Roma Virtual Network - On-line Bulletin - 6 September 2010

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ROMA VIRTUAL NETWORK

On-Line Bulletin 06/09/2010

Bajram Haliti: Stop To Deportation Of Roma From The West!

The speech of Bajram Haliti, Serbian Roma activist, from the press-conference regarding deportation of Roma from France to Romania and Bulgaria, which has been held on 2 September 2010 in Media center in Belgrade.

"Ladies and gentlemen, very respected colleagues journalists, I feel a need to, at the beginning of my exposure, as a president of association of citizens “Journalism-informative agency of Roma” thank foremost to the organizers of Protest of solidarity for invitation to, as a president of above mentioned association, with my attitudes about deportation of Roma from the France participate on this, at my opinion very important press-conference, on which I should highlight my contemplativeness above the historical existence of Romany nation which is in the modern world probably known mostly by great sufferings and victims for freedom, that confirm ideology’s essence of Romany collective spirituality and morale. Those determinants made Romany nation a historical nation in Hegel’s meaning of that term, and in my understanding of the human history – a tragic nation..."

UNITED: Roma persecution in France takes Europe 70 years back

27/08/2010 - Over recent weeks, France has pushed forward with implementing a policy that targets Roma and travellers, both migrants and citizens, consisting of shutting down Roma and travellers' camps and deporting migrants. The policy targets both those Roma migrants from Romania and Bulgaria residing in France, estimated at around 15,000 people, and also the French Roma and traveller community, estimated at around 350,000 people. According to official statements, France plans to disband 300 camps over the next three months, several of which have already been broken up. Last year France sent 'home' around 10,000 Roma people (several EU states followed this example), and during the last week it has deported around 700 Roma people to Bulgaria and Romania. Roma are offered 300 EUR per adult and 100 EUR per child if they voluntarily leave France.

The main concern is the 'reason' provided for undertaking the measures, which has been mentioned by Sarkozy and in a number of official statements; namely the alleged criminality of Roma and travellers (theft, prostitution, trafficking, etc), which allows the French government to justify these policies in the name of 'protecting' its citizens. All relevant international organisations, including EU, UN, Council of Europe and Amnesty International among others unanimously condemn these statements and the resulting policies as prejudice and discrimination. Such inflammatory statements provoke racist sentiments towards Roma and travellers among the mainstream population and can potentially lead to racially based violence and discrimination (which we have witnessed in other countries during the last 5 years: the fingerprinting and deportations of Roma in Italy, murders in Hungary, etc).

Hindus laud European Parliament for taking up Roma issue

03/09/2010 - Hindus have applauded European Parliament for reportedly deciding to discuss the plight of Roma (Gypsies) next week.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that although European Parliament was slow to react in view of the recent France crackdown on Roma, but at least it was taking “step in the right direction”.

Roma apartheid was very blatant all over Europe and its parliamentarians had a special responsibility to come up with the solution instead of watching Roma brothers and sisters suffer day after day. Did the European Parliament in Brussels only represented European “upper-class” and not the about 15-million Roma “under-class”, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, asked.

NGOs voice concern over violence against Roma community in Europe

Brussels, 31/08/2010 - The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) voiced here today its deep concern by the shooting of 6 members of a Roma family and another woman in Bratislava, Slovakia on Monday. A gunman shot dead six members of a Roma family and another woman in a block of flats in the Slovak capital before killing himself.

"This murder reflects the emergence of a climate of negative stereotyping directed against Roma minorities across Europe," said ENAR in a statement. It strongly condemned this violent act and called on the Slovak government to undertake a rigorous investigation and to treat this attack as a suspect hate crime.

Despite free borders, Roma (Gypsies) are still Europe's outcasts

A Seattle journalist, who is making a documentary on these fascinating people, describes their lives and why politicians like President Sarkozy keep scoring points by kicking them out of their countries.

31/08/2010 - Beg in Paris, or starve in Romania? That is the choice faced by many European Roma (Gypsies). Trapped by poverty in their homelands in Eastern Europe, Roma can head west, which offers the allure of making a tiny living in the street. An American friend in Bucharest fought bravely to keep a promising Roma girl in school, but the youngster dropped out to go to Paris and beg. That offered a brighter economic future than anything she could expect in Romania.

Now the French are kicking Roma out by the thousands, sending them home with one-way tickets and 300 Euros. The deportations, which go on all the time, become headlines when politicians like President Nicolas Sarkozy want to court right-wing votes. It’s easy to demonize illegal aliens (though Roma are legal). Across Europe xenophobes, racists, and nativists have donned white hoods to evict them. Let’s get our terms straight. Many, but far from all of them, choose to be called Roma, their name in their own language (Romany). Among themselves they are likely to use Tzigan, Gitanos, or Zingaro, the words for “Gypsy” in Romanian, or French, or Italian. Academic literature calls them Roma-Gypsies.

Human Rights Defenders Combating Discrimination to Receive 2010 Honors

New York City, 27/08/2010 - Human Rights First will present its 2010 Human Rights Award to a renowned Hungarian advocate for the rights of the Roma people in Europe and a Ugandan activist on the front lines of defeating a draconian anti-homosexuality bill there. The group will honor this year's recipients, Julius Kaggwa and Viktória Mohácsi, at its annual award dinner in New York City on Thursday, October 21.

"Julius and Viktória are courageous leaders in the fight against discrimination and hate crimes in their own societies," said Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino. "Human Rights First is pleased to honor these activists who - at great personal risk - stand up for the rights of those targeted for discrimination and abuse, Julius in Africa and Viktória in Europe. LGBTI persons and the Roma face prejudices that often are masked as socially acceptable in both parts of the world. In reality, such prejudices are at the root of widespread discrimination, marginalization, and outright violence. Despite death threats and ongoing danger to their own well-being, these two human rights advocates persevere in the struggle for equal opportunity and equal treatment for all. We draw strength from their resolve and their example. We are privileged to work with them and to honor their courage and achievements with this award."

FOCUS ON FRANCE

Cingeneyizinternational: Protest Against Deportation Policy of France

01/09/2010 - Reactions against France government about deportation policy of immigrant gypsies is getting higher and higher. Gypsies all over the world notably The Europe started to show their reactions against this racist policy in a democratic way. It's being asked impatiently how France respond this protests.

Democratic Rom Association Serbia centred participated protests publishing a proclamation. Racist attacks notably in Hungary and Italy, deportation of Gypsies in Denmark and forceful evictions all over the Eastern Europe were argued in proclamation. It's also emphasized that deportation policy of France has been the final straw in the proclamation. It's also planned to organize a meeting to protest all these issues at September 4 in Belgrad, Viyana and Paris. Invitation cards prepared in German, French, Italian, Spanish to invite people the meeting. Group Everyone italy based also published a proclamation declaring France government must terminate their deportation policy.

Roma Rights Video: French Embassy in Budapest - 4 September 2010

Protest for Roma Rights at the French Embassy

Budapest, Hungary - 4 September 2010.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7s1_Vi-Dp4

In France, an Evangelical Gypsy group shakes up the immigration debate

In France, a movement from within the Gypsy community could temper what have been bad relations with European governments amid a hot immigration debate.

Chaumont, France, 03/09/2010 - Even as French police deported hundreds of Gypsies to Romania in late August, a devout set of 26,000 Gypsy Evangelicals gathered in the heart of France for song, testimony, and scripture.

France’s high-profile deportations have put one of Europe’s oldest and most vulnerable groups in a rare spotlight. They may also be a miscalculation for President Nicolas Sarkozy. Though debate in Europe about immigration is heating up, reaction in France to this policy has been withering: The Roman Catholic church, the Socialist Party, and even many in Sarkozy’s center-right party are publicly angered at a policy that appears to single out an ethnic minority as undesirable, in order to score political points.

Romanian Roma urge boycott of French products

Bucharest, 31/08/2010 - The Roma Civic Alliance in Romania urged European countries on Monday (August 30th) to boycott French products and start protests on September 6th against Paris' policy regarding the Roma community. "We realise that most Romas don't have high purchasing powers, but we believe that this action will be useful," David Mark, president of the Alliance, said. "We will stop the call for boycott when France stops the mass expulsion and criminalising a whole group of the society."

Separately Monday, Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi said that France's decision to repatriate Roma voluntarily by giving them some financial compensation is not a solution. He urged dialogue between the two countries and specific programmes to improve the lives of the minority. France, however, said on Monday it will step up deportations of foreigners caught stealing or begging aggressively. Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux noted that one out of every five thefts in Paris is by Romanian citizens.

Link: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2010/08/31/nb-01

French Roma expulsions 'scandalous': Polish group

31/08/2010 - Poland's Roma Association on Tuesday said France's recent expulsions of the minority were "scandalous", calling on Prime Minister Donald Tusk to condemn the policy. In an appeal to Tusk posted on its website, the group's president Roman Kwiatkowski described the expulsions since late July as "very worrying and scandalous".

"Poland...where so many people were killed in the name of racist and xenophobic Nazi ideology, should find itself amongst the first EU countries to react to the French government's behaviour and to warn against the expulsion and stigmatisation of an ethnic group."

OTHER COUNTRIES

Hungary’s far-right wants to round up Roma in camps

Budapest, 01/09/2010 - Hungary’s leading far-right party said on Wednesday that Roma who are considered a threat to public safety should be forced from their dwellings and placed in highly-controlled camps, some of them for life. The Jobbik party capitalized on deep-seated popular resentment toward Hungary’s large Roma minority to get into parliament for the first time in April elections. It recently launched its campaign for municipal elections due on October 3.

“We would force these families out of their dwellings, yes,” Csanad Szegedi, the party’s vice chairman and European Parliament representative, told Reuters. “Then, yes, we would transport these families to public order protection camps.”

“At these camps, there would be a chance to return to civilized society. Those who abandon crime, make sure their children attend school, and participate in public works programmes, they can reintegrate,” he said. “No doubt there will be people who show no improvement. They can spend the rest of their lives in these camps.”

Morning Star: Italy's bulldozer blitz on Roma

03/09/2010 - Bulldozers started demolishing Roma homes on the outskirts of Rome on Thursday. The assault came after the capital's far-right mayor Gianni Alemanno pledged to "control our territory" by razing all Gypsy camps to the ground. The excavators ripped through makeshift shelters of scrap wood and corrugated iron at the camp in Quartaccio as children played nearby. Around 20 people living in the shanty town accepted the offer of voluntary repatriation to their home countries, according to local sources.

Mr Alemanno has announced that all Roma camps in the capital would be demolished next week. He also pleadged that all migrants without residence papers would be deported. "People who have arrived in Rome must be able to support and house themselves adequately, otherwise they have to leave," the former fascist declared as he unveiled "Operation Nomad."

UK Delays Answering UN Over Basildon Evictions

04/09/2010 - While Foreign Secretary William Hague has yet to make known his response to the UN request to halt Gypsy evictions the bulldozers are lining up to crush more homes this month. On the front line are eight Romani and Traveller properties at Wickford, Essex, facing imminent eviction by Basildon District Council, employing the notorious Constant & Co. bailiffs.

Despite being under investigation for breach of safety regulations, it seems this outfit will again be let loose on the peaceful community of Hovefields, in the Essex greenbelt. The council says this is a dry run for a bigger operation at Dale Farm.

Communities Minister Eric Pickles, MP for the nearby borough of Brentwood which has just obtained court orders to prevent Gypsies moving onto greenbelt land, is urging Basildon to act quickly to rid itself of homeless Travellers. One little girl in the path of this policy is 12-year-old Kathleen, who was to begin secondary school this term. Instead she's making banners to protest against the constant evictions, which have already turned neighbouring yards into bomb-crater sites reminiscent of the second world war.

CULTURE

Carlisle hosts UK's first Gypsy culture festival

30/08/2010 - Carlisle has held the UK’s first festival celebrating the diverse culture and history of gypsies, Roma and travellers. A field on the outskirts of the city, beside the new Low Harker Dene site, came alive with colour, music and smells as hundreds gathered for the event. Mayor Mary Styth officially opened the event on Friday night before the main attractions drew in the crowds over the weekend. Top of the bill on stage on Saturday night was an appearance by the Romany Diamonds.

Roma people travelled to the site from countries including Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Ireland and France. Up to 900 tickets were sold before the start of the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Festival, which was also open to the public. As well as live music by Romani performers, the festival boasted craft sessions, history workshops and talks about how the culture has adapted to the modern world. Organisers hope it will become the first of many and will help break down barriers and people will learn more about their history and culture.

BBC - Young Gypsies to film their way of life

04/09/2010 - Young residents of a Gypsy and Traveller site in Cardiff are to make a film about their lives thanks to a grant from BBC Children in Need. Animation company Cinetig will spend 10 weeks working with youngsters on the Shirenewton site leading to a public performance of their work. Cinetig previously worked with Gypsies and Travellers in west Wales to produce an animated film. Work on the Shirenewton project is due to start in January 2011.

Gerald Conn, managing director of Cinetig, said: "Children often surpass their own expectations when they see the finished animation. "The one-to-one approach that we are able to bring with a project like this raises the self esteem of all the children involved."

Children from the Shirenewton site showed their talent in June by performing circus skills at an event in Cardiff Bay to celebrate Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month. Traditional storytellers, youth workers and film makers will work with the youngsters over a period of ten weeks culminating in a public performance of their work designed to educate others about the history of the Traveller community in Wales.

OPPORTUNITIES

ERRC Seeks Legal Trainee

23/08/2010 - The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) seeks a legal trainee for a two-year legal traineeship to assist in litigating Roma rights, ethnic/race discrimination and related cases in domestic, European and international tribunals and to organise training sessions for Central and East European lawyers in public interest litigation strategies and techniques.

The legal trainee programme is designed to provide young lawyers with the training and skills needed to launch a career in litigation and related legal advocacy on rights issues affecting Roma communities.

___________________________________________________________________

Roma Virtual Network (RVN) is a public, non-partisan, non-profit grass-roots initiative under the auspices of International Romani Union (IRU) and European Roma Information Office (ERIO). It is aimed to provide the international Romani community and friendly non-Roma organizations and individuals with useful information on Roma issues in variety of languages via the Internet. The activity of RVN actively helps facilitate the cooperation and exchange of information within Roma organizations and individuals, between Roma and non-Roma organizations and individuals and also between Roma civil society and official institutions. It relates with the variety of Roma-related political, cultural, economic and social issues on local and international levels. It is aimed to support the improvement of the Roma situation in Europe and other regions of the world.

Roma Virtual Network (RVN) is officially recognized and registered as public organization (No. 580478410) according to the decision of Certification Organizations Registry within the Israeli Ministry of Justice.

Contact RVN via rom...@zahav.net.il or +972-54-7878797.

Skype: valery_novoselsky

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roma-Virtual-Network/121255051234355

LinkedIn: http://hu.linkedin.com/in/romanetwork2010

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