04.05.2011

Resolution of the European Roma Forum about Anti-Gypsism in Europe

TO THE 47 PRIME MINISTERS

OF THE COUNTRIES THAT MAKE UP THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

TO THE 47 FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTERS

OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

TO THE 47 AMBASSADORS

OF THE COUNTRIES THAT MAKE UP THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

During the last days we addressed, through unique and individual letters, to the leaders mentioned above and we delivered them the Resolution adopted by the members of the INTERNATIONAL ROMANI UNION, reunited in Strasbourg on the occasion of the last plenary meeting of the EUROPEAN ROMA AND TRAVELLERS FORUM. It expresses our concern about the rise of racism and gypsyism that extends throughout Europe, and it also contains an appeal to such high authorities, so that, to the extent of their respective European competences, as well as within their own states, they act diligently to prevent further perpetrations of what is beginning to seem a racist and exterminator movement which reminds us periods of genocide and holocaust not too remote in time.

The resolution approved in Strasbourg is the following:

RESOLUTION

Adopted on the 03/31/2011 at the IRU meeting of the delegates.

We, members of delegations meeting at IRU, represented by mr. Florin Cioaba IRU Vice President, we were assembled in 31/03/2011 at ERTF Plenary, and we have taken note with concern in Europe about the amplification of discrimination, racism and anti-gypsyism that acquire new values.

If until recently the phenomenon occurs mainly at the level of individual mental and behavioral being generated in particular patterns and prejudices of their institutionalization can be observed today in various ways. Also a number of officials, some senior high addresses with records opened a political speech discriminatory end anti-gypsy. These are: ministers, parliamentarians, mayors of large cities and even state presidents and heads of government. At the same time found that groups that promote racist and anti-Gypsy, have passed from the stage from the discourse of the shares becoming better organized and structured and therefore more powerful.

Very disturbing is that they accumulate a growing popular sympathy, evolution proven their electoral results obtained recently by the situation and their recent polls. This, plus the lenient attitude of public authorities encourages them becoming more active and aggressive, reached up to arson, murder and even attacks with bombs. Examples in this direction have been in countries like Italy, France, Czech Republic and Hungary.

These realities are concerned about the highest level and not just ethnic Roma, were highlighted by speeches from the plenary session at ERTF in 28.03.2011-01.04.2011.

Given these evolve, we ask the institutions of Europe, primarily the Europe Council, OSCE and European Commission, that they use and adopt more effective sanction measures and faster at the states, whose governments promote legislative acts are right in one way or another against Roma, and against those that have not adopted categorical policy against radical extremist groups.

We welcome the actions and measures to the Europe Council in this direction, initiated by present. But, we believe that under the current circumstances, it must, by necessity making and implementation of more vigorous measures, whose first results to appear in a short time. That is not too late to stop, because we do not want to relive the times of sad memory, marked by the tragic experience of the Holocaust.

We call this resolution signing it by the members and Roma organizations to agree to its terms and will be submitted to European Institutions which have competence in the field.

Florin Cioaba-IRU Vice President

Stefano Kuzhicov

Juan de Dios Ramírez-Heredia