The Roma issue

An interesting testimony regarding the recent issue on Roma from a representative of the Roma community from Romania, studying now in the United States. Romani/Gypsy heritage is part of the European culture and history and we, Westerners have to be fully aware of their importance and value. Everybody is talking extensively about the problems with the Muslim communities, or the situation of religious minorities and so on. But, wait! For centuries, an important Roma community is living in Europe and we are too blind to see it but when there are becoming too visible for our diffuse view.

A proof that we, as Europeans, are self-centered not only in relation with the overseas worlds, but also in relation with our closed neighbours.

Related articles

• Romania is shirking its Roma responsibilities | Nicolae Gheorghe (guardian.co.uk)
• EU suspends Roma complaint against France (foxnews.com)
• Q+A: Who are Europe's Roma? (reuters.com)

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Colourful but colourblind

It is time to know more the Roma. We are very often ignorant who they are and what their culture represents.

The newest initiative is a project of Transitions covering Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria.

I welcome any piece of information that might help to go beyond our daily stereotypes and narrow-minded ways of judging the other - belonging or not to a different ethnic, national or linguistic community. On the other side, for what concerns the case of Roma, I cannot stop observing how keen we, the Westerners are to listen to their music, to dance or to watch them dancing. But this wave of enthusiasm doesn't mean that we are more open to fight the discrimination they are facing - surprise, in many of the countries who supported by loud public declarations their integration - or to stop thinking about them in discriminative terms.

Iris Murdoch and Roma

Iris Murdoch's Philosopher's Pupil is not too complicate and metaphysical, with a certain story you could follow, at certain point, as a crime novel. John Robert Rozanov's death, for example - the character around whom all the main presences of the book are gravitating, with clear or unclear literary reasons - is something in between parody and real crime, as in the case when Rozanov's disciple George McCaffrey missed the only - psychoanalytical as well - chance of liberating himself of the power of his master : George wanted to kill his thinking master of whom he was existentially obsessed about, but in fact this one was already dead, after taking an overdose pills, soon before he thought he sunk him in the bathroom.

Shortly, it is a story loaded - and overloaded in some parts - with intellectual ideas, inserted and not always skilfully translated in a literary form through the characters. And many Freudian-interpreted couples.

What I found as well in the book, are the two characters of two Gypsies: Ruby and Pearl. Both of them are assigned the roles of servants/helpers of Alex - George's dominant mother -, respectively Hattie - Rozanov's daughter. They are portrayed as black, not very trustworthy, changing characters and with doubtful honor and morality, with bad habits acquired from the nomad camps they are frequenting from time to time. With prostitution family history. And obsessed with various superstitions, as Ruby's one related to the bad signs brought by the foxes.

Unpleasant truth

and denial regarding Roma in Eastern Europe. A pop-star sparkle.

New violences against Roma in Hungary

Another deadly attack against the Roma community.

There are here two problems.

Roma is a huge transnational minority, with lots of problems and, mainly in Eastern Europe, lacking the proper organisation allowing them to defend in an organised way their rights. EU is mostly unable to tackle this issue, as the Central and Eastern European countries should go beyond a long inherited racism.

On the other side, you have an increasing violent and aggresive extreme-right, targeting - for the moment - mostly the Roma minority, without being countered with the proper tough actions. Finding the perpetrators of deadly attacks is in many cases a closed case, without any result.

Are the Central European countries ables to react in full awareness to those past threats to their present and future?

Social discrimination of Roma

in Central and Eastern Europe.

Belfast

back in focus. A BBC commentary about the last racist attacks in Northern Ireland.

The racist actions in Northern Ireland continued

and a couple of arrests have been made.

Belfast attacks

on Roma.

More than 100 Romanians are forced to go back home.

Hungary: Police ups reward for information on Roma crime

MTI April 25 Hungary's national police chief told MTI on Saturday that he had increased the reward for information leading to the perpetrators of recent attacks against the Roma to 50 million forints.

Jozsef Bencze said the attacks committed against Roma in Nagycsecs, Tatarszentgyorgy and Tiszalok are connected and the perpetrators are believed to belong to the same circle. Instead of the 10 million forints reward that police offered in each of the cases, 50 million forints will be given to anyone supplying information that will lead to the perpetrators, he added. Bencze noted that two people were killed in Nagycsecs last November and a father and his five-year old son were shot dead in Tatarszentgyorgy in February. In the most recent attack, a Roma man was shot dead on Wednesday. The attackers left behind various traces, including two DNA samples, but these have not been found in the criminal registry, Bencze said. A team of 70 police officers are involved in the investigation, including highly experienced criminal experts, he added. Police have so far investigated as many as 10,000 people who were in the vicinity of the incidents, including 2,000 who were questioned, Bencze said. Hungarian police has also received much useful help from international experts in drawing up the suspects' profile, he added Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said that the government will do all it can to assist the police and create law and order so that no one should have to live in fear in Hungary. He said that the killing of a Roma citizen in Tiszalok was part of a series of shameful acts, and amounted to an offense against the whole of the Hungarian Republic.

Clinton promotes Roma rights in video blog

AFP

April 8

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlighted the need to protect the rights of Europe's Roma minority on Wednesday, marking International Roma Day with a video message on her official blog.

Clinton released the video on State Department's "Dipnote" website, although the traditionally nomadic people, widely plagued by poverty and discrimination in central and eastern Europe, has long been unable to access modern communication tools.

"Many Roma still live on the margins of society," acknowledged Clinton.

"They continue to experience racial profiling, violence, discrimination and other human rights abuses.

"Too often they lack identity documents or citizenship papers, which excludes them from voting, social services, education, and employment opportunities that would enable them to participate more fully in the countries in which they live."

European governments have a "special responsibility to ensure that minority communities have the tools of opportunity they need to succeed as productive and responsible members of society," said Clinton.

The large ethnic group numbers some 10 million, and Clinton said the population's well-being has been a personal interest for her for a long time.

"I saw firsthand the plight of the Roma -- particularly Romani women and children -- when I visited Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe as First Lady."

The United States, she said, is "committed to protecting and promoting the human rights of Roma," and will push for Roma integration through the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

"It is in the interests of the larger European and global community to create conditions that maximize success for all people within our borders and beyond," she said.

Serbia, which currently holds the presidency of the Decade of Roma inclusion -- an international initiative aimed to improve Roma welfare -- pledged Wednesday to improve the community's standards.

Speaking before lawmakers on International Roma Day, Labour and Welfare Minister Rasim Ljajic said Roma welfare remains "far from satisfactory."

The ethnic minority in Serbia is 10 times poorer than the rest of the population," he noted, citing surveys that show that one in four "does not have even an elementary education."

Roma discrimination in Slovakia, in focus

1386 Budapest 62, P.O. Box 906/93, Hungary Phone: (36-1) 413-2200; (36-1) 413-2201 E-mail: office@errc.org http://errc.org

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW, United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 7413 5500 F: +44 (0)20 7956 1157 E: amnestyis@amnesty.org W: www.amnesty.org

AI Index: EUR 72/002/2009

21 April 2009

Mr Dušan Čaplovič, Deputy Prime Minister for Knowledge-Based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities

Mr Róbert Kaliňák, Minister of Interior

Mr Ján Packa, Police President

Mr Štefan Kočan, Director of the Section of Control and Inspection Service

Mr Dobroslav Trnka, General Prosecutor

Honourable Sirs,

Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), a Budapest-based public interest law organisation, are writing to urge you to ensure that a prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation takes place into the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of six Romani boys in Košice, Slovakia, on 21 March 2009; that those responsible be brought to justice in fair proceedings; and that the victims be provided with adequate reparation, including compensation, rehabilitation and redress.

According to graphic video footage shot by police officers which was released publicly on 7 April 2009 by the Slovak daily newspaper SME, at least six Slovak police officers forced six Romani boys between the ages of 10 and 16 to violently hit each other, kiss each other and strip naked. Media has also reported that the police officers thereafter let dogs loose at the youths, and that two of the boys were bitten by them.

Amnesty International and the ERRC welcome the immediate calls by Police President Ján Packa for a full investigation into the incident, and his subsequent announcement that the investigation will look into the possible racist motives of those involved.

The organisations note that the day after the video footage was released, 14 police officers were reportedly placed under inspection by the Ministry of Interior, and as of 15 April seven officers have been accused of abuse of power of the public authority and of blackmail. We have also received information indicating that six of the officers have been dismissed.

Amnesty International and the ERRC are concerned that in some public statements related to this incident, police officials have focused on the alleged illegal activities of the boys in question rather than strongly and unequivocally criticising cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by police, which is prohibited in all circumstances under international law. On 8 April, SME quoted Košice Regional Police Director Juraj Bukuš questioned the actions of the officers while noting, "It is true that we are speaking about well known criminals and they were committing crimes before." This kind of reaction ignores the fact that there is never any justification for cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and it diminishes the condemnation of the police violence. Such statements also could prejudice those entrusted with carrying out the investigation.

Amnesty International and the ERRC recall that in accordance with Slovakia's commitments under international human rights law, including the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all persons - regardless of their alleged involvement in illegal activities- have the right to be free from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the person. Furthermore, the organisations note that the Slovak Criminal Code criminalizes torture and other inhuman or cruel treatment and abuse of power and imposes additional penalties for a crime motivated by national, ethnic or racial hatred.

1. Amnesty International and the ERRC call on each of you within the remit of your office to ensure: That ongoing investigations into this incident, including into the conduct of individual police, are independently conducted, undertaken impartially and in a thorough manner;

2. That the possible racial motivation of the crime is investigated fully;

3. That all those responsible for ill-treatment or violation of the law or police regulations are brought to justice in fair proceedings;

4. That the scope, methods and findings of the investigation are made publicly available;

5. That all victims receive an adequate remedy for their suffering, including compensation, rehabilitation (including ensuring that the best available psychological counselling is made accessible to the children), guarantees of non-repetition, and a public apology from Slovak government and police representatives; and

6. That any future incidents of similar behaviour by police officers are strongly, unequivocally and publicly condemned.

Amnesty International and the ERRC respectfully request to be informed of the actions undertaken by your individual offices in response to this incident.

We will continue to monitor the progress of investigation and any proceedings brought against the officers responsible for this gross violation of human rights.

Sincerely,

Nicola Duckworth Robert A. Kushen

Europe and Central Asia Programme Director Managing Director

Amnesty International European Roma Rights Centre

TO:

Mr Dušan ?aplovi?, Deputy Prime Minister for Knowledge-Based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities

Úrad vlády Slovenskej republiky

Námestie slobody 1

813 70 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Fax: +421 2 5249 7595

Mr Róbert Kaliňák, Minister of Interior

Ministerstvo vnútra Slovenskej republiky

Pribinova 2

812 72 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Fax: +421 2 5296 7746

Mr Ján Packa, Police President

Kancelária prezidenta Policajného zboru

Ra?ianska 45

812 72 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Fax: +4219610 59061

Mr Štefan Ko?an, Director of the Section of Control and Inspection Service

Sekcia kontroly a inšpek?nej služby MV SR

Krížna 44

821 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Fax: +421 2 5564 1705

Mr Dobroslav Trnka, General Prosecutor

Generálna prokuratúra SR

Štúrova 2

812 85 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Fax: +421 252 926 596

CC:

Mr Jacques Barrot, EU Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice

European Commission

B-1049 Brussels, Belgium

Fax: +32 0 2 298 15 99

Mr Morten Kjaerum, Director of the EU Agency of Fundamental Rights

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Schwarzenbergplatz 11

1040 Wien, Austria

Fax: +431 580 30 699

Mr Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner

Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights

Council of Europe

F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France

Fax: +33 3 90215053

Ms Gay McDougall, UN Independent Expert on minority issues

Special Procedures Division

c/o OHCHR-UNOG

8-14 Avenue de la Paix

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: +41 22 917 90 06

Mr Githu Muigai, UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism

Special Procedures Division

c/o OHCHR-UNOG

8-14 Avenue de la Paix

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: +41 22 917 90 06

Mr Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on torture

Special Procedures Division

c/o OHCHR-UNOG

8-14 Avenue de la Paix

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: +41 22 917 90 06

Roma group addresses prejudice through cingeneyiz.org Web site

Today's Zaman April 19

"I am a gypsy. One thousand years ago, Byzantines called my people 'athinganoi,' which means 'untouchable.' They were so afraid that they avoided touching us. ... Every country labeled us with expressions in their own languages:

Zigeuner, Cigani and Çingene. They thought we were different. Yes, we are different; we are poorer and freer than other people. But, we are also humans like anyone else," reads the welcome message of a Web site recently launched by a group of gypsies residing in different Turkish cities. The organizers of the Web site -- cingeneyiz.org -- said they set up the site to introduce themselves to the world and to overcome the strong prejudice people feel in their minds and hearts against gypsies. Gypsies in Turkey, or Roma as they are more commonly referred to, were back on the agenda around two weeks ago as they were celebrating the International Day of the Roma. The celebrations were subdued in İstanbul, however, as they recently lost the battle to save their neighborhood, Sulukule, from a renovation project being carried out by the Fatih Municipality and the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality plans to construct 620 new houses, a hotel and a culture and entertainment center in Sulukule and is gradually demolishing the unregistered houses of Roma people in the area. The Roma people now wish to make their voices heard through the newly launched Web site, which has a moving message: "We know that we are really different from others. We are free, strong, humanistic and creative. We have been the most peaceful people throughout history. There is no reason to make us feel ashamed. Yes, we are untouchable; evil, treachery and humiliation cannot touch us. ... I am proud of what I am. I am a Gypsy." Editor of the Web site, Ali Mezarcı, stated that the main reason behind the launch of cingeneyiz.org is to help solve the problem of misunderstanding between gypsies and the people of the countries they reside in. "The most common source of problems we experience with other people is a lack of understanding. People are afraid of ‘the different' and ‘the incomprehensible' and prefer to keep away from them. Many tragic events have built walls between gypsies and other people. However, all people are equal and this reality disregards ethnic background. When we fully understand one another, we will see that we are same," he remarked. Gypsies all around the world have been subjected to various forms of discrimination throughout history. They have been regarded as work-shy people or social parasites. A major study, carried out in 2004 by a rights group in Britain, revealed that gypsies are the group of people who receive the most hostility from white people in Britain. Hostility toward gypsies is called anti-gypsy racism and is very deep rooted, according to the study. ‘We aren’t a minority; we don't ask for rights' The cingeneyiz.org team believes that specific and distinctive rights granted to groups of people will not help overcome the troubles they have faced so far. "Minority rights given to ethnic groups or communities will not solve problems. We consider ourselves as equal citizens of this country rather than as a minority," the team stated, adding that they don't pursue the aim of voicing their demands for cultural or ethnic rights over the Web site. The Web site shows that gypsies living in Turkey are proud of the names given to them in different countries and cultures as they believe that makes them a trans-racial and universal culture. "We are happy to be a component of different countries and to stand as a peaceful element of humanity. We will be happier if we manage to solve the problems we are facing today," remarked the team. Sulukule tragedy: a major blow to Roma culture One of the major topics heatedly debated on the Web site is the demolition of houses belonging to the Roma people in Sulukule as part of the renovation project in the area. Cingeneyiz.org provides up-to-date information to its visitors on the ongoing demolition works and informs them about the struggle against the destruction of a longstanding culture in the area. The demolition of houses in Sulukule and the relocation of its inhabitants have drawn the indignation of residents and that of the international community as Sulukule is considered a significant historical site that needs to be protected. A UNESCO progress report on İstanbul prepared last year by a four-member delegation from UNESCO's World Heritage Center pointed out that the planned urban renewal program in Sulukule would result in the destruction of the area and the relocation of its inhabitants. The report also warned İstanbul that if it failed to take the necessary precautions to protect its historical sites, it would be relegated to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger. Similarly, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), an independent government agency created by the US Congress, stated last year that it was disturbed by developments in an urban development project threatening the homes of some 3,500 ethnic Roma in İstanbul's Sulukule area and called on the Turkish government to find a solution to the problems facing the Roma.

OSCE's human rights office, minority commissioner express concern over violence targeting Roma

WARSAW/THE HAGUE, 7 April 2009 - Ahead of tomorrow's (April 8th) International Roma Day, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) expressed concern over the continuing discriminatory treatment and exclusion of Roma and the recent escalation in hate-motivated incidents and racist rhetoric reported in a number of European countries.

In a joint statement with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights issued today, the two OSCE institutions call for concerted action from responsible authorities to eradicate all forms of discrimination and violence against Roma.

"In times of economic crisis, communities such as the Roma, along with migrants and other vulnerable groups, tend to become easy scapegoats for extremist movements and populist politicians," said the statement.

"Such 'scapegoating' has already resulted in damaging inter-ethnic relations and an increase in the number of violent hate crimes in some countries."

The joint statement calls on political leaders to "unequivocally and publicly condemn all forms of violence targeting the Roma". It also urges politicians and other public figures to carefully consider their statements, and journalists to apply ethical reporting rules, in order to avoid inciting ethnic tensions.

Changing the name, sign of the same problems

An article recently published by TAZ (in German) about a campaign started in Romania, by a local newspaper, for changing the name designating the Roma minority to Gypsy, the reason being the vocal similitude with Romania. It is said Roma and Romania could be confused, the Romanians would be by mistake considered Roma. In Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic and in the Balkan countries, Roma is the politically correct, officially used name, because the word "Gypsy" is charged with negative, xenophobic feelings. This public pressure in Romania is dued to the recent campaign directed against Romanians leaving in Italy. One of the assumptions is the main guilt is dued to the Roma who are high-ranking among the crime perpetrators. The debate is focused on race, not on citizenship, as the Roma - and what it is called the "prejudices against the image of the country abroad" - are full rights citizens of Romania. Fortunate enough, on their identity documents is not mentioned the ethnic group to whom they belong to. So, the question of switching from Roma to Gypsy is a fake problem, tempting to avoid addressing the core of the issue: considering the individuals from the point of view of their citizens rights and obligations, and not according to their ethnic identity.

John Galliano's gypsy fairytale in Paris

Metro

Jessica Satherley
March 12

Galliano showed off an amazing collection inspired by Turkey and Cyprus

No expense was spared as a magnificent 'winter wonderland' production created the backdrop for the Spanish-born designer's autumn/winter 09/10 collection.

The gypsy-like models decked out in 'ice princess' attire were inspired by Galliano's love for Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus .

Fake snow created a 'winter wonderland' theme at the show

The ethnic mix showed luxurious sparkling gowns covered in sequins, creating folk-like and feminine designs to make every woman feel like a goddess.

The fairytale continued with models ornamented with jingling coins and veils as they sashayed down the catwalk lit with strobe lighting.

Strobe lights lit the catwalk at Galliano's show in Paris

Although the collection might not have been the most practical apparel for a cold winter evening, the designer - who was raised in Britain - managed to show he's still one of the most influential fashion designers of our time.

"The gypsy-like models decked out in 'ice princess' attire were inspired by Galliano's love for Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus" .

- What does it mean "gypsy-like models"?

- What does it mean "love for Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus"? How the "gypsies" from those countries are (in comparison with those from Spain etc.)?

See also, Vivienne Westwood's catwalk image of Roma

Italian migration policy draws fire

BBC
March 7

Italy has been transformed in recent decades from a nation of emigrants to a target country for mass immigration. Aidan Lewis reports on the Italian government's response to the tensions that have ensued, and the concerns raised by human rights groups and Italy's European partners.

Edward Ampadu stands with his companions in a damp, abandoned factory that is home for the winter to more than 600 African immigrants.

There is just one tap, and the men are living in shelters made from cardboard boxes, squatting while they look for work picking citrus fruit in the fields of Calabria, on the country's southern toe.

Most arrived by a dangerous route through the Sahara desert and across the Mediterranean, and most have no legal right to be in Italy.

"Everybody here is struggling," says Edward, a 42-year-old from Ghana. A poor harvest means fewer jobs to go round this year, he says, and the migrants say they need help to survive.

"We are appealing to the authorities. They know that people are here, and therefore they need to help."

These agricultural workers illustrate the challenges facing a wandering, immigrant underclass in Italy.

But while the migrants look to Rome for help, Rome looks to Europe.

Italy and other "frontline" Mediterranean countries have been offered little help as they struggle with an issue that concerns all of Europe, the government says.

Its reaction to the problem, meanwhile, has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and European institutions.

Amid public alarm over an immigrant influx it has sent soldiers on to the streets, fingerprinted Roma (Gypsy) communities, and encouraged rapid expulsions and repatriations.

Some observers say Italy's recent focus on border controls and security neglects integration policy, at a time when the immigrant population has grown to more than four million, almost 7% of the total.

"Italy's becoming a caricature," said Sergio Carrera, a research fellow at the Brussels-based Centre for European Policy Studies.

"It's becoming the example of a very extreme political discourse framing migration as a security issue, and justifying the implementation of very restrictive policies, having huge implications for human rights, fundamental rights, and social inclusion."

Sea patrols

Immigration is now an emotive, front-page issue in Italy, and a rallying cry for the Northern League, a partner in Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right government.

IMMIGRANTS IN NUMBERS

Foreign residents: 3.7 million

Irregular immigrants: 650,000

Arrivals in 2007: 346,000

Arrivals by sea, 2008: 36,000 Sources: Istat, Caritas-Migrantes, UNHCR

The focus of media attention is often Lampedusa, the tiny Italian island south of Sicily that is the arrival point for most of those - including many of the farm workers in Calabria - who complete the journey from North Africa.

Analysts say those arriving by sea make up only a fraction of total annual arrivals, and that most irregular immigrants in Italy enter legally then overstay.

But the government points out that the estimated 36,000 would-be immigrants landing on Italy's shores last year accounted for more than half the irregular entries to Europe by sea.

Roberto Maroni, Italy's Northern League interior minister, said in January that 2009 would mark the "end of the landings", promising that a long-awaited pact to patrol coasts with former colony Libya would come into effect.

To the anger of islanders and immigrants, who both staged protests, he also announced that all adults would be kept on Lampedusa while asylum requests were processed. This quickly led to severe overcrowding and the decision was reversed, but concern remains over conditions on the island, and alleged political pressure for rapid expulsions.

Together with Greece, Malta and Cyprus, Mr Maroni also issued a new plea for the EU to "make a more effective effort" at stemming the flow of immigrants, including through its recently established border patrol agency, Frontex.

"We believe that [border] security in the Mediterranean is directly connected to the security of the whole European Union," he said.

Frontex ran 150 days of joint sea patrols in the central Mediterranean in 2008.

In a separate initiative earlier last month, EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner offered Libya 20m euros (£18m) to help boost border controls.

Security bill

Italy's hardline approach to immigration policy is not unique, says Hugo Brady, an expert at the Centre for European Reform in London.

"In the main they only reflect sentiments which can be seen in a lot of other West European countries - that the time for tolerant immigration policy in their mind is past," he says.

Even so, he said the Italians had been "marked out by their extremity".

Among the measures that have caused concern among EU partners is the Italian government's decision to declare a state of emergency in Rome, Milan and Naples last summer, deploying troops in the streets as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration.

Last month, an emergency decree designed to tackle rapes - many of which have been blamed on immigrants - gave official blessing to the formation of citizens' street patrols.

A security bill awaiting final approval in the Italian parliament also contains several controversial provisions, including:

• procedures for medical staff to denounce illegal immigrants
• making illegal immigration a criminal offence punishable by a fine of 5,000-10,000 euros (£4,400-8,800)
• prison terms of up to four years for those who defy expulsion orders

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, a pan-European body that promotes democratic principles, says he is worried about a decision to extend the deployment of troops on the streets.

"We're talking about police functions here," he said. "It just dramatises the problems and tends to lead to hysteria."

'European solution'

Asked to justify the government's security-focused approach to immigration, Mr Maroni cites crime statistics for 2007.

"The percentage of crimes linked to non-Italians was more than 35% and the non-Italians do not account for 35% of the people in Italy," he says.

"All interpretations are legitimate. My concern as interior minister is to guarantee the highest possible levels of security, first and foremost by combating clandestine immigration."

On some issues the government has been forced to back down, under pressure from the EU.

These include a provision for the expulsion of EU citizens that was devised for Romanian Roma and judged to clash with European rules on free movement.

It was withdrawn last year after the European Commission threatened to start infringement proceedings.

Italian policies are coming under increasing scrutiny as the EU struggles against concerns over sovereignty to devise a common immigration approach, analysts say.

In October EU states took a step towards this by signing a non-binding immigration pact that encourages readmission treaties with countries of origin, selective immigration, and an end to mass amnesties for illegal immigrants of the kind introduced in Spain and Italy.

But for some human rights activists, the EU needs to play a firmer role protecting immigrants in member states and backing integration.

Mr Hammarberg criticises Italy's criminalising of immigrants as the "wrong approach".

"I think it is beginning to spread that there is a need for a European solution," he says.

"The situation with Greece and Italy in particular calls for a much faster process of integrating the European countries' policies on migration, so that you don't have a competition downwards where people introduce fairly draconian policies in order to avoid people coming to their country."

See also:

Time on-line: Pope urges Romans to "welcome" immigrants

FT - Gypsy vaccination scheme starts

Poll finds vast majority of Hungarians openly anti-Roma

MTI

March 6

Over 80 percent of people asked in a recent survey were prejudiced against the Roma, Nepszava reports, quoting pollster Median.

Four fifths of the sample said that "Gypsies make no effort to fit into society."

Almost 60 percent of the respondents openly said that they thought "crime was in the blood of Gypsies," and 36 percent said that the Roma should be "separated from the rest of society".

The survey also established a correlation between citizens' political views and their attitude towards the Roma minority: the closer a respondent was to the far right, the more anti-Roma he was.

Median also noted that it was people of modest incomes in small villages that appeared the least intolerant of their Roma neighbours.

Hungary's Roma population is estimated at around 600,000. Only about 100,000 declared themselves to be ethnic Roma during the minority government elections in 2006, said the paper.

The paper also pointed out that while in the 1980s 70-80 percent of Roma men were employed, only 28 percent of them had jobs in 1993 -- the situation having stagnated or even deteriorated since then.

Roma father, 5-year-old son shot dead in Hungary

Reuters
February 23


A father and his 5-year-old son were shot dead in an attack on a Roma family home in Hungary on Monday, and two children were injured when the house caught fire, local news agency MTI reported citing local police.

The attack in Tatarszentgyorgy, a village 65 km (40 miles) southeast of Budapest, is the latest in a series on Roma houses in which seven people have died over the past year.

Peter Papp, criminal director of the county police, told MTI that a preliminary autopsy report showed the father and his son were shot dead. Two other children were hurt in the blaze.

Viktoria Mohacsi, a Roma Hungarian member of the European Parliament, told Reuters after visiting the scene that the two Roma were shot as they were trying to escape the house.

Local and national police declined comment, saying it was too early to give any details.

It was not immediately known whether the attack was racially motivated, but Mohacsi said Monday's attack resembled similar ones on Roma elsewhere in Hungary over the past year.

"I believe this (fire) could not have been caused by anything other than a petrol bomb," Mohacsi said.

"My assumption is that this attack was racially motivated," she added.

Erno Kallai, ombudsman in charge of national and ethnic minority rights, said in a statement that attacks on Roma people were alarming and he would raise this in parliament on Tuesday.

"In the past year there have been over 10, or according to some opinions even more, violent crimes committed against Roma families or their houses," Kallai said.

"A common feature of these cases is ... that perpetrators are still unknown," he added.

Hungary has one of the largest communities of Roma, also known as gypsies, in eastern Europe, making up 5 to 7 percent of the 10 million population.

A deepening recession and job losses is stoking resentment against the Roma in Hungary and has led to a strengthening of the far-right which fights against what it says is a rise in "Roma crime."

Roma bear brunt of Hungary downturn

Thomas Escritt in Miskolc, Hungary

Financial Times

February 20

When night falls in Hetes, a gypsy settlement on the edge of the northern Hungarian town of Ózd, the men take to the streets and mount a guard, arming themselves with all kinds of makeshift weapons, from clubs to kitchen knives.

"We're up all night," said Henrik Radics, his hands resting on a scythe. "If a car comes in, we stop it and find out what they're doing. If they're peaceful we let them go."

Mr Radics and his companions took matters into their own hands after a spate of incidents that culminated in a house being set ablaze and plans by Magyar Garda, a rightwing uniformed group that claims to protect ethnic Hungarians from "gypsy crime", to hold a recruitment rally in the city.

Ózd is typical of the towns of Borsod county: once a proud industrial centre with a giant steel plant, it has struggled since the fall of communism in 1989, with no employers emerging to create jobs on the scale of defunct socialist-era heavy industries.

But the economic downturn in central and eastern Europe has added new urgency to a problem of marginalisation that goes back decades. Surveys show Hungarians, like many of their neighbours in the region, nurture strong feelings of prejudice against gypsies. That means Roma stand to be hit first and hardest by rising unemployment, which stands at 14 per cent in Borsod county, with its high gypsy population, twice the national level. With the government's own forecasts predicting that the economy will contract by 2.7 per cent this year, unemployment is set to rise sharply.

"The matter has reached critical mass," said Peter Hack, a criminologist. "With the economic downturn, the traditional scapegoat hunt has happened. Since there are no immigrants in Hungary, the Roma are the target."

Zsolt Farkas, a gypsy in Miskolc, Hungary's third largest city and the county's capital, speaks for many when he says work is becoming impossible to find.

"I worked on an assembly line at Bosch, and then I installed shutters in houses, but now it's impossible to find a job. When . . . they see I'm a gypsy, they're no longer interested."

Last month the Movement for a Better Hungary, a far-right party, won 8 per cent in a district election in Budapest after campaigning on a slogan of "gypsy crime". Last week Albert Pasztor, police chief in Miskolc, attracted opprobrium and praise in equal measure when he told a press conference that "all the muggings" on a Miskolc council estate over the past two months had been committed by gypsies, adding: "Hungarian and gypsy culture can't live together." He was suspended on the orders of the justice minister but reinstated less than 24 hours later after a chorus of protest from senior police officers, a cross-party show of support from the city's local government and a 1,000-strong rally well attended by skinheads.

This week the gypsy panic reached hysteria when three professional handball players from Croatia, Romania and Serbia were stabbed in a nightclub, allegedly by a 30-strong gang of gypsies, in the western city of Vesz-prem. The Romanian, Marian Cozma, a rising star, died from his wounds.

In the wake of the murder, Ferenc Gyurcsany, the socialist prime minister, promised to "act decisively" against violence, and the rightwing opposition party said the government's focus should be on catching criminals. "The number of serious crimes committed by people of gypsy origin is rising at an alarming pace," it said.

Janos Ladanyi, a sociologist, says that gypsies, deprived first by resettlement programmes in the 1970s of their traditional itinerant lifestyle and then by the deindustrialisation of the 1990s of the low-skilled jobs on which they depended, have turned to crime, both petty and organised.

"We now have a population that's lived completely outside society for 20 years. Every so often, somebody calls for a quick, simplistic solution, which leads to an outbreak of gypsy-related panic, except this time the economic crisis makes it more serious," he said.

This excluded group, which makes up six per cent of Hungary's population, is also the fastest growing.

"If we can't integrate them into the labour force, then the long-term stability of the fiscal system is in question," said Gordon Bajnai, the economics minister. A package of €2bn ($2.5bn, £1.8bn) to be ploughed into the construction industry is part of the answer, he says, creating the kind of low-skilled jobs this population needs.