Category Archives: Posts in English

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganismus auf politischer Ebene, Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Czech Human Rights Commissioner asks anti-Romani reader be withdrawn from schools

Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková is asking that a reader for second-graders as well as other teaching aids be withdrawn from an ongoing „Rainbow School“ project because they include anti-Romani texts. Šimůnková has called on the Czech Education Ministry to take action on the issue.
The Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Romani Community Affairs met today to discuss the materials. Šimůnková informed the Czech Press Agency of her decision when the meeting was over.
The second-grade reader includes a story called „Mýdlová Madla“ („The Soapy Rail“) by Ivona Březinová. „Mama told me I shouldn’t talk to those Demeterovic boys at all … she said they’re Gypsies. Gypsies are dirty and steal,“ second-graders read in the textbook, which was published in 2005.
„Seven-year-olds have been reading this for the last six years. That is truly alarming,“ Šimůnková said. In her view, other teaching aids in the Rainbow School project for multicultural education also include „anti-Romani texts that rise to the level of racism“. The project is running in elementary schools in the Moravian-Silesian Region.
The Museum of Roma Culture drew attention to the content of the project. According to museum experts, the material depicts Romani people almost parodically, simplifies the view of Romanipen, promotes stereotypes, and is an insult to members of the minority. The material attributes behavior such as fraud, prostitution and theft to Romani people, the Human Rights Commissioner said. In her view, the teaching aids are instead supposed to serve the purpose of educating people to live in an open society.
The Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission on Romani Community Affairs is disturbed by the instruction materials and is demanding an explanation, calling on the Czech Education Ministry to follow the content of such teaching aids and devote attention to the issue. Šimůnková believes Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš (Public Affairs – VV) will have the ministry review the reader and the results of the project and will remove it from instruction. She said representatives of the ministry promised her to do their utmost to address the issue.
Several activists and Romani parents drew attention to the reader three years ago. In their view, it incites racism and supports prejudice. Representatives of the ministry said at the time that the stereotypes were in the text so children could learn to overcome them.
On the other hand, one year ago Romani organizations distanced themselves from a complaint filed by the Roma Realia association over the use of a story about Mikeš the Tomcat in schools. A passage in which the cat is attacked ends with the sentence: „Dear children, those people were Gypsies.“
The Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Romani Community Affairs also discussed the situation in Šluknov district today and called on the cabinet to proceed systematically and to consider creating a coordinating commission on events in the region including members of the legislature, ministries, municipalities, police and regional authorities. The team would harmonize various measures in order to improve the status quo in the area. The Inter-ministerial Commission also asked the Czech Labor Ministry to submit data on the impacts of cuts to welfare on ghetto residents. The Czech Education Ministry was also asked to inform the Inter-ministerial Commission as to how many children with light, medium and severe mental disability are attending „special“ schools in the country.

Quelle: Romea.cz
Stand: 07.2011

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Czech Republic: Business owner openly admits she would never employ Roma

More and more Romani people in the Czech Republic have recently encountered potential employers openly refusing to hire them because of their origins. Experts say there is a direct link between such incidents and the tense situation in the Šluknov foothills. Labor offices say they have been unable to prove that such behavior occurs, but Czech Television recently filmed one such example on hidden camera.

Employers often refer to previous bad experiences when rejecting Romani job seekers. Dana Pacíková, who wore a hidden camera for Czech Television during a job interview, confirmed this when she tried to get a job at a laundry in Běchovice. The owner, Bohumila Ševčíková, told her directly that she does not hire Romani women. Simona Šenkiová, another Romani job seeker, was also rejected by Ševčíková after the Labor Office sent her there to seek work. „Maybe she did have a bad experience with someone, but everyone is not the same, she should give someone else a chance,“ Šenkiová believes. The owner, however, insists on her policy and even repeated it on camera for Czech Television during a subsequent interview: „I don’t hire Romani people. I did it once and I had problems.“

Not so long ago, Romani people were used to learning during job interviews that their potential employer had just filled the position they were interested in, or were told to come back another time. Cases of open rejection because of their origin started turning up after the start of the unrest this year in the Šluknov district. „The only thing that makes sense, when the situation is escalating like this, is for as many Romani people as possible to be employed. Their cultural standards will start rising if they are included,“ author and journalist Karel Hvížďala told Czech Television.

Even though Ševčíková’s hiring policy contravenes the Anti-Discrimination Act, some politicians have praised it, such as Czech Senator Jaroslav Doubrava (North Bohemians Movement – Severočeši), Czech Senator Jiří Čunek (Christian Democrats – KDU-ČSL) and the chair of the Free Citizens‘ Party (Strana Svobodných), Petr Mach. Czech daily Parlamentní listy quotes Mach as saying „common sense dictates that a person has the right to conclude a contract with whomever he wants and has the right not to conclude a contract with whomever he does not want. Ms Ševčíková behaved according to common sense and the principles of natural law, but now the journalists have sniffed her out.“

Mach said he is aware that „decent“ Romani people who want to work are in a difficult position because they are often rejected due to employers‘ allegedly bad experiences with other Romani workers and said he believes employers who don’t hire „decent, hard-working“ Romani people are only harming themselves: „If, because of prejudice, someone does not hire Romani people who would be more beneficial to his firm than other workers, then that employer is just punishing himself, depriving himself of the profits he could achieve if he invested his money in the better, higher-quality workers whom he has instead rejected on the basis of prejudice.“ Mach does not believe, hower, that an authority to fine such employers is necessary.

Lawyers with the Czech Labor Office Inspection Authority will now be dealing with the case of Simona Šenkiová’s rejection. She told Czech Television that this bad experience will not keep her from continuing to seek work.

Quelle: Romea.cz
Stand: 10.11.2011

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Staatlicher Antiziganismus, Tschechien

Hindus want anti-Gypsy textbook withdrawn in Czech Republic

Hindus want immediate withdrawal of a primary school textbook of Czech Republic, which reportedly stereotypes Roma (Gypsies) and is offensive. Current edition of Čítanka, a textbook for second-year Czech primary school students, reportedly stereotyped Roma as ‘dirty, thieving Gypsies’.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that the reported labeling of Roma as ‘dirty, thieving Gypsies’ was clearly a case of racial stereotyping and was not acceptable.

Mother telling her child—that Gypsies stink and steal and the child should not play with Gypsy boys—in a primary school textbook would send wrong signals to the children’s minds at an impressionable age, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed.

Rajan Zed urged that in future the material of all school textbooks in Czech Republic should be pre-screened and monitored before publishing to make sure that Roma minority was not stereotyped. Moreover, some books in the Rainbow School project in primary schools in Moravian-Silesian region also reportedly contained anti-Roma material bordering on racism and should be immediately replaced.

Zed argued that Roma people in Czech Republic reportedly faced violent attacks, stereotyping, racism, prejudice, growing gap between Roma and other Czechs, fear, beatings, poor quality housing, systemic employment and overall discrimination, persecution, throwing of Molotov cocktails, social exclusion, segregated schools, forced sterilization, marginalization; refused service at restaurants, stores, discos, etc.; municipalities/towns failing to support them; and the state being unwilling or unable to offer protection.

Rajan Zed pointed out that the country of Franz Kafka, Antonin Dvorak, Jaroslav Hasek, Karlovy Vary, and rich cultural heritage should not continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma apartheid. Vaclav Klaus and Petr Necas are President and Prime Minister respectively of Czech Republic.

Quelle: Romea.cz
Stand: 09.11.2011

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Romani man charged with assault in Prague says he was defending his wife from attack

An incident that took place in Prague late in the evening of 12 August at the Palmovka metro station is generating comment in the Czech media. An ethnic Czech man involved in the incident claims he saw three Romani women pickpocketing passengers and did his best to prevent them before being attacked by a Romani man. That man has testified that his common-law wife was one of the women victimized by the ethnic Czech’s aggression and said he was doing his best to protect her. Unedited CCTV footage of the incident is available here: http://www.romea.cz/romeatv/index.php?id=detail&source=tn&vid=857721&detail=857721

The footage reveals that what actually took place was not the „brutal“ attack described by the Czech media. The start of the footage shows how the conflict between the three Romani women and the ethnic Czech who thought they were pickpockets began: He pushes the women more than once. The Romani man then runs up and starts fighting the ethnic Czech. They exchange blows before the ethnic Czech falls to the ground, where the Romani man holds him down, doing his best to keep him out of range. The Romani man then lets the ethnic Czech go, who gets up. Their exchange continues verbally. One of the women does her best to pull the Romani man away and to prevent further conflict. The train arrives, the women get on, and the men continue to haggle. In the end the Romani man gets on the train and prevents the ethnic Czech (whom he says was drunk) from following them into the train car. The ethnic Czech makes for the exit, the train car doors close and the train leaves. Continue reading Romani man charged with assault in Prague says he was defending his wife from attack →

Abschiebung und Asyl, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Serbien, Staatlicher Antiziganismus

Roma families in Belgrade face forced eviction by government agency

Twenty seven Roma families in Serbia’s capital Belgrade face imminent forced eviction from their homes to make way for new commercial housing built by a government owned company, Amnesty International said today.
On Tuesday, at the request of the Building Directorate of Serbia, families living in the informal settlement Block 61 in the New Belgrade area were informed that the eviction of the settlement is planned.
The families of Block 61 were not consulted about the eviction or offered any alternative accommodation ahead of the approaching harsh Serbian winter. Many of those facing eviction are children.
„Roma families in Belgrade are continuing to be pushed out on to the streets without providing adequate alternative housing. The authorities must end this unacceptable practice,“ said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia.
„Of particular concern here is that 20 of the families were internally displaced from Kosovo after the 1999 war, and the government is obliged to give them protection and assistance. Instead they have been left in informal settlements without access to basic services.
„The government should be providing social housing for these displaced families who have lived in Serbia without adequate housing for 12 years.“
The planned eviction would be the first of Roma in Belgrade to be carried out on behalf of the government rather than the city authorities.
„Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the Serbian government to introduce a law prohibiting forced evictions,“ said John Dalhuisen. „We are very concerned that the government, instead of preventing evictions, now appears to be complicit in their conduct.“
According to an Amnesty International report published in April, the Serbian government has repeatedly failed to prevent the forced eviction by the Belgrade authorities, of Roma families who often lose their livelihoods and their only possessions in addition their homes.
In 2009, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons told the Serbian government to address the human rights situation of internally displaced people and to ensure that forced evictions were carried out in accordance with international standards.
The Roma population in Belgrade has been subject to forced evictions since at least 2000, after Roma displaced from Kosovo sought assistance and shelter but often had no choice but to live in informal settlements.
Forced evictions in Belgrade have increased rapidly since May 2009 when the City of Belgrade introduced its „Action Plan for the Resettlement of Shanty [Unhygienic] Settlements“.
Serbia is required under international human rights law to refrain from and protect people from forced evictions.

Quelle: Amnesty International
Stand: 02.11.2011

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Polen, Posts in English

Roma minority attacked with Molotov cocktails

Roma inhabitants of the village of Krosnica, southern Poland, near the Slovak border, have called for monitoring on their estate, after an assault involving Molotov cocktails last Friday.

The incident occurred at about 10 pm on Friday night, when two flaming bottles of petrol landed on property belonging to members of the Roma community.
One bottle fell onto grass and the flames quickly petered out. The second landed on the roof of a house, and the inhabitants swiftly extinguished the flames.
No one was injured in the assault.
Police believe that the crime was carried out by someone driving through the village.
Roma inhabitants of Krosnica told the Gazeta Krakowska daily that they are regularly intimidated by drivers, whether it be with empty cans or stones.
However, this is the first time that a home-made bomb has been used.
“Up until now its just been stones and insults that have been thrown at us,” said one resident.
“But now, if someone wants to go as far as to set us alight, we’ve reason to fear for our lives.”
The resident underlined that the Roma community did not suspect other inhabitants of the village.
“They’re good people, we manage to get along with them,” they said.

In January this year Roma from the western city of Poznan complained that they were being banned from bars and clubs simply because they were members of the Roma community. Prosecutors opened an investigation after local authorities and the Interior Ministry became involved to solve what Roma said was a case of “blatant racism”

Quelle: Polskie Radio
Stand: 26.10.2011

Abschiebung und Asyl, Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Serbien, Staatlicher Antiziganismus

Serbian activists arrested for protecting evicted Roma family

Two human rights defenders were today arrested for trying to stop the forced eviction of a Roma family in Belgrade.
The activists from the Regional Centre for Minorities were arrested for obstruction of justice after they peacefully attempted to prevent police evicting Mevljude Kurteshi and her six children from their apartment.
„These activists were merely trying to defend the human rights of the family being forcibly evicted – an unlawful and inhumane act by the Serbian authorities,“ said Nicola Duckworth, Amnesty International’s Director for Europe and Central Asia.
„Mevljude Kurteshi and her children must be given adequate alternative housing immediately.“
Witnesses say the two activists were arrested after politely refusing to move from the door of Mevljude Kurteshi’s basement apartment. They were released and may face charges of obstruction of justice, which could lead to a custodial sentence.
Mevljude Kurteshi was given no reason for the eviction and the authorities have not provided her with anywhere else to live.
After the eviction, her possessions were loaded onto a truck and taken to the informal Roma settlement at Belvil, where the family have no option but to move in with relatives. Evictions are also scheduled at Belvil.
Neighbours reportedly stood around jeering and applauding as she waited for a bus to take her and her children, some of them barefoot, to her new “home” at Belvil.
“Over the last month we have seen several forced evictions carried out with complete disregard for the rights of vulnerable people,” said Nicola Duckworth.
“To forcibly evict a single mother and her children without any adequate alternative housing is a complete violation of Serbia’s international obligations.”
Mevljude Kurteshi and her family were forcibly displaced from Kosovo after the 1999 war. Like other internally displaced Roma, she is unable to return home.
She was provided with the apartment in 2006 after she had been relocated from a housing estate, known as the “asbestos settlement”, which was demolished for health and safety reasons.
The eviction, which was carried out by police and the Čukarica authorities had previously been postponed on 11 October after human rights activists and local NGOs protested at the site.
Serbian authorities have failed to adopt a law prohibiting forced evictions, which would ensure that the processes and safeguards set out in relevant UN Guidelines and Principles are in place before any evictions are carried out.
According to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Quelle: Amnesty International
Stand: 25.10.2011

Fundstücke, Geschichte des Antiziganismus, Posts in English, Rumänien

The Holocaust of Roma in Moldova continue to remain unaddressed issue

On 20-21 October 2011 in Chisinau, at the Free University (ULIM) was held a two-day conference “Unknown Holocaust of Roma” – as a challenge of nowadays situation of Roma people. The conference have been followed with an exhibition of photos with Roma survivors made by Luminita Cioaba (from Romania).
The Conference have been attend by Swedish EU Affairs Minister, Birgitta Ohlsson, the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg, academics from various parts of Europe, representatives from different embassies and international organizations present in Moldova, Minister of Justice, vice-Ministers of Education and of Labour, Social Protection and Family, representatives of the Romani NGOs from Sweden and Moldova, etc.
On the first day the Roma National Center has presented a film named“Persecution” produced in collaboration with the E Romani Glinda (Sweden) as a documentary film on Roma survivors from Republic of Moldova and facts of roma deportation by Nazis to Transdnestrian region. The second day have been dedicated to contemporary forms of discrimination as well as their poverty, illiteracy, jobless, their migration to European states and portrayal of the negative prejudices by media in enforcing the anti-Roma sentiment in the whole society.
“The improvement of Roma cannot be done without considering ways to tackle their inclusion and combating discrimination” – said Mr. Nicolae RADITA, chair of Roma National Center at the conference.
“Roma are excluded at all levels of decision making process, there is a widespread violence against them and treated in mockery way when it comes to address their issues”.
As a conclusion participants have stressed that there is a need of public policies developed by the Moldovan Government where Roma should be considered equal partner in implementing it, education made available at all levels and to adopt antidiscrimination legal framework in order to secure rights for everyone.
The events were organized by Roma National Center in cooperation with Porojan Association and E Romani Glinda from Sweden supported financially by Swedish Institute, Sweden Embassy in Chisinau, UNDP, UN Women Moldova.
For more information, please contact Natalia Duminica, project assistant, Roma National Center, tel. +373 22 227099, email: [email protected]

Quelle: Roma Buzz Monitor
Stand: 27.11.2011

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Czech Republic: Vice-mayor confirms charges filed against ethnic Czechs

The Vice-Mayor of the Neštěmice quarter of Ústí nad Labem, Lenka Jaremová, has confirmed previous reporting by news server Romea.cz that a nighttime attack committed by Romani people against two ethnic Czechs was preceded by those same ethnic Czechs attacking other Romani people earlier in the afternoon. A Romani grandfather and his grandson filed criminal charges over the incident.

Regional daily Ústecký deník reports that Vice-Mayor Jaremová has posted the following information to Facebook: „I cannot comment on this matter, which is one of contrasting allegations. However, today I did personally see an official report filed by a grandfather and his grandson alleging they were attacked at 17:00 in the Mojžíř quarter by two men armed with knives and machetes… The fact that the men returned to the quarter that same night and what happened to them after they returned is the subject of an ongoing investigation.“

According to news server Deník.cz, one of the ethnic Czechs, who was armed with a knife and a machete, is a well-known bouncer at a discotheque. Police spokesperson Veronika Hyšplerová has also confirmed to news server Romea.cz that the grandfather and grandson were attacked in the afternoon and that the same grandfather then filed criminal charges.

Later on Friday evening, a clash occurred between the two ethnic Czechs and a group of Romani people that resulted in the ethnic Czechs being hospitalized. TV Nova reported on the evening incident in a one-sided manner, without informing viewers about the afternoon incident at all. According to news server Romea.cz, the entire event played out differently than TV Nova reported. The two ethnic Czechs attacked a Romani grandfather and grandson in the afternoon before coming under attack themselves that evening. Continue reading Czech Republic: Vice-mayor confirms charges filed against ethnic Czechs →

Antiziganistische Klischees, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Anti-Romani lies spread online, Czech Labor Ministry refutes them

More false claims targeting Romani people are circulating through the internet. The authors of the e-mails claim Romani people will not have to perform community service work like everyone else in order to access welfare in future. The reality is the opposite: Romani people are likely to be primarily impacted by the policy requiring the performance of such work. The Czech Labor and Social Affairs Ministry has responded to the rumors on its website.

The ministry points out that chain e-mails have recently been spreading absurd, alarming, dangerous information in the style of a classic hoax. One such e-mail reads as follows:

„Unemployed people who have been collecting unemployment benefit for more than two months will have to perform community service. However, Gypsies don’t draw that benefit, because they were never employed to start with. They receive welfare benefits which are not linked to the performance of community service. The solution invented by our governing elite is not targeted on getting Gypsies to start working, but against the rest of us who were employed for years and responsibly made our social security payments into the state coffers.“

„This is of course pure nonsense,“ the Labor Ministry has responded. The ministry will be requiring community service as of 1 January 2012 of all persons who have been „long-term unemployed, i.e., primarily of those unemployed persons who, on the contrary, are no longer entitled to unemployment benefit and are therefore very often the recipients of welfare for the socially deprived. Should they refuse to perform community service, their right to those benefits will expire.“

The ministry is currently designing a methodological instruction manual on how to select the persons to whom this work will be offered. The selection process will particularly emphasize „including persons who are presumed to be abusing the system either through their passive approach to seeking jobs or because they work under the table.“

Quelle: Romea.cz
Stand: 19.10.2011