U. S. HELSINKI COMMISSION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2011

Shelly.Han@mail.house.gov

U.S. Helsinki Commissioners Call on Slovakia to Acknowledge and Condemn Past Practice of Targeting Roma for Sterilization

WASHINGTON–Following oral arguments today in the first case ever heard by the European Court on Human Rights alleging coerced sterilization, U.S. Helsinki Commissioners urged the Slovak Government to acknowledge and condemn the past practice of sterilizing Romani women without informed consent.

Representative Christopher H. Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, observed, “This case puts a spotlight on a dark and shameful chapter of 20th century history. I urge the Slovak Government to finally acknowledge clearly and unequivocally that Romani women in Slovakia were, at one time, targeted for sterilization. As a matter of justice for the victims and truth about the past – due to all the people of Slovakia – this practice should be condemned as a grave human rights violation.”

Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (MD), Commission Co-Chairman, said, "I have personally urged both Czech and Slovak officials to condemn the communist policy of targeting Romani women for sterilization and to admit to the failure of post-communist Czechoslovakia to immediately and completely halt this despicable practice. I was heartened that, in November 2009, the Czech Government formally acknowledged and regretted this past abuse, but more should be done. Slovakia should not wait for yet another judgment from Strasbourg before taking responsibility for past transgressions against Romani women.”

Representative Alcee L. Hastings (FL-23), Ranking Member of the Commission, added that “improving respect for the rights of the Romani minority requires improving respect for Roma, and that should begin by owning up to past discrimination and abuse.”

The case, V.C. v. Slovakia, is being argued before the European Court on Human Rights on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. The suit has been brought by a Romani woman from Slovakia who alleges that she was sterilized without informed consent in August 2000. A second sterilization case, I.G., M.K., and R.H. v. Slovakia, has also been declared admissible by the court but oral arguments have not yet been scheduled in that case.

A webcast of Tuesday's oral arguments will be available at
http://www.echr.coe.int/.

Background

In the 20th century, eugenics theories formed the basis of coerced sterilization practices in numerous countries. Thirty-three states in the United States implemented such programs, which were all discontinued by the 1970s. These programs generally targeted persons perceived as having a “hereditary deficiency” and, over time, some programs exhibited a racial bias in their implementation. In Europe, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland are among the countries that have investigated, reported on, and condemned past sterilization programs.

Based on eugenics theories, the Czechoslovak communist state targeted Romani women for sterilization. Although the sterilization policy ended with the fall of communism, the practice continued sporadically and without official sanction in both the Czech and Slovak Republics even after the end of communism.

On December 13, 2006, Slovakia’s highest court ruled in favor of three Romani women who alleged they had been sterilized without informed consent. The court held that a regional prosecutor had improperly closed his investigation into their claims and that the investigation had been so faulty that it violated both the Slovak Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

In Case of K.H. and Others v. Slovakia, decided in April 2009, the European Court on Human Rights found a violation of article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to a hearing regarding civil rights and obligations) and article 8 (right to family life) in a case in which Romani women had been denied access to their own medical records.
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The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent agency of the Federal Government charged with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental and military cooperation in 56 countries. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.

CRIMINAL MINDS

OPEN LETTER TO A&E NETWORK
FROM ARTISTS INITIATIVE AGAINST ROMAPHOBIA AND ANTIZIGANISM

Ms. Abbe Raven

CEO of A&E Network
235 East 45th Street
New York NY 10017
16 March 2011

On Friday, March 11, 2011, the repeat episode of Criminal Minds titled Bloodlines ran on A&E network.

The story of this episode tells how a family of Gypsies kidnaps two young girls, age ten, wanting to make one of them the bride of their son. The Gypsies slice the throats of parents, and we learn through the investigation that the boy was forced to kill one of the parents while his father gave him instructions. This is considered a ‘rite of passage’ from boyhood to manhood. Later, the boy is being taught by his parents how to steal from a dummy that has bells hanging from it and the audience is informed by the “expert detectives” that this is the test of the seven bells, a method Gypsies use to teach their children to pick pockets. While the boy is practicing, the first girl kidnapped has a seizure. The father decides to murder her. His wife reminds him that they do not kill little girls. As the show continues, the “expert detectives” explain that “a lot of Romani make their living as petty thieves” as well as other statements based on racist and stereotypical beliefs. In the end, it is revealed that there are numerous Gypsy families living in the United States, murdering parents and kidnapping their daughters. The final scene in the show depicts yet another ten year old boy and his parents preparing to murder yet another set of parents and kidnap their daughter.

As this episode aired, a demonstration by white supremists began in Novy Bydzov in the Czech Republic. This demonstration was prompted by a Czech mayor who claims "They (the Romani) are roaming the town, being a nuisance, stealing and raping. During the time a decent citizen works, gypsies lazily sit on park benches in the square, happily chatting.”- Prague Daily Monitor, November 26, 2010.

The conditions of the Roma in the Czech Republic are appalling. Forced sterilizations have been in place from the 1970s until as late as 2007. Romani children are placed in schools for the mentally handicapped, even if they score well on tests. The Romani have sued and won the right to be educated in the public school system in the Czech Republic, yet they have yet to be allowed to set foot inside a regular classroom. Elsewhere in European Union, the Romani are being fingerprinted and photographed in Italy, a direct violation of the human rights regulations set down by the UN. The last time this happened, Hitler was in power and the Romani were sent to the gas chambers. Romani are being deported from France, Italy, Germany, with England soon to follow, even though these people have been living in these countries for over ten years.

Forced sterilizations, the denial of education, the denial of work, being fingerprinted and photographed; these actions are obscene to the American way of thinking, and yet, we don’t mind, because Gypsies really are dirt, after all, that is how they are portrayed on TV.

Contrary to the comments made on the show, most Romani do not steal. I will not deny that some Romani do steal, but can you name a race whose members have never committed a crime? Romani children are not ‘born to steal’ nor do parents teach their children to do so. The bell man is a creation of author Victor Hugo for his novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

Romani children in Europe are denied an education to help themselves out of poverty. Parents do not steal brides for their sons and they do not kidnap children. The show claims that the Gypsies in the US have gotten away with murder and kidnapping because they are nomadic, yet 85 – 90% of the world Romani population are settled. But more importantly, the crime of murder is considered not only heinous to the Romani, but a crime of such evil that those who commit it are put out from the society.

European politicians villianize and scapegoat the Romani, claiming they are to blame for high crime rates, poor economic conditions, and most social ills. Yet they refuse to follow through with the European Union’s plan for Romani inclusion and ignore the EU’s regulations regarding the treatment of minorities within the EU’s borders. By using such tactics, the politicians in Europe guaranty the continued persecution, discrimination, and murder of the Romani for years to come.

Your mission statement for your company makes the following claims to your work environment:

We believe that our programs, products and services are only as good as the people who create them. Because of this, we have a commitment to high ethical values and to creating a workplace where employees are encouraged to strive for professional excellence. The diversity of our workforce plays an increasingly important role in meeting this commitment. Diversity extends beyond race, color, creed or sexual orientation. Diversity is that combination of traits and characteristics that makes each of us unique individuals and what brings us together to achieve our goals. Diversity is about respect, openness, innovation, and knowledge. It's what we practice in our business.

I ask you now to uphold that which you claim to embrace. I am not asking you to cancel the show, only to pull that episode. It promotes racism and the stereotypes that keep the Romani in both the United States and Europe in perpetual poverty and persecution

Link:
http://artists-for-roma-net.ning.com/notes/Open_letter_to_CEO_of_A%26E_Network

URGENT APPEAL FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

FROM ROMANO LILORO
PHOTO ERIK ADAM KLAUSZ

Vigilantes threaten roma community - Amnesty Urgent Actions

18/03/2011 -

Following an anti-Roma march by the far-right Jobbik party in the village of Gyöngyöspata on 6 March, three vigilante groups have been ‘patrolling’ the area harassing and intimidating Roma residents. Local Roma have allegedly been racially abused and there is fear for their safety. The vigilante groups have announced that their next target will be Roma in the town of Hajdúhadháza. Police have reportedly taken no action.

On 6 March, Jobbik held a 2 to 3,000 strong march in the village, situated to the north east of Budapest, reportedly invited there ‘for the protection of Hungarians’ following an alleged incident where an elderly man had committed suicide following harassment by Roma residents. Gabor Vona, the leader of Jobbik spoke of ‘Gypsy terror’.

Following the march, up to 200 vigilantes from the groups New Hungarian Guard, Civil Guard Association for a Better Future and Vagabonds for the Protection of Hungarians, are alleged to have stayed in the village and are harassing and verbally abusing local Roma residents. The harassment has caused many Roma families to stop sending their children to school. The groups are also alleged to have shouted outside the houses of Roma residents during the night, made verbal death threats and threatened them with weapons and dogs. The vigilante groups were reportedly marching on the streets in military outfits, and in some cases carrying weapons such as whips and axes.

Local NGO representatives, Amnesty International Hungary’s staff and other activists have witnessed some of these acts of harassment and stated that the police have not acted to prevent it. However, four people were arrested on 16 March 2011, following a village meeting in which Roma residents of the village allegedly did not participate due to the climate of racism. Police check-points were eventually established but some reports state that Roma residents were told to ‘behave’ and nothing would happen to them.

Additional Information

The Hungarian authorities have an obligation under international human rights law to ensure the security and physical integrity of their citizens, without discrimination, and to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish and provide redress for racially-motivated attacks including harassment by non-state actors. According to the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the authorities are obliged to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitements to, or acts of, discriminatory violence. In its General Recommendation no. 27, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommends that state parties ensure protection of the security and physical integrity of Roma, without any discrimination, by adopting measures to prevent racially motivated acts of violence against them. The authorities are also obliged to ensure prompt action by the police, the prosecutors and the judiciary for investigating and punishing such acts; and to ensure that perpetrators, be they public officials or other persons, do not enjoy any degree of impunity.

The European Court of Human Rights, in its 2005 judgment in the case of Nachova and Others v. Bulgaria, stated that racial violence is a particular affront to human dignity and requires from the authorities special vigilance and a vigorous reaction. The Court stressed that the authorities must use all available means to combat racist violence, and stated that, “[w]here there is suspicion that racial attitudes induced a violent act, it is particularly important that the official investigation is pursued with vigour and impartiality, having regard to the need to reassert continuously society's condemnation of racism and ethnic hatred and to maintain the confidence of minorities in the ability of the authorities to protect them from the threat of racist violence.” The obligation to investigate possible racial motivation of attacks applies to attacks believed to have been carried out by state and non-state actors alike. In the case of Šečić v. Croatia, concerning police investigations into a racist attack against a person of Roma origin by individuals suspected of belonging to a skinhead group, the European Court underlined that “[t]reating racially induced violence and brutality on an equal footing with cases that have no racist overtones would be turning a blind eye to the specific nature of acts that are particularly destructive of fundamental rights”.

In Amnesty International’s report ‘Violent attacks against Roma in Hungary: Time to investigate racial motivation (AI Index: EUR 27/001/2010), the danger that racially motivated violence poses on Roma was highlighted through interviews with victims and their families. The report outlined a number of violent attacks against Roma in Hungary between 2008 and 2009 including a series of attacks in which six men, women and children were killed. The trial of the suspects in the so-called ‘series of attacks’ is due to start on 25 March 2011 in Budapest. These attacks highlight the necessity for the Hungarian authorities to address the seriousness of racially motivated violence by recognizing this danger and acting to prevent it.

Recommended action

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Hungarian or your own language calling on the authorities to:

•take immediate and proactive measures to protect Roma communities in Gyöngyöspata, Hajdúhadháza and other parts of Hungary from harassment and violent attacks;

•publicly condemn discriminatory violence, and incitement to discriminatory violence, against any section of Hungarian society;

•vigorously and thoroughly investigate acts of racially motivated harassment and violence;

•and ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are prosecuted under laws which provide penalties reflecting the gravity of the abuse.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 29 APRIL 2011.

Appeals to

Prime Minister,
Viktor Orbán,
1357 Budapest, Pf. 6,
Kossuth Lajos tér 2-4.,
Hungary.
Fax: +36-1-795-0381
Email: orbanviktor@orbanviktor.hu; titkarsag@me.gov.hu

LINK
http://ua.amnesty.ch/urgent-actions/2011/03/080-11

ROMANI IN ALBANIA

FROM THE SOFIA ECHO

EU, US call for probe into violence against Roma in Albania


Thu, Mar 17 2011 10:21 CET

byThe Sofia Echo staff

 The ambassadors of the European Union and United States, along with the head of the OSCE office in Tirana, have called on Albanian authorities to investigate February 2011 incidents in which dozens of Roma families were forcibly evicted from their settlements in the centre of the capital city and were left homeless after their housing was set on fire.

The joint statement was issued on March 16 2011 by Eugen Wollfarth, the head of the OSCE office in Albania, Alexander Arvizu, US ambassador to Albania and ambassador Ettore Sequi, the head of the EU delegation to Albania.

"We note that these actions resulted in some serious injuries and the displacement of large numbers of people, including many children," the joint statement said.

The statement listed a number of conventions and plans to which Albania had committed itself, against discrimination and towards Roma integration.

"The European Commission, in its opinion on Albania's membership application, identified the fight against discrimination and the protection of the rights of Roma as key priority areas needing particular attention from the authorities."

"In this spirit, we strongly urge the responsible authorities to take the appropriate action by investigating the disturbing February events in order to ensure that such acts are not repeated. We also encourage the authorities to take the appropriate action to provide necessary social assistance, including housing, to those people who have now found themselves homeless."

"We are confident that the majority of citizens oppose such acts of violence against the minority group," the joint statement said.

"The OSCE, the US and the EU align themselves fully with civil society representatives in calling for an end to discrimination and violence against Roma families and children."

DALE FARM UPDATE

FROM THE GUARDIAN

guardian.co.uk

BY ROXY FREEMAN
GUARDIAN.CO.UK
Wednesday 16 March 2011 16.05 GMT
PHOTO BY OLI SCARFF/GETTY IMAGES.

After nearly 10 years of legal battles, the largest eviction in recent history is about to begin. Basildon council in Essex has voted to force more than 80 Gypsy and Traveller families to leave their homes in Dale Farm, and in about a month's time the demolition of their homes will commence. The bailiff company selected by the council to enforce the eviction is notorious among the Traveller community for its methods, and I believe the eviction is likely to be brutal.

n 2008, a British high court ruled against the eviction, on the grounds of "unacceptable discrimination against Travellers". But David Cameron criticised the previous government for letting the site "mushroom in size", and believes that to ensure "fairness" the operation should now go ahead.

Half of the residents of Dale Farm live legally on the well-manicured plots, the other half illegally occupy official green-belt land. The Travellers were unaware that the land was green belt when they bought it in 2001; to them it was simply a disused scrapyard, strewn with vehicles and rubbish. Over the past 10 years they have turned the plot into a fully functioning community complete with amenities, a chapel and an education/youth club.

More than 80 children from the site currently attend school, while a significant number have completed primary education during their stay. We Gypsies and Travellers don't consider education a right, we consider it a privilege – a privilege that for the children will disappear, along with their homes, when the bulldozers appear.

The council is clearly in a difficult position: it can't or won't grant permission for the families to stay on the green-belt land, but uprooting them will cost Basildon council alone an estimated £8m, and that's not including the policing costs for the operation.

Dale Farm residents say they will leave the land of their own accord, in order to avoid the horrific eviction that looms over them, but they need somewhere to go. The government is obliged under international law to offer the Travellers a suitable alternative. In the eyes of the law, separating the community and forcing them into houses is a suitable option; in the eyes of the Travellers, such a change in their lives is simply unfathomable.

If the current site is completely out of the question, the sensible solution would surely be to invest some of the staggering eviction costs into developing a legal site for the Travellers. The government-run Homes and Communities Agency has identified a plot of land suitable for the Travellers to inhabit. The families would happily move there, but this peaceful solution requires Basildon council to grant planning permission on the new plot, which it is simply not willing to do.

Sadly the future is not bright for Gypsies and Travellers trying to uphold their culture in this country. Any progress made under the last government is now being reversed, and the people of Dale Farm are simply victims of marginalisation.

MY LAI MASSACRE

On 16 March 1968, U.S. troops, under the command of William Caley killed hundreds of Vietnamese, peaceful villagers, mostly women and children in what has become known as the My Lai Massacre. 

Caley recently apologiized for the carnage.  Most survivors and descendants of survivors refuse to accept his apology.

NAZI PERSECUTION OF HOMOSEXUALS 1933-1945

FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE HOLOCAUST EDUCATION AND RESOURCE CENTER

NAZI PERSECUTION OF HOMOSEXUALS 1933-1945

March 30 - April 3, 2011


McCaw Hall, Seattle Center

321 Mercer St., Seattle, Washington, USA

Through reproductions of some 250 historic photographs and documents, Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945 examines the rationale, means, and impact of the Nazi regime's attempt to eradicate homosexuality. The exhibit will highlight the lives of men whose life experiences serve to teach us about the dangers of intolerance.

Presented by the Holocaust Center, the exhibit coincides with the Seattle Men's Chorus production of Falling in Love Again. Exhibit on loan from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. On display in the lobby of McCaw Hall, Seattle Center. Free and open to the public.

EXHIBIT HOURS

Wed, March 30 - Sat, April 2
Noon - 10:00pm

Sun, April 3
Noon - 5:00pm

DOCENT TOURS OF EXHIBIT

Sat, April 2
1:15pm & 6:30pm

Sun, April 3
12:30pm

Additional docent-led tours available by appointment.

PRE-SHOW DISCUSSIONS

Performance ticket needed to attend.

Sat, April 2, 7:15pm

Session I: Resilience in the Face of Nazi Ideology

Lead by Dee Simon, Co-Executive Director, Holocaust Center. In the Allen Room, McCaw Hall. Exploring the ideology, laws and propaganda that led to a campaign of persecution against homosexuals, the Holocaust Center will draw parallels to events in our world today.

Session II: For a Look or a Touch, a Discussion

McCaw Hall, Norcliffe Room. Featuring: Mina Miller, Artistic Director, Music of Remembrance; Jake Heggie, Composer; Gene Scherer, Librettist; Dennis Coleman, Artistic Director; Eric Lane Barnes, Associate Artistic Director; Andrew Russell, Director (Associate Producer, Intiman Theater); Seattle Opera, Education Department.

Sun, April 3, 1:15pm

Session I: Resilience in the Face of Nazi Ideology

Lead by Dee Simon, Co-Executive Director, Holocaust Center

Session II: For a Look or a Touch, a Discussion

Falling In Love Again

The Seattle Men's Chorus presents "Falling In Love Again" on April 2 & 3, 2011 at McCaw Hall. The performance features music from pre-war Berlin's extraordinary, effervescent cabaret scene with Nick Garrison and Spectrum Dance Theatre plus Jake Heggie's riveting chamber opera, "For a Look or a Touch," featuring Morgan Smith and David Pichette. Click here for more information or call 206-388-1400.

ROMANI WOMEN IN ROMANIA

FROM ROMANO LILORO

Roma Women's Gala "Look at me as I am!" awarded women as representatives of Roma community on the International Women's Day


The activity of Roma women in Romania who contributed to improving the life of Roma communities was awarded at the first edition of Roma Women’s Gala "Look at me as I am!", organized by the Community Development Agency "Together", Center for Education and Social Development and Association of Social Inclusion and Development with the occasion of the International Women's Day in Bucharest.

Held under the slogan "Look at me as I am!" and with the idea of promoting Roma women less visible in the Romanian society, the event which brought together representatives of Roma communities from local and national level aimed to promote Roma women models from communities who contributed to improving the lives of Roma through their work in various fields.

Thus, were awarded for the following sections: Scripcariu Petronia (Education - school inspector), Rodica Batrana (Education - Romani language teacher), Alecu Florica (Education - Education / teacher), Elena Radu (Education - school mediator), Daniela Vaduva (Health - Medical Assistant), Ioana Constantin (Health – health mediator), Florentina Izbiceanu (Social Economic - Employment), Maria Ionescu (Economic Social - Entrepreneurship), Maria Ionescu (Community Development), Iudit Varga (Legal - Policewoman), Miron Luiza (Legal-lawyer ) Loredana Dumitru (Mass-media- TVR journalist), Viorica Gotu (Political participation-Counselor), ANA Raducanu (public participation), Vera Linguraru (Culture-actress).

A special award has been offered by the organizers to Ms. VASILE PAULINA, a Holocaust Roma woman’ survivor.

Roma women in this award-winning Gala were gratified for their efforts and constant commitment to improve the life and image of the Roma community in the Romanian society.

Gala” Look at me as I am!” wanted to gratify the work of Roma women less visible whom you can not see most of the times, but who do contribute to the local level. March 8 is a moment of recognition of their courage and devotion. They are Roma women with great achievements, mothers, daughters, wives. They are models for younger generations and society and we want to look at them as they are, "said the project coordinator Together Agency, Carmen Gheorghe.

By bringing together over 180 participants, Roma Women’s Gala "Look at me as I am!" joins a series of events through which organizers intends to promote the interests of women in general and especially of Roma women. The organizers aim to develop programs addressing the needs and socio-cultural events for increasing the visibility of Roma women at national level.

Also, at the Roma Women’s Gala "Look at me as I am!" organized a fundraising campaign for a single mother raising 4 children in Piteasca village, commune Găneasa.

Opened with the Roma anthem, in the interpretation of soprano Claudiana Calin Rotaru, Roma Women’s Gala was filled with musical moments of success, which had high public standing. The atmosphere was relaxed by the band Butiq Romano, as well as Roma singer Stefania Calofir and pianist Antonio Santos, who joined pro-bono for the event.

Roma Women’s Gala was organized with the financial support from Department for Interethnic Relations of the Romanian Government and with the support of sponsors such as Niro Group, AIDRom, KCMC- K Consulting Management and Coordination SRL.

Roma Women's Gala "Look at me as I am!" is designed to become a yearly tradition for celebrating and awarding the Roma women in Romania .

For more information and photos, please see
http://www.ceds.ro/gala%20femeilor%20rome%202011_2-91-0

B0DVALENKE FRESCO VILLAGE PROJECT

FROM ROMANO LILORO
By Eszter Pásztor

08/03/2011 -

On the 15th March 2011, the Bodvalenke Women’s Choir is going to sing at the European Parliament during a slide-show presentation of the Bodvalenke Fresco Village Project.

Bodvalenke is a 95% Roma village in the North of Hungary, sunk in dire and hopeless poverty.

The Fresco Village Project (www.bodvalenke.eu) was initiated two years ago: Roma painters paint monumental murals on the walls, creating thereby a fantastic permanent exhibition of Roma art. So far, 13 murals have been painted; as of this spring, they invite Roma painters from all over Europe , to give a European dimension to the project.

The goal of the Fresco Village Project is twofold: to fight prejudice and to create a venue for meaningful dialogue between the Roma and the non-Roma on the one hand, and to pull the village of Bodvalenke out of poverty by attacking poverty from all possible sides, on the other hand.

The women of Bodvalenke will have travelled twice two days to present their pains and sorrows and their hopes and plans to the EU decision-makers. They can do so only through the pictures, and their songs. This, however, needs to be verbalised for society, and the decision-makers to take note. Will they be heard? Will they even be asked?

Many have said, Roma people have amassed so much deprivation and so much disadvantage that it is virtually impossible to help them. The Bodvalenke experience proves how wrong this tenet is.

There are 10 million Roma in the European Union.

Link: http://www.idebate.org/roma/2011/03/08/bodvalenke-goes-to-brussels/

ROMANI WOMEN

ROMA WOMAN DEPORTEE

FROM ROMANO LILORO

PHOTO FROM newsfeed.time.com

ROMA WOMEN


New campaign website exhorts Roma women to speak out and be the change

08/03/2011 -

Starting International Women’s Day 2011, videos, films, photos, news, life stories and experiences can be shared by an estimated six-seven million Romani women worldwide through the campaign website created by the Romedia Foundation, a Budapest-based Roma advocacy organization.

Katalin Barsony, the managing director of the Romedia Foundation and a Romani activist herself, initiated the “I’m a Roma Woman” campaign in 2009 with the release of the first campaign video, which features five young Roma women from all over Europe who speak out about their experiences, their dreams for the future, about who they are. A year later, the campaign extended to the Western Balkans with a new video release produced in cooperation with CARE International North-West Balkans. The success of the campaign among the Roma activists of the world prompted the Romedia Foundation to create a new campaign website, a membership-based online empowerment tool by and for Romani women.
----------------------------------------
These are the same women who are in the video
I AM ROMA WOMAN
Please visit their website at
http://www.romawoman.org/

TURKEY

                                         FROM TODAYS  ZAMAN

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-238139-government-initiative-pays-off-turkish-roma-say.html

Government initiative pays off, Turkish Roma say

14 March 2011, Monday

MEHMET AKBEY , İSTANBUL



The government’s democratic initiative launched nearly two years ago to address the problems faced by Turkey’s minority communities is bearing fruit, as the country’s Roma population expresses satisfaction with some of the concrete steps taken as part of the project.

There have been great improvements in the problem of housing, one of the most difficult issues faced by Roma, as the state-owned Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) prepares to deliver 6,884 apartments, some of which are still being planned while others are currently under construction, to their new owners, who are members of the Roma community.

State Minister Faruk Çelik, the architect of the project, says the democratic initiative process is proceeding well. “The Roma initiative is on track. First, there was a legal obstacle, but we managed to eliminate it,” he said, referring to discriminatory phrases left in some of Turkey’s older laws, which have now been removed.

“We have rolled up our sleeves to solve the issue of housing and accommodation. We are deciding on land for some of the new houses, and we have already started building some houses. We are also focusing on education and public employment. The process of integration is working well,” he said.

The steps that target the Roma specifically were started a year ago, after a meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and representatives of Turkey’s Roma community. Currently, a number of projects are under way to serve the Roma, who are already more visible in Turkey’ social and political life. Most Roma communities in Turkey are organized as associations, and these groups have openly expressed satisfaction with the government’s policies that seek to address their problems.

Efkan Özçimen, head of the Bursa Association to Promote Roma Culture, says the actual change started following a government workshop on the Roma held in December of last year. He says the Roma, who were earlier leery of government involvement in their lives, are now feeling confident and are more trustful of the project.

“The Roma have always been treated as second class people in state agencies. They were excluded from the country’s social life, for the most part. Access to education in particular was a major problem. But now the government is listening to us and lending its full support for the education of our children,” he adds.

Union of İstanbul Roma Associations Secretary-General Adnan Demirez said they were very happy to have finally found an interlocutor with whom to deal inside the state, in stark contrast with the past, when they were unable to make their voices heard for even the slightest of problems. He also agrees that government workshops on the Roma, in which government representatives and members of the Roma community worked together, have been of great help.

Demirez recounts an anecdote from his own experience that points to the improvements. “A few years ago, there were claims that a Roma died of starvation in Samsun. We traveled there to investigate along with a delegation. When we arrived in the city, we were met by the mayor, the district governor [kaymakam] and many other local officials. They supported us in every step of the investigation and were very helpful in their briefings on the case,” he said.

Fahrettin Savcı, head of the Federation of Trakya Roma Associations, said the change they have been awaiting for a long time has come with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). He said March 14, 2009, the date the first workshop was held to address the Roma community’s problems, attended by the prime minister, had been a turning point.

CZECH REPUBLIC

A tale of Czech racism

FROM ROMEA.CZ

Thank you for the patience which reading this story requires. This is a real story about real people. Only the names of the places and the people have been changed. We do not realize how many such stories are constantly playing themselves out around us.

Most people are not bad. They would never hurt anyone - at least not intentionally. As everyone knows, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We are all just living our lives. For the most part we do our best to live as well as we can, and we are quite unaware of how much we are connected to other people, how one word can change someone's life for better or for worse. One sentence spoken, or not, and a human life can head in a completely different direction.

Our story starts in a grocery store in a district town. It's a rather small, nice shop, carefully kept up by a nice owner, an older gentleman who has worked in the grocery business his entire life. He liked his work even in the days when everything was state-owned, and within the realm of possibility he did his best, as the manager, to have fresh goods in stock (even though the selection was poorer) so his customers could always shop well and be glad to come again. He knew very well they did not have a lot of choice, that there wasn't a broad range of goods to offer, but even so.

Then the revolution came and at the start of the 1990s he opened his own grocery store. It was HIS shop. He sincerely loved it and the business flourished. He never became a multimillionaire, but neither did he do badly. He was happy.

So this owner (let's call him, say, Novotný) gradually expanded the shop's range of products and sometime after the year 2000 he even extended the opening hours so it could function partially as a convenience store. Understandably, his prices couldn't compete with the hypermarkets, but even so he had enough customers – mainly thanks to his friendly staff and quality goods. He was also accessible to those living nearby.

Sometime in July one of his staff went on maternity leave. The rest soon tired of the extra work, so Mr Novotný decided to hire a new salesperson. He put out a "Help Wanted" sign.

Jarmila Demeterová was a Gypsy - that's what she called herself, she wasn't concerned about whether the term "Roma" or "Gypsy" should be used. Either term can be used nicely, or pejoratively. She came from a family of five. Her father drank quite a lot and her mother loved the family with all her heart and took care of them. Jarmila went to school and was an average pupil. She wasn't stupid, but she wasn't a genius either. She was just a normal girl - with slightly darker skin than the others. After finishing school she served an apprenticeship as a salesperson.

Jarmila shopped fairly regularly at Mr Novotny's grocery store. She liked it there, mainly because she did not have the feeling she was not welcome there. No one ever followed her around suspiciously when she shopped there, something that usually happened in other stores. One the one hand she understood why that was. She knew very well that many Gypsies stole and didn't work, and she understood the ill feeling she encountered, the lack of trust. That doesn't mean it didn't bother her. It's true she herself was also sometimes tempted to steal something in the hypermarkets - if they're all looking at me like a thief, then let's give them a reason - but she never did it.

The "Help Wanted" sign had been hanging on the shop door for several days, and Jarmila kept passing by there. She thought about whether she should ask about the job, but she was afraid of being humiliated yet again. No one had ever told her directly that they wouldn't hire her because she was a Gypsy, but many times the eyes say more than words.

Finally Jarmila got up the courage to ask about the job. When she walked into the store where she had done her shopping so many times, her heart was pounding, as does the heart of any 19-year-old girl looking for work.

"Boss, you have a girl here who is interested in the sales job. Wait here just a moment, please, the boss will be right with you.“

This decent and agreeable treatment surprised her, and she calmed down a bit. It only took a few seconds for Mr Novotný to come out of his office, but to Jarmila it seemed like an hour.

"Hello, miss. Come into my office please.“

Mr Novotný knew Jarmila by sight. He knew she was a frequent customer, that she was well-mannered, quiet, and cleanly dressed. He liked her. He had never been a racist. He was a businessman, and customers are customers, no matter their color. After a brief interview he decided to give Jarmila a shot. They agreed to a standard three-month trial period, to the starting salary and other conditions. Jarmila didn't even pay much attention to the details. She was glad to have a job, and she began dreaming of living in her own place - even though she loved her family, she wanted a little bit of privacy. She was grateful to Mr Novotný.

The three-month trial period passed and Jarmila gained a lot of work experience. She wasn't perfect, but no one learning a new job is. What is there to say, school and an apprenticeship are a bit different - but she was competent and learned quickly. She enjoyed work in the way that work can be enjoyable - hardly any of us actually rejoice at going to work, but you all know what I mean.

One year later, Jarmila was an experienced salesperson. She was fast, friendly, and most people were used to her.

One day she was serving customers as usual. There were quite a few people in the store, including a bunch of young men.

"Do you see that chocolate one?“

"Hm, she should be standing on the E55 highway, not bothering people here in a shop. Let's get out of here before we catch hepatitis.“

The young men hadn't exactly shouted, but their words were heard. The rest of the customers paid them no attention. No one ever wants any unnecessary problems. Jarmila also ignored them, even though she felt terrible. She had not heard that kind of talk in a long time and she wasn't used to it. Sometimes all it takes is a few words to very quickly remind someone of the past.

It wasn't over. The young men started coming to the little store more and more often, and their attacks became more and more intense. One time Mr Novotný witnessed this and got involved.

"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?“

"Not us, you're the one with the problem, old man.“

"Get out or I'll call the police.“

People like those guys usually don't have much courage. They muttered something about seeing them later and left the shop.

When Mr Novotný came to work the next morning, there was graffiti all over his front window reading "Death to the Gypsies", etc.

The cycle started to repeat itself, but that wasn't the worst of it. What was worse was that the customers stopped coming. The young men didn't come inside anymore, but every so often rotten eggs, or vegetables, or other things would be left at the shop entrance. The customers no longer found the store pleasant.

The train had left the station and couldn't be stopped.

A few months later, a "For Sale" sign appeared in the shop window.

Slávek Pařenica, translated by Gwendolyn Albert

ROMEA

VIGIL IN SEATTLE

24 Hour Candlelight Vigil: Honor and Justice


Saturday March 26th at noon will begin a 24 hour candlelight vigil to honor the

memory of the Ditidaht Wood Carver killed at Boren and Howell by Seattle

Policeman Ian Birk and to pray for true justice. This vigil will end at noon on

Sunday March 27th.

Ian Birk will not be charged in the unprovoked shooting. The Williams family's

petition for a Grand Jury hearing has been denied by the Seattle city attorney and the King County prosecutor. The law upholding special protection for police in homicide cases is the given reason.

May this vigil give voice to the urgent need for community resolve in addressing this injustice, bring strength to the Williams family and honor Ditidaht direction in the coming actions taken.

In peaceful strugge,

swaneagle harijan

Women In Black

Vashon

_________________________________________________________________
Thank you Swaneagle for this information. 
This vigil is to honor the murdered man and to support his family.
The Williams family has requested and demonstrated nonviolence from supporters.

I urge anyone in the Seattle Washington area to attend.
Morgan

DALE FARM

FROM DAILY STAR SUNDAY
£18M BIG FAT GYPSY EVICTION

13th March 2011

BY GARETH DORRIAN

TRAVELLERS facing the boot from Britain’s biggest illegal campsite last night vowed a big fat gypsy war on the authorities poised to bulldoze their homes.

More than 400 gypsies face being made homeless in an eviction that could take around eight weeks and cost £18million.

Under-siege travellers in Dale Farm, Basildon, Essex, where part of TV hit Big Fat Gypsy Weddings was filmed,
have threatened to cling on to their scrap of land at all costs, using weapons if they have to.

Millions of Channel 4 viewers saw Dale Farm mum Margaret prepare daughter Mary-Ann, six, for her First Holy Communion in the show.

One Irish traveller who did not want to be named, said: “We don’t like making threats but we will do everything we can to stay here. We are prepared for a fight and won’t go easily. It won’t be pretty, I can tell you that.

“There are a lot of gas bottles hidden around the site, if you know what I mean.”

The site, at Crays Hill, has been home to Irish travellers since the 1970s. Around 600 live legally on bought land.

Those facing eviction are on an illegal extension of the site on an old scrapyard thrown up ten years ago.

Gypsy Council president Richard Sheridan, who lives on Dale Farm, said many families being evicted may move to nearby fields and car parks.

He said: “We are like the farmers in Zimbabwe who were cleared off their land. It’s an absolute disgrace. They need to give us more time to resettle elsewhere. It’s the same as ethnic cleansing.

“You’ve got children who go to local schools, as well as many dogs and horses that will have to be re-homed. All we want is more time.”

Basildon Council is behind a 28-day notice to be given to the illegal gypsies who are on green belt land. A meeting tomorrow will agree to serve the notice and reserve up to £8million for the clearance which would take place in four weeks.

It could cost Essex Police another £10million to keep control of things.

The council has asked the Home Office to pay for the eviction but the Government has refused.

Council leader Tony Ball said: “We have tried to work with the families concerned to find a peaceful resolution but, after ten years of continued and illegal development of the green belt, we must take action.

“However, even at this late stage I am still open to constructive conversations with the travellers.”

Len Gridley, 51, whose home borders Dale Farm, said: “The costs they are talking about now are unbelievable when you look at how other councils have dealt with it.

“Basildon Council should have got an injunction in place a long time ago.”

Many of the families have been offered housing elsewhere but have turned it down.

Mr Sheridan said: “Bricks and mortar is not traveller culture. We need a piece of land, not sub-standard and rundown council houses.”

Community leaders and campaigners have revealed worries about the mass clearance of chalets, caravans and mobile homes.

Bishop Thomas McMahon, who represents Catholics in the area, said: “Breaking up this long-standing community and its way of life will be a serious trauma for the children who have stability and support at Crays Hill Primary School.

“Alongside the humanitarian concerns, we have to ask if such an extremely expensive operation is a good use of public money.”

Police fear there could be violent clashes if anarchist protesters get involved in the eviction.

Gypsy spokesman Grattan Puxon, from Colchester, said: “We hoped the protests would be non-violent but they are coming in to break up a community and they might get a response they don’t want.

”‘We won’t go easily. It won’t be pretty, I can tell you that’

CZECH REPUBLIC

FROM ROMEA.CZ

AI and ERRC call for protection of the Roma in Nový Bydžov from neo-Nazis


Budapest/London, 11.3.2011 09:50, (ROMEA)

Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Centre have called on the Czech authorities to ensure protection for Roma people living in Nový Bydžov during an upcoming gathering of the Workers' Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS). The gathering is planned for tomorrow, Saturday, 12 March 2011.

In February 2010, the Supreme Administrative Court dissolved the Workers' Party (Dělnická strana - DS), which was the predecessor organization to the DSSS. The court found that the program and activities of Workers' Party representatives were based on the systematic slander and vilification of certain groups and aimed at inciting negative feelings, fear and hatred toward them.

In November 2008, the Workers' Party organized a rally in the town of Litvínov. When the demonstration was over, the demonstrators reportedly did their best to march through the Janov housing estate there, which houses a predominantly Roma population. They were armed with stones, clubs and fireworks and evidently intended to attack the Roma community. The chair of the DSSS today is the same person who headed the Workers' Party then.

Extreme-right groups are calling for another Janov today on the internet. The extreme-right Autonomous Nationalists (Autonomní nacionalisté - AN) has announced their support for the demonstration in Nový Bydžov. The group has reportedly called on "pro-national forces" from Janov and said that the time has come once again to "make a show of force". Once again, the demonstration organizers reportedly plan to march through a section of town in which Roma people live.

Nový Bydžov drew the attention of the media and politicians after a 21-year-old woman was raped there in November 2010. The perpetrator of that crime was alleged to have been a Roma man. The mayor of the town responded to the crime by publishing a statement that said "we have reached the last straw as far as the citizens' hatred for Gypsies is concerned." In another declaration, the mayor welcomed the DSSS as “openly and truthfully naming the problem”. The party also offered assistance such as deploying its "monitoring teams" to the town.

Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Centre are alerting the Czech authorities to their responsibility to ensure the security and physical integrity of the Roma community. This obligation flows from international human rights norms. The authorities must also do everything they can to prevent racially motivated attacks, to punish those involved, and to investigate all such incidents.

ROMEA, Press release from Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Center

FORCED STERILIZATIION OF ROMANI WOMEN

FROM LIFESITENEWS.COM
http://www.lifesitenews.com/

European Court of Human Rights to hear allegations of forced sterilization

by Thaddeus Baklinski

Fri Mar 11, 2011 15:33 EST

STRASBOURG, France,

On March 22 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will hold a hearing to investigate the allegations of a Slovakian woman of Romani ethnic origin (also known as gypsy) who claims she was the victim of a forced sterilization during the delivery of her second child by caesarean section, in 2000 at the Prešov Public Hospital.

The applicant, known only as Ms V.C., claims she was given the sterilization consent form to sign while in pain and neither understood what she was signing nor the consequences of the procedure. She further alleges that her Romani ethnicity was a deciding factor in her sterilization and that segregation according to ethnic origin in the gynecology and obstetrics ward of Prešov Public Hospital was a common practice.

Prešov Hospital denies this accusation, asserting that the applicant’s sterilization was carried out on medical grounds – the risk of rupture of the uterus if she conceived again – and that she had given her authorization after having been warned by doctors of the risks of a subsequent pregnancy.

V.C.‘s hearing is the first of eight cases before the European Court of Human Rights of Romani women who believe that they had been sterilized without their fully informed consent in two Slovakian hospitals.

According to a summary in the Medical Law Review (MLR) the women had not been able to conceive since their last delivery, and requested photocopies of their health care records to clarify what procedures had been carried out on them.

MLR noted, “Despite extensive proceedings before the national courts, neither the women nor their legal representatives were allowed to take photocopies of their medical records.”

Ms V.C. and the seven other women petitioned the European Court of Human Rights on the basis that their treatment and subsequent denial of access to information on this treatment, breached their right to respect for private and family life under Article 8 of ECHR, as well as their rights under Articles 3 - prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, 12 - right to found a family, 13 - right to an effective remedy, and 14 - prohibition of discrimination.

Gregor Puppinck, Director of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), an NGO focusing on the protection of religious freedoms and human rights, noted “two serious issues” will be addressed in this case: eugenist ideology, and the obligations of the state regarding the right to found a family.

Puppinck pointed out that the applicant made reference to a number of publications presenting the history of sterilization of Romani since the early 1970s in Czechoslovakia aimed at controlling the Romani population.

“These documents prove that many women are forced and pressured into sterilization procedures while not being fully aware of the irreversible nature of the sterilization,” Puppinck said.

“Forced sterilization is not a new practice in Europe,” Puppinck stated, adding that “the very active ‘population control’ movements have very close ties with the eugenics ideology,” which “still exists and still needs to be clearly condemned.”

With regard to the obligations of the state concerning the right to found a family, Puppinck noted that while on several occasions, the court has recognized that “there is not a subjective right to procreate,” the state does have “the obligation to refrain from hindering the foundation of a family or undermining the family life.”

“Therefore,” Puppinck concluded, “the ECLJ hopes that the Court will assert that everyone under the European Convention must be protected not only against forced sterilization, but also against “incited sterilization”, in particular when it concerns members of vulnerable groups,” and that “the State has to refrain from putting obstacles in the way of couples who wish to exercise their ability to procreate.”

ENGLAND

FROM MORNING STAR ONLINE.CO.UK

Council to spend £18m on eviction

Friday 11 March 2011

BY PADDY MCGUFFIN

A Tory council in Essex has sparked fury with its planned multimillion-pound eviction of one of Britain's largest Traveller sites.

Campaigners have vowed to support the Travellers in their fight to stop Basildon council's planned eviction of up to 400 people from the Dale Farm site.

The council will hold a meeting on Monday aimed at pushing through the eviction, estimated to cost £18 million.

Traveller and Gypsy groups argue that kicking dozens of families off Crays Hill would break human rights law.

Unison has also condemned the move and further argued that the stack of cash should be used to help the whole community as the authority plans to make 100 people redundant and slash public services.

The Travellers own the land and over 40 pitches on the site have planning permission.

The authority is seeking to remove a further 51 unauthorised pitches from the site, a former scrap yard.

Leader of Basildon Council Councillor Tony Ball said: "In 2001 we became aware that a number of Traveller families had started to develop land within the borough's green belt at Dale Farm. We served notice immediately and made it clear the council would not allow this to continue."

He said the council had tried to find a "peaceful resolution" but that now it had decided to "draw a line" under the matter.

But activists say the council has failed in its duty to provide an adequate number of sites for the Travelling community and that the eviction is politically and financially motivated.

Joseph G Jones of the Gypsy Council said: "The council has not complied with government guidelines to provide pitches. It has neglected its obligations to the Gypsy and Traveller community.

"Our position is that forced evictions are always against Article 8 human rights (private and family life). We believe there should be a moratorium on financially motivated evictions."

Unison eastern region spokeswoman Debbie Dougan-Turner told the Star: "We believe Basildon council has a duty to make sites available for the Travelling community.

"It is disappointing that council is choosing to use council tax payers' money on this eviction and legal costs rather than providing adequate services for the whole community and jobs for our members."

OLIVIA ARYES



OLIVIA ARYES

 FROM  COVENTRY TELEGRAPH.NET
Romany gypsy from Bulkington named Britain's most talented traveller

BY SAM DIMMER

Mar 11 2011

SHE’S never been in a recording studio and has spent more time singing into a hairbrush than a microphone but that hasn’t stopped Olivia Ayres from being named Britain’s most talented traveller.

The 15-year-old Romany gipsy from Bulkington scooped the accolade after blowing away the competition’s judges with her voice – despite never having had any professional training.

Now with the UK’s fascination with the travelling community peaking after the recent Channel 4 series about gipsy weddings the brunette with the big voice is being splashed all over the pages of the national tabloids.

Competition organisers are even pleading with Olivia to come back and perform at the next event – after handling 300 calls in one week about her.

Traveller’s Got Talent boss Tracy Nedic, told the Coventry Telegraph that Olivia had it all.

“Before she took part we knew she could sing,” Tracy said. “We were sure she would be a contender.

“One of the first times she sang in public was at the House of Lords for politicians and dignitaries during a special event for travellers.

“It’s horrible to say it, because I had so many friends I was supporting, but at the final as soon as Olivia belted out that first note we knew she was going to win.

Read More
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/2011/03/11/romany-gypsy-from-bulkington-named-britain-s-most-talented-traveller-92746-28319347/#ixzz1GPMmPm8Z

PSYCHIATRIC LABELING

Below is a link to a youtube video on psychiatric labeling.

It's a subject that doesn't get addressed very often, yet more children in the United States now have these labels than ever before.

Kids are being put on drugs at younger and younger ages.

There was a very honest Psychology teacher at the local community college, who warned his students that if their children's schools 'suggests' sending them to the school psychologist, SAY NO.
"Avoid it at all costs". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acFq-redSr8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

TRAVELLERS GOT TALENT

FROM community.livejournal.com

FROM THE DAILY STAR

"You’ve got 300,000 travellers in Britain who have been hiding talent under a bushel".   Jake Bowers

9th March 2011

BY PAUL ROBINS

A BIG fat bidding war has broken out as telly bosses fight to bring Travellers Got Talent to our screens.

Producers are desperate to secure the rights to the show after the Daily Star revealed it was set to be a smash hit.

They reckon it could catapult gypsy performers into superstardom..

Insiders are tipping it to be even bigger than Channel 4’s hit series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.

Last year’s talent hunt, based on Britain’s Got Talent, was the talk of gypsy camps nationwide.

And organisers say they have been swamped with offers to take the concept onto primetime TV.

Jake Bowers, from the Gypsy Media Company, said: “It would be phenomenal. There are so many talented people within the traveller community.

“Last year’s contest didn’t get the coverage it should have done.

“What it needed was for a big company to take it onto a national stage.

“We’ve already had calls from production companies who want to turn it into something.”

Hundreds of performers with Romany roots battled it out last year, with a final at Stowmarket, Suffolk.

They included the Doyle family band, made up of seven children who all play instruments, and 15-year-old winner Olivia Ayres.

Jake said: “You’ve got 300,000 travellers in Britain who have been hiding talent under a bushel.”

He believes Travellers Got Talent would provide a real insight into gypsy life and repair damage caused by the Channel 4 show.

“It would be a great thing if handled right,” he said.

AGNES OSZTOLYKAN

FROM THE STATE DEPT

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, the Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, met with Member of the Hungarian Parliament, Agnes Osztolykan, on Wednesday, March 7, 2011, to congratulate her on being a recipient of the Department of State’s 2011 International Woman of Courage Award.

 Deputy Osztolykan is the first Romani woman elected to the Hungarian Parliament.

Agnes Osztolykan

Agnes Osztolykan was elected to the Hungarian Parliament in 2010 as a member of Politics Can Be Different (LMP), a new political party founded on the idea of breaking from the traditional system of Hungarian politics and fighting for values that truly matter.

Agnes is one of just four Romani members of the current Hungarian Parliament, and the only Romani woman. As the deputy chair of the Education Committee, Agnes is making a tangible contribution to Hungary’s new education regulations, ensuring that Roma inclusion remains a priority of government programming. She is a strong advocate for vocational training in order to give students viable skills for the labor market.

 Agnes also understands that government does not have all the answers, and is a strong promoter of civil society in Hungary. In addition to her professional work, Agnes is a volunteer teacher at a primarily Roma vocational school in Budapest’s poorer Eighth District.

Agnes began her career working for the Soros Foundation, and then spent six years at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor as head of the Roma Decade Program. She graduated from the University of Miskolc in 1998 with a degree in political science. Agnes was born in Csengersima, a tiny village of 700 residents on the border of Hungary and Romania.

The International Women of Courage Award

To mark International Women's Day, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice established the annual International Women of Courage Award in March of 2007 to recognize women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and advancement.

 This is the only Department of State award that pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide, and offers a unique opportunity to recognize those who work in the field of international women's issues.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech teenager, mother jailed for arson attack on Roma family

Mar 8, 2011, 13:25 GMT

Prague - A Czech court on Tuesday sentenced a teenager and his mother to prison terms for an arson attack on Roma neighbours a year earlier.

The young man was sentenced to four years in prison, while his mother - who had looked on without intervening as her son prepared a Molotov cocktail - was ordered jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

The teenager threw the petrol bomb into his neighbour's home in the Czech city of Ostrava in March 2010.

Five children and six adults were in the wooden house when the fire broke out, but a tragedy was averted thanks to the quick reaction of a 13-year-old girl.

Tuesday's ruling overtuned a lower court decision that had given the young man and his mother suspended sentences of three years and 18 months, respectively.

The exact age of the teenager cannot be revealed under privacy laws, a court spokesperson said Tuesday.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. 
March 25th will be the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City.

Women garment workers were at the forefront of the union movement. 
We are fighting the same battles today.

SCOTLAND

news.stv.tv

FROM THE SCOTISH SUN

VIGILANTE FEAR AT GYPSY CAMP

BY STUART PATTERSON

Published: 01 Mar 2011

A TOURIST town gripped by tension over an illegal travellers' camp faced fresh turmoil last night - after thugs threatened to drive gypsies out using PETROL BOMBS.

The chilling warning was made on a Facebook page set up by locals angered by the unauthorised site in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.

Under the name Neil Kerr, one yob posted on the online forum: "I suggest everyone joins this page, won't make a difference but if it does fail - baseball bats and petrol bombs anyone?"

Now the police and the council have been urged to step in before the row explodes in vigilante-fuelled violence.

Councillor Graeme Clark said: "We've already had some altercations. We don't want things to get any worse.

"I am concerned people will take matters into their own hands."

He spoke out after disgruntled locals set up the Facebook page called Get Travellers Out of Stonehaven. Other posts refer to travellers as "pikey scum" and suggest using intimidating protests.

Tensions have been simmering for months amid claims gypsy camps harm their tourist trade.

There are currently 15 caravans set up illegally in a park. Locals say the site is littered with rubbish and human waste.

Aberdeenshire Council said travellers have been served eviction notices and are due in court this week.

Cops have stepped up patrols in a bid to defuse the row.

Read more:
 http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3438925/Yobs-threaten-to-drive-travellers-out-of-tourist-town-with-petrol-bombs.html#ixzz1Fre7Grv2

WOMEN IN BLACK

I received this from an old friend and tireless ally, Tina.

I encourage everyone to visit this website and support the worldwide efforts of Women In Black.

FROM WOMEN IN BLACK 
WOMEN'S FEMINIST-ANIMILITARY PEACE ORGANIZATION

http://www.zeneucrnom.org/

We are addressing the public with a great concern over the racist violence against the Roma population.

Because of the recent crime, when a Roma boy killed his peer, a Serbian boy, Serbian inhabitants of the village Jabuka are smashing the windows of the houses owned by Roma families, the windows of the Methodist church; also, one house is set on fire. All that violence happened in presence of local police officers, who did nothing to prevent violence. Belated response of the Prefect of the Pancevo Police Department and the mayor of Pancevo just enhanced the fear of Roma families, whose members did not dare to go out from their houses in days.

Racist violence against Roma is common. Latest Amnesty International report also notices violation of human rights of Roma in Serbia. Serbian institutions in charge have to show political will in order to prevent political violence against Roma population. International responsibility of members of Serbian institutions is to respect human rights of minorities and to protect security for all the citizens, regardless of their names or their ethnic, racial, religious or sexual orientation or identity.

We call civil society organizations to join us, to react and to put pressure on the government in similar cases, when human rights are violated, because that is our activist responsibility. Also, we are asking the member of the institutions in charge, first of all the Ministry of internal affairs and judicial authorities, to penalize the perpetrators of the attacks.

Women in Black, along with Roma women’s groups, will visit the Roma population in Jabuka tomorrow, on the 17th of July, at 10:30 am, in order to show our solidarity and offer our support.

Women in Black

Joined organizations:

Women for peace, Leskovac

SOS Hotline for Women and Children, Victims of Violence, Vlasotince

Reconstruction, Women’s Fund, Belgrade

Voice of the Difference, Belgrade

Labris, Belgrade

Esperanca, Novi Pazar

Regional Minority Center, Belgrade

Roma Association “Danica”, Pancevo

Center for cultural affirmation, Dimitrovgrad

Center for Peace and the Development of the Democracy, Belgrade

Roma Association, Novi Becej

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THE ROMANI OF EUROPE
"Petition of solidarity with Roma deported from France"


http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/romasolidarity
.

FROM THE OPEN SOCIETY BLOG

ZELJKO JOVANOVIC

From Egypt to Europe: We Can No Longer Ignore Disaffected Youth


http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/from-egypt-to-europe-we-can-no-longer-ignore-disaffected-youth/

BY ZELJKO JOVANOVIC
OPEN SOCIETY BLOG.

March 3, 2011
by Zeljko Jovanovic

By now most everyone is familiar with the circumstances that brought down Hosni Mubarak in Egypt: widespread unemployment, huge numbers of disaffected youth, and extreme poverty helped fuel the uprising against his regime. What most of us miss are the similarities between the situation of youth in Egypt and their Roma peers in Europe.

“We don’t want what we have.” This was a young Egyptian’s sharply uttered demand for change during the revolutionary protests. On the heels of Tunisia, the youth revolution brought historic change to Egypt—ousting a dictator who ruled for thirty years—that continues to reverberate throughout the region. Nondemocratic regimes can no longer ignore the jobless and frustrated youth in the North Africa and the Middle East. But the ushering in of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe more than 20 years ago, has not made life of Roma youth any better than what Mubarak made for "his sons, the youths of Egypt."

Data from the United Nations shows the striking similarities: one quarter of both Egyptian and Roma population is between 18 and 29. Seventeen percent of young Egyptians have not completed basic education and 10 percent have never enrolled in school. Equally shocking numbers plague Europe, where 21 percent of Roma have not completed primary education, 9.5 percent never attended school. Without proper schooling, the fate of unemployment and poverty is unavoidable. No community, or country for that matter, can progress with the youth living in poverty.

Paradoxically, in Central and Eastern Europe, communist dictatorship was more generous to young Roma. While governments denied freedoms, young Roma had better schooling and more chances to find jobs. The collapse of communism meant the collapse of these opportunities. This has created a collective memory that gives Roma youth no reason to believe in democracy, and to their parents it gives a legitimate reason to feel nostalgic for a sense of material security delivered by communism.

As compared to their Egyptian peers, young Roma face an additional hurdle—they are subject to ethnic discrimination in every country of Europe. It starts from the very first moments of their lives—even before they have left their mother’s womb. Pregnant mothers either cannot afford health care or face medical professionals who mistreat them. The cycle of discrimination continues as young Roma are placed in "special" classes for children with special needs—despite having none—rejected by other pupils, and biased treatment of teachers. From a very young age, Roma are already at a severe disadvantage in the labor market as compared with their peers.

These circumstances are not the exception but the rule for almost every person of Roma origin.

Roma are the youngest ethnic community in Europe, with birth-rate twice the average of majority families. The UN shows that the median age for Roma is 19.3 years, compared to 33.6 for the overall population. Roma demographics are not just about population growth but substantial labor force and other socio-economic consequences. The UN warned already in 2002 that if significant improvements in Roma access to education are not achieved soon, labor forces in Central and Eastern Europe by 2015 will have large and growing unskilled and uneducated components. This will generate significant amounts of structural unemployment. We are already in 2011 and have not seen significant improvements that will prevent the worst-case scenario.

Furthermore, the Roma youth represent not only labor but also political potential. Political parties, both those in power and those fighting for it, recognize the power of Roma votes and traditionally buy such votes cheaply. Despite this, over the last 20 years the internal process of political emancipation of Roma has become evident through the increased number of young Roma civil society leaders and advocates. The youth revolution in Tunisia and Egypt is definitely an inspiration and encouragement for the yet insufficiently organized young Roma to demand change.

This year, the European Union will supply national governments with a policy framework and money to turn poverty into equity, and discrimination into equality. The success of this framework will depend on the political will of governments and their ability to design and implement policies and that use these funds to compensate decades of injustice. Moreover, European democracies must keep their promise of equality of opportunities and future for all. Only then—despite the similarities—young Roma have a reason not to follow in the path of Egypt’s youth, but instead a reason to cheer “We believe in what we have.”

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CROATIA

Roma leader to sue 'Facebook' protest organizer over racist slogans

FROM:  Croatian Times

The president of the Roma Football Association has said he would sue the organizer of the so-called "Facebook" protests for not curbing his follower's racist slogans.

Tofko Dedic-Toti said that the organizer of the protest, Ivan Pernar, should have intervened when some of the protesters started yelling "Gypsies! Gypsies" in front of the government buildings, referring to the officials that they want deposed.

"Roma are in continuous struggle against racism, discrimination, intolerance and poverty. Mr. Pernar is the organizer of the protest and he should have reacted" when people around him started using "gypsy" as a derogatory word to insult the officials, Dedic-Toti said.

"For ten years I've been advocating equality, and I want to prove in human and tolerant way, that we are equal inhabitants."

Dedic-Toti is demanding an apology from Pernar, the daily Jutarnji List writes.

A series of anti-government protest has swept some towns in Croatia with, Zagreb at their center. The protests were first organized by Ivan Pernar over Facebook.