Another reportage on Romania and Rroma, 160 years after the end of slavery of Rrom ain that country.
Let’s not forget!
A survey published last week in France is shocking the French. It is about racism, and included questions such as “if your daughter married a Muslim” or “have you ever had problems Rroma, etc.” Well, in this latter case, it seems that 27% of the French (Yes) have encountered problems with Rroma. That is more than one in 4 … We would doubt that one in four French has ever seen or met a Rrom … People were also shocked to find out that this survey was initiated by a Jewish organisation.
A Canadian Study on racism in France and on the fact that 20’000 Rroma are filling the pages of papers, even though they are an infinitely small minority …
A must read!
An initiative by the government of Hessen aims at teaching children about Sinti and Rroma in Germany, and the overall role of discrimination and the need to fight against segregation.
Good!
Daniele De Rossi finally apologised for his racial slur “sh*tty Gypsy” levied at an opponent Mario Mandzukic. Took a while …
Several Rroma Organisations expressed concerns following a series of children death in Rroma ghettoes in that country. They are asking the government to take action and to improve the overall conditions.
Ban Ki Moon, the UN General Secretary sent a message on the Holocaust Remembrance day. In there, he cites the Rroma as victims of the Holocaust and pleads against discrimination and racism.
An Italian Footballer, Danielle De Rossi, told another one a “shut up, sh*tty Gypsy”. This has at least started a real discussion on racism and prompted requests of a crack down on such comments and behaviour.
Disgraceful!
The Canadian Theatre Director Serge Denoncourt on many topics, including Rroma, discrimination, and education.
An overview of what was said about Bulgaria in European Media. At the bottom: News about Rroma – with all bad stereotypes. And this from a Russian newspaper.
Bad!
An article on Rroma women in the Balkans. Starts quite badly, as the picture in the headlines depicts a woman prostitute and drug addict in Serbia – we reported on this article a while ago. Then it gets worse … “The Roma identity generally refers to a traditionally nomadic ethnic group, with various linguistic dialects and many sub-groups, living mostly in Europe” Full stereotypes. 99.9% of Rroma, especially in the Balkan were always sedentary (except for their migration from India, but then what to say about Germans J). While the article is right about the discrimination, it is also wrong on the generalisation (and on the numbers). It also presents sex trafficking and exploitation as Rroma issues which it is not, it is a poverty issue. On the other hand (and not in the Balkans, it presents the sterilisation issue in the Czech Republic, and other facts that are quite correct.
The Result: LOTS OF STEREOTYPES, a few facts, and lots of generalisations.
Polish Rroma in Scotland are facing stereotypes and usually cannot say who they are. Here, in Glasgow, a group of Polish Rroma uses music to show their traditions and effectively come out.
The French government is defending its policies on fighting children poverty at the UN in Geneva. Besides the high number of children living in poverty in that country, France was also criticised about access to schools and discrimination of migrants, especially of Rroma.
A French Documentary movie entitled “Toto and his sisters” received the “grand prix” in the Anger Festival. It is unfortunate to say the least that it shows all stereotypes associated with Rroma without any analytical discourse: Rroma live in Ghettoes, deal with drugs, have lots of children (implied in this case), but without stating that this is not a Rroma thing, this is a poverty and social problem.
We are generally against those kind of documentaries, as they reinforce already strongly held stereotypes about us …
NOT GOOD!!!
A Study conducted on Slovak Media by the Media Academy in Bratislava and a Rroma organisation – Romano Kher – shows that the Slovak Media have a strong bias in their presentation of Rroma and Refugees. Negative stereotypes prevail in both cases.
Unfortunately not surprising.
Abwab – the Doors in Arabic – is a new magazine in Germany aimed at its Arabic migrant population. In one article, they mention racism, especially also against Rroma, and explain the German sensitivities on this topic due to their Nazi past.
Unfortunately, it does not address the fact that many of those new migrants share biased views against Rroma too, even when these are Moslems.
A Rroma baby died in a fire in a camp in central Greece. While we regret this death, the reporting and the lack of background on the subject further the standard stereotypes – all Rroma are poor, live in camps, etc…
Some interesting numbers in Serbia and on education. The census counted 147’000 Rroma in Serbia, or rather, 147’000 people declared themselves or were rated as such in the survey. This represents 2.1% of the population in Serbia. Generally, one counts that there are about 10% of Rroma in that country. A bit more.
The ones who were registered have a bleak future with very low education (only one in a thousand will make it to university).
Bleak but not the full picture.
A workshop in Greven, Germany focused on the integration of young Rroma in society. While the aim is definitively to be praised, the suggestions, an orchestra, fall again in the stereotypes. Pity …
Özcan Purçu, the first Rroma Member of Parliament in Turkey, stated that entire segments of the population are being marginalised in Turkey nowadays due to the polarisation seen under Erdogan. This is bad for Rroma, as racism is already common against them in Turkey.
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