Tag Archives: Racism

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Film on a Rrom who wants to become a teacher

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Film on a Rrom who wants to become a teacher

An Al-Jazeera film shows the quest of a 30 years old Rrom from a ghetto who, after a beating by the police, decides to finish high school and to become a teacher. While the story is definitively worthwhile and the man’s determination is to be really admired, the film and the article on it serves all the commonly held stereotypes. Broken families, criminality, drugs, etc. A more differentiated view is seldom presented in the press.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Die Zeit: Time that the EU does something against the Orban Regime

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Die Zeit: Time that the EU does something against the Orban Regime

Die Zeit asks why the EU and the European Commission tolerate that Hungary openly discriminates against its Rroma minority, tolerates a mayor who is a little dictator, and openly flouts all European principles.

Well said!

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Small dictator in the Hungarian countryside

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A scary video of a small town in North-Eastern Hungary. A mayor behaves like a dictator on the Rroma minority. Scary, and, as the Zeit says, why is this being tolerated?

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

European Commission against Slovakia

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European Commission against Slovakia

The European Commission (EC) has started a legal action against Slovakia on the basis of the ongoing discrimination against Rroma children in that country. The EC says that a unusually high number of Rroma are placed in schools for mentally disabled children, a practice that is ongoing since the 1950’s in that country. Well Done for the EC, Shame on Slovakia. Especially since the government states that this high number is due to Rroma incest .

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Bologna: Rroma demonstration against discrimination

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In Bologna, 100’s of Rroma demonstrated on the 16th of May to protest against racism and discrimination, especially fuelled by the Lega, a right wing populist party that is currently stirring up hatred towards immigrants and Rroma especially. This, in spite of Bologna being quite a model city with their action against prejudices on which we reported a while back.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

France accused by the UN of having a racist problem

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France accused by the UN of having a racist problem

France has been slammed by a UN report on racism in France. The report, among other states that “The committee is concerned by the recrudescence of hate and xenophobic speech in certain political circles and the media which contribute to the trivialisation of racism and xenophobia”. It cites racism against Jews, Moslems, but also increasingly against Rroma with statements such as the “unbearable smell” of Rroma in public transportation, but also due to police brutality in clearing illegal camps and the breach of the rights to proper lodging when expelled from such camps.

This increase of racism towards minorities is worrisome and not worthy of a country like France. Unfortunately, in the case of Rroma, even people such as the Prime Minister are prone to racist statements – for example when he deemed that Rroma do not and cannot integrate. This has to stop.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Bulgaria: A hard life for girls

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Bulgaria: A hard life for girls

An article on the Rroma Mahala in Vidin, in North Western Bulgaria. The article, while dispelling some of the stereotypes of many children, still pushes some age old prejudices, stating that marriage occurs by abduction (ritually, yes, practically, unknown), that child brides are the norm etc. What most journalists tend to blend out is that in Rroma tradition, one is married if one sleeps with one’s boyfriend. So effectively, by this standard, most of girls in Western Europe are not that different … What is different tough is that there is little contraception, resulting in early pregnancies, dropping out of schools, etc. All things that are a social poverty issue and have de facto nothing to do with Rroma.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Serbie

Graduate Level Education for Rroma

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Graduate Level Education for Rroma

Many young Rroma are rebelling against so-called scientific evidence on and about Rroma. They are rebelling against statements such as “that Roma mothers willingly accept evaluation of their children as mentally disabled so that they can reap social benefits” found in a Serbian scientific journal. The Central European University is starting a program of graduate studies aimed at young Rroma so that they can contradict such nonsense from the inside!

All the luck to them!

République tchèque Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Roumanie Slovaquie

European Commission slams Slovakia

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European Commission slams Slovakia

The European Commission criticised Slovakia for systematic discrimination of Rroma children in education. It started legal proceedings for breaches of EU anti-discrimination law, referring to discrimination against Roma children in education. After the Czech Republic where such a procedure was started in September 2014, this is the second country in Europe that is being targeted.

Segregation in schools has been common in both the Czech and Slovak republics, but also exists in Romania and in Hungary. The practice of sending Rroma children systematically to schools for mentally disabled people is unfortunately also part of this pattern.

We welcome these actions!

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Bologna: A campaign against discrimination

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Bologna: A campaign against discrimination

The Italian press reports on a campaign in Bologna against discrimination of migrants. Once again (we already reported on this), the campaign focuses on Rroma. The theme has always been immigrants and work, and shows posters of Rroma who work in various jobs.

Well done.

République tchèque Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Roumanie

Amnesty International condemns the Czech Republic for segregation

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Amnesty International condemns the Czech Republic for segregation

alJazeeraAmnesty International condemned the fact that the Czech Republic has failed to comply with a European court order to stop placing Roma children in schools for the mentally disabled regardless of the students’ capabilities. Placing Rroma in schools for mentally disabled people has a long tradition in the Czech and Slovak republics as well as in Hungary and Romania. This is simply no longer acceptable in the 21. Century.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles suisses Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Amnesty: Who are Rroma

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Amnesty: Who are Rroma

amnestyAmnesty wrote a FAQ sheet on Rroma. Not bad, but still perpetuating some stereotypes. Rroma “travelled from place to place”. This is clearly false in many places, in the Balkans but also in Western Europe. Pity that they couldn’t get over their stereotypes.

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

Discrimination is not acceptable

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Discrimination is not acceptable

The EU Parliament newspaper published an article by Tanja Fajon on Rroma discrimination in Europe and stating that this is no longer acceptable. Rroma are after all Europeans!

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Documentary on Rroma in Bulgaria

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Documentary on Rroma in Bulgaria

Gregori Stoev filmed for a year in the Mahala – the Rroma quarter – of Kjustendil, a city in Bulgaria. This documentary shatters the usual stereotypes of poverty, hopelessness, and shows that the neighbourhood also has middle class and even rich Rroma who are working, have education, etc.

According to the author, people who have seen the movie have had to re-think their views on Rroma.

Bulgarie République tchèque France Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest North Macedonia

ERRC Criticises several countries on Rroma

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ERRC Criticises several countries on Rroma

The European Roma Right Centre criticised several European countries on their handling of Rroma in general and on very particular cases too, such as in the case of France.

France, Macedonia, Italy, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria were cited.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

Testimony of a Romanian Rromni

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Testimony of a Romanian Rromni

A Romanian Rromni speaks out on past discriminations, current issues, and her views on the situation of Rroma. She says it right: You cannot dump people in camps and then say, it is their way of life. It is not.

Nouvelles suisses

More Minority Status in Switzerland

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More Minority Status in Switzerland

Several French speaking newspapers in Switzerland published a common article on the open letter of Rroma, Sinti, and Jenische organisations to Ms. Sommaruga, the president of the Swiss confederation, appealing for recognition as a minority in that country.

While we greet the fact that these papers who normally only publish news of stealing, begging, or whoring Rroma, effectively stated that there are 80 to 100 thousand integrated Rroma in the country, we find it less amusing that none of the organisations they cited as co-signatories of the open letter are Rroma NGOs, and indeed they signed. In addition, several of the papers still resorted to the good old clichés of caravans, poverty, and other stereotypes when setting the picture.

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Rroma ask for minority status

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Switzerland: Rroma ask for minority status

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports on an action of Rroma, Sinti and Jenische representatives who wrote a letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Sommaruga asking for formal recognition of the Rroma as a minority in Switzerland. The paper notes that the up to 100 thousand Rroma living in that country are well integrated, but are not represented in several state organisation, for example in the Swiss Federal Commission against Racism.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

International Roma Day: Ongoing discrimination and exclusion

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International Roma Day: Ongoing discrimination and exclusion

While many countries mark the international Rroma day on April 8th, discrimination, exclusion, and ongoing issues are still the norm for many Rroma in Europe. Europe should mark the day and remember its largest transnational European minority.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Bulgaria issues statement on International Roma Day

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Bulgaria issued a statement on the International Roma Day today. While we greet the fact that the country acknowledges its minority (about 10% of the population for the last thousand years), the situation in Bulgaria has gotten much worse for Rroma in the last few years. Segregation, racism, and discrimination are on the rise. Let’s stop this in a country where Rroma have been integrated for so long!

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