Roma & Sinti Day

Today is International Roma and Sinti Day.

It is a Day to raise awareness of the Sinti and Roma (often called Gypsies)

The Roma and Sinti originally came from the Indian Subcontinent and arrived in Europe between the 7^th and 15^th Centuries and in North America starting in 1498 when Spain shipped their Romani Slaves there.

Most Roma and Sinti are either Christian (Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox) or Muslim – depending on the region they live in.

(Roma and Sinti Men, Women and Children waiting near the Gas Chamber at the Belzec Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland in the 1940s not realizing they are about to be murdered.)

History:

Most Roma and Sinti were used as slaves in Europe and the Middle East from Roman Times until the 1850s.

In 1545, the Diet of Augsburg declared that "whosoever kills a Gypsy (Romani), will be guilty of no murder."

In England, the “Egyptians Act 1530” passed by the Crown in Parliament banned Romani from entering the country and required those living in the country to leave within 16 days.

In 1660, the Romani were prohibited from residing in France by King Louis XIV.

In 1695, Charles II restricted Spanish Romani to certain towns.

In 1710, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, issued an edict against the Romani, ordering "that all Adult Males were to be hanged without trial, whereas Women and young Males were to be flogged and banished forever."

In 1749, The Great Gypsy Round-up was a raid authorized and organized by King Ferdinand VI of Spain in that led to the arrest of 120,000 Romani in Spain. Although a majority were released after a few months, many others spent several years imprisoned and subject to Forced Labor.

In 1774, Maria Theresa of Austria issued an edict forbidding marriages between Romani.

In 1866, During the US Congressional Debate over the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which would subsequently grant Citizenship to all persons born within U.S. Territory, an objection raised (by Pennsylvania Senator Edgar Cowan) was that a consequence of enacting the Amendment would be to grant Citizenship to Roma and other groups perceived by some as undesirable. It was passed with no exclusions of groups.

In 1899, the Nachrichtendienst für die Sicherheitspolizei in Bezug auf Zigeuner (Intelligence Service for the Security Police Concerning Gypsies) was set up in Munich under the direction of Alfred Dillmann and catalogued data on all Romani Individuals throughout the German-speaking lands. It did not officially close down until 1970.

From 1906-2013 Sweden Forcibly Sterilized many Groups, including 30,000 Roma and Sinti.

From 1934-1977 Finland Forcibly Sterilized Romani and Sinti.

World War 2:

From 1933 the Germans systematically persecuted the European Roma and Sinti first through forcible Internment and Compulsory Sterilization and then through Forced Labor, Deportation and Mass Murder in Concentration and Death Camps.

1.5 Million Roma and Sinti were murdered by the Germans (out of a total European Population of 2 Million at the time) during the 1933-1945 “Porajmos” or “Destruction.”

From 1945-1982 the Roma and Sinti were not considered Victims of Nazism – even those murdered by the Nazis - by most European Governments.

In 1982, West Germany formally recognized that Nazi Germany had committed Genocide against the Sinti and Roma People.

In 2011, Poland officially adopted August 2^nd as a Day of Commemoration of the Romani Genocide.

In Communist Countries: 1917-1991:

The Communist Governments Officially and Openly Discriminated against the Roma and Sinti by forcing them to stop their traditional traveling lifestyle and stay in one place forever, by imprisoning them in Prisons and Gulags and by Forcibly Sterilizing them.

Present-Day:

In 1999 the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania started building “Roma Walls to segregate the Roma from the Czechs, Slovaks and Romanian Non-Roma.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II issued a formal public apology to, among other groups of people affected by Catholic Persecution, the Romani People and begged God for forgiveness.

In 2005, Germany deported 50,000 Roma to Kosovo despite the majority of People having lived in Germany over 10 years (and coming to escape the Kosovo War.)

From 2009-2010 France deported 10,000 Roma to Bulgaria and Romania despite both Romania and Bulgaria joining the European Union in 2007 (like France) and the Roma being EU Citizens.

A 2011 Report found 10 Million Roma and Sinti face open discrimination from both Governments and Ordinary People throughout Europe.

In 2019, Pope Francis acknowledged during a meeting with members of the Romanian Romani Community the Catholic Church's history of promoting "discrimination, segregation and mistreatment" against Romani people throughout the world, apologized, and asked the Romani people for forgiveness.

According to the latest Human Rights First Hate Crime Survey, Romanis routinely suffer assaults in city streets and other public places as they travel to and from homes and markets.

In a number of serious cases of violence against them, Attackers have also sought out whole Families in their homes or whole communities in settlements predominantly housing Romanis.

The widespread patterns of violence are sometimes directed both at causing immediate harm to Romanis, without distinction between Adults, the Elderly, and small Children and physically eradicating the presence of Romani people in towns and cities in several European Countries.

The practice of placing Romani Students in Segregated Schools or classes remains widespread in Countries across Europe.

Many Romani Children have been channeled into all-Romani Schools that offer inferior quality Education and are sometimes in poor physical condition.

Many Romani children are sent to classes for Pupils with Learning Disabilities.

They are also sent to so-called "Delinquent Schools", with a variety of Human Rights Abuses.