The Roma in the 21 st Century Europe: the Case of Czech Republic IFDS 21 June 2006 Laura Laubeova

Unit structure Terminology Language and histrorical context Identity and culture. Ethnic group? International Romani movement. European policies and institutions Resources and links Case study: Czech Republic Historical background Education

Terminology The Roma/ The Romani people/ The Romanies Rom (sg. masc.) (husband; Dom, Domari) Romni (sg.fem.) Roma (pl.) or Romanies (pl.) The latter accepted by Sinti  a Romani (sg.) (prof. Hancock)

Terminology- cont. Example: She is a Roma (sic.), Romani, a Romni Romipen, Rromanipen Porrajmos Adjective Romani (international documents), Romany (literature) Gentiles Gadje, gadjo, gorgio (gaujo, gawjo, gawja Hancock)

Language The Romani language or Romani or Romanes (in a Romani way) Linguistic evidence of Sanskrit origins: 1760 Valyi Stefan, Univ. of Leiden, NL Vienna Gazette 1776, Rudiger 1782, Grellman 1783, Marsden 1785 Northern India– Persia, Caucasus, Byzantine Empire into southern Europe

Porrajmos Half a million of Roma were executed or killed in concentration camps

Roma in Europe 7 to 9 million (WB) 12 – 25 million (IRU, ERF) Romania 1 – 2 mil. Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Turkey, and Serbia and Monte Negro 400,000 – 1 mil. Spain 630,000, France 310,000, Germany 70,000, Italy 130,000

Identity, culture, politics Identity -Reflects attitudes of majority - -Withdrawal and separation (protect values and culture) -Internalisation of stereotypes Culture & values - cleanlines, eating, treatment of animals, funerals, sexual behaviour, extended family, etc Romani organisations: Intl. Romani Union; Roma National Congress European level ERRC, ERIO, ERTF (vide links bellow)….

Roma as an ethnic group National minority (CEE), ethnic minority group (UK). Community / communities. Heterogeniety. Roma (Rumungro, Vlach, Romanichal, Kalderash, Kale, Kalo, Lovari), Sinti, Travellers, playground and circus people, bargee people, new age travellers etc “Gypsy is not a lifestyle” but race/ ethnic group (Hancock) Minorities autochtonous, immigrant Roma as European minority vs Roma as European nation Europe's largest transnational minority; Declaration on "non-territorial" nation (2000)

Roma in society Discrimination, racism, anti-Gypsyism, denial of racism, reversed racism Majority relations twds the Roma (annihilation/extermination, persecution, segregation; assimilation, integration, accommodation, inclusion) Major point of departures for Romani studies: a) history – migration from India, early persecution in cent., assimilation under Habsburgs and in Portugal; Porrajmos – Romani holocaust (0,5 m) b) family and values; c) Romani language, identity and self-determination of Romani nation

Key Romani movements, Politics and Policy Actors International Romani Union (IRU) Roma National Congress (RNC) European Roma and Traveller Forum (CoE) European Roma Rights Centre (US Law) World Bank Decade of Romani Inclusion

World Romani Congresses (IRU) 1971 The first World Romani Congress, London: 16-spoked wheel as their international symbol, flag (green and blue), anthem (Roma arise), April IRU in NGO section of UN 1990 April 8 proclaimed as international Romani day 2 nd 1979 Geneva (Jan Cibula) 3 rd 1981 Gottingen Ge (Rajko Djuric) 4 th 1990 Warsaw (Rajko Djuric) 5 th 2000 Prague (Emil Scuka) 6 th 2004 Lanciano Italy (Stanislav Stankiewicz)

RNC Rom & Sinti Union in Hamburg (80s) -> RNC, Rudko Kawczynski Grassroot, militant, Romani refugees from Eastern Europe – basic human rights approach Pan-European Romani Identity vs nationalist “Zentralrat “ of German Sinti and Roma (81)

IMPORTANT STEPS 1993 – Recomendation of the Concil of Europe No. 1203, about Gypsies in Europe OSCE – Contact point for Roma and Sinti issues– ODHIR „action plan“ 1995– CoE - Group of Experts on Roma/Gypsies „MG-S-ROM“ 2004 – European Roma and Travellers Forum

European policies NOT RECOGNIZING MINORITIES –France, Greece, partly Spain FORMAL RECOGNITION –Ie.: Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Slovinia –Also: Austria, partly Germany, Nederlands

The Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005 – 2015 Official launch 2 Feb., 2005 WB, OSI, CEE governments 8 countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Monte Negro, Croatia

Education Housing Employment Health Core priorities  income poverty  gender equality  discrimination

Roma Women’s Forum (29 June, 2003 ) „Romani women presented their own comprehensive policy agenda to high-level officials from regional governments and international agencies” from the final report

Roma Women's Forum Education Early marriages, cultural obligations, lack of female teachers as role models, segregation, discrimination etc. Economic Empowerment Lower life expectancy rates, educational levels, higher rates of fertility, mortality, unemployment, poverty, extensive social exclusion and gender- based discrimination, prostitution; Sexual and Reproductive Rights Combat coerced sterilization, sexual taboos, arranged marriages and domestic violence Grassroots Leadership and Political Participation Minority women, Romani women’s human rights, political participation, challenges, Romani women’s leadership and solidarity

Romani women movement Started in 1999 Roma Women’s Initiative (RWI) - partnership between Romani women activists and OSI Network Women’s Program (NWP). RWI promotes human rights by empowering Roma women activists in CEE special emphasis on the participation and leadership development of young Romani women.

MANUSHE (Cz NGO) NGO Slovo 21 founded the Roma women’s group Manushe in the year 2000.

European Roma and Travellers Forum Since dialogue with CoE registration Dec st meeting, Strasburg 42 of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states

ERTF body of community leaders and policy experts elected by Roma and Traveller institutions in all Europe the largest and most inclusive Roma and Traveller’s organisation brings together legitimate voices of Roma, Sinti and Traveller communities

Roma Diplomacy Program European Roma Information Office (ERIO) and DiploFoundation 25 Roma from Europe Personal meetings and online program Bucharest Brussels Geneva

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz dined with seven young Roma leaders on February 27 in Prague to get their views on efforts to empower the Roma

Useful links and resources European Roma Information Office European Roma and Traveller Forum WB UNDP Decade European Roma Rights Centre ROMA MEDIA

Roma in the Czech Republic Background Present situation, Issue of Education Useful links and resources Romea Czech Radio

Maria Theresa and Joseph II. ( ) assimilation, sedentarisation (Otoman Empire more relaxed) 1927 Act on Nomadic Gypsies (identity cards) PORRAIMOS virtually all Cz + Moravian Roma Ctibor Nečas, Paul Polanski Concentration Camp Lety History

Communism Enforced + voluntary relocation to Sudetenlands from Slovak shanty-town settlements (after removal of Germans 1945) 1958 Act on settlement of nomadic persons (repealed in CZ in 97) 1965 policy on transfer (from Sk) + dispersal, displacement 68 federalisation; Association of Gypsies-Roma (73) 1978 Charter 77 Document 23: Information on situation of Gypsies-Roma (warning if economy modernises)

 Petr Axman 2005

Roma gained status as a national minority, Romani MPs Bogardus scale of social distance – high hostility Beauty Queen racist utterance, Racist attacks Unemployment; stereotype of self-chosen unemployment Criminality (20% vs. national 3%) – criminalisation Citizenship law 93 (de facto discrimination), put most Roma in position of aliens, 96, 2000; led to 97 exodus Housing ghettoisation (barren flats), educational segregation

 Petr Axman 2005

present 97 Emigration to Canada, UK → Bratinka report on situation of R. community in CZ 98 UN CERD Concluding observations on CR, "de facto” segregation in edu (article 5 ICERD) April 99 Draft Concept of Romani integration „Conflict-free co-existence of the R. community with the remainder of society“ Safety, non-discrimination, improving social sit (employment, housing, health)

 Petr Axman 2005

After cont UK Immigration officers in Prg Airport (CHC Statement 29 Aug. 01 ), House of Lords Dec "Conception on Romani Integration", (2004 reformulation/revision) 2003 Denial by pres. Klaus, BBC Hardtalk 2005 NGOism, HR ism

Education and Roma in CZ Push factors for systemic change 97 Canada visa imposition EU accession, criticism by US Gov., UN, CoE Role of NGOs, e.g. ERRC: Ostrava region, 27 times more in Special Schools, 5% population, 50% in special schools Cf. Brown vs Topeca Board of Education in USA, 50 yrs ago New Education Act 2005

 Petr Axman 2005

Achievements  Romani teacher assistants (introduced in 1998) communication barrier, partnership teaching, small group work, contact with families, etc not systemic, inferior status, no educated R. teachers, if not successful ‑ blaming the victim  Preparatory classes (since 1994) cf Headstart USA  multicultural/ intercultural edu. programmes - NG0s, community schools

Threats:  re-standardisation of psychological testing in the age of 6 - doubts about the concepts itself  subtractive versus additive bilingualism, irreversible cognitive damage (abstract thinking concepts - Piaget)  institutional, unwitting, indirect racism+ denial of racism

 Petr Axman 2005

D.H. and Others v. Czech Republic first challenge to systematic racial segregation in education in Europe brought by 18 Roma children from Ostrava; placed in “special” remedial special schools (ss) complaint filed in 2000 by ERRC - intensive qualitative and quantitative research that revealed racial disparities. 7 February 2006 European Court on HR ruled in favour of the Czech State (improvement) US Helsinki Commission report 21 Feb 2006

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