EUROPEAN ROMA AND TRAVELLERS FORUM

NO END TO THE Killing of Roma in Hungary

Strasbourg, 5 August: Mr Rudko Kawczynski, President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum, today in his letter addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Human Rights Commissioner, OSCE/ODIHR and the European Parliament calls on to European governments and European institutions to show a clear commitment towards Roma rights and strongly rebukes the mistreatment of the Roma in Europe.

"I hasten to express the shock and deep concern of the European Roma and Travellers Forum over the tragic incident which occurred in Kisleta, Hungary on Monday, resulting in the death of 45-year-old Roma woman who was shot dead and her daughter seriously injured. She was the latest victim in a recent spate of anti-Roma murders across the country".

"Similar activities to this one are not only a threat to the Roma community. These activities remind us of the Nazi and Fascist periods in the early 1930s, when Roma and Jews were singled out for discrimination and persecution leading finally to the genocide of millions of innocent people. Nowadays this is a serious threat to the future of the Europeans, to democracy and the rule of law" Mr. Kawczynski wrote in the letter addressed to the above mentioned Institutions.

The letters, written on behalf of 15 million Roma, urges the Hungarian authorities to take urgent action to stop anti-Roma activities and to undertake all necessary measures to stop the Anti-Roma pogroms and ensure a safe and secure life for all Roma living in Hungary as well as the full implementation of international laws and standards.

‘We believe that also the international institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, OSCE and the United Nations should take a stand and condemn these inhuman and unacceptable actions and to urge the Hungarian authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrators’ Mr Kawczynski said in a closing remark in his letter.

The European Roma and Travellers Forum has been looking very closely at the incidents of violent attacks in Hungary, police brutality and violations, and hate speech in which hundreds of Roma have been forced to run for fear of their life.