MARCH 1998

(The Comments in italics are made by the Greek Helsinki Monitor)

3/3/98: Nea

"Mr. M. Manoussakis: 30 questions"

While interviewed for the umpteenth time Mr. Manoussakis, director of the very popular Greek serial Whispers of the Heart, refers to the anonymous protagonists of his latest work - the Greek Roma. Mr. Manoussakis confesses that he is charmed by their sense of freedom, the different way in which they face everyday reality, as well as the unpredictability of their reactions. When asked to stipulate the moment when he was sure that he had gained the Roma trust and devotion to the serial, Mr. Manoussakis replied: "This happened as soon as the Roma saw our first episode and were convinced of our best intentions."

Positive remarks, offering an alternative view on the Roma, emphasizing the Roma’s difference but not in a discriminatory way.

4/3/98: Eleftheros Typos [P. Karsiotis].

"Soldiers caught on their way out of a Roma camp from where they had bought hashish"

Two soldiers serving in the Greek army were arrested for buying hashish. They claimed that they bought hashish for their personal use and not to sell it to other people. They also said that the mediator between the unknown dealer and the soldier who bought the hashish was a woman. The number of soldiers who are arrested on charges of hashish provision and use has increased radically. The report stresses that the Roma campers have also contributed to the aggravation of the situation. The police do not even dare think about armed raids on the Roma camps, especially after the public reactions against the bloody incidents which took place some time ago in the camp of Aspropyrgos. The same arguments have been used in articles about college students who were caught in Roma camps in search of drugs. These camps are more like "drug supermarkets." The Roma easily get cheap hashish, due to their connections with the Albanian Mafia. They make good profits from this business - millions of drachmas for the "bosses" who feel free to do whatever they please, because they know that the hands of the police are tightly tied.

4/3/98: Nea

(Related to the incident mentioned above)

The Zefyri Roma camp has been "functioning" for quite some time as a drug dealing center, as a "free zone" for drug provision. Here hashish is sold on an everyday basis by the Roma to all kinds of people who come from different parts of Athens in search of their dose in the very "rich market" of the area.

Very negative reports, presenting the Roma exclusively as drug dealers, labeling the whole Roma community on the basis of the crimes committed by some individuals and taking for granted the collective guilt of the whole ethnic group. All insinuations about the "tied hands" of the police offer a good implicit alibi to the latter, so that the public accepts as justified a possible police raid in the future.

5/3/98: Ethnos [Spiros Kountouris]

"A Roma Camp - a Hashish Supermarket"

People from all walks of life and age groups could be seen in the wider area of the Zefyri Roma camp in search of drugs. Even young minors are there in order to promote their "merchandise" to the various clients. Hashish of Albanian origin and at a good price is sold on an everyday basis, mainly in the late hours of the day, by 14-year-old kids. It is well known that the Zefyri Roma camp is a good market for rather cheap Albanian hashish. Eye witnesses claim that drug dealers behave in a very natural way, as if they were not selling anything illegal. On the contrary, they come out in the camp streets and promote their products with remarkable zeal, as any good merchant would do. The only effective solution to the problem would be constant police control, which will put an end to all that.

"District attorney’s investigation into drug dealing"

The Athens district attorney’s office has taken over the Zefyri case against the drug dealers who are sheltered in the wider area of the camp. The investigation began after the recent stories about drug dealing in the area, as well as about the soldiers who were arrested for drug use.

Negative reports, avoiding to get into further analysis of the deeper reasons which push the Roma to crime. The indirect parallelism with the Albanians - through allegations about Roma collaboration with the Albanian Mafia - does not help either, since Greeks share an aversion towards both groups.

5/3/98: Eleftherotypia [ K. Kyriakopoulos].

A report referring to the incident mentioned above. It emphasizes the extreme aggravation of the situation in the Greek army, in respect to soldiers and drug addiction. Nothing is mentioned about "Roma markets for drug dealing," nor about "Roma drug dealers with connections with the Albanian Mafia." The reporter, following the usual stance of the newspaper, is more reserved and avoids labeling and superficial stereotyping. He simply transfers information, instead of making generalized allegations and hasty conclusions.

5/3/98: Ethnos [D. Deliolanis]

"An Italian Roma father barbecued his 5-year-old daughter and ate her together with his other two kids"

The incident took place in Italy and the perpetrator is an Italian Roma of Yugoslavian origin. He is presented as a violent man who lives alone with his family and rejects coexistence with other Roma nomads.

A report which gives the impression of a neutral presentation of the incident. Still, the emphasis put on the fact that the perpetrator is a Roma is quite suggestive. The title speaks for itself.

6/3/98: Nea

The pupils of the third primary public school of Mandra sent an open letter to the newspaper after having worked on the everyday problems of the Roma community of Aspropyrgos for over three months. The letter quotes the Greek Constitution in its parts pertaining to human rights. This is coupled with a presentation of the everyday reality so that further comparisons and unbiased conclusions are made. "All these people live in poor shelters made of wood and tin cans. So many people live in one shelter. Rubbish and mud are everywhere. There is no running water, electricity and toilets. They do not like this kind of life. Some of the kids are sick. They are without shoes and clothes. Only two of them go to school…"

A very positive report which is full of sympathy. It puts an emphasis on the responsibilities of the Greek authorities to defend the human rights of the Roma.

8/3/98: Eleftherotypia [Stavroula Papaspyros].

Anna Lydakis, whose book about the Greek Roma was published recently, explains the motives which urged her to study the Roma way of living, their culture, traditions and everyday problems.

A very positive report, offering a pragmatic view on the Roma nomads in Greece.

The "Road of the music" is a musical collection of Roma melodies and songs which come from 17 different countries including Greece. The report recommends this particular collection as a means to approach the Roma culture and musical atmosphere.

A very positive report, promoting the principles of knowledge, respect, recognition and acceptance of different cultures, countries and civilizations.

9/3/98: Eleftherotypia [S. Balaskas]

A "Tin Can" Town in Greece of the Year 2,000

The Teneke Mahala area on the outskirts of the town of Komotini is characterized by the reporter as "shameful for present day Greece in all meanings of the word." For over 50 years, 3,000 Roma have been living under unbearable conditions in the area just a few meters away from the place where the weekly bazaar of the town takes place. The reporter strongly criticizes the Greek state organs and the Orthodox Church for not doing anything for the improvement of the living conditions there. The Roma community of Teneke Mahala has been used many times as a means for pressure either on the Turkish (Muslim) minority or on the rest of the population. (There is a constant competition between Turks and Greeks as for who will "gain" this Roma community on their side). Roma campers claim that money from the EU never comes to them, so they remain unwanted. They suffer from rejection and racism and are tired of listening to different promises and dreaming of a better life.

A very positive report, which puts an emphasis on the deep problems of the Roma. It openly criticizes the indifference of the local authorities and the exploitation of this particular community by both Turks and Greeks.

13/3/98: Nea [D. Skoufos].

From the streets - into school

A special school in the heart of Athens is voluntarily dedicated to all children working in the streets. These are children from Roma and Turkish-speaking Muslim families. This particular school functions thanks to the humanitarian motives of a social worker, Mrs. Lemou, and her team. They do volunteer work in order to help these children encounter their learning difficulties and go to school. Fighting rejection and social marginalization these children express their willingness to be just like all ordinary kids who go to school and have a "normal" life. This place functions as a means of socialization and a sort of shelter for these kids.

A very positive report. It stresses the right to education and the special needs of the Roma which are due to the specific living conditions of these children.

13 & 14/3/ 98: Ethnos

"Whispers of the heart in Evosmos"

The love affair between a 12-year-old Roma girl named Erietta and a poor Roma boy, which was followed by the refusal of the girl’s father to give his blessing to the marriage ended up in the courtroom. The poor Roma Romeo, desperately in love with his Juliet, decided to kidnap her from her father in order to marry her in secret. However, Erietta’s father discovered their shelter very soon and took his daughter away. Afterwards he forced the girl to get married to another rich Roma and pressed charges against the kidnapper.

Neutral reports, still presenting a very "human" aspect of the life of the Roma.

18/3/98: Ethnos [N. Athanassiou].

The reporter says that he admires the reasons which make Roma beg. "They do not do it due to laziness (all of them are industrious people), health problems, or drug addiction (they can always find in music what others look for in drugs). The Roma have their own unique reason for begging. They see it as a means of preserving their identity. For the same reason they refuse any kind of work which will put them in dependence (none of them seeks a job in the public sector). They are also against mixed marriages."

A report which presents an alternative explanation of the reasons which urge the Roma to go into the streets and beg for money. On the one hand, the reporter does not indulge in a deep analysis of the living conditions of the Roma. On the other hand, however, he avoids superficial labeling and stereotyping. This explanation is used by the reporter as an example of the Roma’s devotion to their culture in contrast with the indecisive ups and downs of the Greek government’s financial policy.

As for the coverage of the terrible floods from late March which devastated the whole territory of Greece (especially in the area of Ano Liossia which was completely drowned in water and mud) there was not a single report which dealt exclusively with the fate of the Roma who undoubtedly were the first victims. Kathimerini (27/3) mentions that in Ano Liossia 4,000 acres were drowned in water, a fact which put in great risk the lives of the residents, most of them Roma. Eleftheros Typos (27/3) uses photos presenting Roma who try to save their lives. The title is: Ano Liossia: Whispers of… anger under the mud. A similar approach was employed by Nea (27/3). It simply uses a photo under the title: Drowned under future plans. In both cases no reports accompany the photos. On the following day Eleftheros Typos (28/3) refers to some backstage events which are of minimal importance when compared to the dramatic reality. The shooting of the serial Whispers of the Heart was cancelled due to the bad weather conditions and the floods which paralyzed the whole city of Athens. Two days earlier Mr. Manoussakis had celebrated the National Day of Greece together with the Roma.