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The European Roma: Caught in Catch-22
Present in Europe since the 9th century, Roma continue to face exclusion from mainstream society
In the midst of the summer holidays, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to dismantle 300 Roma encampments scattered throughout the country's suburbs. Justified as a measure to combat crime and maintain public order, the actions ignore inherent issues the Roma and other traveller groups face. The deportations push the displaced from one state to another, causing harsh criticism from human rights organisations who advocate for solutions rather than avoidance.
The police cohorts and restrictions placed on media presence during the early morning round-ups are reminiscent of events from Europe's darker past. Evoking images of oppression and attacks on those perceived as foreign, the crackdown focuses on Roma who do not possess proper papers. Those found guilty are consequently sent back to their country of origin, often Romania or Bulgaria.
Under European Union law such strategies of expatriation are problematic. In light of the right to freedom of movement, the Roma in France can stay in the country for three months at a time without a visa. After this deadline, they must present proof of a sustainable source of income, a document that many are not able to produce. The evictions are in direct conflict with international law, which stipulates that such actions may only be carried out as a last resort. The question of whether all other options have been exhausted is left unanswered and officials prove unwilling to address it.
The daily reality the Roma face, whether nomadic or settled, is that they live in the confines of a vicious cycle. To obtain proper paperwork to safely escape persecution under expulsion initiatives, they need both a job and a place of residence. To obtain one, they need the other and vice versa. A classic catch-22, this set-up leaves the Roma in a predicament, vulnerable to the local political whims.
The events in France have caused a media frenzy, but they are hardly the only example of harsh attitudes toward the minority. States from Italy to Denmark have invoked similar orders in recent months, with none offering an adequate response to the social ills those sent away eventually face. The fate of the estimated ten million Roma living across all 27 Member States is left in the hands of national authorities as opposed to finding an integrated European approach.
Amnesty International suggests that the European Union, as an increasingly influential force in the social and political spheres, must reconsider the allocation of funds allocated to help the Roma population. Structural funds allotted to schools with a significant number of Romani children in attendance must be considered with particular scrutiny.
In light of the high drop-out rates in secondary education and inconsistent participation in elementary schools, the discussion of alternatives has to include representatives of the Roma public to avoid segregation and rejection. Classes composed of strictly Roma children, as observed in Slovakia and Poland, are of particular concern as they present a dual dilemma. Though the intention is that they serve as an equalising mechanism in terms of linguistic abilities through following the same mainstream curriculum, children often fail to make the transition into the regular classroom. Those that do are not always accepted, bringing to the surface the stereotypes of the local population that can easily be exacerbated through the current events.
"The anti-gypsy rhetoric will increase the tension between the majority population and the Roma, this having unwanted consequences," said the Executive Director of the European Roma Information Office (ERIO), Ivan Ivanov.
Ivanov is particularly concerned about the potential violence the heightened negative energy could cause. Statements released by ERIO emphasize that the hardships resulting from the economic crisis leave the Roma especially open to attack. Portrayed as nomadic and thieving, such notions do not paint an objective portrait. The vagabond lifestyle may have been intrinsic to the Roma in centuries past, but a large percentage now lead a sedentary lifestyle that is free of crime and petty theft.
There are exceptions and many European capitals are littered with the sight of Roma beggars on the city sidewalks. These scenes act as a thorn in the eye of the majority population. The resurgence of nationalism and right-wing parties in many Member States pushes forth perceptions of the Roma as different and pin them with the responsibly for all of society's woes. Incidents of violence, such as the riots outside of Grenoble that sparked the recent French legislation, are easily manipulated. The unfavourable depiction emphasizes stigmas that have been present in the European mindset for almost as long as the Roma themselves and are put forth as evidence of the need for drastic undertakings.
"One incident should not speak for an entire community. Criminal elements can be found in every sector of the population irrespective of ethnicity and social class. This does not mean that the whole sector are criminals," said Rudko Kawczynski, President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum.
Kawczynski's reflection is superficially straightforward but it touches on a bigger problem that is often overlooked. The local population ostracizes the Roma, using any excuse available to shed themselves of the dilemmas the group faces rather than providing assistance for long-lasting beneficial results. Certainly the easier way out in the short-term, this is characteristic of an avoidance that permits for the maltreatment of a minority without restriction.
An opinion poll conducted among voters in France and published on the 18 of August confirmed that 79% of those surveyed agreed with the measures taken. The number itself is not as alarming as the trend it demonstrates. Just as there are fundamental conflicts between the Romanipen, the name of the codex of traditions that form Roma identity, and contemporary society, there are also constructed external obstacles that impede Roma integration. Unemployment, lack of access to adequate housing and sanitation, aggression on the part of police, and ambiguities in legal status are all inadequately addressed.
"For many Roma and Sinti, obtaining legal residence with secure living conditions is a prerequisite for the fulfillment of other rights. Without an address, it is often impossible to register for public service or engage in lawful income generating activities," said Janez Lenarcic, Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR).
France, as a member of ODHIR, should abide by the propositions set out by the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, but like many others, has proven incapable of successfully resolving any of the issues the project discussed. The Roma may not be invisible, but the ineffective programmes and legislations aimed at the betterment of the situation have not necessarily been prioritized.
Attempts at integration rarely take into account the culture of the Roma. The rich traditions in music and arts are propagated through events like the International Roma Day, but these merely encourage a fascination. The appreciation is not used as a tool to foster tolerance and is taken at face value with no deeper significance.
The bulk of contemporary actions do not reflect any degree of understanding between the majority European and minority Roma cultures, an aspect that serves as a further hindrance to the willingness of the former to accept and the latter to partake. Participation should not mean the shedding of native culture and as the representatives of Roma organisations throughout Europe concur. Tolerance must be based on a two-way street. These representatives stress that tolerance is necessary if the Roma are ever to achieve basic human rights on par with the rest of the Europeans. However, until open dialogue is seriously strived, the future for many Roma remains unforeseeable.
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Comments
How EU is going to ask some candidate country to fulfill the criteria and not respect by its self.