MINELRES: Romania: DIVERS - Ethnic Minorities Briefs no 32

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Divers Bulletin no. 32 (160) / August 15, 2005

News
ROMANIA FOUNDS HOLOCAUST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
SEQUESTRATION ENFORCED TO THE PERSONS HAVING SET ON FIRE THE HOUSES OF
THE ETHNIC ROMA IN HADARENI
ROMANIANS ABROAD WANT A REPRESENTATIVE IN PARLIAMENT
NEW EDITION OF THE NATIONAL CLASSES ON ETHNIC ROMA LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
NEW MEDICAL CLINIC FOR ETHNIC ROMA 
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News

ROMANIA FOUNDS HOLOCAUST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BUCHAREST - The Romanian government has announced that it has decided to
found a Holocaust research institute, which is expected to open shortly.
The institute plans to employ 30 people who are expected to gather
testimony on the persecution of Jews in Romania, publish their insights
and contribute to the preservation of the intellectual heritage of the
Jewish communities in Romania.
The subject caused diplomatic tensions between Israel and Romania one
year ago after the then president Ion Iliescu and prime minister Adrian
Nastase, both socialist politicians, denied that there had ever been a
holocaust in Romania. Before the Second World War, there were some
800,000 Jews living in Romania. About half of them were murdered by
Romanian, Hungarian and German Nazis. The majority of survivors later
emigrated to Israel, so that the Jewish community in Romania now numbers
only some 10,000. 
Author: DIVERS


SEQUESTRATION ENFORCED TO THE PERSONS HAVING SET ON FIRE THE HOUSES OF
THE ETHNIC ROMA IN HADARENI

TIRGU MURES � The arrival of a judicial executor on Wednesday, August
10, in Hadareni village in Mures county (central Romania), to put under
sequester the goods of the people found guilty for having set on fire
the houses of the ethnic Roma, in September 1993, arose conflicts among
the inhabitants, but according to the policemen, the situation is under
control. 
The chief of Mures Territorial County Inspectorate, colonel Marius
Stelian Bonteanu, stated that people are dissatisfied but the situation
is under control. "The ten gendarmes ensure the protection of the
judicial executor. We are provide gendarmes patrols, at the request of
Mures County Police Inspectorate and we take part in the enforcement of
the court decision (e.n. � the decision of Tirgu Mures Appeal Court on
February 27, 2004, maintained in May this year by the High Court of
Cassation and Justice, which granted the victims constituted as civil
parties in the trial, material indemnifications worth ROL1.3 bn, as well
as moral damages worth ROL580 mn). 
Ten families will be enforced the sequester. If required, we will add up
additional forces�, stated colonel Marius Stelian Bonteanu. 
In September 20-21, 1993, following the spontaneous conflict arisen
between the ethnic Roma and the inhabitants, in Hadareni, Mures county,
four ethnic Roma were killed and 13 houses were set on fire. This is
considered to be the most serious inter-ethnic conflict during
post-December period. 
Following the events, penal trials were initiated (finalized in November
1999 with sentencing five persons to detention time for murder), as well
as civil ones (finalized on February 27, 2004, once with the sentence
passed by Tirgu Mures Court of Appeals). 
The ethnic Roma sued the Romanian state and accused the Romanian
authorities of having breached several articles in the European
Convention of Human Rights. 
Author: DIVERS


ROMANIANS ABROAD WANT A REPRESENTATIVE IN PARLIAMENT

MANGALIA � Romanians abroad want to have a representative in the
Parliament of Romania, the request being submitted to Premier Calin
Popescu Tariceanu who on Saturday, August 6, attended in Mangalia the
opening of the works of the symposium �Romanii de pretutindeni�
(Romanians everywhere).
During the discussions on the policies of the Romanian state in relation
to the Romanians abroad, the representative of France, Bartolomeu Savoiu
explained the 10 million Romanians abroad should have a representative
in the Parliament of Romania, �under the conditions the small minorities
countrywide have their deputies�. 
The demand of the Romanians abroad on the representation in Parliament
is grounded, said the vice-president of the Standing Electoral Authority
(AEP) Alexandru Radu, claiming that an amendment of the electoral law is
required, considering the increased number of Romanians abroad.
AEP vice-president stated on Monday, August 8, the representatives of
the Diaspora in the Parliament might be chosen according to the formula
currently used to designate the representatives of the national
minorities� organizations. Another solution mentioned by Alexandru Radu
is the setting up of a new electoral special district to designate the
representatives of the non-resident Romanians, just like in Croatia. 
Author: DIVERS


NEW EDITION OF THE NATIONAL CLASSES ON ETHNIC ROMA LANGUAGE AND HISTORY

COSTINESTI � During July 24� August 14, 2005, it took place the eight
edition of the National Summer Classes on the language and history of
the ethnic Roma, traditionally organized by Ministry of Education and
Research with the financing partner, namely UNICEF Branch in Romania.
This summer edition is attended by 55 ethnic Roma in 30 counties
countrywide, nominated by the county school inspectorates. Out of these
students, seven are non-ethnic Roma (Romanians and ethnic Hungarians, in
the communities that do not have ethnic Roma graduates with
baccalaureate diploma). 
Almost half of the 55 students are represented by "aspirants", by
students who starting September 2005, will start as teachers of ethnic
Roma language and history. 
As a rule, subsequent to the end of the summer classes and to the
graduates� employment in the education, they are directed to the open
distance learning, to Department CREDIS � University in Bucharest,
specializing in "ethnic Roma language � Romanian language". 
By now, 263 of the 460 graduates of the intensive summer classes of this
type attended during 2000 � 2005, within distance learning system of the
aforementioned high education institution, the section "school teacher �
Ethnic Roma language", with promotions 2003 and 2005. In Romania, 420
ethnic Roma language and history teachers are currently teaching these
subjects to 24,000 ethnic Roma pupils, as additional subjects included
in the education plan. 
Author: DIVERS


NEW MEDICAL CLINIC FOR ETHNIC ROMA 

TIRGU JIU � Medical clinic �Speranta� meant for the members of the
ethnic Roma in Tirgu Jiu was inaugurated on Monday, August 8, local
press reports. 
Financed through Phare program �Support for the national strategy to
improve ethnic Roma condition in the health field�, worth EUR27,956, the
project was also accomplished by Tirgu Jiu city hall, Foundation for
Youth �Del�' � organization of the ethnic Roma, County Department for
Social Care and Gorj Public Health Department. 
The target group made up of 2,814 members of the ethnic Roma community
in Tirgu Jiu county seat will benefit from free of charge access to
consultations and consultancy on the registration to the system of
health insurance and patient�s rights, Medical Clinic ''Speranta'' have
a medic, medical nurse and personnel in charge with the
briefing-dissemination campaign.
Author: DIVERS

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