(Comments in italics are made by the GHM)

10/11/98: Apogevmatini, page 13

A young child was kidnapped by two Roma in Tirana and brought to Greece to work as a beggar. Last Saturday he ran away and found refuge and food in the Kallithea police station.

A sensitive report, focusing on the human aspect of the story.

10/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 47

The Social Workers’ Association of Greece is going to demonstrate next Thursday against the unacceptable state policy on street children. They ask for the implementation of the law, which anticipates the creation of modern Centers for Personal Care functioning around the clock and providing food, shelter and advice to the children. Most of the street children come from nomadic groups moving around Greece (e.g. Roma and Pomaks), or from ex-communist countries.

Also: 13/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 46

60 social workers came out in the streets yesterday to give a hug to the street children. They also gave flowers and handkerchiefs to the surprised drivers and explained their points about the creation of Centers for Social Care for street children. Some 15 street children, who find shelter at Myrto Lemou’s Center for Rehabilitation of the Child and the Family, were gathered near the social workers. They were listening to live music and watching a clown.

Very positive reports, pointing out street children’s problems and adopting the points of the social workers.

10/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 8

…Fortune

The President of the Progressive Left Coalition Nikos Constantopoulos is going to christen a 6-month-old Roma at the Gallikos river settlement. Mr. Constantopoulos had visited the settlement before the Municipality Elections and had exercised pressure for the improvement of the unacceptable living conditions of the Roma. Now he would be able to ask a Roma woman to read his palm and tell him what his political future is going to be.

Also: 23/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 55

Doctors of the World said that the living conditions of the 1,500 Roma at the Gallikos river settlement are worse than those in other similar settlements world-wide. We had the opportunity to confirm the statement, during the symbolic christening of a 7-month-old Roma by the President of the Progressive Left Coalition, Nikos Constantopoulos. Barefoot children were walking in the mud and in the cold. There is no drainage system, not even enough water, since the containers which had been put there recently, do not meet the real needs. These inhuman living conditions are an insult to our State, our society, our level of civilization and our democratic system, stated Mr. Constantopoulos. He joined the DROM-Network in asking the government to keep its promise for the immediate resettlement of the Roma at the former military barracks of Gonou.

Also: Eleftherotypia, page 8: Despair

Also: 24/11/98: Avgi, page24

His name is Emmanuel

Nikos Constantopoulos christened a 7-month-old Roma at the Roma settlement at the Gallikos river. The ceremony did not take place in a church, but in the shack of the baby’s father, Mr. Fragoulis. This is one of the 350 shacks of the Roma who live there in sordid conditions, after they had been pushed away from the Evosmos district. The godfather made a wish to his godchild, Emmanuel, and to the other Roma children to live in a better society than the present one, which is full of racism and inhumanity.

Very positive reports, praising the symbolic christening of the Roma child and calling for an immediate solution to the dreadful situation at the Gallikos river settlement.

14/11/98: Eleftherotypia, pages 24-25

The "Romanologists" Strike Back

Two members of the Institute for Roma Studies in Greece defend the President of the Institute, school counselor G. Matoulas. Eleftherotypia published two articles in the previous month, revealing that Mr. Matoulas had made racist and discriminatory statements against Roma and asking from the Ministry of Education to boycott a conference organized by the Institute. In a long letter to the newspaper, the two members of the Institute accused the "Ios" journalistic team of bitterness, partiality and conservatism. They do not deny, however, the concrete racist declarations of Mr. Matoulas published in the paper. Eleftherotypia also publishes an article in which teachers’ unions refer to the racist attitude of Mr. Matoulas and defend multicultural education and tolerance.

The article vigorously supports the values of multiculturalism and tolerance towards Roma and condemns discrimination.

18/11/98: Avgi, page 8

Give Hope to Street Children

Progressive Left Coalition MP, Ms Stella Alfieri, accused the government of lacking a concrete policy on street children. Instead of taking them to court, the government should take immediate action for compulsory education, health care and psychological assistance to these children. It should also provide financial assistance to the social organizations for the rights of children, such as the Center for Rehabilitation of the Child and the Family, the DROM-Network and Doctors of the World.

A very positive report, restating the sensitive and detailed question of the Deputy and pressing for an acceptable solution to the problem.

23/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 54

"Greece Is Like a Police Van Full of Immigrants"

During a meeting of the Forum "All Different - All Equal" of representatives of human rights organizations, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. G. Papandreou, accused the State of not respecting human rights. G. Papandreou answered the questions of human rights activists concerning the sordid conditions of the Refugee Reception Centers, the unacceptable attitude of the public services towards immigrants, the persecution of Roma from their settlements and the status of stateless people in Greece.

A positive report describing the situation of human rights in Greece, praising the members of the Government who are sensitive to the violations of these rights and calling the State to respect the relevant laws.

23/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 46

Warm-hearted Wedding

Minister of Development, Ms. Vaso Papandreou, was the Maid of Honor of a nice Roma couple which got married yesterday in Agia Varvara. The uncle of the couple is vice mayor of the municipality of Agia Varvara -the only Roma in Greece holding such a post. He said that the Roma wanted to honor Ms. Papandreou by making her a member of the Roma community, because she had been very helpful to their area, which is one of the least developed areas in Greece. The Minister declared that the mayor, L. Mihos, had been successful in approaching Roma and non-Roma communities alike and made a wish for all Roma to feel equal members of society, without losing their cultural identity. The ceremony was typical of Roma traditions and the Roma proved that they are such nice people!

24/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 46

Shelter for 3,000 Street Children

The first Reception Center for Street Children in Greece was inaugurated yesterday by the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Care. These Centers are meant to provide six to twelve-year-old children with temporary shelter and care. The Centers are part of a national social policy program for street children, aiming at the subversion of social stereotypes, the assistance of the children’s families and the respect of their basic rights to life, development, education, protection and participation in the decision making process.

A positive report, in support of the social care program for street children announced by the Government.

24/11/98: Eleftherotypia, page 17

The Bad Weather of the Gypsies

Yesterday’s rainstorm proved the President of the Progressive Left Coalition Nikos Konstantopoulos right. He had tried to call attention to the problems of the Roma settlement at the Gallikos river by symbolically christening a Roma child. The fears expressed by the Roma that they would be drowned by the river proved well-grounded. Lots of shacks were dismantled by the strong winds and the settlement was transformed into a silt. The DROM- Network and Doctors of the World NGOs put up some of the Roma at the infirmary of the settlement and took care in order to provide them with the bare essentials, such as food and blankets. Due to Nikos Konstantopoulos’ mediation, the Ministries of Defense and of Macedonia and Thrace, along with the Prefecture of Salonica, took the initiative to allocate building material to the Roma and to assist Doctors of the World.

At a Roma settlement in Patras, a 13-year-old Roma girl died of electrocution when she touched wires of the generator used to provide the shacks with electricity.

Also: Eleftherotypia, pages 8-9: They promised

Also: Avgi, page 9: N. Constantopoulos Says: Forgotten in the Mud

Also: 25/11/98: Avgi, page 8

Gallikos River - Flooded, Roma Settlement - in Danger

A nightmare came true for the 350 Roma families who had settled at the drained bed of the Gallikos river after having been pushed away from the region of Evosmos. They could do nothing but stare at the water coming up, threatening their lives and possessions. Members of the DROM Network notified the authorities. The Prefect of Salonica arrived on the spot but nothing could be done, so the place was evacuated. The infrastructure works at the former military barracks of Gonou have not started yet, since mine disposal is still going on. Thus the immediate resettlement of the Roma to that site is out of the question.

Also: 29/11/98: Avgi, pate 32

The Weather is Against Roma

The 3,500 Roma of the Evosmos district, pushed away by the honorable members of our society, have found refuge at the drained bed of the Gallikos river. A year ago the State allocated to them 300 mill drs and a 50-acre site of a former military barracks. However, the necessary infrastructure works have not started yet, under the pretext that the place has to be cleaned from mines. In fact, the Prefect of Salonica did not want to be in collision with the municipalities of the neighboring districts. The latter have threatened to use every possible way to prevent the resettlement of the Roma at the barracks. In the meantime, lots of shacks were dismantled by strong winds and people’s lives are in danger. Greek society cannot go on depriving Roma from basic rights with the convenient excuse that Roma prefer this kind of life. If the Roma are not resettled at once, death by drowning would be a case of murder, not an accident.

Very positive reports, describing the unacceptable living conditions at the Roma settlement at the Gallikos river. They praise the organizations standing by the Roma and recognizing that it is the responsibility of the State to give a permanent solution to the problem.

25/11/98: Avgi, page 8

Street Children Taken to Institutions

The Minister of Public Order and Deputy Minister of Social Care announced a program against juvenile begging. The program aims at gathering the children begging in the streets and obliging their families to keep them away from beggary. Otherwise, parents will lose custody of the children, or, in the case of immigrants, the whole family will be deported. Children without a family will be detained at a special institution, although this measure is considered inappropriate for children.