How daft can that be … Raising money for a caravan park for Rroma in Albania. When one knows that almost no Rroma are travellers in the Balkans (only a very tiny minority of 0.1% maximum), this is a totally idiotic idea. From a good intention, maybe, but really not what is needed.
A Frenchman working in a dump made money by re-selling scrap metals. The theft of metals was then attributed to the “gens d voyage” – Travellers, aka Rroma.
Wonder how many of the thefts that are announced whenever there are Rroma around are really done by them …
Sans commentaires – without commentaries.
The news on travellers in France (gens du voyage) is as usual dominated by opposition and issues with their camps, and of course criminality. The number of articles says it all (and it is only a sample).
Camps:
Crime:
An article about the mobilisation of the Swiss rightist party (SVP/UDC) against Rroma travellers in Martigny, in the French speaking part of Switzerland.
Populists!
As part of an Interview, the ex-President and now candidate said a few things that make no sense …
The story of a young traveller girl who was shut in for three weeks because she lost her virginity is placated in the press as a sign of the backwardness of these travellers. The point here is not that it happened, there are traditional people in every community (otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many people in France manifesting for “traditional” families), the point is that it is not descriptive of all Rroma …
Besides being criminals (see other post), Gens du Voyage – travellers, are also unwanted in France. People don’t want them near them for sure. This term usually covers Manouches, Sinti, and Lovara and Kaldersasha who are at home in France besides non-Rroma groups of travellers.
Usual press coverage on travellers in France: Basically, they are all thieves and criminals (more than 15 articles); and they are not wanted – see other article!
The Thames Valley Police has been criticised in a report about their policies towards Gypsies, Rroma, and Travellers. This police force already made headlines as some of its officers posted racist comment on a Facebook page.
Norman Gobbi, from the rightist Swiss party SVP is a candidate for the election to Minister in the Swiss government. Unfortunately, Mr. Gobbi is not a blank page: He has contact with the Italian Lega, and in the case of travellers, he stated “Sind das noch Menschen oder doch eher Tiere?”[are these still human beings or just animals] in the context of depredations of a Highway stop in the South of Switzerland.
The guy belongs to another century and country!
Clearly, with the events in France, the “Rroma Problem” somehow faded in the background. Interestingly enough, the Rroma yes, the “Gens du Voyage” [Travellers], not. So here’s a short overview of the general news: In La Courneuve, where Rroma were expelled from their camp, expelled Rroma organised a dinner for the victims of the attacks in Paris; an article about the scholarisation of Rroma children; in Lyon, a demonstration for migrants was annulled following the attacks; in the north, Rroma have problems to get their skills recognised; Rroma are still squatting; in another place, the illegal camps are resolved – allegedly; in Beziers, in the South, an association against Racism is being asked to vacate their offices; in the West, in la Rochelle, health is more important than money, thanks God; some people are thinking about the causes for the attack; and finally, festivals and music in various place in France on Rroma.
The French Newspaper le “Progrès” has been cleared for its article on criminality where they explicitely cited Rroma besides Georgians, Albanians and Travellers (by the way, showing they have no clue about what they are talking about).
SHAME.
Seems that if you are Rrom, well, then you are a criminal, that’s not offensive, isn’t it ?
There is no space for Belgium “Gens du Voyage” – in this case, many Lovara and related groups.
A summary of the news of the other “Gypsies” in France, the so-called “Gens du Voyage”. These are mostly Manouches and Sinti, but also cover groups such as Lovara, Kalderasha, and a few others as well as non Rroma groups of travellers. Here’s a digest of the news on them: A general debate on camps for travellers in France; the MRAP, an anti-racist group wants to reinforce the dualogue; in the South of France, they are forced to change camp; whether a camping stop will be allowed near Paris; the construction of such a camp near Vincennes; Watreloos, and its Wall, now from the Traveller side; a mayor disclaiming footing the electricity and water bill for travellers; a petition in the South West to close a camp; in the North, Travellers squat a unused parcel; and finally travellers being reported to poach in Brittany;
This time a newspaper in France claims that the Travellers are all Rroma … Not very smart.
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!
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????
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?
An article on what happens when you try to set up a place where travellers can stay. This is Ireland, but could be anywhere, unfortunately.
A Rroma family form Ireland whose kid was taken away by the police on suspicions of having been abducted for being blond has been awarded 60k Euro damages. The mina point is not the damages award, the main point is that the police acted illegally based on racial profiling. This needs to be said.
FR 
EN 
DE