European Roma and Travellers Forum

http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2012/01/robert-rustem-three-steps-to-progress-for-roma/


Robert Rustem: Three steps to progress for Roma | HUMANERIGHTSEUROPE
www.humanrightseurope.org
Just days into a new year and already it seems there is little prospect of a change to the treatment of Europe’s Roma people.

http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2011/11/rights-group-condemns-anti-roma-violence/


Rights group condemns anti-Roma violence | HUMANERIGHTSEUROPE
www.humanrightseurope.org
A Roma rights campaign group has voiced its fears that Council of Europe member states cannot protect community members from violent attacks.

ERTF calls on the CM of the CoE to condemn and sanction anti-Gypsyism in its member states

Istanbul, 23 November 2011: The European Roma and Travellers Forum at the second meeting of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM) in Istanbul delivered a Statement appealing to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to send a clear signal to member states to condemn racism and anti-Gypsyism. Moreover the Committee of Ministers should urge Member States to demonstrate political commitment to prevent collective criminalization, introduce institutional guarantees to combat discrimination and segregation and take steps to significantly improve the social-economic conditions of Roma in Europe.

Anti-Gypsyism has become an usual environment for its manifestation in Europe, an accepted way of thinking and reacting for large numbers of people of all categories in our societies. In times of economic crisis and political turmoil, societies tend to always look for scapegoats. The Roma have been depicted as illiterate and unwilling to integrate, encompassing the perfect image of what is going bad in our societies. Deprived of proper education and excluded from the labour market, they are branded as parasites of the same societies that have marginalised and oppressed them for centuries.

The recent events in some of the Council of Europe member states as well as migration trends are but symptoms of Member States' failure to take responsibility for all their citizens and provide for a climate where Roma can enjoy and fully exercise their rights. There is a growing fear among the Roma throughout the States cannot protect them and that consequently the solution is to flee their countries. It has been said that those who do not heed history are destined to relive it. Time is pressing. The violence against Roma in the Council of Europe member states is slowly but surely simmering in other European countries. Reunion after reunion, the international community deplores the rising anti-Gypsyism and then forgets all about it.

The Council of Europe should ensure that the fight against anti-Gypsyism is given urgent priority on the agenda and receives political support at European level.

The full text of the statement is available at the following link: http://www.ertf.org/images/stories/documents/ERTF_Statement_CAHROM_23112011.pdf


http://www.ertf.org/images/stories/documents/ERTF_Statement_CAHROM_23112011.pdf
www.ertf.org

ERTF reported to the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee on growing anti-Gypsyism in Bulgaria

Paris, 16 November 2011: Today the European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) presented to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) it’s preliminary findings from the visit in Bulgaria which was organised to a take stock of the wave of anti-Gypsyism resurging at the end of September as well as to assess recent steps taken by the government to improve the situation of Roma in Bulgaria.
ERTF said that the situation of Roma in Bulgaria is worsening from the perspective of human rights protection and social inclusion. The events in Katounitsa and the migration trend of Roma abroad are symptoms of the State’s failure to take responsibility for all its citizens and provide for a climate where Roma can enjoy and fully exercise their rights.
Despite Bulgaria’ legal obligations and political commitments, Roma have continued to live in isolation and deprivation, while being victims of racist attacks and rhetoric by both state and non-state parties. There is a growing fear among the Roma in Bulgaria that the State cannot protect them and that the solution is to flee the country.
Roma have very little knowledge about the existing mechanisms to fight discrimination and they are widely afraid to complain against discrimination or violence against them to the police or other complaints mechanisms because of possible retribution. The ERTF President, Mr Rudko Kawczynski declared that: “We all agree that what happened around Katounitsa case and the response of the Bulgarian government or lack of it are unacceptable! However, without minimising the events, Roma in Bulgaria have been living in a constant isolation and intolerance by the State and their fellow citizens, subject to every day dehumanisation and assault to their dignity as human beings. And that is unacceptable too! Bulgaria has to start taking responsibility for all its citizens, and Roma are part of Bulgaria!”
The ERTF demands the Council of Europe Member States to forcibly condemn anti-Gypsyism, prevent collective criminalisation, introduce guarantee to combat discrimination and segregation and take steps to significantly improve the situation of Roma in their countries.
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) took note of the ERTF’s preliminary findings and decided to put again on its agenda the situation of Roma in Bulgaria once the ERTF Final Report from this mission is published.

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The European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF), which has a partnership agreement with the Council of Europe and a special status with this institution, is Europe’s largest and most inclusive Roma and Traveller organisation. It brings together Europe’s main international Roma--‐NGOs and more than 1,500 national Roma and Traveller organisations from most of the Council of Europe member states.
For more information please contact the ERTF Secretariat at:
Telephone: +33 3 90 21 53 50
Email: info@ertf.org

Tomorrow, 16 November 2011, the ERTF will present it's preliminary findings from the Field visit in Bulgaria at the meeting of the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Strasbourg, 9 September 2011: The violent anti-¬Roma protests that have occurred across Bulgaria over the past weeks call for an urgent response to combat racially-¬motivated extremism while achieving visible progress on the socio-economic integration of Europe’s most marginalized and discriminated population. Romani communities have been faced with a total rebuff for nearly a thousand years, which has stripped them of their identity, fundamental rights, dignity and opportunities.

The European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) is deeply concerned with the wave of anti-Gypsyism in Bulgaria. In response, ERTF is organizing a hearing on Thursday, 10 November 2011 (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) in Triaditza Meeting Room, Grand Hotel in Sofia (1 Gurko str), to raise awareness on situation and consequences of anti-Roma sentiments and actions.

Representatives from the Government, Political Parties, the Ombudsman, International organisations and Roma NGOs have been invited to participate at the hearing.

The event will look at the legal framework for human rights protection and will discuss the steps taken by the government, international organizations and civil society to improve the situation of Roma in Bulgaria. The report of the hearing will be presented at the Meeting of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

On the 10 and 11 November 2011, the ERTF will also visit Roma settlements in Sofia.