SM 629 European policies and practice towards the Roma

Week 7

Czech Republic

6th April 2005, Laura Laubeova

laubeova@fsv.cuni.cz

www.tolerance.cz/roma.htm

Unit structure• Resources and links• Historical background• ECRI report 2004• Education (covered in Unit 4, slides 8 -19)• Readings: Will Guy-in detail, Zoltan Barany,

Will Kymlicka (Pavel Barsa)• Field research Information - Lucie• Optional: Migration from CZ + Migration into

CZ (from Slovakia) details at http://www.tolerance.cz/courses/monnet/summer%202005/Unit7migration.ppt

more in Unit 9

Some Resources and LinksBratinka Report (1997) http://www.vlada.czConcept of Roma integration (2002) dtto

Compliance with Principles set forth in the FCNM according to Article 25, Paragraph 1 of this Convention, http://www.vlada.cz

WB, UNDP - see links in Unit 3

Czech Radio http://www.romove.czRomea http://www.romea.cz/

Gabal, Ivan (2000) www.gac.czCzech Helsinki Committee (2002) www.helcom.czIOM report on Slovak Roma migration to CZ (Nov. 2003)

http://www.iom.czLee, Ronald (2000) optional reading for week 9

Maria Theresa and Joseph II. (1760-1784) assimilation, sedentarisation

1927 Act on Nomadic Gypsies (identity cards)Nazi holocaust (200 000 –1.5 m. died)After WW II: Slovak Roma brought to Sudetenland1958 Act on settlement of nomadic persons (repealed

in CZ in 97)1965 policy of dispersion and displacement1968 Association of Gypsies/Roma in CS 1978 Charta 77 document1989 recognised as national minority

History

After 1989

1993 Citizenship Law (de facto discrimination), put most Roma in position of aliens

1997 Emigration to Canada, UK → Bratinka report (www.vlada.cz)

1998 UN CERD Concluding observations on CR, "de facto” segregation in edu (article 5 ICERD)

1999 Concept of Romani integration - adopted in 2000 2001 UK Immigration officers in Prague Airport

(CHC Statement 29 Aug. 01), House of Lords Dec 20042002 "Conception on Romani Integration", no quota but

equalising measures 2003 Denial by pres. Klaus, BBC Hardtalk

“Exodus” to Canada

1996: 150 Czech Romani claimants

6 Aug. 1997: TV documentary

6 Aug.– 8 Oct. 97: 1500 claimants/ “Invasion” , i.e. 6% of all refugee claimants in 97

Re-introduction of visa requirement

Migration to UK and other EU countries

Bratinka report and Concept of Romani Integration

ECRI 3rd Report on the Czech Republic8 June 2004

Part II Specific Issues:Situation of Roma at the local level

`ECRI expresses deep concern at the deplorable situation of Roma at the local level. Roma communities continue to suffer from accumulation of social and economic disadvantage, aggravated by changing economic conditions, discrimination and a lack of willingness by local officials and communities to adopt the necessary measures to improve the situation.`

ECRI Report on CZ cont.

`ECRI deeply regrets that the majority of local authorities seem not to be motivated to take actions to improve the situation of Roma as such actions are reportedly not popular with local communities and can be politically costly`

`ECRI expresses its concern over a new trend to maintain the system of segregated education in a new form – this involves special classes in mainstream schools.`

http://www.coe.int/T/E/human_rights/Ecri/1-ECRI/2-Country-by-country_approach/Czech_Republic/Czech_Republic_CBC_3.asp#TopOfPage

What next?

Decade of Romani Inclusion in CZ- pessimism

WB +UNDP Reports: chapters on CZ

Revision of the Concept of Romani Integration in CZ 2004

International Romani Day 8th April

READINGSRoma in CEE, CZ

•Will Guy (ed), Between Past and Future: the Roma of Central and Eastern Europe (2001)

•Zoltan Barany, The East European Gypsies. Regime Change, Marginality, and Ethnopolitics (2002)•Will Kymlicka, Can Liberal Pluralism be Exported? (2001), mainly article by Pavel Barsa: `Ethnocultural Justice in East European States and the Case of the Czech Roma`, pp. 243-258

Will Guy: The Czech lands and Slovakia: another false dawn?

• Pre- communist policy differences (nomadism vs. sedentarisation, WW 2, etc)

• Communism

• 1989 – 1997

• 1997 – present

• Fulfilment of the Charter 77 prophecy

Communism• Enforced + voluntary relocation to Sudetenlands from

Slovak shanty-town settlements (after removal of Germans 1945)

• Large scale employment (low status jobs), decayed urban areas

• 1958 policy of integration (USSR model), population dispersal, law on settlement of nomads

• 1965 policy on transfer (from Sk) + dispersal • 68 federalisation; Association of Gypsies-Roma (73)• 1978 Charter 77 Information on situation of Gypsies-

Roma quotation p. 292 + „prophecy“ p. 293

Charter 77 Document 23 about the situation of Gypsies-Roma in CS

• Denial of national minority status to R. „was dictated by the desire of the ruling powers to reduce the size of the minority problem“

• Criticism of sterilisation, housing + educational segregation, use of 58 law – branded as „racist repression“

• Challenged the government claim to have integrated Roma into labour force (perpetuating disadvantaged position)

• Warning about vulnerability of Romani workers when economy modernises p.293

1989-97

• ROI (Romani Civic Initiative) a part of OF (Civic Forum)• Roma gained status as a national minority, Romani MPs• Bogardus scale of social distance – high hostility• Beauty Queen racist utterance (Stewart 1997)• Racist attacks (1995 longer sentences, racism in police force)• Unemployment (70 % vs. national 5%- Bratinka 97); stereotype of

self-chosen unemployment• Criminality (20% vs. national 3%) – criminalisation, abused by

Republicans (Sládek)• Citizenship law 93, 96, 2000; led to 97 exodus• Housing ghettoisation (barren flats), educational segregation

1997 - present

• 97 Bratinka report on situation of R. community in CZ Resolution # 686 (Romani district advisors, RTA)

• Inter-departmental commission for Romani affairs• 98 Social Democrats in government• Framework Convention• April 99 Draft Concept of Romani integration, approved

in June 2000• „Conflict-free co-existence of the R. community with the

remainder of society“• Safety, non-discrimination, improving social sit

(employment, housing, health)• Equalising measures, no quota

Future visions

• Fulfilling the grim Charter 77 prophecy?• EU entry impact• Double standards cf. Canada vs. UK asylum

claimants success rate• IRU stabilisation policies• Prevent mass unemployment + dependency on

social support• Prejudice, racism, hostility, discrimination, social

situation (edu., empl., housing, health…)

AQCIs

send to Ilona Klimova-Alexander at iklimova@hotmail.com, cc to ik217@cam.ac.uk to assure against delivery failure