Time passes quickly. It seems like 11 weeks blew by in the blink of an eye.
I am thankful to the Advocacy Project and Dzeno Association for my time here in Prague. I'd like to hope that I made even the smallest contribution to the Roma rights movement.

For weeks I've had a front row seat to the ups and downs, trials and triumphs of the movement. I've witnessed Europeans at their best and unfortunately at their worst. Legislation has poured out of some very surprising countries that reeks of intolerance and hatred of Romani people. Neo-Facsist factions are codifying in many areas in the region. And perhaps most depressingly, no one (aside from Roma & Roma activists)seems to even notice let alone care.

Europe is beginning to feel "Roma Fatigue". As an editor of a newspaper emailed me while I had tried to pitch an article I wrote: "No one will read an article solely based on Roma issues. It's unfair, but it's the reality here. You have to make it appeal to a broader audience."
That is certainly a big challenge facing the Roma movement.

In Europe, nearly everyone is aware of "The Roma Issue". The problem comes from how this issue is framed. Is it viewed as an issue of lack of ability of an ethnic group to integrate and obtain equal footing based on entrenched prejudices? Or is it an issue of a deviant group of people that are simply no good for society?
All too often the latter is spoken.

So the problem of appealing to the masses is a major problem for the Roma Movement but to see any progress, European citizens will have to put their prejudices aside and view the this group for what they are.
People.

The Prague Post has picked up my revised and updated piece on Neo-Facsist sects in Europe and the repression of Roma and Minorities rights.

Read the full article on the Post's website HERE

I've been delving into the topic of neo-fascism quite often in this blog. The reason being that extremist elements in European governments, nearly without exception, point to the Roma community as the root cause of crime in countries. Sometimes this platform has little appeal to the average voter and other times there is widespread support. However, the challenge to human rights activists and the Roma community is whether these groups are a fleeting out-pouring of hate or an established mainstay in the country's political structure.

In his detailed article on the subject, Adam LeBor (The Times, The Economist, The New York Times) argues that With its black uniforms and Arpad banners, the Garda is now a brand, instantly recognizable, one that will always have some share of the market.

Like many other post-communist states, Hungary has the destiny of its country firmly in its hands. However, the ways in which it cracks down on extremists or the lack of denunciation issued may well pave the way for the future of the country.

An article I recently came across in the International Herald Tribune outlines the current situation regarding Roma in Helsinki, largely recognized as Europe's richest city.

The article presents the new Finnish policy that allows the government to send mother and child back to their country of origin or take the child into state run foster care if female Roma are seen "begging" on the streets with their children.

Authorities argue that the aim of the policy is to protect children from a "life on the street". However, Human Rights groups strongly disagree. The measure is widely seen as THE most strict anti-Roma policy in place in Europe.

The Finland government places the number of Roma living within the country at 12,000 of this number, an internal study estimated the number of Roma "Beggars" to be no more than 100.

So the natural question: Why such a strict policy to target such a small number of individuals?
The Answer: Public opinion, or more accurately public discrimination.

One Helsinki resident was quoted as saying: "People say Finland is not open to immigration whenever the talk about the Roma comes up. Should we just let them roam and risk that some of these kids might die?"

Personally- and here I express my own views, not those of the Advocacy Project or Dzeno Association- I am immediately skeptical of laws that are made to protect someone for their own good. It's as if the underlying assumption is that clearly this minority is unfit to raise children, we must look after them since we [the state] can provide better care than these uneducated beggars. God forbid a government minister ever had to walk a mile in a 35 year old woman's shoes. They might just realize how complex of an issue integration and access to basic services really is for Romani people.

Meet Dzeno Chairman, Ivan Vesely:

Ivan (center) in action leading a demonstration against Italy's Roma finger-printing law last month at an OSCE meeting.

Last month, I was able to sit down with Ivan (my boss) to discuss the future of the "Roma Movement". As evident by its absence in conversation, the interview took place before the Czech National Party's decree to relocate all Romani people to India.

Colby Pacheco: Please describe what you feel constitutes the “Roma Movement”

Ivan Vesely: These were activities that started under the communist regime in Czechoslavakia in the late 1970’s. Some of the same people that became active in the ‘Velvet Revolution’ were active in the countryside of Czechoslavakia for Roma people. After the fall of Comunism, they began to work for Roma rights in Czechoslavakia.
At this time, the ‘International Roma Movement’ began in England. Post-Communist countries had little idea of what the situation of Roma was in the West, but after communism they could communicate with the West.
By 2000, the first two international Roma groups emerged: the National Roma Union and the Roma National Conference. Several years later the European Roma & Travellers Forum began, with consultative status to the Council of Europe. There is also the European Roma Information Organization and other small organizations such as Dzeno.

CP: What is the goal(s) of the the Roma Movement?

IV: A strategy to press the world for better treatment and emporment of Roma people. And to influence why this movement should have the power. The main aims are to improve access to education, closing the gap that exists, and to fight discrimination.

CP: As of today, has the movement been successful?

IV: Over the last 15 years in Roma ghettos, people continue to ask how papers will improve my life. They want to see actions, not declarations. It is very slow or no progress

CP: What, if any have been the major obstacles preventing the Roma Movement from achieving it’s objectives?

IV: The Council of europe has little international influence; it has a low voice. Similarly, we work on the beuracratic level but don’t have the influence.
There is also the problem of identification. Not many people in the Czech Republic know what the European Roma & Travellers Forum is, but they know Dzeno and other small organizations that work directly with the people.
We must also overcome the question of ‘why give power to this movement’, and the perception of how to implement human rights. The answer is that the power is in Roma ghettos, not in Strousburg or Brussles.
For Dzeno, our problem is capacity. The problem is not what to do or how to do it but how to fund it.Many people come to us and we do not have the capacity to help, not intellectual capacity but physical and monetary capacity.
I also see some renaissance of principals from the Fascists, instruments of the fascist regimes used today.

CP: In Italy?

IV: Yes, and elsewhere. The propoganda, arguments agaist minorities. There is big disillusion in post communist countries. Since people are unsatisfied they seek enemies; the roma, jewish immigrants, this is how the Nazis came to power.

CP: What changes would you like to see within the Movement?

IV: A body that has a larger influence on policies of the European Union. The way to do this is to implement change not to make papers and conferences.
I like the american approach, it is quick action compared to the European process, some think that alaigning with America will mean imperialism, but this is a false perception

CP: How long will it take to implement and then see results from these changes?

IV: It depends. People love statements [laughs]. Implementation costs money so this is the dirty game seen over the past years. We are now in European Union, but are in a similar position as Soviet Union in terms of the level of beauracracy that we must cut through.

CP: Why is the Croatian model of inclusive government so appealing to the Roma Movement?

IV: Roma representation at the local and national level, i see this in Croatia model. It is not something big, but it is an important first step.

CP: How can the ever-expanding European Union assist the Roma Movement over the next 5 years? 10 years?

IV: I don’t know if the European Union can help.
All beuracrats know of the human rights situation in post-communist countries but they say ‘why should we give you money or representation for Roma problems? We need it for other projects.’
We don’t receive money from the European Commision. We write proposals and they say, ‘this is good but we cannot fund you at this time’.
I am 42. I faught in the communist regime for human rights, i will fight here for human rights.
You must do what you can do. Freedom is a big value for me. Freedom of speech and of action, this is not only my view, this is the principle of many.

I recently wrote an article examining the current upsurge in neo-fascist activities targeting Roma. You can read the entire article HERE.

To me, fascism represents the failures of society; of the education system, of elected leaders and of an inability to think logically. In 1930's Europe, radical and fascist dictators swept to power in countries that were yearning for economic change. By scapegoating minorities dictators were able to rally the people behind their political platform and offer "solutions", or in the case of Nazi Germany a "Final Solution".

In Europe today (particularly in Italy and the Czech Republic, the two countries I focus on in the article) the economic disparity is no where near the level of post World War I Germany. So how then can neo-fascists drum up support in these democratic states?

Basically it's the same game. Replace the economy for crime levels and all of a sudden people are willing to listen to tales of how Roma or other immigrants are the sole cause of a nation's rising crime level. Of course, the rhetoric espoused by Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi and Rome's Mayor, Gianni Allamano are seldom rooted in fact. However, by harping on stereotypes of theiving gypsy pickpockets, both men have enjoyed widespread support; such support that has allowed Berlusconi to Put Italian soldiers on the streets without rebuke from within Italy or from the European Union.

The case of the National Party in the Czech Republic is a bit different. The political organization is a fringe group, far from popular but equally dangerous, like a stick of dynamite waiting for a spark.
Walking around Prague, Brno and other areas of Bohemia and Moravia I have had the opportunity to strike up conversations with many Czechs. I continue to be discouraged with the prevailing attitude I have encountered when discussing Roma issues.
The basic script of conversation nearly almost follows this pattern:

Czech Person: I'm not racist...but they are not good people. You are not from here so you don't understand.
Me: But isn't that a generalization about an entire group of people?
Czech Person: No, it is a fact. Plus, they don't want to assimilate or learn our language.

At this point in a dialogue I would generally point out that all Roma are not camp-dwelling, filthy, uneducated people and that those that do live in the squaler of camp lives do not do so out of desire. I would go on to explain how ill treatment of Roma in regards to access to social services and segregated education policies coupled with scapegoating for crime have thrust many Romani people into this cycle.
Of course the answer remains the same.

Czech Person: You just don't understand those people.

In the Czech Republic I doubt that the the National Party will win even a small fraction of the vote come 2010. However, if the National Party had come out with a less extreme plan, say in the vein of Italy's current policies, I would be inclined to agree that they would receive much more support.

The Czech Republic is still teetering on the new legs of Democracy, less than twenty years removed from Communist reign. I believe that because of this, the government is sensitive to crack down on any one political party, though many believe that National Party policies Violate the Constitution.
However, come January 1st 2009, all eyes will be on the country as it takes over the rotating European Union Presidency. There is the possibility that this will shed light on the plight of Roma in the Czech Republic and expose fascists for rascist hate-mongerers. Though I am realistic and think that most of the focus, like all EU matters, will center on Economic Integration, ignoring human rights violations in member countries. I will continue to hope that I am wrong.

Coercive sterilization is a process in which doctors render women unable to have children with written consent given by the patient while in labor or during moments of physical or psychological disorientation.
In post-communist, Central and Eastern European countries this abominable act has been disturbingly wide spread, aimed at the Roma population most notably in the early 1990's.

Gwendolyn Albert, of the European Roma Rights Center, unfolds the personal nightmare of Elena Gorolova, a Roma woman who was coercivly sterilized during the Caesarian section delivery of her second child in 1990. In an open letter, Alber details the trying account of Elena:
While Elena was in the throes of labor in the birthing room, in enormous pain and under the influence of sedatives, doctors gave her a piece of paper and told her, "Sign this or you will die." Trusting them, she signed without even reading the document — as she later said, "At that moment, I would have
signed my own death warrant." Read the full letter on the Dzeno Website

This was not an isolated occurence in the Czech Republic and to this day the Czech Government refuses to acknowledge any incidents of coercive sterilization against Roma women.

Unfortunately, the trama of such an event did not stop in the hospital. As Elena's case was brought before the Czech courts she was forced to answer an array of absurd and disparaging questions, bringing to the fore the blatant stereotypes that still exist about Roma.
The questioners seemed to have a hard time grasping that the throes of labor are not the right time to ask a woman whether she wants to be sterilized. They tried to explain to Elena that the "real problem" was her husband's desire to have more children, not the doctor's sterilizing her without her informed consent. They implied that having children was just a ploy for receiving social support. They asked whether she smokes, what grades she got in grammar school and why she doesn't just adopt. They asked her why the Roma abuse welfare, why they throw it away on gambling, drugs and alcohol.
As Albert points out, "She [Elena] answered the ones she thought worthwhile, repeating her intensely personal story for what must be the 1,000th time in an effort to make people realize what not only she, but many others, have been through."

This show of fortitude by Elena has inspired many other Roma women to come forward with their own accounts of sterilization. A movement is slowly building to empower not only these women, but all Roma people. However, as always, change will not come quickly and in the Czech Republic, stubborn government judicial procedures and entrenched bureaucracy threaten to stifle minority voices.

Extremism is something that I have had little exposure to, but this morning I was struck smack in the face with this timely reminder of fascist elements in Central Europe:

Far-right party wants to relocate Roma to India

The Czech National Party is unveiling a 150 page document, detailing their plan to buy land in India and forcibly relocate Romani. The title of the plan is: 'The Final Solution to the Gypsy Issue in the Czech Lands' evoking Nazi Germany's "Final Solution to the Jewish Issue". Though the Nationalists claim that they do not want to kill Roma, but merely move them.

Dzeno's chairman, Ivan Vesely is quoted in the article as stating that "Romanies have lived here for over 500 years and we are still considered foreigners".
Coupled with the finger-printing and Roma camp destruction in Italy, it appears that Anti-Roma fascism is back with a vengence. The ability of Europe to quell this uprising will hinge on public opion. It is not believed that the Czech National Party will win the 2010 election, but anything less than a multi-national rebuke of this development will enable such extremists to gain footing little by little.

Two weeks ago I traveled to Budapest to see the sights, walk around a bit and be an unabashed tourist.
Over breakfast on our second day, my flatmate and I we're discussing what to do for the day as we lazily reclined on couches in our hostel's common room. A girl piped up from the corner of the room and suggested that we go to the "Terror House". I immediately conjured images of some deranged Eastern European haunted house but snapped back to attention when the girl began describing that it is more of a museum or a monument to remind people of the dangers of sweeping discrimination.

The Terror House is a museum on the corner of Andrassy (a main road in Budapest) that served as the headquarters of the Hungarian Arrow Cross Party (Nazi Party) between 1944 and 1945 then as Communist Party Headquarters from 1945 to 1956.
The period of double occupation resulted in widespread atrocities throughout Hungary (as it did in a number of Eastern European Countries). The museum is a testament to the unimaginable suffering that "dissidents" faced under the two regimes. In reality, these dissidents where ordinary Hungarian Citizens persecuted for there ethnic or physical differences (i.e. Jews, Roma, disabled persons, etc.) or those that simply wouldn't cave in to the occupation of their home land.

As I wondered through the museum I poured over countless artifacts, uniforms and furniture from the party officials that had inhabited the premises. However, I was profoundly struck by the numerous video displays of actual footage. Human bodies treated as nothing more than a pile of trash being bulldozed into mass un-marked graves, the tightening of a nose around a dissident's neck on the hanging pole in front of a manically cheering crowd waving miniature flags and countless others filled with the same black and white grainy images of desperation and suffering.

The basement of the terror house was even more chilling than the building's three upper levels; it had served as a prison for political prisoners during both regimes. A plaque displayed at the entrace described that it had been restored to resemble the original conditions, but walking through the cells, interrogation rooms and solitary confinement spaces I could tell that little needed to be refurbished.

The chipped paint, rust stains and musty smell could not be faked and the cordoned off "exhibits" such as the hanging post were identified as unchanged.

After climbing out of the basement and emerging into modern society I felt the freshness of these wounds. I had a new understanding of the problem of extremists and neo-nazis in Europe. The Terror house marked not a single period in history but served as a constant reminder of the struggles of minority groups today.

I've been fond of explaining to my European aquintances that Americans have amnesia. We forget the past all too quickly, many times along with the lessons taught. However, to many Central and Eastern Europeans the era of Nazi and Communist occupation was not a distant relic of the past. The fight against extremism in Europe is a never ending struggle.

Here in the Czech Republic I occasionally hear of Neo-Nazi marchs (which often turn into a brawl with Anarchist factions) and even more terrifying, I hear of Neo-Nazi attacks on Roma encampments. Making these tragic sporadic events even worse is the lack of attention paid to such events in the media.

One week ago, Ivan came into the office in a particularly solemn mood. An "incident" as he put it, had occured near the German border involving Neo-Nazis and a Roma settlement. He was in no mood to discuss and I didn't press him as he embarked for the small village to assess the situation and see how he could assist. I combed the internet searching for the story in all of the Czech papers but it was not reported nor would it be in a future addition.

The Czech Republic, in its freshly independent state (the Velvet Revolution marking the end of communism occured less than 20 years ago) is already in danger of lossing the lessons of its recent past. Every oppressed group in every country needs its own metaphorical terror house to remind people of how mass tragedy can quickly spiral away from isolated incidents of discrimination and neglect.

A shocking ruling was passed down by the European Court of Human Rights last week upholding Croatia's policy of separating students into all Roma and non-Roma classes. You can read the full coverage of the case on the BBC Website.

A Background on Roma Segregation in Schools:
The fundamental issue at hand is the separating of Roma from non-Roma students. Roma children are often put in "special needs" classes as they may not posses an adequate proficiency of language and other basic skills. This separation comes under the guise of giving extra help to Roma students while allowing the non-Roma students to not be inhibited by a slower pace of study. The result of such policies leaves Roma children at a drastic competitive disadvantage when they complete their studies; eons behind the education level of their non-Roma schoolmates. This leads to Roma students lacking the education needed to pursue continuing study at the University level or even obtain a job. As you can imagine, this perpetuates a cycle of unemployment and poverty.
The unspoken reason as to why schools are pressured to segregate is, as always with Roma issues, the perception of Roma as inferior people. Parents of non-Roma students do not want to put their children into classes with Roma children for a myriad of reasons ranging from ignorant bigotry to a practical understanding that schools with Roma integrated classes are simply not competitive with other schools when applying to University. And the cycle continues to this day...

The ruling came as a particularly jarring shock to me. As an American studying Human Rights, I have always looked fondly toward European institutions as the "gold standard" for Human Rights decisions. However, this appalling outcome has brought reality back to me full force. No organization is immune to internal and external political forces. Those comprised of members from different countries serving diverse constituencies are especially susceptible to such forces as is the case with many European Institutions(somewhere my "Policy Making Process" professor is beaming with pride).

My boss Ivan, who over the years has fought many battles within the expansive European bureaucracy, explained that this case clearly showed the push and pull within the European Court. He explained to my utter astonishment that just last year a similar case was ruled upon in the Czech Republic with the exact opposite ruling. In the Czech case, the Court found in favor of the Association of Roma individuals and organizations that had brought the case forward. Now, here at the Dzeno Association we are currnetly carrying out a campaign to ensure that Roma youths receive an equal opportunity in the classroom.

But why was the Croatian outcome different? The answer is in the details of the case but suffice to say, the Croatian state was better able to prove that it was not openly discriminating. The Croatian defense hinged on the common claim of such policies; Roma do not possess the necessary language skills to enroll in normal classes. And with that, the Court ruled in favor of the state and Croatia is now allowed to enact this "separate but equal" policy.

This past week, my boss and Dženo Association Chairman Ivan Veselý, traveled to Vienna, Austria to take part in a Conference held by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The conference aim was to provide a forum for OSCE directors and heads of human rights organization and advocacy groups to find sustainable policies for Roma integration in Europe.

As I have previously referenced, Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has unvailed and begun to implement anti-Roma policies.

On the morning of July 11th the representatives of the Roma civil society, present at the OSCE meeting held a march of protest against the violent attacks and the ethnically motivated "security measures" adopted by the Italian Government targeting Roma. In particular, a group of representatives sought to bring to light the matter of fingerprinting Roma children.

Representatives of Roma focused organizations assemble in front of the Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna

Though small in number, those marching sent a clear message to representatives gathered at the conference.

Others gathered and joined the protest wearing self made t-shirts displaying slogans with a definitevly anti-fingerprinting message.

At the end of the day, as is unfortunately the case with many pro-Roma actions, the protest pleas fell on the deaf ears of the public. However, policy makers throughout the European Union seem to be finally awakening to the Italy's blatant human rights abuses

Ok, so it wasn't exactly an encounter, more of a witnessed interaction between typical citizens and a group of Roma men...

Yesterday, my room-mate (or should I say flat-mate, in proper European vernacular?) and I were off on a trek to the outskirts of the City to where a very large Vietnamese market was located. I had hoped to track down a pair of cheap sunglasses, eat some good food, and explore the vast bustling market stalls ensconsed in non-descript warehouses. It was quite the experience, and well worth the annoying travel time.

We had to hop the tram just outside our apartment and ride it to the Metro station. From the Red-Line we rode South, out of the city, and into a more rural location. As we climbed the vertigo enducing elevator to the surface, I was struck by the feeling of what I had always thought of as "Communist Eastern-Europe"; tall grass behind barb-wire fences, slightly battered concrete infrastructure and a very strange statue in the middle of a fountain.
The statue was of an egg divided in two, with water gently spouting from the center. The structure must have been solid white at one time but now took on a moldy green tint, inducing the imagery of a rotten yolk. I was about to take a picture when my roomate yelled to me and I had to sprint to catch the bus to our desired location.

After a nice, and fairly exhausting, afternoon we were back on the bus headed for the Metro station near the end of the Red-Line. I was unpacking my camera as we stepped off the bus about to snap a few quick shots of the fountain, when I heard my flat-mate's voice and looked up at her.
"You said you wanted to see Roma in society, well..." she said tilting her head toward the fountain.
I looked over and saw a group of 8 men sitting on the edge of the fountain. They wore old, but certainly not tattered, modern clothes and other than their darker complection I would not have been able to decipher them from the average Czech citizen.

I was about to question my roomate's assessment of the men as Roma (despite her year and a half of living in and around Prague) when I began observing passerby reactions to the group of men.
The expressions on the faces of the people whisking in and out of the Metro suddenly explained the entire story of Roma suppression.
Some people stared, eyes narrow like flint expressing their disgust for the men, others averted their gaze shuffling quickly past to avoid any form of interaction. The men simply didn't notice or at least paid the people no mind, continuing on with their conversation.

I was still holding my camera about to snap a photo of the group of men and the fountain when I thought of what I was doing. What would that make me? An American visitor on some sort of "Gypsy Safari"? I put away my camera, gave the group a final glance and disappeared below ground into the metro station.

The entire, minor occurence had affected me more than I thought it would. Something about the separation of groups of people in such a public setting still does not sit right with me. But there is more to that feeling which has etched the image of the men and the fountain in my memory. It is the fact that the Roma men were so used to receiving such judgement and scorn that they have become numb to it. This part of the cycle of discrimination was something that I had simply not considered until that encounter.

I had mentioned in my first entry that the right-wing lead government in Italy has attempted to evict Roma from the country under the guise of national security. Unfortunately, cool heads do not seem ready to prevail as police in Rome have destroyed Roma communities and have plans to finger print all Romani, including children, for documentation. This practice is nearly unheard of in modern civil society as many critics describe it as an "ethnic survey". Even more disturbing seems to be the fact that the "neo-fascist" Mayor of Rome appears to be winning political points through these actions.

You can watch the BBC report HERE

I'm finally here. Prague seems amazing upon first glimpse and I'm sure that I will grow to love the city. However, this is not a travel blog, rather it is a forum for an open discussion of accurate information regarding Roma rights.

Romany people, or gypsies as most people probably know them, are the largest ethnic group in Europe without a country in which they claim citizenship. I'm sure many readers of this blog have heard prejudicial tales and myths about these travelers: they steal, they use magic, they don't work, they steal children and above all the common refrain echoes "I'm not racist, but those people...". And this is where the greatest obstacle for Romany rights emerges; when an entire ethnic group is stereotyped to the point that people can justify their marginalization of that group.

Before I left the U.S. I spent a good deal of time digging through on-line blogs and articles related to Romany issues. I found statistics on Roma deaths during the Holocaust and articles describing the 1998 rape and killing of a Romany woman at the hands of a group of neo-nazi skin heads right here in Prague (more on both of these topics at a later date). But more troubling than these past tragedies is the wave of anti-Romany policies that have begun to roll out.

In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has lauchened an aggressive campaign to try and force Romany people out of the country under the guise of national security prompting some Roma to proclaim that they will not be Berlusconi's scape goats
So my job is simple, but the way in which to enact it is very complicated. The American must try to show another culture why their descrimination against the Roma is unwarranted and not acceptable how ever they may justify it. So good luck to me, I'm going to need it.