The most recent cases of violence
against Roma carried out by both non-state individuals and the police forces are
clear signs of an organized anti-Roma action in Italy.
On May 11th the Roma camp
in Via Novara in Milan was set on fire by extremist groups throwing Molotov
cocktails.
On May 13th anti-Roma
riots exploded in the Ponticelli area in Naples and several hundred Roma were
forced to flee their camps because of the violent attacks from angry local
Italian citizens. These attacks were provoked by the alleged attempt of a Romani
girl to kidnap a six-month old baby from its Italian
parents.
On May 12th and
13th there were large scale arbitrary arrests of more than 400 Roma
in Florence. The individuals were subsiquently registered and fingerprinted in
obvious preparation for deportation.
These and other events in different
regions of Italy last week are the result of long standing tensions between
local Italians and the Roma people. Tensions are fueled in part by anti-Roma
staements made by high level politicians and state representatives. Italian
decision makers and right wing extremist are trying to justify their anti-Roma
attitude transforming an individual case into collective
responsibility.
ERIO calls on the Italian government
to take urgent action to stop anti-Roma attacks and to ensure the security and
protection of Roma communities.
Mr. Ivan Ivanov, executive director
of ERIO, invites “the Italian police authorities to investigate and take legal
action against those responsible for the violent attacks against
Roma”.
The Roma community in Italy is
predominantly made up of European citizens. They should enjoy the same rights
and protection against discrimination as other European citizens residing in
Italy.
While designing its immigration
regulations, Italian government has to ensure that this legislation is in
conformity with: the European Directive 2004/38, the Race Equality Directive
2000/43 EC, the soon to be adopted EU Migration Package and other European human
rights documents to which Italy has subscribed. Mr. Ivanov added that “the
immigration package which is under elaboration in Italy should not lead to
discrimination because the measures taken so far have disproportionate impact on
Roma”.
Italian government has to urgently
adopt policies for the smooth integration of Roma communities and ensure for
them equal access to education, employment, housing, health care and public
services. In order to do this, Italy shall use the European funds provided for
Roma integration.
European Roma Information Office
also asks the European Commission to ensure that the principle of equal
treatment is strictly followed by each Member State, to adopt a horizontal
approach concerning Roma’s situation in Europe and to propose as soon as
possible a specific European Roma policy.
“Europe has to tackle anti-Gypsysm
and discrimination in different policy fields – said Mr. Ivanov – including
measures for Roma’s integration, to establish effective monitoring in order to
ensure full implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation at national
level, and to guarantee the respect of human rights and equal treatment of Roma
in accordance with the European legislation and basic
principles”.
On the other hand, ERIO welcomes
today's initiative of the European Parliament to debate on the situation of Roma
in Italy and in other EU countries.
ERIO asks MEPs to find concrete
proposals for the solution of the crises. ERIO also suggests seting up meetings
with representatives of the Italian Parliament to discuss possible legislative
measures concerning the living conditions of Roma.
For more information, please
contact:
MAIL: office@erionet.org
TEL: +32(0)27333462