was guest of honour at the inauguration of the monument to the Rroma murdered under the Nazis in Berlin (compare Bild 2014, Focus online 2014, Main-Netz 2014, Merkur online 2014).

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19.03.2014 Al Jazerra: Romania’s rich Rroma

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Leban (2014) reports on wealthy Rroma in Buzescu, in the south of Romania. The city has approximately 35% of Rroma. The photo report provides a counterpart to classical notions of impoverished Rroma, but simultaneously strengthens stereotype notions of Rroma palaces and unfair business practices: “Many of these Roma run large businesses, but they do not specify which ones. And when the mafia comes up in discussion, Costica Stancu, an affluent Roma, said “Mafia? What Mafia? The money comes from work – no begging or other trades.” In Buzescu, omerta – an old code of honour that emphasises silence – reigns.” Therefore, Leban’s report cannot be called a success. What would be desirable is an article about actually invisible Rroma that do not conform to one of the two extremes and live a quiet and integrated life. The fact that the article promotes stereotypical notions of Rroma kings involved in corrupt businesses can be read in the comment column.

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14.03.2014 The Rroma build part of French Society

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Vincent (2014) reports on an agreement that the French government has concluded with the national society for social housing (Adoma). In contrast to Sarkozy’s government, Vincent argues, the socialist government slowly but surely realizes that the Rroma debate is not an issue of migration but a problem of housing. However, there is a problem with the plan to move Rroma from the camps into social housing: in the Ile-de-France, where according to an assessment two-thirds of the immigrant Rroma stay, too few apartments are available. The temporary allocation into hotels in the agglomeration often hinders the schooling of the children and the autonomy of families. The so-called “insertion villages” are not a long-term solution and are also very costly. On behalf of the government and the society for social housing, the sub-prefect Jérôme Normand now conducts a survey on the situation in the slums and the insertion villages. With the collected information on the population of the settlements, the allocation to social housing is expected to be better coordinated. However, a fundamental problem remains the financing of the social housing: “The great weakness of all these initiatives is their funding. The funds from which Adoma has profited, will have to be rapidly increased on the basis of urgency loans. The budget that was allocated to the integration policy, that in particular finances the French courses, fell by 3% in 2014 [ … ].”

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14.03.2014 The integration of the Rroma and the French mayoral elections

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Bourgeot (2014) reports on the plans of the socialist mayor of Roubaix, Pierre Duboix, to build a second “integration village” for immigrant Rroma. Duboix pointed to his plans during a discussion about the communal life. The location of the village is not set yet. With these plans, the socialist mayor offers a target for his conservative rival, UMP politician Guillaume Delbar, who argues against Duboixs plans : “I want to remind you that the creation of ghettos assembles an extremely precarious and dangerous population. [ … ] The solution of the Rroma problem is the integration of those who really want to integrate themselves, not the creation of ghettos.” The debate on the willingness of Rroma to integrate is conducted extremely one-sided in French politics, in particular during upcoming elections. Many politicians, from the socialist as wells as from the conservative camp, allege the Rroma lacking will to integrate. With these assumptions they complicate a successful integration of the Rroma. That most Rroma want to integrate and lead a normal life, is beyond question.

In Saint-Denis, a dispute has evolved over the voting rights of a local Rroma group of 80 people. The socialist candidate Mathieu Hanotin has filed a complaint at the local district court questioning the legitimacy of the voting rights of the immigrant Rroma, who are accused of not having a proof of residency. The current communist mayor of Saint-Denis, Didier Paillard, meanwhile rejects Hanotin’s accusations that registering these Rroma is electoral fraud: “But Hanotin pushes his accusations further. He suspects that the Rroma application was coordinated by confidants of the mayor, to rebut the suspicion of “kick back” in exchange for their votes” (Equy 2014).

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14.03.2014 “Students should learn more about Sinti and Roma”

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The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (2014) reports on the plan of the ministry of culture of the state of Hessen, to expand the teaching on the history of the Rroma. Students should in the future be better informed about the centuries of persecution and exclusion of the Rroma. Therefore, the ministry of culture, together with the association of Hessian Sinti and Rroma, has created a brochure that will be distributed to all schools of the state till summer. In addition, the Hessen government will increase its support for the minority: “It is important that Gypsies can preserve their ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious identity”, said chief minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) in Wiesbaden at the signing of the agreement with the national association of Sinti and Roma. The paper addresses, among other things, the need to end discrimination and to promote the cultural identity and language”. Knowledge about the history and culture of the Rroma is often permeated with misinformation. Therefore, an objective, differentiated teaching about the Rroma is anything but an easy task. The prime minister of Hessians, Volker Bouffier, announced in his statement that the country is now fulfilling its historical responsibility. Adam Strauss, chairman of the Hessian association of Sinti and Rroma, called it shameful that many Rroma still keep their identity a secret out of fear of being discriminated. This must change now (see Focus online 2014, von Bebenburg 2014, Journal Frankfurt 2014, Die Welt 2014).

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14.03.2014 Stereotypes: Rroma and begging in the canton of Vaud

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Jean-Pierre Tabin, professor of sociology at the College of social work and health in Lausanne, published a book about the policy towards the Roma in the canton of Vaud. The publication is based on research that was conducted between 2011 and 2013 in the streets of Lausanne. Tabin and his team studied who begs, who gives and how beggars live. He qualifies clichéd ideas that one earns a lot of money with begging, as well as stereotypes about Rroma, who are not automatically parts of organized begging networks. In the public discourse begging is often deemed a crime that needs to be punished. Through this line of reasoning poverty, poverty-migration, and the causes that lead to poverty are criminalized, Tabin argues (RTS 2014).

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14.03.2014 Pogrom against Rroma in Naples

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Roberts (2014) reports on a pogrom against Rroma in Naples, with little sympathy for the Rroma side. In response to an alleged attack by two Rroma on a 16-year-old Italian girl, a 50-person mob rushed to the local Rroma camp and threatened the residents with stones. Only the intervention of the police prevented the worst. Roberts gives the last word to the mayor of the fourth district, Armando Coppola. In his statement, he shows no sympathy for the Rroma: “Residents have already had to put up with thefts and obscene acts by the gypsies who are inclined to urinate in the street. […] I have requested the council to order the immediate eviction of the camp. Otherwise the justifiable exasperation of the citizens of Poggioreale will no longer be controllable.” The comments section of the article is filled with racist remarks from readers who praise the violence of the mob. These unscrupulous, hateful actions and statements against the Rroma give food for thought. Italy, as other European countries, has been repeatedly criticized for its repressive policy against the minority.

  • Roberts, Hannah (2014) Dozens of Romas flee their camp after 50-strong mob attack their site following claims two of the gypsies had raped a local girl in Italy. In: Daily Mail online vom 12.3.2014.
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14.03.2014 Dubious statistics confirm prejudices against Rroma

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The HM Inspectorate of Prisons (2014) published a study that nourishes false prejudices about an increased crime rate among Rroma. Although the study points out that the alleged affiliation rate of 5% of the detainees could be the result of social exclusion, they confirm at the same time one-sided conceptions of illiteracy and lack of education among Rroma. Rroma children are said to be particularly over-represented in prisons. The lack of education is cited as the main cause for the claimed increased crime rates among Rroma: “It has been suggested that Gypsy, Romany and Traveller groups are among the most excluded minority groups in the UK, and available research and data points to poorer health, educational and social outcomes. Of particular relevance to this paper are: difficulties with literacy, which have an impact on accessing services and jobs.” The authors of the study are not or not sufficiently aware that they hinder a successful integration of Rroma with the publication of these results, because these confirm prejudices. At the end, the study indicates that the department of justice has to apply efforts to better integrate the Rroma and Travellers, but the announcement of this intention doesn’t at all compensate the prejudices that are fuelled by the study (compare Barrett 2014, BBC 2014, Cottrell-Boyce 2014, Doyle 2014, The Guardian 2014).

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07.03.2014 “The Rroma: The scapegoats of politics”

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Mouillard (2014) reports on the publication of the latest paper by Romeurope. In the policy report 2012-2013, the organization criticises the unaltered stigmatization of Rroma by French politics, the authorities and the deterioration of conditions in the slums: “Regardless of the change of government, one is forced to state with consternation that the situation of persons who live in occupied houses and slums has deteriorated. […] The Rroma are assigned this [negative] identity, they are seen as uncontrollable as well as being responsible for the filthy housing conditions.” Mouillard shows with numerous quotes from a wide variety of politicians, that the Rroma still serve as scapegoats for local politics, which portrays the Rroma as a counter-concept to bourgeois values (compare Romeurope 2014).

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07.03.2014 The mayoral elections and the French Rroma-policy

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On the occasion of the upcoming mayoral elections, Perrier (2014) tours through the different regions of France. As a positive, albeit largely singular project, he describes the efforts of the mayor of Hellemmes. The local politician decided against the expulsion of resident Rroma and instead built them a small integration village consisting of five fixed caravans. How these integration efforts affect his chances for re-election, is not discussed any further. However, it is clear that there is no unity among the voters about the handling of Rroma. Still, a rigorous expulsion-policy is present and is supported by many mayors and hinders the successful integration of the Rroma.

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07.03.2014 Taking into care of Rroma children: care or structural violence?

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Voigt (2014) from the Frankfurter Rundschau reports on two young Rroma children taken into care by the Frankfurt youth welfare office. The youth welfare office justifies its action with reference to the precarious living situation of the family: the Romanian Rroma family is said to have lived under problematic conditions in an hut without heating and running water. The Förderverein Roma takes a very different viewpoint: “taking the two children into care [is] a clear case of “punishment of poverty”. The family was not illegal, but lived in the hut with the consent of the owner. Just because the parents cannot finance an own apartment because of their poverty, the children are taken away from them.” The association is committed to find a reasonable accommodation for the whole family and for the parents to receive social welfare.

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