Gypsies victims of racism
What a long history and sad fate have the Gypsies (Roma). Traditionally nomad people, they became sedentary during this last century but still get persecuted and violently prejudiced. During the Second World War, the Nazis perpetrated towards them a true genocide. Only a few survived the concentration camps.
After suffering a forced assimilation under the communist rule, today they are not welcome and are persecuted. Wherever they go, they are rejected.
Since 1997, Gypsies from Czech Republic and Slovakia had to immigrate to Canada, Great Britain, Belgium and France. At present they are in a desperate state in Kosovo, they don't benefit of any protection, have no rights. There is no more room for them.
One remembers the scandalous action taken by a mayor in Czech Republic who erected a 2-meter high wall to separate the Gypsies from the inhabitants of his village! The wall of shame.
More recently there has been an appalling raid by the Police in Belgium against Gypsy families who were sent to horrible centers of custody. Police went to schools to pick up children to be sure to have every body. Anti-racism demonstrators were dispersed by motor-pumps and in the mean time a Tupolev plane was taking off from a military airport to Slovakia with 74 Gypsies on board.
In France I meet them regularly. They arrived in the Paris area but they were expulsed from their place by any Town Hall administration whatever the political party they belonged to.
Fortress Europe strengthens its regulation against foreigners without protest of the public opinion. European citizens would be wrong if they were not feeling concerned by the repression against the Gypsies. They should not feel safe for themselves! If today the weaker category of citizens can be put to silence, tomorrow could be their turn.
