Recent Romnews postings
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Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1999 11:42:01 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Recent Romnews postings
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Recent Romnews postings
Usti nad Labem, Czech Rep. (RNN Correspondent)
November 4th, 1999
Representatives of the "Regional Roma Committee" have started a
peaceful protest campaign. The Roma activists have pitched a camp and
they intend to hold out until the disgraceful wall in Usti nad Labem
will be pulled down by the authorities.
The wall had been erected in Maticni Ul. In Usti nad Labem to separate
more than 30 Roma from 3 Czech families living on the other side of
the road.
Initiatives of the Czech President and the parliament have so long
been ignored by the regional administration.
At 7.20 p.m. the first members of the city police arrived, shortly
later the state police. They started immediately to provoke the Roma,
but it did not work in spite of the wild abuse and immense
aggressiveness of the police. The Roma repeatedly told the police that
is a peaceful demonstration which is embodied in the Czech Civil
Rights.
The Roma in Usti appeal to everyone who is against this wall to come
to Usti nad Labem to support the protest of the Roma against racism
and the ghettoisation of the Roma in the Czech Republic.
The Roma National Congress is locally on phone under:
Mobile: + 420 603 75 61 55
Coordinator in Czechia: + 420 603 315 307
--------------------------
CALL FOR HELP FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Roma organizations are begging for help in evacuating Roma out of the
Czech Republic. In an urgent appeal eleven of the biggest an most
accepted Roma Civil Right Organizations have asked for support in this
project.
Since 9 days Roma from all over the Czech Republic are demonstrating
in Maticni Ul.
In Usti nad Labem, where the regional government decided some months
ago to erect a wall around the a Roma housing estate in Maticni Ul.
On 13th of October 1999 the wall was erected to "protect" the non Roma
residents of Maticni Ul. from Roma children. This action takes its
place among many others of discrimination and exclusion of the Roma in
the Czech Republic.
"We do not see a chance of protecting our people in the Czech Rep.
>From the despotism of authorities and the racist encroachments of the
people" says Gina. "Since the so-called "turn" in the Czech Rep.,
dozens of Roma have become victims of racist terror.
Over 90 % of the Roma are unemployed, because being "Gypsies" or
"black people" they will not be given a job.
Roma children are regularly branded as "mentally handicapped" and sent
to special Schools. Even the President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav
Havel, describe the treatment of the Roma as racist, but nothing has
changed in the situation of the Roma. On the contrary, "the situation
is becoming more dramatic every day", says Gina.
To-day, as mentioned before, the Roma organizations are appealing to
the world Public for help in evacuating the Roma out of the Czech
Republic.
"We do not want to be criminalized as refugees any more" says. Gina.
"There must be an orderly quota procedure to evacuate our people from
the Czech Republic."
In the meantime Roma organizations, in particular the International
Roma National Congress, have started to speak up for the admission of
Roma from the Czech Republic. In letters to the ministers of the
interior of the members states of the European Community the western
Roma organizations urgently requested them to take in Roma from the
Czech republic.
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