Demeter

I finished reading your segment on education. I thought is was very well research and insightful. I guess if the Roma had started trying to go to school a few decades ago, maybe by now people wouldn’t react so outrageously towards them. It is a shame but they have to keep persisting so that one day…

Hi,
Listen, the eviction and bulldozing of the Roma’s shacks occurs because these structures were built illegally, without permits and possibly on land not zoned for residential purposes.
As for their sorry, third-world existence, the issue is very complicated.
How can they expect any kind of assistance from the Greek government when they also disobey the law by keeping their kids away from school (even if they are dirty, who cares)? I’m not saying they deserve to live like this but their actions (such as denying the kids a chance to go to school and integrate with the rest of Greek society) really inhibit the integration of their group.
So, instead of looking at one side of the issue, why not examine the deeper issues hindering their integration? True, there is discrimination but that is based on the Roma’s tendency throughout the ages to distance themselves from the majority population…not that that condones discrimination but it is a reasonable explanation. If one Roma member desires to flee their community, they should be given a hand, but they cannot have everything (i.e. not sending kids to school, not paying property and other taxes AND receiving government assistance).

Lavrentia, Thanks for updating us about your film. I am disgusted that no one here seems to be interested in screening it. Does anyone here have any contacts with any TV stations? It is so important that this film is seen by ordinary people and not just documentary festival visitors.

Hi Panayote, DD, and everyone else. I haven’t checked your blog in a while and now that I am back in the states I’ve lost touch with what’s been going on there–it’s so depressing to see that this just goes on and on and on, that Panayote and so many others are working so hard and no one is even listening, the former mayor doesn’t even respond! We haven’t been able to convince ERT to show our film, Garlic and Watermelons, about the Marousi Roma, and not for lack of trying. I’m happy to report, however that at least some people in other parts of the world seem to care a bit, for whatever it’s worth–the film will be playing in Istanbul, Toronto, and Glasgow this fall.

Mel

Ah, ok.  Not that another eviction is any better.  Still, it just seems the government could be more proactive with the whole situation and make things better for everyone, instead of just pushing it away.  I know the Greek government has a lot of crap it has to fix, but when you are talking about human lives, some things should be more important than others.  If they can find the budget to hire more police to do inane crap that isn’t really needed, then they can find the budget to improve the Roma situation.

Welcome to my blog, Tom Odley and thank  you for taking the time to comment. I would really appreciate more of your insight into the issues.

So this camp you just visited was just evicted???  Or another one?Really, if it is an issue to the "powers that be" that these people are essentially "trash" (I’d say I can’t believe they use the term "cleaning operation" but I’ve seen too many things in my life not to believe it anymore) then why don’t they put some money into getting them real housing in real areas with water and electricity and making sure the kids get educated and so on?  The state has the ability to fix the "problem", but they seem to think it is easier to ignore it.  It is really, really sad.

Greece, "the home of democrasy", are they kidding?
So much for the (supposed) requirement of Member States to confirm to European standards of Human Rights for ALL citizens: if Greece is allowed to remain as a Member State of the European Union, with its appalling record of treatment of the Romany/Gypsy people there, then Humanity is lost, not merely in the European Union, but throughout the civilized (Democratic?), world.
Where is the Church hiding in Greece, a supposedly staunch Christian country?
When The ‘Master’ said; "And suffer the little children to come unto me!", did He qualify His command by adding; "Lest they be Gypsy!"?
 
Tom Odley, (Romanichal)
Press/Media Officer, World Gypsy Union
………………………….
 
 

Phoevos Hi old friend!DD has written about the 500+ missing Albanian Roma street chidren, and I am not sure about the education case.But the recent crisis in Asproprygos where the racists sent the Roma kids they could not prevent from registering to a ghetto school is telling.

SeaWitch The word is used when they claim they only remove garbage left behind but in reality they remove human beings. See the relevant report at:

I find even the words they use to displace the Roma disgusting…"cleaning operation"???? Roma aren’t garbage to be cleaned. They are humans in case the municipalities need reminding. Greece blew 16 billion on the Olympics and yet there’s no money for decent housing and amenities for the Roma?

You write: "The racism against the entire Roma community is extreme and relentless but the people in Votanikos have the additional layer of prejudice because they are Albanian not Greek."
One cannot stress the above too much: it is already too difficult for immigrants from a number of nationalities to find any accommodation in friendly Greece — and this difficulty virtually turns into a virtual impossibility in the case of Roma people (both of Greek and non-Greek citizenship).
(Hello, Panayote.)
DD, Keep up with telling the world on what is going on with groups of Roma in Greece, I mean the issue of education is also a very thorny one; for instance with ethnic Greek parents being loath to having their children co-existing with Roma children in a classroom and acting accordingly.

Thank you Panayote for the further information. I thought I had made it clear that the "cleaning operations" were NOT for clearing rubbish but the Roma. However, you have clarified that point for everyone. Thank you.