Rromani Language Course
Elez Bislim
Lumijakhere Rroma
The situation of all the
Rroma living
around Europe is similar in many aspects, but there are some particularities
that make their situations quite different, depending on the countries in which
they live. Below we make a revision of the common characteristics and also of
those that make the communities different between them, as well as of their
current living conditions.
Offences of Human rights- Nowadays,
many European Rroma have to face terrible situations, since their rights
are abused and they are also deprived of their freedom. Many are stateless,
refugees, political asylum seekers and repatriated because of the recent Balkan
wars and the events that happened after the fall of the regimes of Eastern
Europe
The international
negotiations to solve
the situation caused by the disappearance of Yugoslavia have been done without
the participation of the Rromani ethnic minority that in habit these
territories. The European Council has been able to verify on the spot that not
even humanitarian aid was equal for the Rroma who needed help compared to the
rest of the population.
Even today, The
Rromani people are trying to gain a voice in the United Nations, under
the title of "Gypsy."Sadly, anti-Rromani attitudes can still be seen
today. Today there are approximately five million Gypsies in the world, with an
estimated 22,000 living in North America, mostly in the United States. Gypsies
also make up a large percentage of the population in many East Central European
nations, but they still face many prejudices.
As late as 1989, atrocities against Gypsies were reported. These reports of
increased discrimination against and persecution of the Gypsies ( Rromani
people) were noted following the collapse of Communist rule in Russia. Many of
these tragic prejudices can be combated through education. Recently, this
effort is being undertaken by a variety of organizations focused on Gypsy
rights. Fortunately, they have gained acknowledgment during several major conferences
and have been included in United Nations human rights documentation. Hopefully,
the Rromani people will escape further persecution through knowledge and
understanding of their culture and sad history.
Denial of the right of
asylum- At the same time, there are many Rroma of Central and of
Eastern Europe that must flee from their countries because of the rising wave
of racism and violent assaults that put their lives in danger, so that they are forced to ask for
political asylum or refugee status in the States of the European Union.
In most of these cases, border authorities of the European Union do not allow these people
to enter their territory. Also they condemnthe repatriation
agreements signed between the member states of the European Union and
States of Central and Eastern Europe, since refugees are treated as
goods.
Soon after the
arrival of the
first group of Rroma to Europe an attitude of rejection emerged
towards these strange people whose precedence was little known about, who wore striking
clothes and spoke an incomprehensible language.
The red travelers were different from any others known by the European natives, they were
rejected and feared by the white people that were living in the towns and
cities where the Rromani caravans were arriving. As a response to this feeling
of rejection, the governments began to create restrictive and racist
policies.