Recently supposed Sinti judges, Rechtsprecher, have had a declaration posted on a forum on the Internet condemning various activities and practices by (young) Sinti in Internet forums, chat rooms, and the like and while I, for one, can but agree with the spirit and the sentiments expressed in that decree, the same is invalid without the names and the proper titles of the judges that made it. However, challenging this fact publicly was not permitted, as I found out. The post I made on those forums questing the validity and such, was not allowed past the censors and the threat was thereafter locked on all the forums concerned.
Those “judges” make a mockery out of our ancient system of justice by not being prepared to stand by this with their names and ranks, so to speak. Furthermore, the way this degree has been composed and worded is already out of keeping with Romanipen mentioning some things that should not be mentioned by name, theoretically, and the anti-Romani way that some young folks dress should also have been included in those condemnations.
Such actions by so called “judges” and the statements, written in such a childish way without names and titles, make the Romani People, and especially the Sinti in Germany, etc., and our system of justice, into a laughing stock in the eyes of the Gadje. Or are the German Sinti and those in Austria, and such, so far removed from the true system of Romani justice. One can but wonder.
Judges who do not have the courage of their convictions to put their names to such a statement and decree do not deserve nor have the right to be called judges and deserve no respect at all, as they would be incapable to even judge an allotment garden produce show. Dordi! And the Sinti in Germany and such places are governed by such “leaders”. One can but feel sorry for them.
© Michael Smith (Veshengro), February 2008
