Roma Support Network statement joining the International Women Strike tomorrow 8th of march

Friday March 07, 2003 22:00

by Chelo - Roma Support Network

Romani women suffer both because we are carers and women and suffer within the community, and because our belonging to our ethnic group and institutionalised racism elsewere. for this reason we are joining the women strike and joining the women anti war caravan to Shannon airport, the only protest in women's day called by women for women.

Trough out the centuries since we left india about 1000 years ago the romani people have been subjected to persecution ,racism and discrimination. Romani women suffer both because we are carers and women and suffer within the community, and because our belonging to our ethnic group and institutionalised racism elsewere.
During the Nazi dictatorship more than 600.000 romas were exterminated. Our people still have not received any compensation for such crimes to date. More money is spent everywhere in deportations then in seeking real justice . In recent times the policies of closed borders send many romani families back to places of danger and misery where policies of impunity fail to protect us and leave us specially vulnerable to attacks for example by Neo Nazi skin heads. This attacks are not considered important as they are ‘not state persecution ‘ and they occur inside ‘democratic countries.’HOwever the authorities of these countries simply turn a blind eye and let it all happen with impunity. Because of this many romas are left without possibility of asylum elsewhere. This was the case of Anita Dolinska who was a volonteer in Ireland for two years. All of her family were subjected to beatings by skinheads in Poland and despite this she was deported last year together with her two year old son. Once in Poland Anita was sick and immediately was offered to be sterilised, as it is medical procedure with gipsy women in many eastern European countries. Actually the family of Anita face also deportation after living among us for three years and having made lots of friends in Ireland. Their little girl Malena does not speak any polish but Roma English and Irish. This is only one of many cases. Our question as romani women is why are THEY deporting loving respected people back to places of danger AND MISERY and at the same time the borders of fortress Europe and neutral Ireland are open to planes carrying death and destruction for people in Irak, Afghanistan AND GOD KNOWS WHERE NEXT???Why dont they give us all the money that they are using for senseless destruction so we might live for once outside the margins of society with food for our children, a place to live, education, health....DIGNITY???
The following is one example of institutional racism in one the the european to be countries: "The Slovak maternal health system discriminates against Romani women in almost every respect," said Barbora Bukovská, Executive Director of Poradna pre obcianske a ludské práva. The Center for Reproductive Rights, a nonprofit, legal advocacy organization that promotes and defends the reproductive rights of women worldwide. ROMANI WOMEN are SUBJECTED TO FORCED STERILIZATION IN SLOVAKIA the NEW REPORT DOCUMENTS ASSAULTS, RACIAL SEGREGATION AND COERCED STERILIZATION IN EASTERN SLOVAKIA

In the roma community the often unending work of women for survival Is unseen and most political organizations (both, roma and non roma)fail to represent grassroot women all over.

Rape is used in many cases as a weapon of war and to evict families from their place of residence as it happened during ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
Actually the German government and others are deporting families back to Kosovo without ensuring safety for them. Romani people have been always vulnerable to war and are always the first of those to be deported AND BLAMED FOR CRISIS. Stop deportations. Open borders to people!!!!Give money to Women for education and development instead of using it for bombs, bombs cant be eaten!!!!!The journey of life must be travelled in freedom!!! Baxtale!!! Good luck and health. Romani Support Network