ONCE AGAIN ON DISCRIMINATION

OSCE has recently launched the program entitled “The Roma population and the Stability Pact” in Bucharest. The executive has approved the governmental strategy on the improvement of the Roma situation, a document included in the governing program voted by the Parliament. The first step in the application of this strategy is the setting up of the National Committee against Discrimination followed by the establishment of county offices for Roma. Their main tasks will be to control the application of the programs, to carry out social investigations for granting emergency help, etc. The strategy will take 10 years to be put into practice. Its main targets are to train an economic and intellectual Roma elite, to eradicate the public clerks’ prejudices which encourage the discrimination against the Roma, to stimulate the participation of Roma in the economic life and to ensure equal chances for the Roma minority to reach a decent standard of living.
The public clerks who have been proved guilty of discrimination will be penalised. As far as housing is concerned, the property right on lands and the rehabilitation of the houses has also been discussed. The development of some governmental financing programs or partnerships has been taken into account in order to ensure minimal living conditions within the Roma communities. The large families lacking the means of subsistence will be provided with social houses. According to Madalin Voicu, the representative of the Roma minority in the Romanian Parliament, this strategy marks an important event:“In my opinion, the strategy on the improvement of the Roma situation has been delayed for quite some time so it has every reason to be passed rapidily. The first initiative was made in 1995 when OSCE put the Roma Party and the NGOs Rromani Crris and Aven Amentza in charge with the specific problems of the Roma in Romania and with this very project. Now, the project has been presented in its final, official shape. The government approved it as a draft law and now we are faced with two situations between which we have to choose. Either we are convinced and aware that the problems of the Roma minority in Romania require assistance and a rational approach or this is just a diplomatic strategy presenting Romania like a country only apparently willing to concentrate on the situation of the Roma. But most likely, due to the lack of funds or out of subjective reasons, the strategy will not put into practise as soon as we hope. Maybe it would have been better to add other issues in this strategy. But for the moment, things run their natural course. I want to congratulate especially the Prime Minister Adrian Nastase who understood that the Roma are not a topic of debate but a problem lasting for at least 150 years since the slavery of the Roma population was abolished. Thus, this strategy is the most important event that has occurred since the liberation of the Roma”.
The strategy also provides the raise of the social aid for the families with many children and without means of subsistence. Solutions for including the Roma in the social insurance system are also being discussed as well as programs of medical assistance and family planning for women. Another important issue tackled by the governmental strategy refers to the allotment of land and to the stimulation of agricultural activities in the Roma communities. The establishment of a museum dedicated to the Roma culture and civilisation is also being considered as well as the support for Roma radio stations and publications. The legal integration requires programs destined to issue identity cards for all the Roma individuals but also programs to employ ethnic Roma citizens in the departments of public policy, the police and gendarmarie.
Ciprian Necula, program coordinator with the Rromani Crris association told us that some of the goals of the strategy will be prove difficult to achieve: “They have told us that the identity cards and marriage licences for the Roma will be issued six months after the approval of the strategy. For six months, we have been trying to achieve this in Bucharest and we have only been able to identify 2, 000 persons and to obtain 700 papers. Even if a governmental ordinance is passed, it will still be complicated. The Roma activists have been trying for ten years to convince the government that there is discrimination in Romania. No governmental institution has ever accepted this. Romania was said to lack discrimination, to be a tolerant state...but now, in exchange, Romania admits that there is discrimination. We have always reported cases such as the one in Zarnesti (central Romania) when the Roma were not allowed to get into the train; they were suspected of being beggars simply because they were Roma... We do not condone criminal deeds - the criminals should receive their dueWe are also fighting mentalities The battle against the mentality of the majority is a harsh one...”
The Romanian press has published ample articles with photographs about the locality of Strehaia (southern Romania) where very rich Roma have employed bodyguards to protect their houses. This week, the France Press Agency issues a story taken from the spot, entitled “Over 250 Romanian bodyguards protect the gold of the rich gypsies”. According to the French journalist, “the wives of the gypsies wear many golden jewels and their houses are true palaces of questionable taste. The local police, accused of corruption, seem to have resigned themselves with the presence of this “local militia”.”
Given this complex reality, the strategy proposed by the government might settle things a bit. We will keep you informed on the practical effects of this strategy. Stay tuned!