Festival of another Kind

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On the 16th of August, in the Banská Bystrica Historic Town Hall, the largest Roma multi-ethnic event in Central Slovakia will be opened. It is called “Ľudia z rodu Rómov” [People of the Roma family] and will last until the 19th of August. A non-traditional home-based exhibition focusses on Roma women and their position in society in connection with the growing extremism and radicalism is part of the festival.

“The individual activities of the festival will be held in three cities – Banská Bystrica, Zvolen, Sliac and visitors can enjoy outstanding Roma artists from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania,” said Denisa Sciranková from Quo Vadis civic association.

– Rómsky festival Ľudia z rodu Rómov odštartuje netradičnou výstavou. In: Dobre Noviny. 14.08.2017. http://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/108102/romsky-festival-ludia-z-rodu-romov-odstartuje-netradicnou-vystavou [link-preview url=”http://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/108102/romsky-festival-ludia-z-rodu-romov-odstartuje-netradicnou-vystavou”]

Slovakia, Roma, and Work

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Representatives of municipalities and non-profit organizations will share their positive experiences with Roma employment in the green economy in Košice. The workshop takes place on the 15th of August in Teledom on Timonova Street, will also include experts from Norway.

“The European Environment Committee has estimated that up to 860’000 new full-time jobs could potentially be generated by waste management – logistics, repair, sales and recycling by 2030. If this ambitious scenario could be met by reducing food waste, re-using textiles, furniture and recycling, by 2020, 425 million tonnes of CO2 emissions would be released into the European atmosphere and almost 61 million litres of water would be saved,” said Slavek Mačáková, Director of ETP Slovakia.

For Slovakia, this could mean an estimated 10,000 jobs and save our air from five million tons of CO2 and save 600,000 litres of water.

– Workshop v Košiciach bude o zamestnávaní Rómov v zelenej ekonomike, In: Dobre Noviny. 13.08.2017. http://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/108021/workshop-v-kosiciach-bude-o-zamestnavani-romov-v-zelenej-ekonomike [link-preview url=”http://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/108021/workshop-v-kosiciach-bude-o-zamestnavani-romov-v-zelenej-ekonomike”]

Travellers in the UK

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An open letter by a Romani parish councillor on the lack of camping sites for Roma travellers.

– Letter: There Is A Lack of Provision of Gypsy and Traveller Pitches. In: The Guilford Dragon News. 13.08.2017. http://www.guildford-dragon.com/2017/08/12/letter-lack-provision-gypsy-traveller-pitches/ [link-preview url=”http://www.guildford-dragon.com/2017/08/12/letter-lack-provision-gypsy-traveller-pitches/”]

Kosovo and Justice

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Two articles on the lead poisoning and its impact. And on the fact that many years after the fact, the UN refuses to apologise or to help these families. It is the UN who chose and ran the refugee camp for Roma on an industrial dump.

– Au Kosovo, les enfants du plomb attendent la justice. In: Euronews. 06.08.2017. http://fr.euronews.com/2017/08/06/au-kosovo-les-enfants-du-plomb-attendent-la-justice
– Les « enfants du plomb » attendent réparation au Kosovo. In: Epoch Times. 08.08.2017. http://www.epochtimes.fr/au-kosovo-les-enfants-du-plomb-attendent-la-justice-2-51010.html [link-preview url=”http://fr.euronews.com/2017/08/06/au-kosovo-les-enfants-du-plomb-attendent-la-justice “]

Serbia: Spot the Issue?

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Do you spot the issue? Two parties in schoolyards in Serbia. In the first scantily clad go-go dancers, in the second, a Roma wedding.
Against which were protests logged? Clearly against the “depravation” of a Gypsy Wedding.

– Schoolyards in south: Go-go dancers and Roma wedding party. In: B92. 07.08.2017. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society.php?yyyy=2017&mm=08&dd=07&nav_id=102007 [link-preview url=”http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society.php?yyyy=2017&mm=08&dd=07&nav_id=102007″]

Switzerland and Travellers

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An Interview of Andreas Geringer, president of the Swiss Sinti and Roma Association on the issues with the camping site near the village of Wileroltigen and the ensuing controversies.

– Berührungsängste auf beiden Seiten. In: SRF. 10.08.2017. https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/beruehrungsaengste-auf-beiden-seiten [link-preview url=”https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/beruehrungsaengste-auf-beiden-seiten”]

Stolpersteine in Salzburg

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A report on the “Stolpersteine” in Salzburg, the small stones on the pavement commemorating the victims of the Holocaust. In Salzburg, there are a dozen of stones devoted to Roma, even though they were the largest victim group in that city.
Needless to say, these memorials are still controversial in Austria.

– Austrians tread carefully as underfoot Holocaust memorials remain controversial. In: The Times of Israel. 11.08.2017. http://www.timesofisrael.com/austrians-tread-carefully-as-underfoot-holocaust-memorials-remain-controversial/ [link-preview url=”http://www.timesofisrael.com/austrians-tread-carefully-as-underfoot-holocaust-memorials-remain-controversial/”]

French Chronicle …

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Dire statistics on Roma in France: 4’382 Roma were expulsed in France in the first six months of the year from 50 camps or squats, 2’689 by the police, 867 after a fire, and 796 “voluntarily”… they haven’t been re-lodged, which is against the French law. This cat and mouse play has been lasting for serval years. In Marseilles, an article shows the impact of such constant expulsions on the families, while in Paris, the Roma in Montreuil are still on the street, a year after their expulsion. The fate of a family from Montenegro which will be expulsed gives a face to these policies.

– Des milliers de Roms toujours expulsés chaque année sans relogement. In: Boursorama. 10.08.2017. http://www.boursorama.com/actualites/des-milliers-de-roms-toujours-expulses-chaque-annee-sans-relogement-b483a202783105264df70980b4bc0c5a
– Marseille : la descente aux enfers, à force d’expulsions. In: La Marseillaise. 07.08.2017. http://www.lamarseillaise.fr/marseille/societe/62667-la-descente-aux-enfers-a-force-d-expulsions
– Montreuil : une année d’errance pour les familles Roms de la Boissière. In: Le Parisien. 10.08.2017. http://www.leparisien.fr/montreuil-93100/montreuil-une-annee-d-errance-pour-les-familles-roms-de-la-boissiere-10-08-2017-7186014.php
– Des familles monténégrines, bientôt expulsées, vont se retrouver à la rue. In: La Voix du Nord. 11.08.2017. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/203322/article/2017-08-11/des-familles-montenegrines-bientot-expulsees-vont-se-retrouver-la-rue [link-preview url=”http://www.boursorama.com/actualites/des-milliers-de-roms-toujours-expulses-chaque-annee-sans-relogement-b483a202783105264df70980b4bc0c5a “]

Xavier Raufer and Roma

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An extremely disturbing article by the French essayist Xavier Raufer (a pen name since 1979 with his true name being Christian de Bongain). In this article he stresses the increase of break ins in France (a fact) and attributes it almost exclusively to Roma (a fantasy). Facts to that effect he doesn’t have. This is pure speculation and actually incitation to hate.
Not surprising for a man who spent his formative years in an extreme rightist movement called “Occident” …

– Hausse continue des cambriolages en France… mais qui en sont les auteurs ? In: Politico. 12.08.2017. http://www.atlantico.fr/decryptage/hausse-continue-cambriolages-en-francemais-qui-en-sont-auteurs-xavier-raufer-3134893.html [link-preview url=”http://www.atlantico.fr/decryptage/hausse-continue-cambriolages-en-francemais-qui-en-sont-auteurs-xavier-raufer-3134893.html”]

Equality?

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Welsh travellers in Cardiff are billed up to three time the average water costs of a family in Wales… Really?

– People on a Cardiff traveller site are angry they pay three times more for water than an average home. In: Wales Online. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/people-cardiff-traveller-site-angry-13461715 [link-preview url=”http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/people-cardiff-traveller-site-angry-13461715″]

Travellers and Roma

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An article about the “fear of the Gypsies” in Germany, following the arrival of Irish Travellers in Düsseldorf.

– Die Angst vor dem “Zigeuner” In: RP Online. 12.08.2017. http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/panorama/irish-traveller-die-angst-vor-dem-zigeuner-aid-1.7007763 [link-preview url=”http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/panorama/irish-traveller-die-angst-vor-dem-zigeuner-aid-1.7007763″]

Twitter, Hate Speech and Art

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Shahak Shapira did an action in front of the Twitter Headquarters in Germany: he printed many racist comments found in Twitter about which he regularly complained on the pavement. Watch …

– This artist graffitied the worst tweets he could find, right outside Twitter’s office. In: Upworthy.com. 11.08.2017. http://www.upworthy.com/this-artist-graffitied-the-worst-tweets-he-could-find-right-outside-twitters-office
– Israeli artist trolls Twitter with hate graffiti outside headquarters in Hamburg. In: i24. 08.08.2017. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/152526-170809-german-artist-trolls-twitter-with-hate-graffiti-outside-headquarters-in-hamburg [link-preview url=”https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/152526-170809-german-artist-trolls-twitter-with-hate-graffiti-outside-headquarters-in-hamburg”]

UK Press

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And here we go. Father sells his daughter into slavery in the UK. And this in the Times.
BAD.

– Roma girl, 12, was sold by father to work for British family. In: The Times. 11.08.2017. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/roma-girl-12-was-sold-by-father-to-work-for-british-family-bm0v57pgw [link-preview url=”https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/roma-girl-12-was-sold-by-father-to-work-for-british-family-bm0v57pgw”]

Polish Press …

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An example of what can be found in the Polish press… The account of an aggression of a woman by a “horde” or angry Roma, the poor woman just wanted to bring her car to the garage and parked it near the Roma housing estate.
This is more a reflection of the tensions in some part of Poland nowadays.

– Tłum Romów zaatakował Polkę. Byli wściekli, że „biała ku*wa” zaparkowała na ich ulicy (video). In: Pikio. 09.08.2017. http://pikio.pl/tlum-romow-zaatakowal-polke-byli-wsciekli-ze-biala-kuwa-zaparkowala-na-ich-ulicy-video/ [link-preview url=”http://pikio.pl/tlum-romow-zaatakowal-polke-byli-wsciekli-ze-biala-kuwa-zaparkowala-na-ich-ulicy-video/”]

Irish Travellers

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A German article on Irish Travellers. Why? Simply because they travel way beyond the borders of Ireland and are often to be seen iN Germany and Switzerland over the summer.

– Wer sind die Irish Travellers? In: RP Online. 11.08.2017. http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/panorama/irische-landfahrer-in-duesseldorf-wer-sind-die-mysterioesen-travellers-aid-1.6998811 [link-preview url=”http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/panorama/irische-landfahrer-in-duesseldorf-wer-sind-die-mysterioesen-travellers-aid-1.6998811″]

Switzerland Travellers

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The Roma travellers who camped in Wileroltigen, triggering a campaign in Switzerland against them, have left. They were forced to leave as the government gave them an ultimatum.

– Fahrende bei Wileroltigen sind weg. In: Der Bund. 10.08.2017. https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/fahrende-bei-wileroltigen-sind-weg/story/12185786
– Keine Wohnwagen mehr auf dem Gelände. In: SRF. 10.08.2017. https://www.srf.ch/news/regional/bern-freiburg-wallis/keine-wohnwagen-mehr-auf-dem-gelaende [link-preview url=”https://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/fahrende-bei-wileroltigen-sind-weg/story/12185786 “]

Racism in Slovakia

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An essay about racism against Roma in Slovakia. Forbidden to go in some swimming pools, even in public spaces, everyday racism in words and in social medias, etc.
Bad.

– Čo to tu tak smrdí? In: Nazory Pravda. 09.08.2017. https://nazory.pravda.sk/dnes-pise/clanok/437744-co-to-tu-tak-smrdi/ [link-preview url=”https://nazory.pravda.sk/dnes-pise/clanok/437744-co-to-tu-tak-smrdi/”]

UK and Travellers

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A testimony of travelling Roma in the UK and the issues they face, especially in Leeds.

– ‘I’m a Roma Gypsy – and a proud and responsible Loiner – and I’m fed up of all the negativity about my community’ In: The Yorkshire Evening Post. 09.08.2017. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/i-m-a-roma-gypsy-and-a-proud-and-responsible-loiner-and-i-m-fed-up-of-all-the-negativity-about-my-community-1-8694300 [link-preview url=”http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/i-m-a-roma-gypsy-and-a-proud-and-responsible-loiner-and-i-m-fed-up-of-all-the-negativity-about-my-community-1-8694300″]

Lety – More Articles

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The news is making rounds!
Good!

– ‘Historical day for Roma dignity’: Czech govt to shut down pig farm on concentration camp site. In: RT. 07.08.2017. https://www.rt.com/news/398919-pig-farm-roma-holocaust-closure/
– Czechs strike deal to move pig farm from Roma Holocaust site. In: Times of Israel. 08.08.2017. http://www.timesofisrael.com/czechs-strike-deal-to-move-pig-farm-from-roma-holocaust-site/ [link-preview url=”https://www.rt.com/news/398919-pig-farm-roma-holocaust-closure/ “]

Switzerland: March Cancelled

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The planned march against a camping site for travellers in the village of Wileroltigen was cancelled amid concerns that it would attract many extremists, would be too dangerous and expensive.
This follows a long campaign by the village that was borderline racist and definitively stereotyping Roma.

– Zu gefährlich und zu teuer: Wileroltigen zieht die Notbremse. In: Der Bund. 08.08.2017. http://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/zu-gefaehrlich-und-zu-teuer-wileroltigen-zieht-die-notbremse/story/28451936 [link-preview url=”http://www.derbund.ch/bern/kanton/zu-gefaehrlich-und-zu-teuer-wileroltigen-zieht-die-notbremse/story/28451936″]

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