Tag Archives: Racism

Czech Mayor and Roma

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The deputy and mayor of Brno’s Černovice, Petra Quittová (STAN) made derogatory comments about a Roma family. Now many ask for her resignation. She still refuses.

She was answering questions in the municipal council on a house that is now inhabited by a Roma family. Quittová responded that the house was sold through a real estate agency, the sellers were a couple she knows personally. “They sold it to…, yes, to people, um, others, I don’t know how to say it now, simply to Roma, whom we got rid of, whom we got rid of a few years ago from Staré Černovice, who moved to Slavkov near Brno, and these people simply bought it from our people, whom I know, because they gave the highest bid,” said the mayor.

Schools and Roma

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An interesting article about integration of Roma in Slovak schools. Most non-Roma parents would prefer Roma to be in segregated schools. This is precisely what the recent research of the Centre for Environmental and Ethical Education Živica and the non-profit organization Teach, co-financed by the EU, addressed. He revealed some interesting things, namely that the majority of the public have no problem with their children going to class with a child from socially excluded communities. However, they are convinced that it would be best for Roma children to be educated in separate classes or even schools.

For as long as this attitude prevails, it will be difficult to de-segregate schools.

Amnesty on Slovakia

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In its latest report, Amnesty criticised Slovakia for its discrimination against Roma. Specially, they also drew attention on cases of police brutality against Roma.

Amnesty on Czechia

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Amnesty criticised the Czech Republic for the discrimination faced by Ukrainians and for the school segregation for Roma. The latter has not improved over the last 20 years.

Czechia and Roma Discrimination

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An editorial on discrimination of Roma in Czechia, but also on the comparison to other European states such as Germany and Spain. Conclusion is, well, while in other states discrimination does exist, at least it is being fought again. While in Czechia …

Germany and Roma Refugees

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An article on Roma Refugees from the Ukraine in Germany. They are fleeing war, but instead of help, in Germany they often experience racism. The Center for Reporting and Information on Antigypsyism demands action.

More than 1.1 million people fled to Germany from the war in Ukraine, including, it is estimated, several thousand Roma, members of Europe’s largest ethnic minority. While other Ukrainian refugees received unbureaucratic and warm care, most arriving Roma experienced a very different Germany: overly formalized, unhelpful, suspicious, derogatory and racist.

IHRA’s Definition of Antitziganism

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The Czech Senate, like the government, adopted the definition of anti-Roma racismn, i.e. so-called anti-Tziganism. However, when compared to the government’s proposal, the senate modified its version of the non-legally binding definition to be more in line with the English original, which was established in 2020 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Poland, Roma, and a Riot

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The Polish press widely reported the riot in a Roma neighbourhood near Limanowo, where Roma attacked firefighters who came to extinguish a fire.

The Roma Association of Poland criticised the reporting, saying that too much was centred on purported Roma “traits” and too many stereotypes were presented in the reporting. They are right.

Anti-Roma Racism

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The Czech government adopted the definition of antitsiganism, i.e. anti-Roma Racism. This is the definition that was done by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

According to the government commissioner for Roma minority affairs, Lucie Fuková, this indicates that discrimination is not welcome in the Czech Republic. She said this at a press conference after the cabinet meeting. According to the government commissioner for human rights, Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, this is the right step to reject any prejudicial and stereotypical behaviour against the Roma minority in the Czech Republic.

Bulgaria, Schools, and Roma

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Segregated schools still exist in Bulgaria. In Germany, Roma children learn German in 6 months. In Bulgaria, they are forbidden to speak Romanes, and they do not know Bulgarian.

“Do you know how difficult it is to be a Rom in Bulgaria? A Bulgarian child doesn’t want to sit next to you at school. I’m still afraid if someone will want to sit next to me”  says Assoc. Prof. Yosif Nunev from the University of Veliko Tarnovo. He remembers the discussions about Roma inclusion 20 years ago – the only difference now is that the “politicians and the political” are different. “In 40 years, they learned 20-30 new terms. However, the attitude of the Bulgarians has not changed at all, it has even become more critical in some places,” says his colleague Hristo Kyuchukov, professor of intercultural education. Both are adamant that until segregated schools are abolished, nothing different will happen in the next 20 years.

Switzerland and Roma

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In Bussigny, near Lausanne, Switzerland, several burglaries have been committed, there have been complaints of noise, and depredations on property have been committed.

According to the press and the people living there, it is all because of Roma refugees who recently arrived there.

Bad.

Rome: Manifestation

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A demonstration against racism called “Right to LIFE” took place in the Piazza Santi Apostoli in Rome at in memory of Patrik Guarnieri, the Roma boy who died in prison in Castrogno in Teramo.

Giulia Di Rocco, President of the Mistipè Party, the first Roma and Sinti party was the promoter of the event in collaboration with the Roma in Progress association of Isernia and the Roma Centre of Avezzano.

Interview with Mehmet Daimagüler

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The word “antigypsyism” describes a special form of racism, namely that against Sinti and Roma. Members of this minority continue to be particularly affected by hostility and exclusion. And they become victims of violence, sometimes fatal violence: members of the Sinti and Roma were also among the victims of the racially motivated attacks at the Munich OEZ and in Hanau. Two years ago, the federal government appointed a representative against antigypsyism for the first time – the lawyer Mehmet Daimagüler.

Conference in Heidelberg

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Journalist Ingrid Müller-Münch will speak about “Deadly police violence against Sinti and Roma” between 1945 and 1980 on Thursday, March 21st, at 6 p.m. as part of the International Weeks Against Racism in the Documentation and Cultural Center of German Sinti and Roma in Heidelberg.

Belgium, Politics, and Racism

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The former president of the Flemish socialist party (Vooruit), Conner Rousseau, seemed to be able to escape a trial despite his racist remarks against Roma, provided he would respect certain conditions. But one of the three Roma community associations involved in the agreement has decided to withdraw from the mediation procedure and is considering other actions.

Greece: A Really Bad Article

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of Greeks involved in thefts and burglaries are Roma” and requires the state to deal with “the systemic delinquency of the Roma”.

He further says that “they used to be mostly vagrants, employed in seasonal agricultural work, basket weaving, petty trading and peddlers, almost all of them uneducated and with slight delinquency, mainly petty theft”.

So basically, all Roma are thieves since immemorial times.

Not a word about the segregation and racism, about the failure of the state to improve housing conditions and so on.

We will pass on the measures advocated by the article like police control of the slums etc.

Poland, Foreigners and Minorities

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Well, the results of a survey in Poland are unfortunately not surprising. The least liked people in Poland (in that order) are Byelorussians, Roma, and Russian.

Sad that a local minority is so badly recognised.

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