MINELRES: Romania: Ethnic Minority Briefs No. 83

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Divers Buletin <edivers_buletin-admin@mediafax.ro>  

No. 83 / December 15, 2003 
  
DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity - 
 
SUMMARY
 
1. ROMANIA TO INTRODUCE HOLOCAUST COURSE IN HIGH SCHOOLS
2. COURT DISCHARGES TWO POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF HAVING MURDERED
ETHNIC ROMA 
3. NATIONAL MINORITIES COUNCIL CELEBRATING TEN YEARS

 

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ROMANIA TO INTRODUCE HOLOCAUST COURSE IN HIGH SCHOOLS
BUCHAREST � The Romanian officials hope that starting schooling year of
2004-2005 to introduce special course dedicated to the study of
Holocaust issue, in order to clear this matter up for the students in
the primary and secondary schools but also in high schools. "Starting
next year, the Holocaust matter will be studied in the primary and
secondary education schools, in 5-8th grades. At present, the history
textbooks consist of few chapters dealing with this matter, but it is
not enough. In this respect a separate textbook will be launched",
stated Minister of Education, Research and Youth, Alexandru Athanasiu.
The syllabus afferent to the course about Holocaust to be taught in
schools was drawn up by experts in the Education Ministry and was sent
to be enacted to the National Council for Curriculum. "So far, we are
still discussing the project, we have drawn up the syllabus, consisting
12 pages, and we have sent it for enactment. I believe that in January
next year it will be all finalized. The syllabus accounts on the history
of Jews in Romania, at large, yet the focus will be on Holocaust issue
", stated Doru Dumitrescu, history inspector in Ministry of Education.
At the same time, he states that the course on Holocaust will be
optional and will be taught in 7th and 9th grade. The history teachers
will hold this course, as they have already been trained in the Jews�
matters in special centers from Bucharest, Cluj and Craiova. "The
teachers� training on the Jews history has started since 2000", also
added Doru Dumitrescu. (DIVERS) 
 
summary 

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COURT DISCHARGES TWO POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF HAVING MURDERED ETHNIC
ROMA 
CRAIOVA � The Military Prosecution Office in Craiova (southern Romania)
last week gave sentence in the investigation on police officers from
Tirgu Carbunesti, accused of having beaten and murdered Roma ethnic from
the locality, writes daily newspaper Gazeta de Sud. The attorneys
ordered the penal investigation not to be initiated, claiming that the
arrested Nelu Balasoiu would have died from different cause. Balasoiu
was arrested in 2000 under the charge of theft of car wheels. Next to
other two friends, the victim was kept by the police officers from Tirgu
Carbunesti. As long as he was in custody, Nelu Balasoiu�s colleagues
said they were "kicked and fisted " and then "refreshed by water ".
Balasoiu was admitted in Jilava Hospital, where he actually died, while
the Human Rights Defense Association - Helsinki Committee made a report
where settling that the death was induced by the biting. The relatives
of the victim stated they would appeal in order to pass through the
legal procedure towards the European Court of Human Rights. (DIVERS) 
 
summary 

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NATIONAL MINORITIES COUNCIL CELEBRATING TEN YEARS
BUCHAREST � Parliament Palace hosted on December 10 the festive plenary
session of the National Minorities Council (CMN), in order to mark out
the celebration of ten years of existence. CMN summons up
representatives of the 19 national minorities from Romania�s Parliament
and it is assigned to draw up propositions to the Government
as regards the funds distribution to support culture and social
activities of each minority. Within the meeting there have been
evaluated the activities of the six commissions of CMN and how each
minority organization got involved in coordinating the projects deployed
by the Government through the Interethnic Relations Department. The
event was attended by Viorel Hrebenciuc, former secretary general of the
government, Tokay Gyorgy si Eckstein-Kovacs Peter, former ministers of
minorities, as well as by UDMR chairman, Marko Bela. The latter one
appreciated that CMN had decisive contribution in making up the policies
for minorities in Romania, triggering positive results on using the
mother language in education and justice, in the protection of
minorities� rights etc. (DIVERS)  
summary  

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