ERTF Update

14/2007 20.06.07

Political Developments

International Organisations

OSCE

OSZE will sich für Rechte der Roma einsetzen

Finnland will sich während seines Vorsitzes in der Organisation für Sicherheit und Zusammenarbeit in Europa (OSZE) im kommenden Jahr besonders um die Rechte der Roma kümmern. Das finnische Außenministerium kündigte heute einen Aktionsplan zur Verbesserung des Status der über ganz Europa verstreuten Minderheit an.

Der Aktionsplan soll in den kommenden Monaten vom Büro für demokratische Institutionen und Menschenrechte (ODIHR) in Warschau vorbereitet werden. Helsinki bezeichnete die Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Europarat und der völkerrechtlichen Vertretung der Minderheit, dem Europäischen Roma und Reisenden Forum (ERTF), für die Umsetzung des künftigen Aktionsplans als wichtig.

Das ERTF geht auf eine Initiative der finnischen Staatspräsidentin Tarja Halonen aus dem Jahr 2002 zurück. ERTF-Präsident Rudko Kawczynski traf Ende Mai mit Halonen und anderen finnischen Spitzenpolitikern zusammen, um unter anderem auf die Ausklammerung der Roma aus der derzeit anvisierten Zukunftslösung für das Kosovo aufmerksam zu machen.

Quelle: ORF

http://www.orf.at/?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.orf.at%2Fticker%2F255920.html

United Nations

CEDAW Committee concerned about ongoing discrimination of Romani women in Serbia

11 June 2007

In its concluding comments on the situation of women in Serbia the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women noted that Romani women are particularly discriminated against in terms of access to education and healthcare. The Committee also expressed its concern as regards to the fact that Romani women who were threatened by domestic violence were refused access to safe houses on the basis of unproper admission criteria as well as regards to the practice of early marriages within some Roma communities. The Committee noted a general lack of statistical data about Romani women as well as about women belonging to other disadvantaged or marginalised groups.

The full text of the CEDAW Committee's concluding comments on Serbia are
available at:

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/cedaw38/cc/Serbia.pdf

The ERRC/Bibija/Eureka/Women's Space parallel report on the situation of Romani women in Serbia is available in English and Serbian at:
http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2136

Reports

NGOs

Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE)

The Olympic Games have displaced more than two million people in the last 20 years

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) has just released a new report on the issue of displacement of people in relation with the organisation of Olympic games. The report “Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights” notices that the Olympic Games have displaced more than two million people in the last 20 years, and that socially marginalized groups have been disproportionally affected by displacement.

The report looks into several cases where Roma were evicted in the preparation of the Olympic games such as in Athens where approximately 2,700 Roma were forced to abandon their homes and in Barcelona where several communities, mainly Roma, living in the areas surrounding the Olympic Village were displaced.

The Fair Play for Housing Rights report, the Multi-Stakeholder Guidelines and background papers on each of the Olympic Cities studied are available online at: www.cohre.org/mega-events

Decade Watch

Decade Watch Report Released in Sofia (Press Release)

11 June 2007

Sofia - Nine Central and Southeast European countries have made progress in advancing Roma inclusion since the launch of the Decade of Roma Inclusion in 2005, according to the DecadeWatch monitoring report prepared by teams of Roma civil society leaders. However, countries must move from sporadic measures based on pilot projects to integrated polices and programs.

DecadeWatch assesses governments’ actions on introducing measures on the four Decade priority areas of education, employment, health, and housing, as well as institutional arrangements and anti-discrimination legislation. Country reports were prepared by Roma civil society alliances, and then countries were ranked on indicators on a scale from 0 to 4, with 0 capturing no action and 4 best practice (see table). The report looks at government inputs, not outcomes, as the Decade was only launched in 2005. The World Bank and the Open Society Institute supported DecadeWatch through assistance with training and methodology.

”Cooperation between Roma civil society and governments is critical to moving the social inclusion agenda forward,” says George Soros, chairman of the Open Society Institute. “DecadeWatch is a critical component of this cooperation and in making the Decade a success.”

DecadeWatch Ranking by Country

Rank Country Score

1 Hungary 2.29

2 Bulgaria 1.84

3 Slovakia 1.82

4 Czech Republic 1.76

5 Romania 1.72

6 Croatia 1.70

7 Macedonia 1.37

8 Serbia 1.24

9 Montenegro 0.63

The country rankings not only track progress but also identify areas where countries can benefit from one another's experience. Hungary is the most advanced country in terms of institutional arrangements and policies, but each country excels in a particular area, for instance Romania with its health mediators program and Macedonia's employment data collection.

”So far, the biggest gap in Decade implementation has been the lack of data on Roma,” says Shigeo Katsu, World Bank Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia. “Only the systematic and regular collection of disaggregated and nationally representative data will allow governments to report on the outcomes of their efforts through 2015.”

The Decade of Roma Inclusion is a pan-European initiative to foster the integration of the Roma in nine countries, and the primary vehicle for a European solution to the challenge of Roma exclusion. Countries should place their Decade commitments into the process of European accession and integration, including through the use of EU Structural and Pre-Accession Funds as well as by partnering with EU member states, the Commission, and other EU institutions.

”Governments have put institutional arrangements for Roma inclusion in place, which can serve as coordinators of government policy,” says Gabriela Hrabanova, researcher from the Czech Republic. “But these institutions must be empowered by the governments and involve Roma in policy development and service delivery.”

Her colleague Toni Tashev adds “Political will is necessary to translate plans into government financing of inclusion policies and to ensuring that national programs filter down to the municipal level.”

The report is available at http://www.decadewatch.org.

Save the Children

Save the Children has just released the first of a series of reports on the issue of child trafficking in Southeast Europe. The report ''Children Speak Out - Trafficking Risk and Resiliency in Southeast Europe - Montenegro Report" includes children without parental care, residents of the ''Mladost'' Children's Home, Bijela and children from the biggest Roma refugee settlement Konik in Podgorica.

According to the organisation, the aim of the report was to obtain detailed information from children about the factors that expose some of them to the risks of trafficking and exploitation, as well as to learn about their strength and resiliency in unfavourable situations that many of them are faced with. The report presents the children's perception of their own lives and their relationships with their peers, adult family members or adults from the institution and the wider community. It portrays their fears, hopes and dreams, and provides valuable insight and understanding for all those commited to improving the life of children, protecting them from abuse and exploitation and helping them fulfill their ambitions. In addition to numerous children's statements, the report includes the opinions of parents and other adults in charge of taking care of the children, enabling interesting comparisons.

People who are interested in receiving a electronic version of the report should write to scfmon@cg.yu. The report is available in English and Serbian.

C.E.G.A.

Creating Effective Grassroots Alternatives (CEGA) has just released the second issue of its bulletin START. The bulletin looks into nationalism in Bulgaria, the representation of Roma in Bulgarian media, the price of non-integration as well as into the issue of active citizenship.

START is available at the website of the organisation and can be downloaded at: http://www.cega.bg/files/start_2eng.pdf

News digest

Europe

Experts say systematic policies needed for success of Roma inclusion initiative

13 June 2007

The nine countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative must move from the implementation of sporadic measures to the adoption of comprehensive Roma integration policies, participants at an international meeting in Sofia agreed on Tuesday.

Integrated Roma inclusion policies and an efficient use of EU funds are the key conditions for the success of the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative, representatives of the nine participating countries and international officials agreed in Sofia on Tuesday (June 12th).

The ten-year project, aimed at ending centuries of isolation and discrimination against Roma in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia, was launched at a meeting in Sofia in February 2005. Sponsored by the World Bank and the Open Society Institute (OSI), the initiative focuses on four priority areas -- education, employment, health, and housing.

Efforts to improve the situation of Roma in the participating countries over the past two years have produced mixed results, according to a watch report released on the eve of the 10th meeting of this International Steering Committee.

According to DecadeWatch, the first assessment of government action on implementing the commitments expressed under the joint initiative, there was "significant progress across all countries, though more in some than in others, and, within countries, more in some areas of action that in others".

All the participating countries have adopted Decade Action Plans, have set up the relevant institutions and co-ordination offices, and -- although to various degrees -- have initiated activities to improve the situation of the Roma, the report found.

The document, drawn up by a coalition of Roma NGOs and activists, also noted some progress towards the achievement of another goal of the initiative, namely giving Roma a voice in the countries' efforts at promoting inclusion.

However, "the Decade has not reached the critical point that would guarantee success", the experts said, urging governments to move from the implementation of specific projects and sporadic measures towards the adoption of comprehensive programmes or integrated policies.

Due to lack of consistent and systematic outcome indicators and data, the report only assesses government action and does not provide an insight on the actual impacts for the Roma.

Still, it measures the performance of each participating country on a scale of 0 (lowest score) to 4 (highest score), the main criterion being the individual governments' ownership and effort to move from sporadic measures to systematic policies backed up by budgetary resources.

Among the nine nations, Hungary is the best performer with a score of 2.29, followed by Bulgaria with 1.84 and Slovakia with 1.82. Montenegro ranked lowest with a score of 0.63.

The participants in the Sofia meeting agreed that the EU should get more involved in the efforts to improve the quality of life for Roma. They also agreed on the need for a more efficient use of the bloc's structural funds.

"The EU must develop a European-wide Roma policy," Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, whose country is wrapping up its one-year term as president of the Roma Decade, said on Tuesday.

His words were echoed by billionaire philanthropist and OSI chairman George Soros, who said the EU could not "overlook the fate of eight million Roma". At the same time, he said, it is critical for governments to step up their co-operation with Roma civil society so that the social inclusion agenda could move forward.

Among the other officials participating in the Sofia meeting were World Bank Vice President Shigeo Katsu and EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Huebner.

Source: Southeast European Times

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/06/13/feature-01

Countries

Austria

Draußen vor der großen Stadt

FRANZENSDORF / Roma auf Urlaub in Franzensdorf. Beim Bürgermeister laufen die Telefone heiß. Der versucht die aufgebrachte Menge zu beruhigen: „Kein Grund zur Sorge.“

Misstrauisch beäugen die dunkelhäutigen Frauen die näher kommende Journalistin. Ein Lächeln und schon grüßen sie freundlich und laden ohne Umschweife zu Speis und Trank. Bratwürstl und Kotellets liegen auf dem Grill vorm Wohnwagen, dazu gibt es Semmeln, Eistee, ein großes Glas Pfefferoni. Sie sprechen mit Händen und Füßen Deutsch, ansonsten Französisch. Die Kinder kommen gelaufen, neugierig, ob man sie verstehen könne, na ja, seulement un peu. Derweil wird nach Marcellino, dem Clanchef geschickt, er spricht Deutsch, wie sein Bruder Carlos.

„Wir sind auf Urlaub hier“, erzählen sie. Sie seien aus Paris und Straßburg gekommen. Denn demnächst treffen in Wien Roma aus aller Welt zusammen und feiern eine große Messe. So wie bei den berühmten Festen in St. Marie de la Mer (in Südfrankreich)? „Nein, das sind die Katholiken, wir sind evangelisch.“

Ein Blick auf die vielen Kinder und schon kommt die prompte Antwort auf die nicht gestellte Frage. Sie gehen nur im Winter in die Schule, von Oktober bis März, in Frankreich. „Im Frühjahr aber müssen wir weiterziehen. Wir haben kein Haus, unser Heim ist der Wohnwagen, und wir müssen auch Geld verdienen.“ Sie sind fahrende Händler, verkaufen Teppiche, Bestecke, Waren aller Art. Hier sei man ein bisschen „en vacances“, in den Ferien.

Anrainer brechen in helle Hysterie aus

Aber wenn es mich interessieren würde, ein Teppich sei schon noch da, ein besonders schöner sogar, wie viel ich dafür geben würde? Ganz abschalten geht wohl nicht in der warmen Jahreszeit. Man wolle aber nicht, dass die Leute wissen, „dass wir Roma sind, sonst kaufen sie uns nichts ab“. Ob sie denken, dass sie hier unerkannt blieben? 26 Wohnwagen am Rande eines Dorfes wie Franzensdorf. Alle wissen Bescheid und brechen gerade in helle Hysterie aus.

Bei Bürgermeister Rainer Hübl sind schon die Telefone heiß gelaufen: „Die Zigeuner sind da!“, haben Anrainer aufgeregt gemeldet. „Und was haben sie angestellt? Jagen sie eure Frauen durchs Dorf, stehlen sie eure Hendln?“, habe er zurückgefragt, „Nein, aber sie könnten“, bekam er zur Antwort. Wie in den 30er-Jahren, erzählt er genervt. Die BH hatte Hübl gebeten, einen Platz für das fahrende Volk bereitzustellen, die Polizei habe ein wachsames Auge auf sie: „Also kein Grund zur Sorge!“

Ulla Kremsmayer

Quelle: Niederösterreich Nachrichten

http://www.noen.at/redaktion/n-mar/article.asp?Text=234727&cat=343

Bulgaria

Stanishev: We Can't Manage Roma Problems Without Help From EU

12 June 2007

The lack of policy for Roma people integration means deepening of our problems. On a national level we can hardly manage this problem and that is why we need higher attention from the EU.

This claimed Bulgarian PM Sergei Stanishev during the session of the International Steering Committee on the Decade of Roma Inclusion, informed Darik radio.

The Prime Minister emphasized that there could not be effective integration of the Roma people before the society is ready for this. Bulgaria needs integration policy, which should be more coordinated and less administrative.

Stanishev added that the financial and management instruments of the EU on projects for Roma people integration should be used but the resources should be spent in a transparent way.

Bulgarian PM said that there is already success on the biggest Roma problem: employment and that there are Roma students in the universities.

The Minister of labor and social policy Emilia Maslarova informed that 83 000 Roma people have found jobs and more than 42 000 – have received professional qualification. She added that Bulgarian society should overcome the Roma stereotype.

The president of Open Society Institute George Soros recommended sterling use of the EU funds for Roma projects. He added that in the society there was resistance to the allotment of funds for the Roma minority.

Olga Yoncheva

Source: news.bg

http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_1310685153

Czech Republic

NS-Opfer fordern Gedenken für Roma

15. Juni 2007

Verbände von NS-Opfern haben die tschechische Regierung aufgefordert, Gedenkorte auf den Geländen ehemaliger Roma-Konzentrationslager zu errichten. Die Anlage einer Schweinemast auf dem Boden des ehemaligen KZ im südböhmischen Lety u Pistu sei eine tiefe Beleidigung aller Opfer und Überlebender der Nazi-Verbrechen, sagte der Vorsitzende des Zentralrats Deutscher Sinti und Roma, Romani Rose, am Mittwoch in Berlin. In einem Appell an den tschechischen Premier Mirek Topolanek forderte der Zentralrat, den Schweinemastbetrieb zu verlegen. Mitunterzeichner sind das "Komitee für die Entschädigung des Roma-Holocaust" und die Opferverbände der Konzentrationslager Auschwitz und Buchenwald. Der Appell richte sich auch an EU-Ratpräsidentin, Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel.

Quelle: Frankfurter Rundschau

http://www.fronline.de/in_und_ausland/politik/aktuell/?sid=0a6547102229c61b6386c8e1e6fef991&em_cnt=1154156

Czech Ombudsman: Eviction of Romanies in Vsetin was Mistake

13 June 2007

The town hall of Vsetin, north Moravia, made a mistake when it moved out Romany rent-defaulters from the town's centre in the autumn, Czech Ombudsman Otakar Motejl told journalists today. However, Vsetin town hall rejects the criticism. The town hall was then headed by Jiri Cunek, now Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) leader and Local Development Minister. Motejl said that the export of socially excluded families from municipalities in which the families have long been living cannot be accepted as an efficient solution. He said that a good solution can be achieved through cooperation between social workers, NGOs, Romany families and local authorities. Cunek said he agreed with this, but said that the town hall did its utmost in the case. He added that "the ombudsman should have rather deal with the problem what to do with a rent-defaulters who is evicted, irrespective of the colour of their skin." The ombudsman's report will be available on the website www.ochrance.cz. The Ombudsman Office checked the conditions under which the demolition of the ramshackle apartment house where the Romany families lived was permitted. It concluded that Vsetin authorities acted against the construction law as they did not care for the house for more than ten years, allowing it to become dilapidated. The office challenged the town hall's argument that the families had to leave the house due to unhealthy living conditions. Motejl said that the state of the houses to which the Romanies moved was no better than that of their original home. Some of the Romany families were moved to container flats on Vsetin outskirts, while others were sent away from Vsetin and resettled elsewhere in Moravia.

The report writes that the resettlement violated the basic rights for respecting family and private life. Motejl said that Vsetin should allow the families to return to the town and let them request a municipal flat. The town hall dismisses the criticism. "The ombudsman's report has some 50 pages and it positively assesses some of our steps. We disagree with the simplified interpretation that we erred," Eva Stejskalova, spokeswoman for the town hall, told CTK today. The step provoked a lot of controversy. It was strongly criticised by NGOs focusing on human rights, Romany associations and a number of politicians. Motejl's office also focused on how social benefits were paid to the Romanies and whether they were satisfied in their new homes. Cunek faces strong criticism also over a police accusation of bribe taking. The opposition demands his leave as cabinet minister. The government position of Cunek was further affected when he made statements about Romanies in March that some call xenophobic while far-right extremists welcome them.

Source: CTK

http://www.ctk.cz/english/

Finland

Satirical TV programme sparks controversy among Finnish Roma

YLE believes show will incite debate on tolerance issues

14 June 2007

The Finnish Roma Forum has asked the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) to suspend broadcasts of the summer comedy series Manne-TV. In an appeal sent to the YLE, the series, which aired its first programme on June 2nd, is denounced as demeaning to the Roma, or Gipsy population. The organisation claims that it is racist, that it underscores prejudices, and that it could undermine the results of years of work to change attitudes. Other fears include a prospect of increased violence between the Roma community and other Finns, as well as an increase in ethnically based school bullying. YLE Programme Director Harri Virtanen stands behind the show, most of whose producers and actors are Roma themselves. He says that Manne-TV will not be cancelled, and that it would continue to air on Saturday and Sunday evenings. "If the series really increases school bullying, for instance, I would naturally be very sorry, but it is not the purpose of the series", Virtanen says. "The target of the series is the population at large and its prejudices. If someone watching the series thinks ‘is that how I think?', or ‘do I have attitudes like that?', then we will be fairly close to the aim of the series". Nevertheless, changes are planned in the content of Manne-TV. In the future there will be a greater effort to specifically deal with prejudices of the majority population toward the Roma. "Finland is said to be a tolerant society, but this series has again raised the racism of the majority population. If the topic is this big, it is good that it has been raised, and is being debated", Virtanen says.

The Roma Forum, which called for the cancellation of the show, is an umbrella organisation of Finnish Roma organisations, focusing on equal treatment under the law for the Roma population. According to the group's vice president Mertsi Lindgren, Manne-TV contains overt incitement against a population group. The Roma Forum is actually considering the possibility of submitting a criminal complaint on the matter. "First we need to meet with the Minority Affairs Ombudsman and to discuss it with [YLE Director-General] Mikael Jungner." Minority Affairs Ombudsman Mikko Puumalainen has not yet studied the appeal of the Roma Forum. "I want to discuss the matter with representatives of the forum before I form an opinion on the matter", Puumalainen says. Lindgren says that the Roma Forum took action on the basis of negative feedback from the Roma community. "We have also heard from the majority population that the programme does not work", Lindgren adds. Response received by YLE on the programme has been more negative than positive. "We get feedback from all programmes, but it dies not shake our decisions", Harri Virtanen says.

Source: Helsingin Sanomat

http://www.hs.fi/english/

Germany

Einigung bei Mahnmal für Sinti und Roma

Langer Streit um Inschrift ist beendet

14. Juni 2007

Seit mehr als sechs Jahren ist über das Mahnmal für die ermordeten Sinti und Roma im Tiergarten gestritten worden - vor allem um verschiedene Varianten des Inschrifttextes. Nach Informationen der Berliner Zeitung sind inzwischen alle Konflikte gelöst. Das von dem in Paris lebenden Künstler Dani Karavan entworfene Mahnmal kann gebaut werden. Darauf sollen sich der Zentralrat der Sinti und Roma und Bundeskulturstaatsminister Bernd Neumann (CDU) verständigt haben. Aus dem Büro des Kulturstaatsministers hieß es dazu, dass in den kommenden Wochen "abschließende Abstimmungsgespräche" mit allen Beteiligten vorgesehen seien. "Aus Respekt vor den Opfergruppen" könnten derzeit keine Angaben zur zeitlichen Realisierung und zur Gestaltung des Mahnmals gemacht werden.

Das Mahnmal kostet zwei Millionen Euro. Es besteht aus einem kreisrunden See und einer zwölf Meter hohen Granitplatte. Das Land Berlin hatte schon 1994 das Gelände im Tiergarten kostenfrei zur Verfügung gestellt. Bundespolitiker und der Zentralrat hatten dann aber seit 2001 immer wieder öffentlich über die Inschrift am Rande des Brunnens gestritten, wodurch sich die längst geplante Fertigstellung verzögerte. Dabei ging es insbesondere um den von der Sinti-Allianz geforderten Begriff "Zigeuner", den Zentralratspräsident Romani Rose aber strikt ablehnt. Jetzt wurde beschlossen, am Brunnen ein Zitat von Altbundespräsident Roman Herzog anzubringen, über das auch lange debattiert worden war: "Der Völkermord an den Sinti und Roma ist aus dem gleichen Motiv des Rassenwahns, mit dem gleichen Vorsatz und dem gleichen Willen zur planmäßigen und endgültigen Vernichtung durchgeführt worden wie der an den Juden. Sie wurden im gesamten Einflussbereich der Nationalsozialisten systematisch und familienweise vom Kleinkind bis zum Greis ermordet."

Dieses Herzog-Zitat soll um eine Aussage von Altkanzler Helmut Schmidt ergänzt werden. Am Mahnmal wird auch in einer Chronologie der Völkermord an rund 500 000 Sinti und Roma dargestellt.

Marlies Emmerich

Quelle: Berliner Zeitung

http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/print/berlin/661677.html

Bewährungsprobe für Falkensee

Sinti und Roma machen in der Stadt Station – das passt nicht jedem

6. Juni 2007

Falkensee - Gut 30 elegante Campingwagen mit Sat-Schüsseln haben seit wenigen Tagen auf dem Platz am Kreisverkehr Station gemacht. Der liegt an der Spandauer Straße in Falkensee nahe der Semmelhaack-Siedlung. Die Neuankömmlinge sind Sinti und Roma ungarischer Herkunft, die bisher friedlich auf verschiedenen Plätzen in Berlin gelebt hatten und von ihrem letzten Standort in Spandau wegen einer Veranstaltung weichen mussten. Am vergangenen Freitag war der Konvoi in Begleitung von Polizei und Mitarbeitern eines Ordnungsamtes von Berliner Seite nach Falkensee geleitet worden. Womöglich sahen die Berliner Ordnungshüter das freie Feld, auf dem Drachenfeste steigen oder Zirkusfamilien ihre Zelte aufschlagen, als kommunalen Festplatz an. Doch das ist ein Irrtum: Er ist in privater Hand.

Eigentümer Manfred Strunk hat aufregende Tage hinter sich. Denn seit das fahrende Volk sich auf seinem Acker niedergelassen hat, steht sein Telefon nicht still. Empörte Bürger, auch aus der unmittelbaren Nachbarschaft, bombardieren ihn mit der Forderung, dem Treiben Einhalt zu gebieten und das Feld polizeilich räumen zu lassen. Müll und Toiletten würden am See ausgekippt, und dass "die" klauen, sei ja auch bekannt...

Strunk, der Erfahrung hat mit fahrenden Leuten – gute wie weniger gute – sah sich die Sache erst einmal aus der Nähe an und fand weder Toilettenauswurf am See noch Unrat auf dem Platz, sieht man einmal von den Gartenabfällen ab, die die Anwohner auf seinem Acker abladen. Zwischen den Campingwagen thronten zwei Abfallcontainer, die die Gruppe organisiert hatte. Schöne Frauen bereiteten das Mittagessen vor, andere schüttelten die Federbetten oder hängten Wäsche auf, Kinder tollten über die Wiese und spielten Fangen ...

"Genau genommen", sagt Manfred Strunk, " handelt es sich um Hausfriedensbruch." Denn er hatte vorab nichts von dieser Belagerung erfahren. Dabei wäre er gar nicht abgeneigt, den Sinti und Roma vorübergehend Quartier zu gewähren, die wollen ja nichts geschenkt, die zahlen. Doch er muss passen, er hat den Platz bereits vermietet, den ganzen Juni lang. Denn am 23. soll hier ein "Respekttag" unter dem Motto "Falkensee be fair" steigen. Organisator Michael Gentz will für Respekt und Toleranz in allen Lebensbereichen werben und hofft, mit guter Musik und vielen Ideen mehrere tausend Menschen zu mobilisieren. "Am Wochenende müssten wir mit den Vorbereitungen, also dem Mähen, beginnen. Bis dahin müsste der Platz frei sein", sagt Gentz, der eines auf keinen Fall will: eine Zwangsräumung.

Die will auch Carlos Ludvig, der Sprecher der Sinti- und Roma-Gruppe, vermeiden. Er ist um einen Ausweichstandort bemüht. Auf Campingplätze dürfen sie nicht. Und in der Stadtverwaltung, wo man ihn "sehr gut behandelt" habe, erfuhr er, dass auch der städtische Festplatz am Gutspark ausgebucht sei. "Ich verstehe, dass wir hier wieder weg müssen, in die Veranstaltung wurde viel investiert", sagte Ludvig. Doch die Aufregung der Falkenseer, die auch während seines Gesprächs mit Ordnungsamtsleiter Michael Sahr pausenlos im Büro anriefen und den Rauswurf der "Zigeuner" forderten, verärgert ihn. Verärgert ist auch Bürgermeister Jürgen Bigalke. Nämlich darüber, dass in diesem Fall "Berlin offensichtlich seine Probleme auf Kosten des Brandenburger Umlandes regelt". Die Stadt sei im Vorfeld über diesen Zuzug nicht informiert worden – ein Fakt, den Bigalke in einem Brief an das Innenministerium kritisiert.

Die Anwohner verfolgen die Geschehnisse auf dem Platz mittlerweile etwas genauer. Jeden Abend seien die Sinti bei ihm zu Gast, erzählt der Besitzer eines Restaurants. "Sie sind nett, aber doch ein wenig auffällig", sagt der Mann, der seinen Namen lieber nicht nennen möchte. Einige Gäste hätten ihn auf die Leute angesprochen, "irgendwie ist die Situation einfach unangenehm".

"Irgendwie unangenehm." Auch bei Ralph Schremmer, der neben der Wiese eine Kfz-Werkstatt betreibt, fallen diese Worte. Sechsmal seien Männer zu ihm gekommen, um mehrmals kleine Dienstleistungen wie Bohrer anschleifen anzubieten. "Das hab ich abgelehnt."

Hiltrud Müller/Christiane Tauer

Quelle: Märkische Allgemeine

http://www.maerkischeallgemeine.de/cms/beitrag/10948084/61759/#

Hungary

Welcome for refugee children in Hungary school

19 June 2007

Bekescsaba - Integrating refugees is an increasingly difficult task, but a school in one of Hungary's poorest regions has found a formula that works, and is now making a point of welcoming in refugee students.

The Szent Laszlo elementary school in this farming town of 60,000 near Hungary's south-east border has taken in refugee children for nearly 15 years.

"It's safe to say that Bekescsaba has become a model," said Andrea Szobolits, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "This is what other schools have just been unable to do."

Pupil Emina Berisa is one of the school's best examples of progress. The 14-year-old Muslim Roma from Kosovo has been a refugee for seven years and after several moves, Bekescsaba was the first place where she feels welcome.

"It's so much better here because other children like playing with me and teachers are more cultured," said the tall, dark-skinned Berisa in nearly fluent Hungarian during a break in her geography class.

Berisa, one of over 11,000 refugee applicants in central Europe last year, fled Kosovo with her parents and five siblings to escape the ethnic violence which killed thousands of her compatriots.

Bekescsaba, a sprawling town that has struggled to build up industry, is one of three towns in the country that accepts refugees but is the most welcoming, said the UNHCR's Szobolits.

Like many refugees across the world, those from Kosovo cannot be sure of a hospitable reception. In many countries, prejudice is rife and refugees are often assumed to be economic migrants, not people fleeing persecution and needing protection.

In the eastern Hungarian town of Debrecen, the community has become so hostile to refugees that parents regularly take children out of classes when a refugee student arrives, Szobolits said.

"Teaching tolerance is not part of the school curriculum anywhere in the region and teachers are left on their own to figure out what to do," Szobolits said.

The Szent Laszlo school's formula has been simple: keep classes small, put just a few refugee students in each and oblige them to stay involved and mingle with Hungarians, but do not compromise on the school curriculum.

In 2006, 2,117 refugees applied for asylum in Hungary, most from Vietnam, Serbia and Montenegro and China. Of those, only 99 were accepted by Hungarian authorities and another 99 were allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds.

Open-minded children