GHM REPORT TO ERRC No 64:
21/8/1999
REPORT ON THE COVERAGE OF THE ROMA IN THE
GREEK PRESS
JULY 1999
(Comments in italics are made by the
GHM)
Contents:
Roma housing problems
Roma in Kosovo
Roma criminality
Roma culture
General topics related to Roma
1. Roma housing problems/ The Roma of
Evosmos
24/7/1999 O Logos p.14
“The Time of the Gypsies…”
The deputy of Nea Democratia (New
Democracy, the opposition party), Mr. Psomiades and the former mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr.
Dimitriades, visited the former military barracks of Gonou, where the Roma of Evosmos are
supposed to go after their expulsion from the Evosmos camp. They found out that not much
had been done and attributed the delay to the unprofessional way in which the works were
planned and executed. They proposed the establishment of a multi-party committee
responsible for initiating a nation-wide program for the social integration of the Roma.
Two years have passed since the works were started. The plan is that the area be given to
the Roma for five years in total. Two of these five years have already been wasted.
A neutral report, stating the opinions
of the two politicians and their criticism of the government.
2. Roma in Kosovo/Persecutions by ethnic
Albanians - Reactions
11/7/1999 Epohi p. 17
“Aren’t There Any Smiling Roma?”
Roma are now becoming the target in Kosovo.
The ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army sees them (and in many cases treats them) as
allies to the Serbs, while the latter send them back to Kosovo from where they try to
escape at any price. A very small number of Roma have indeed collaborated with the
paramilitary troops of Milosevic but Albanians see all of them as always siding with those
in power. The 97,000 Roma of Kosovo are caught in the middle of the crisis. They have
become the victims of a new ethnic cleansing. Their houses are being burned down. Some of
their relatives have been slaughtered.
The report makes a sincere effort to be
balanced and to make the public aware of the fate of the “double victims” of this
crisis, a fate similar to the one they had a few years ago during the Bosnian war.
Also: 14/7/1999 Eleftherotypia
p. 9
Eleftherotypia refers to the same topic,
denouncing the inertia of some non-governmental organizations, dealing with Roma issues in
Greece, which do not show a true interest in the Kosovo Roma. The report is very
sympathetic to the Roma.
Also: 22/7/1999 Macedonian
Press Agency
“Greek Euro-deputy Raises the
Issue of Persecution of Roma by Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo”
The Greek Euro-deputy from New
Democracy, Mr. Yannis Marinos, brought before the European Commission and the Council of
Ministers the issue of Roma in Kosovo and their persecution by ethnic Albanians who seek
revenge. The latter see and consequently treat the Roma of Kosovo as allies to the Serbs.
Using as his primary source reports from Euronews and the Italian Television (RAI), Mr.
Marinos made a reference to some 100,000 Roma of Kosovo who had been forced to abandon
their homes in order to save themselves from the Albanians. The deputy called on the two
European Union bodies to express their stance on this new incident of ethnic cleansing and
to state measures for their prevention.
The report is neutral, simply
transmitting the action that the deputy took in order to put pressure on the competent
European Union organs so that this time they take a critical position not against the
Serbs but against the Albanians of Kosovo.
3. Roma criminality
11/7/1999 Eleftherotypia [G.
Linardos] p.92
“Zephyri, the Kosovo of Athens”
A visit to the Roma settlement of
Zephyri keeps one in constant suspense. Weapons, threats, rape, drugs and red ribbons. The
mayor Mr. Zervas has declared a state of emergency throughout the region due to the high
rate of criminality. Criminality has risen dramatically partly due to the presence of
Albanians in the region and to their criminal collaboration with some local Roma. The area
is the biggest center of drug trafficking. The illegal trade in hashish involves adults of
all age groups, but also minors as young as 8 years of age. Ordinary people are selling
their houses at low price as long as they can move to other areas in order to live
peacefully and without fear. The houses where cheap hashish is sold have a red ribbon
outside as a sign to prospective customers. Also, sellers shoot into the air each time
they get new stuff. In this way they inform their clients. Complaints are launched not
only by the mayor Mr. Zervas and the president of the municipal council Mrs. Yannopoulos
but also by the Roma in the neighborhood expressing fear for the fate of their children
who are constantly targeted by drug traffickers and addicts. The other day, some Roma went
into the streets protesting against the radical increase of criminality in the region. The
priest denounced the fact that his children had been attacked and two women - raped. The
police do not dare intervene after the events of 1996 and the public condemnation of the
Aspropyrgos raid.
The report is rather exaggerated.
Although it tries to avoid generalizations, it creates an atmosphere full of panic and an
alibi for a future violent raid of the police.
14/7/1999 To Vima
p.17
“The Violent Life of Two Roma
Children”
Two Roma children, 10 and 13 years old
respectively, threatened to burn alive a 12-year-old boy if he did not give them 4,000
Drs. - all the money the boy had on him. They spilled gas all over his body and attempted
to put him on fire. The father of the threatened child denounced the event. The Roma
children were prosecuted and then set free, following the order of the District Attorney.
The children had family problems. They were abandoned and their father had just gotten out
of prison.
This is a report in the neutral to
negative range. It highlights the ethnicity of the victimizers, thus prompting the
conclusion that Roma are troublemakers by nature.
4. Roma culture
26/7/1999 Athinaiki [V.
Gugustamu] p. 25
“Kurbeti”
“Kurbeti” is the title of a music
collection of Albanian Roma songs and means immigration. The presentation of the
collection refers to the interest of Roma to preserve their tradition – and, of course,
their music - despite the influences they get from different cultures as a result of their
nomadic way of life.
A positive report attributing value and
importance to Roma culture and, in this case, to Albanian Roma culture, which is almost
unknown in Greece.
Also 11/7/1999 Epohi p.19
A very positive report referring to the
very little information in Greece about the music of neighboring peoples and of the true
music of Roma.
5. General topics related to Roma
25/7/1999 Apogevmatini [N.
Nikolaides] p. 19
“Fight for the ‘Golden Garbage’”
Municipality control over garbage
collection has created a lot of tensions not only at the high political level but also
between Albanians, Roma and the police who chase them. Roma are competing with Albanians
about the right to access the garbage places and to the collection of metal, paper, glass
and food with a passed expiry date. The fight is over the black market of the exploitation
of garbage, which is rather profitable and thus puts the Roma in a big competition with
the Albanians.
A neutral report, which does not relate
the reasons that urge Roma into collecting and merchandizing garbage to their illiteracy,
poverty and very high unemployment rate.
15/7/1999 Pontiki p.
29
“They Still Chase the Teacher
of the Roma!”
Mr. Nikolaides, the teacher who has
dedicated lots of years and energy to teaching Roma children in camps all over Greece and
to providing training to teachers on dealing with Roma children, lost his job and ended up
apologizing to the authorities for the unjustified absence from his work. The teacher has
contributed to the creation of the Roma center in A. Liosia and was currently teaching
Roma in camps thinking that he had the consent of his administration.
A positive report making an extensive
reference to Mr. Nikolaides’ work with the Roma and his willingness to help these
outcasts of the Greek society to escape the vicious circle of poverty and illiteracy. |
