Newport's shame - Travellers' Times

1402_TT33_V3 1/10/07 13:14 Page 1
Autumn 2007
PICTURETHIS
RIGHTS& ADVICE
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
EUROPE& THEWORLD
Czech
Mate
Recent court judgements reveal just
Jake
Bowers
how deep discrimination is towards the
Roma community of eastern Europe.
If you had to live in conditions like that,
you’d move west too, argues Jake Bowers.
This autumn was a good
one for the Czech Roma
community, but it stank
for its government. In
October, Roma Woman Elena
Gorolova won $260,000
compensation for being
sterilized against her will, leaving the way clear
for hundreds of other Roma women, deprived of
their basic right to have children, to do likewise.
Their musical
skills put ours
to shame
PHOTO: Elisabeth Blanchett
Just one month later, 16 bright and courageous
Roma kids from the same town of Ostrava also
celebrated, after their legal battle resulted in the
Czech government being condemned for
routinely sending Roma kids to special schools
for the mentally handicapped. Eastern Europe
is beginning to wake up to its shame, and its
judges are voting for change. But its Gypsies
with their shiny new EU passports have waited
long enough. They are voting with their feet.
From Gravesend to Glasgow they are arriving in
their thousands. Their arrival is a challenge to
all of Britain, but to Gypsies and Travellers too.
Let’s face it, 500 years apart has made us very
different. They are generally darker than we are,
more urban than most of us and do and say
things we can’t understand. We share words, a
culture and a history, but like very distant cousins
that pass each other at a funeral we look at
each other with interest and not a little suspicion.
“They ain’t proper needies!” I’ve heard people
say and I know they are thinking the same
about us. But why should we allow the years,
the miles and the borders to put a wedge
between us? Haven’t we all known what it’s like
to live in a land that doesn’t want you, your
kids or your culture? So next time you see a
Roma regard them as a cousin and tell them
who you are. Every British Gypsy or Traveller I
know that has done so has enjoyed what’s
come from it. Viewing the differences between
us as a threat makes us no better than the
gorgias that forcibly settled, sterilized and
segregated them in the first place.
But there’s a better reason for getting to know
them too. Many Roma from Eastern Europe
might not know one end of a horse from
another or how to be their own boss, but their
Romani language and musical skills put ours to
shame. We both have a lot to give and receive.
Given what they’ve come from, they are
probably here to stay. Seeing as what’s ours is
now theirs, shouldn’t what’s theirs be ours too?
You may also like to note that I am asking the
Government the following question: Whether,
considering the judgement of the European Court
of Human Rights in the case of AH and others v
Czech Republic concerning access by Roma
children to the ordinary state educational system,
they will review their policies so as to get more
Gypsies and Travellers into secondary education.
As you will appreciate, the case of AH and
Others turned on the inferior treatment of Roma
children in the Czech schools, and lawyers I
have consulted tell me its possible that it may
have implications for the poor educational
outcomes of our own Gypsy and Traveller children.
Unique survey
Almost 600 of you completed your
questionnaire in TT’s unique
survey of contemporary Gypsy
and Traveller life.
TT will bring you the results (and your
comments) in the Spring issue.
Meanwhile congratulations to John Rowntree from
Middlesex who wins £100 for being first out of the hat – and
thanks to Lord Avebury for selecting our winner.
SITE WARDEN
WANTED
Required. Family or
Warden wanted to run
a site in Devon. Free
rent plus free use of
site electric and water
etc. Just got passed
with full licence.
CONTACT ALF ON:
✆ 07879
065702
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