The Marriage in Sibiu - Municipal Hard-liners - The Opinion of the Dženo Association: The Approach to Romani Citizens in the Town of Slaný - The Experiment of the Engineer of Human Souls in Slaný - Roma from Karlín Have Not Swimmed Away - The Conception of Romani Integration – A Different Reading...

Overleaf the cover
“We are On the Verge of Humanitarian Disaster.“
…claims the mayor of the town of Ústí nad Labem, Petr Gandalovič.
In the attempt to resolve their problems and remove their responsibility for socially weaker inhabitants - the Roma in particular - Czech municipalities edge them out from rented flats to dormitories. This model has been even refined by the towns of Ústí, Louny, Ostrava and many others, where the „unwanted“ are being sent to dormitories run by private managers in rented buildings that belong to folded state companies. The example of the entrepreneur Jiří Krupička who runs several of these illustrates the risks connected with this way of dealing with the unwelcome co-citizens.
The dormitory run on the basis of commercial profit soon proves not to be the expected money spinner, despite the accommodation fees that are often much higher than the usual rent. The business based on short-term speculation folds as soon as the first problem with maintenance and the need to invest appears. Ten months ago, the entrepreneur has stopped to pay the rent to the owner of the building. The situation is the same in Louny as well as in Ústí where he had rented another three dormitories, which gives ground to the suspicion of intentional fraudulent action.
Private dormitory managers are not compelled by law to provide makeshift accommodation. The planning department has ruled the dormitory in Louny to be in state of disrepair - by November 1, 200 people will become homeless; similar development is expected in Ústí. The mayor of the town of Ústí announces: “They have to take care of themselves.”
The notion of human solidarity, having survived the dark middle ages and enabling the poor still in the 20th century to find shelter in municipal almshouses or at least beneath the awning of a travellers’ caravan will not, most probably, make it through the 21st century. We got used to pass the buck of duties as well as responsibilities to the state that however has neither the power nor the will to take care about its citizens. The solutions offered by the state (accommodation centers, children‘s homes, N-centers) resemble too close ghettoes, jails, work centers or concentration camps. The only thing the state will stick to is control, possibility of manipulation and coercion. It seems that in return for relative freedom of travellers‘ camps the Roma will end up with nothing but the necessity to submit to the policy exercised by the majority, the one that is manipulative and genocidal at its root.
By Pavel Kaliáš

Overleaf the cover
The Association of Romani Businessmen and Private Entrepreneurs in CR and The Romani Employment Agency announce the results of their survey on the most successful people and projects in the field of business and employment support.

Page 1
Section: Their Way of Looking at Us
Guess Who´s Not Comming to Dinner
Paraphrasing the title of the movie with the famous Sidney Poitier on the possibility to overcome racial prejudice, the editor of the RESPEKT magazine, a Prague weekly, comments on the situation of the Roma in the CR. According to him, the Czech Roma are the exclusive victims of the post-1989 political and economic changes. Quoting recent analysis by World Bank he points out that the Roma in the former socialism camp live in critical, historically unprecedented conditions. He claims that Czech politicians underestimate the risks of future development and he draws the analogy with the change of the situation of the American „colored“ minority brought about by racial disorders and intensive pressure from below. The author criticizes the Czech Roma for enduring their difficult situation too meekly and not pushing for their rights more vigorously. He anticipates culmination of the situation in accordance with the expected growth of the percentage of Roma in the Czech population.
By Marek Švehla

Page 2
Section: Commentary
A chance for justice
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Section: Commentary
Meeting in Velke Karlovice
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Page 3 – 4
Section: Regional News
“Crazy” Pardubice
The statutory town of Pardubice is trying to deprive the Roma living in municipal apartments of their lease in an illegal way. The municipality has decided to turn the block of rented flats in which 19 Romani families live into a dormitory and forces the tenants to renounce their decrees without a legal consent and to sign accommodation contracts. The offered contracts dramatically worsen the accommodation (limiting accommodation rules), elevate the cost of living (high accommodation fee, fee for every usage of common facilities), and removes from the tenants legal housing protection – the municipality can move them out with an almost arbitrary excuse. It is true that most of the tenants have high arrears on rent because of difficult social situation and unemployment. However, since all of them receive social security benefits, the municipality could have used the legal institute of “alternative recipient“ and to deduct the rent right from their social benefits. In their slackness the municipal officers made it possible for the Romani families to run into such huge debts they can possibly never pay back. It is also probable that this was done with the intent to edge out from the house as well as from the city as many Roma as possible. We will keep our readers informed on the issue as well as on the situation in other towns where similar development is a current reality or expected.
By Hana Kožuriková

Page 5
Section: Current Affairs
The Opinion of the Dženo Association: The Approach to Romani Citizens in the Town of Slaný
The Dženo Association is outraged by the conduct of the town of Slaný that has moved out of their flats several Romani families without compensation and is determined to continue with further actions. Such conduct is illegal; the municipality has deprived the families of their flat decrees, taking advantage of their predicament and ignorance, and is edging them out without otherwise compulsory judicial proceedings. We appeal to the general public as well as to all competent institutions to bare in mind that such license and open disrespect of the rule of law and common norms of decency the local authorities have demonstrated is a threat not only to the Romani minority and other groups of citizens but also to the whole society, state legal norms and democracy.
By Ivan Veselý

Page 5
Section: Current Affairs
Whom Can I Believe?
Ladislav Body, Romani advisor at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, is suspected of corruption – he was supposedly bribed by Romani organizations to win preference for their projects in grant applications. Public media, including the Czech TV 1 marked the case, currently in judicial proceedings. We would like to know why Mr. Body remains silent vis-a-vis such accusations – he should defend himself, try to explain the whole affair, or else, resign from his office. It is impossible to pretend nothing is happening. We appeal to Mr. Body to act. What do you say, Mr. Body?
By Pavel Kaliáš

Page 6
Section: Current Affairs
Legal Opinion on the Question of Lease Contracts of Mr. and Mrs. Ondřej Horváth
One of Czech eminent lawyers, the chairman of the Association for the Protection of Tenants and a current parliamentarian has conducted, upon our request, a legal analysis proving that the town of Slaný has breached the law when it abused the predicament and ignorance of Romani tenants to deprive them of their lease and impose upon them obviously unfavorable contracts. Mr. Křeček proves that the tenants have opportunity to defend themselves effectively and claim reinstallation.
By JUDr. Stanislav Křeček

Page 7
Section: Commentary
The Experiment of the Engineer of Human Souls in Slaný
Mr. Ivo Roubík, the mayor of the town of Slaný is a strange figure. Unshakable in his truth about “zero-toleration“ he resembles a governor from the Old South, as if his background was one of large slaveholder’s estates and not the rather tolerant Czech environment. He is one of the CDP (Civic Democratic Party) members who used to watch movies about the righteous sheriff to thaw after May parades in their pimply socialistic youth. This admirer of simple truths: “You may live in house if you pay, we are not obliged to help you“, runs counter to the two hundred years old tradition of social development in our country, attacking on his way one of the basic ideas of European civilization - the principle of human solidarity. One should mark the proclamation by Mr. Roubík and his colleagues stating that their office will neither deal with futile banalities handed down on them by the “state“ nor with such affairs that the office itself does not judge as appropriate.
Even though the institution of democratic state is fallible and sometimes rather too bureaucratic, it still keeps its mechanisms of control and that is why I prefer it to the government of Southern autocrats who treat all problems with simple solutions, such as the zero-toleration one.
There are projects in the town of Slaný that the public has no clue about; in silence, preparations are taking place to force them through. On August 7, 2003, the town of Slaný, represented by the department of property management asked the department of Environment to assess the N-Center project (Řísuty Parc, no. 2093). The project includes the erection of a set of twenty accommodation containers and two sanitary ones. Each of these accommodation containers is supposed to house two people. Two of the containers are reserved for a police patrol and a lagerführer – excuse me, the complex manager. The whole housing facility should cost 8.9 millions Czech Crowns – all this in the time when the mayor complains about the lack of finance. It seems that there is in the society in general a much serious lack of the effort to anticipate the serious and long-term consequences such segregation of a certain group of citizens in ghettoes. This is not a way to solve the problems. Those countries that would like to get rid of ghettoes because they already have them in place for centuries as well as the problems connected with them could tell us.
By Luboš Vydra

Page 8
Section: Regional News
Where is The Final Station in Písek?
A detailed description of the long-term process of marginalization of originally integrated Romani community in the town of Písek, which the author had the possibility to observe as it, marked the fate of several dozens of Romani families. Her detailed knowledge of the subject is based on her carrier as a lawyer and a social worker, as well as the employee of the department for citizens‘ complaints of the Office of the former President of CR, Václav Havel. She concludes her article with the thought on poverty that becomes, paradoxically, the most expensive life-style. The poor stand defenseless against everybody who decides to abuse their socially weak position. These include property owners, usurers, and traders, including those who sell charity. In the case of housing, the poor have no possibility to defend themselves legally as well as economically against the ever-rising demands of the owners or managers of housing compounds. Whole libraries are filled with literature on the trap of poverty and social exclusion into which they and their prodigy irretrievably fall. The public representatives who decide on their fate however do not read such books. Nor do they read international documents on human rights, such as the Revised Social Charter that guarantees the right to proper housing conditions. So far they also resist to accommodate one of the most constructive ideas of the unified Europe that has finally agreed, having learned from bitter experience, on the necessity to prevent social exclusion of the poor, marking it out as unacceptable. The more so if the poor belong predominantly to one minority.
And what about the representatives of the town of Písek? It seems they have their peculiar reading of the famous historical tradition of their town. They may deem it compels them to care for property and privileged citizens. They may interpret it as a tradition of pushing unacceptable citizens behind the city walls. Where do the poor have their final station? During summer, one little human being from the farm in Pulchartice has found his own final solution. The kid drowned in a near-by pond.
By Jana Chalupová

Page 9
Section: Regional News
The Marriage in Sibiu
Pointing at Romani traditions, the author, a Romani studies professional, discusses the stand European authorities as well as the majority of public has taken in reaction to the debated marriage of the 12-years‘ old “Romani princess“ in Romanian town of Sibiu. In Romania, there is about 1.5 million Roma. Soma groups have been assimilated linguistically as well as culturally, others like the Calderara uphold their traditions and common law. The latter can be seen as the bearers of Romani identity with the potential to play a positive role in a situation where the dissolution of traditional Romani society brings problems insolvable for the state. The Calderara have great respect in the Romani world and European states should bare in mind that it is a mistake to disintegrate them and other similar groups if they take multiculturalism seriously. Article 3 of the Copenhagen Agreement obliges the member states of OSCE to take measures to “protect ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identities of the national minorities living on their territory; and create conditions for the promotion of these identities.“ Until Europe accepts real respect for difference which includes not only good will but also good knowledge of oneself and “the others“, multiculturalism will remain an empty word that everybody uses without leaving their conviction that they are to set the norms of the right life-style.
By Zbyněk Andrš

Page 10
Section: Regional News
Municipal Hard-liners
A list of municipalities in the CR who implement segregational policy in their approach to the Roma. Some proclaim it openly – for example the town of Slaný with its “Zero-Tolerance Program“, some proceed with it more covertly and, nonetheless, more effectively.
By Pavel Kaliáš

Page 11
Section: By Our Neighbors
East-European Roma and the asylum policy
A description of the current British policy applied in its approach towards Romani asylum-seekers.
By Martina Kalinová

Page 12
Section: Culture
A Festival in Liberec
Dušan Kotlár, the organizer of the festival has stepped out from the tradition of regional Romani festivals in his attempt to enlarge its cultural scope. Singers, instrumentalist, and dancers were thus accompanied by an exhibition of plastic arts and photographs, and a sports show such as fencing
By Pavel Veselý

Page 13
Section: Report
Roma from Karlín Have Not Swimmed Away
An event for the support of Romani inhabitants of the Prague quarter of Karlín, most severely hit by the last year’s floods. Participants included Romani as well as Czech interpreters. The report points out the event was organized as protest against the attempts to edge the Roma out from the quarter.
By Jana Chalupová

Page 14
Section: Report
They Took from the Rich, Gave to the Poor and Made People Happy
What looks as vandalism at the first sight might be based on noble motives and can be understood as a common child’s reaction against injustice.
By Hana Kožuriková

Page 15
Section: Dialog
Fieldwork versus comfort
Regional Romani coordinator from Ústí nad Labem, with a degree in ethnology, evaluates the difficult parts of his work. He concludes by saying: “Today I am more than competent to judge the advantages of field-work in contrast with the paper work behind a table. Filed work means you can live through non-communicable experiences – this does not mean only drug experiences. Roma often say: try to live at least one day in my skin!“
By Pavel Vaculík

Page 15
Section: Dialog
Bravo, Mr. President!
An appreciation of Mr. Milan Torák, the president of the Roma European Center Prague and his course on the preparation of Romani assistants and field-workers completed by the author.
By Hana Kožuriková

Page 16-17
Section: Commentary
Minority Act – Hopes are Buried
A critical analysis. The act on national minorities includes a general declaration of their right to co-decide, however in practice it leaves all decision-making competencies in the hands of the majority representatives. The means of appointment of minority representatives into legislative bodies actually inhibits the creation of authentic democratic representation based on verifiable mandate. On the contrary, it incites discord inside as well as among the minority groups, which makes the defense of national minorities‘ interests even more difficult. Mutual rivalry of their ambitious leader is used as an argument of those who oppose minority self-government pointing at their inability to do so. None of the Romani politicians and activists has participated in the legislative process and none does show any visible attempt to amend the Act. The reason is obvious: the fear of being obliges to win the real mandate in a democratic competition. The argument that democracy is in contrast with Romani traditions and that the laws of the gadje cannot be forced upon the Roma is a weak one. All human societies have passed through the stage of tribal organization, slavery, and feudalism. Democracy as well as the contemporary notion of nation is a relatively new phenomenon. It is indisputable that the current model of representational democracy can be easily manipulated and that the system of political parties is far from being the ideal and final solution to the problem of power of social organization. If the Roma want to see themselves as a nation, they must allow development and transformation of their social organization. Certain relics of tribal organization can however prove as an advantage if we want to avoid the repetition of mistakes and search for an objectively fair form of social organization.
By Jakub Polák

Page 17
Section: By Our Neighbors
Roma business in Slovakia
The chairman of the Slovak Romani Initiative criticizes ineffectively invested financial support from governmental as well as non-governmental resources reaching billions: “The only proper and effective solution is to get the Roma themselves to be actively involved in the process, to co-decide on and share the responsibility for the development of their community. We should not be mistaken and believe that our membership in the EU will miraculously solve all our problems, the less so in the case of the so-called Romani one.“
By Alexander Patkoľo

Page 18 – 20
Section: By Our Neighbors
Zero-Tolerance in New York City: America, our model
The dark side of the “zero-tolerance“ policy. Facts on the negative consequences of the policy of the former mayor of NYC, Mr. Guillani, so far rather unknown in ČR.
By Ondřej Slačálek

Page 20
Section: By Our Neighbors
Protest against Usurers
Slovak Roma escape from the oppression of usurer – a demonstration in front of the Slovak Government office.
By Ivan Vilček

Page 21
Section: Romany History
British Roma
Full version here 

Special edition
The Conception of Romani Integration – A Different Reading
A commentary to the basic version of the governmental conception of Romani integration. The author point out factual as well as logical discrepancies, especially the one that artificially divides the Roma into a small group of those nationally conscious and the rest of the others, the so-called “members of the community“ who are presumably not interested in the question of their identity. The conception festively declares the Roma have the right to emancipation, including its European dimension. This is however explained (see article 10) as “the search for and reinforcement of cultural identity“. The notion of emancipation – gaining of rights – is thus limited to the so-called cultural rights in a very narrowly defined scope (see the critical analysis of the Minority Act inside this number). “Integration based on the preservation of cultural heritage” is limited at its best by the contemporary legislative framework and predominant political will to the right to supported folklore. If the governmental policy remains to be based on the elementary theses as they are formulated in the basic version of the “Governmental conception of Romani integration”, even the most sincere efforts will not bring any visible positive results. Romani leader who would uncritically support such policy would have to face suspicion of subordinating their own interests to those of the majority of their community.
By Jakub Polák