Written By Virgil Bitu
LACHO ROMANO GES!
O Del te del amen zor thai gogi!
God may give us strenght and wisdom!
Today we celebrate 50 years from the First World Roma Congress, which was the milestone in the process of our identification and recognition as a nation. Than we, Roma, Gypsies, Sinties, Travelers adopted our flag, anthem and 8th of April was declared Roma Nation Day. Why I say Roma Nation Day and not Roma Day or Roma International Day, is because is the only time of the year when we come together and we celebrate as a nation, no matter how we call ourselves: Roma, Gypsy, Tsigan,Traveler, Sinti, Ashkalie…. We should keep the same attitude and feelings even during the rest of the year, without paying to much attention to the language and cultural differences, which make us more beautiful.
There are voices even among us which say that all these things are made up, but I’m telling you that all nations in the world have been made up at a certain time. On the other hand, we have a lot of Hate and ultra nationalism coming from outside of our community, to accept any “Roma/Gypsy/Sinti Natzi” attitude. I live in a rented flat, I jave two jobs, I have a safe situation, I am so called “integrated Roma” but I cannot stay aside and watch my brothers and sisters to see what is going to happen to them.
Another reason that we should always stick together is that we face the same hate crime – Antigypsyism and in case the far-right movements will come after us, they will not make any investigation on what group you belong… we are in the same shit!
My friend, who is here with us told me once that we are a strong nation, because we survived a very rough fate. No doubt about that, but I don’t want my children and grandchildren to struggle to survive. I wish them to have a normal life, to have equal citisen’s rights, to be perceived like other human beings and to not know the meaning of the term Antigypsyism.
Speaking about Antigypsyism, not many things have been changed in the las 50 years: the Antigypsyism remain the ultimate hate crime. In cases of Racism, Antisemitism, Islamophbia, Misoginism, Homophobia the societies, political class media react straight away, but not in cases of Antigypsyism.
Is hard for me to accept that British society is tolerating Antigypsyism at such a high level. The same society which invented the modern democracy. The same society which fought so hard against racism. The same society which invested a lot and lost many lives in fight against Natzi regimes.
There are 5 MP’s who pose as fighters against discrimination of Uhigur Minority in China, but they ignore the similar attitudes on British soil.
There are many people who condemn the Casts social system in India and the treatment the Dalit ethnic group face in the Indian society , but they don’t see that GRT face the same treatment in the British society, being considered as a lower cast. They condemn far right groups attacks on Roma communities and individuals across Europe, but they ignore the attacks on GRT in the UK and I’m referring to the arsoned and vandalised caravans ant trailers.
The most dangerous Antigypsy attitudes are those coming from governments and politicians. Most recently Labour Party used for Orford local elections, electoral campaign leaflets mentioning at the seventh point “Dealing with traveller incursions”, same Labour Party which accused its leader of Antisemitism, but this time is only about Antigypsyism.
Later they withdraw the leaflets and there were apologises, thigs that didn’t happented in 2019 at the general elections campaign when Michael Gove of Conservative Party had at number 5: “Dealing with anti-social behaviour, theft and burglary and illegal traveller incursions.” This time the Antigypsy attitude was more obvious by associating traveller incursion, with ASB and crimes but nobody said anything not even the opposition parties… because is only Antigypsyism.
The Conservative Party’s Antigypsyism peaked with the Crime and Policing Bill which criminalise travelling communities just because they exist. This bill will enable Police to arrest and fine travellers, to seize properties and even risk that their children to be taken into Child Protection Services custody.
The government is responsible to ensure equal access to public services. How the Conservative government ensure GRT access to housing, What are the opportunities they are offering us?… imprisonment?!
The institutionalised discrimination is only widening the gap between the marginalised groups and the mainstream society and the situation is only getting worse for everybody.
How will a Racist legislation affect the British society? The fascist will feel entitled to act on free will and the GRT are the most vulnerable in front of these far right movements. Dening ou rights and not giving us the chance of self representation is like giving a message to racist “Is forbiden to harm any group no matter of their race, colour, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation, but if you cannot hold yourself you could do it with Gypsies, because we are not going to stand by them and there is nobody to stand by them!”
This bill is a call for Gypsies hunt season!
But no matter how much you want to harm us, we will thrive through this, too. We’ve been here for hundreds of years and we will be forever!… and take a note… we are the biggest minority and the fastest growing population in Europe!
This game of oppressing and surviving is not good for anybody!
WE DEMAND TO PUT THE ANTIGYPSYISM ON THE POLITICAL AND PUBLIC AGENDAS!
Te aven Baxtale Romalen!
OPRE ROMA!…. Na mai so!