Pubblichiamo di seguito il comunicato (in lingua inglese) delle associazioni che hanno dato vita alla protesta:
2008: To be Rom in Italy
Today, 3 June 2008, the Romani associations from Romania are protesting in front of the Italian Embassy to Bucharest, against the latest racist and xenophobic actions targeted against Roma in Italy, and against the reactions of the Italian and Romanian authorities. The protest in Bucharest is taking place simultaneously with a protest of Romani organizations from Spain in front of the Italian Embassy to Madrid (contact MOVIMIENTO GENUINO GITANO DE MADRID, tel. +34 649089190)
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From 25 to 29 May 2008, an international team of 10 representatives of different Romani and human rights organizations from different European countries have conducted a field visit in Italy in 20 immigrants’ camps (Milano, Roma, Neaples, Florence and Torino). They documented the situation of Roma and the effect of the latest acts of violence targeted against Roma.
During the latest months, the Romani population from different countries living in Italy has been the target of different forms of violence committed either by local authorities or extremists groups. Temporarily camps have been burned with Molotov cocktails, shelters have been destroyed at midnight, families have been expelled from Italian cities, the legal camps have been surrounded by guards and Romani immigrants have been repatriated on superficial procedures of a questionable legality. The public discourse in Italy; Romani people have been demonized in a manner which is recalling the atmosphere before the Holocaust/ Samudaripen.
The Italian Government is taking no action for efficiently preventing and for a firm sanction of these attacks. On the contrary, despite the appeals of the European Institutions, the international human rights organizations, Romani civil society and of the nongovernmental Italian organizations, the Italian authorities has been persevering in encouraging a hostile atmosphere, with the tacit agreement of the Romanian government and other governments from Europe.
The today’s protest is another modality to demand to the Italian government to end with firmness these racist actions against Romani people and to adopt comprehensive policies to combat racism, xenophobia and social exclusion.
Contact persons:
Magda Matache 0740 921 134
Mihai Neacsu 0744 560 694.
Signatory parties:
Alianta Civica a Romilor din Romania, Iulian Stoian
Romani CRISS, Margareta Matache
Centrul Rromilor “Amare Rromentza”, Delia Grigore, Mihai Neacsu
Asociatia Thumende (Valea Jiului), Cristinela Ionescu
Asocia'ia Parudimos (Timisoara), Carmen Marcu
Asociatia Ketanes, Elena Marin
Centrul Crestin al Romilor (Sibiu), Florin Cioaba
Fundatia RUHAMA – Oradea, Marian Daragiu