A recent article about the Roma community at Votanikos from the national newspaper Eleftheros Typos (in Greek). It looks at the health and fire risks that arise from salvaging copper which involves burning cables. The community sells the copper to make some sort of livelihood. The dioxins emitted cause cancer and can have lasting harmful effects on the food chain in the region.
Eva Zimaraki, a member of a neighbourhood association against burning cables, said
We do not want repression. We are asking to find a solution to enable them to survive
One solution that is being suggested is a collaboration with recycling companies in order to secure a safe occupation for the community and a valuable resource for the city. However, as with all developments for the Roma, nothing has been achieved.
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Technorati Tags: roma, greece, votanikos, copper, recycling
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Eva Zimaraki is not from any Gypsy group but from a neighbors group (“association against the burning of cables” what a name)
Thank you for the correction, Panayote. I have changed that ! Indeed, who came up with such a name !
Do you know if the sentiment expressed by Eva Zimaraki (wanting to help the Roma as well as stop the toxic burning) genuine or is it a ploy to get rid of them from the area ?
Just wondering because many of these neighbourhood “concern” groups in England have ulterior motives but they say all the right things.
of course it is a ploy – in every Roma crisis you have one such neighbors group playing the “nice guy” including the parents association at the Psari Aspropyrgos school