Czech Senator Liana Janackova advocates blowing up Gypsies or would like them locked up in ghettos behind high walls, barbed wire and gates.
It would appear that nothing is new in the EU as to how Romani-Gypsies are going to be treated despite all the good talk which is nothing but hot air.
There are already concentration camps being contemplated or even being set up as we speak in on EU country – under the guise of so-called “solidarity villages”, actual ghettos proposed that will be settlements with high walls, barbed wire and gates (to protect the Rom from attacks by Nazis they claim – now don't make me laugh) in another, forced integration – for that read “assimilation” - in yet another, and the wholesale sterilization of Gypsy girls and women in some other EU member states; and still they dare to talk about how good the EU is for us, the Rom.
Yes, sure, I guess, in the same was a work made our People free in places such as Auschwitz.
The organization that claims to be the representative of all Rom (and Travellers) in Europe also is rather conspicuous by its silence. When will the People wake up to the fact that the Gadje governments and organizations cannot be trusted when it comes to the affairs of the Romani People, our People, and that neither can Rom organizations that have Gadje amongst their leadership, that are funded by Gadje government bodies, such as the Council of Europe. Any organization that has any of them basically as paymasters bankrolling its operations is hardly going to speak out against what they do. They do not bite the hand that feeds them.
While the claims are always made that the Council of Europe does not equal European Union, in reality, things do look rather different and somehow, so it seems to me at least, the Council of Europe is a or even the major string puller and controlling body of the EU and the Euro-Parliament. Why, if it be not so, are the Commissioners of the Council of Europe/the European Commission so powerful? It is all one entity, divided into little bits so as to appear different to the outsiders.
In order to live as a People the Rom have only one chance and that is to stop letting groups funded by such sources speak for us and we must fund our own organizations – only in this way can we ever hope to achieve independence from the Gadje.
I do know that the likes of RK and others try to claim that the Gadje owe us funding and all that for the mistreatment we have received as a People at their hands over the centuries. Be that as it may and they may indeed owe us, but not in the way of lova. Or can you be bought? Me and my Gypsy Pride are not for sale.
The fact is, in all honesty, that no one owes us anything – we have to fight for it. Freedom is NOT given, it has to be fought for, and often paid for with the highest price. We can, however, never ever hope to achieve freedom as long as our organizations and the “leaders” are in the pockets of Gadje paymasters.
So far the ERTF has made no statement with regards to the concentration camps for Rom well outside Rome, away from schools, etc. but apparently so Gypsy kids can get an education (how please?) but had lots to say in response to a report that claimed that the majority of child beggars in Italy are Eastern European Roma. It would appear that it is more important to the ERTF to counter such a report than to speak out and do something about those camps, those so-called “solidarity villages”. Solidarity, my a**!
Awake Romani People, Arise! Throw of the fetters of slavery!
© M V Smith, July 17, 2007
Czech state to start collecting statistical data on Romanies
The Czech state will start gathering exact and precise statistical data on Romanies in the Czech Republic, such as the number of unemployed Rom and their level of education, Minister Dzamila Stechlikova said.
She said that the state needs such statistics on the Romani People to efficiently solve the problems related to the Romani community.
Also collected will be the data of which schools which Romani children attend, and other data.
This data, so the government of the Czech Republic states, will be done in order to prevent the people's exclusion and discrimination. According to the minster the European Commission shares her government's opinion.
Considering that the EU also says nothing about other actions against Romani-Gypsies in other EU member states it is hardly surprising that it agrees with the Czech government on the need to collect such “statistical data” on the Romani People in the Czech Republic.
People, you can bet your life that this this kind of exercise is not just going to be conducted in the former Czechoslovakia but other EU member states will follow suit with this.
And, once again, the reason given for the need to get all such data is humanitarian, in the same way as the planned concentration camps for Rom outside the city of Rome, Italy, are also humanitarian and are, therefore, called “Solidarity Villages”. What, with armed troops of the interior security police guarding the gates?
Apparently, another EU member state is working on a compulsory program of “Romani integration” - read for that “forced assimilation” - and, it would appear from what has come to my attention, that similar camps may be envisaged to those in Italy.
Furthermore it seems that, even though they vehemently deny this, the Czech and the Slovak governments are both working on the implementation of Gypsy Ghettos outside some of the towns and cities; and yes, they will have walls around them. Oh, and yes, it is for their protection against racist elements.
We saw all those acts before, and all of those were then for our own good, so our People were told, such as to get them into work, into school, to give them health care (some health care that was and some kind of employment). Will our People once again sit there and allow this to happen? Where are the supposed representatives – not that I voted for any of them (I was not asked not were the other millions of grassroots Rom) – such as the ERTF and the IRU? They are very silent as to this matter. Well, not surprising really; they can hardly attack their paymasters.
Romale, Sintiale, don't just sit there and let it happen again. If the “big boys” won't do it join people who are willing to speak out. It must not be allowed to happen again but I certainly can hear the jackboots marching again. Can you?
© M V Smith, July 2007
She said that the state needs such statistics on the Romani People to efficiently solve the problems related to the Romani community.
Also collected will be the data of which schools which Romani children attend, and other data.
This data, so the government of the Czech Republic states, will be done in order to prevent the people's exclusion and discrimination. According to the minster the European Commission shares her government's opinion.
Considering that the EU also says nothing about other actions against Romani-Gypsies in other EU member states it is hardly surprising that it agrees with the Czech government on the need to collect such “statistical data” on the Romani People in the Czech Republic.
People, you can bet your life that this this kind of exercise is not just going to be conducted in the former Czechoslovakia but other EU member states will follow suit with this.
And, once again, the reason given for the need to get all such data is humanitarian, in the same way as the planned concentration camps for Rom outside the city of Rome, Italy, are also humanitarian and are, therefore, called “Solidarity Villages”. What, with armed troops of the interior security police guarding the gates?
Apparently, another EU member state is working on a compulsory program of “Romani integration” - read for that “forced assimilation” - and, it would appear from what has come to my attention, that similar camps may be envisaged to those in Italy.
Furthermore it seems that, even though they vehemently deny this, the Czech and the Slovak governments are both working on the implementation of Gypsy Ghettos outside some of the towns and cities; and yes, they will have walls around them. Oh, and yes, it is for their protection against racist elements.
We saw all those acts before, and all of those were then for our own good, so our People were told, such as to get them into work, into school, to give them health care (some health care that was and some kind of employment). Will our People once again sit there and allow this to happen? Where are the supposed representatives – not that I voted for any of them (I was not asked not were the other millions of grassroots Rom) – such as the ERTF and the IRU? They are very silent as to this matter. Well, not surprising really; they can hardly attack their paymasters.
Romale, Sintiale, don't just sit there and let it happen again. If the “big boys” won't do it join people who are willing to speak out. It must not be allowed to happen again but I certainly can hear the jackboots marching again. Can you?
© M V Smith, July 2007
Romani Solidarity
or
When one of us bleeds we all do!
“When the Union's inspiration through the People's Blood shall run” would be the first line of the rewritten workers' song “Solidarity Forever”, to suit the Romani struggle, the refrain, the chorus, however, remaining the same, e.g. “Solidarity Forever” and it is this solidarity that we will have to learn, methinks, or relearn, to be more precise.
In truth, there was once a time when we seem to have had something of this solidarity, though never, it would appear, for the entire People. If we want to get anywhere in this world as a People, as a Nation proper, then this must change and we must find it in our hearts to have solidarity with our fellow Rom wherever on this planet that may be. If they hurt and are being attacked or discriminated against the n so is and should every one of us feel that hurt and we should fell righteous anger to speak out against such abuses, etc. But most of us, nowadays, just sit on our butts and hands and do nothing. The formula seems to be “I am all right Jack, what do I care”.
Or was this solidarity of the Romani People of old and the community spirit and the helping all Rom in need just something that everyone has imagined and is it but a myth. From what I am seeing in the last 20-30 years or so I must say it could appear to have been just so.
I do know that in fact that this solidarity did exist but that was before envy end jealousy began to rule our hearts and minds. It was, strangely enough, at a time when life was harder and money scarce and in very short supply often that the Rom shared with any Rom in need. Today, however, sadly, we are worse in that respect than the Gadsche.
We must, however, concentrate with this solidarity on our People, the Romani People and not support the wrong causes, such as illegal encampments by Irish Travellers, for instance, who in other instances will not hesitate to use even the force of arms to push Romanichal residents from official council Gypsy sites and then take those over, forcing the Rom to take to the drom again and then illegal encamp. No Irish Traveller has ever, as far as I know, come to the aid of a Romani family that was forced with eviction. Misplaced solidarity will not reciprocated.
Romani are Romani, as I have said before elsewhere, and Irish Travellers are Irish Travellers and while there are some Romani in Ireland, North and South, the majority of Irish Travellers are not Romani and do not share the same Culture and values. While they may lead a similar life to that what the Romani used to, and some still, do live that is about where the similarities end. While the Rom are a Race the Irish Travellers are nothing but Gohja in trailers, and let's not get fooled in believing the stories about them being an ancient pre-Celtic nomadic people of Eire. Those Irish Travellers that are in trailers (and in kennas) in Eire and in the UK (and those that went to the USA and elsewhere from Great Britain and Ireland) are no older as a travelling people than the potato famine and the great majority in the UK especially only came here during the wars and especially after World War II, the men first as laborers on the road build projects who then later brought their families over, having discovered that the British welfare state would give them anything they wanted without much of a question being asked unlike Ireland where no welfare state existed at that time. Am i being unfair? I do not think so.
When it comes to solidarity it is, as said, our race that comes first and must come first and all of us should feel and express a righteous indignation if but one member of our People is being discriminated against. Alas, however, this does not seem to be the case. Rather, it would appear, most are too busy hiding their ethnicity from the Gohja, who know anyway (I shall say again that no one will ever believe that Giovanni Mettbach is an Italian name), rather than standing up for our brothers and sisters so that they may see this solidarity and, should anyone else of us be in trouble, they are inspired to do the same for us.
One for all and all for one, so, apparently, was the motto of the French Musketeers and this is a motto that we, the Rom, in today's world, would do well to adopt.
© M V Smith, June 2007
When one of us bleeds we all do!
“When the Union's inspiration through the People's Blood shall run” would be the first line of the rewritten workers' song “Solidarity Forever”, to suit the Romani struggle, the refrain, the chorus, however, remaining the same, e.g. “Solidarity Forever” and it is this solidarity that we will have to learn, methinks, or relearn, to be more precise.
In truth, there was once a time when we seem to have had something of this solidarity, though never, it would appear, for the entire People. If we want to get anywhere in this world as a People, as a Nation proper, then this must change and we must find it in our hearts to have solidarity with our fellow Rom wherever on this planet that may be. If they hurt and are being attacked or discriminated against the n so is and should every one of us feel that hurt and we should fell righteous anger to speak out against such abuses, etc. But most of us, nowadays, just sit on our butts and hands and do nothing. The formula seems to be “I am all right Jack, what do I care”.
Or was this solidarity of the Romani People of old and the community spirit and the helping all Rom in need just something that everyone has imagined and is it but a myth. From what I am seeing in the last 20-30 years or so I must say it could appear to have been just so.
I do know that in fact that this solidarity did exist but that was before envy end jealousy began to rule our hearts and minds. It was, strangely enough, at a time when life was harder and money scarce and in very short supply often that the Rom shared with any Rom in need. Today, however, sadly, we are worse in that respect than the Gadsche.
We must, however, concentrate with this solidarity on our People, the Romani People and not support the wrong causes, such as illegal encampments by Irish Travellers, for instance, who in other instances will not hesitate to use even the force of arms to push Romanichal residents from official council Gypsy sites and then take those over, forcing the Rom to take to the drom again and then illegal encamp. No Irish Traveller has ever, as far as I know, come to the aid of a Romani family that was forced with eviction. Misplaced solidarity will not reciprocated.
Romani are Romani, as I have said before elsewhere, and Irish Travellers are Irish Travellers and while there are some Romani in Ireland, North and South, the majority of Irish Travellers are not Romani and do not share the same Culture and values. While they may lead a similar life to that what the Romani used to, and some still, do live that is about where the similarities end. While the Rom are a Race the Irish Travellers are nothing but Gohja in trailers, and let's not get fooled in believing the stories about them being an ancient pre-Celtic nomadic people of Eire. Those Irish Travellers that are in trailers (and in kennas) in Eire and in the UK (and those that went to the USA and elsewhere from Great Britain and Ireland) are no older as a travelling people than the potato famine and the great majority in the UK especially only came here during the wars and especially after World War II, the men first as laborers on the road build projects who then later brought their families over, having discovered that the British welfare state would give them anything they wanted without much of a question being asked unlike Ireland where no welfare state existed at that time. Am i being unfair? I do not think so.
When it comes to solidarity it is, as said, our race that comes first and must come first and all of us should feel and express a righteous indignation if but one member of our People is being discriminated against. Alas, however, this does not seem to be the case. Rather, it would appear, most are too busy hiding their ethnicity from the Gohja, who know anyway (I shall say again that no one will ever believe that Giovanni Mettbach is an Italian name), rather than standing up for our brothers and sisters so that they may see this solidarity and, should anyone else of us be in trouble, they are inspired to do the same for us.
One for all and all for one, so, apparently, was the motto of the French Musketeers and this is a motto that we, the Rom, in today's world, would do well to adopt.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Anti-Gypsy-ism is alive and well, unfortunately
While one might have hoped that Anti-Gypsy-ism would by now be a thing of the past this is, unfortunately, not so.
Anti-Gypsy-ism is alive and well in the European Union, and here not just in the new member states, as well as in the United States.
A child, for example, vanishes, while on vacation with her parents in Portugal, in May 2007, and immediately everyone, especially the media, and here especially the gutter press, accuses Gypsies of having abducted the little four-year-old blond girl from Britain.
Why? For what reason?
Well, because the Gadje actually do believe the concocted fairy stories that Gypsies steal children, that’s why. And doesn’t everyone – so at least the media presents the case – know that the favorite ones that Gypsies like to steal are little blond boys and girls?
It is and was exactly the same when the selfsame gutter press screams about hordes of Gypsies coming into the country, as soon as the countries of their residence would be member states of the European Union. Well, that did not actually happen. The gullible Gadje, however, do believe all those stories and many still believe that thousands upon thousands of Rom from Bulgaria, Romania, and such places have come to Britain. Well, there are a few here who, unfortunately, engage in begging and, possibly, pick pocketing, but as for thousands; well, no.
Attacks on Romani in Eastern Europe, even in European Union member states, are common place, with even politicians of such countries being involved in the attacks, on a verbal level at least, and the “crowning glory” must be Volen Siderov of Bulgaria, a presidential candidate apparently even no less, who openly called for Gypsies to me made into soap, in a style that smacked of Nazi extermination policies. One would have hoped that such sentiments and the like had disappeared with the demise of Hitler's Third Reich but, as we can all see, this is not the case, unfortunately, and was rather wishful thinking and no such thing has happened as far as the Gypsy, the Rom, are concerned.
In truth, despite of the very fact that Siderov made such statements, and that the official government of Bulgaria called for the sterilization of all Gypsy women, Bulgaria was still admitted into the folds of the European Union, no questions asked. This shows that the EU has the same disregard for the Rom, as all those other countries that breach the human rights of the Romani People, and pays nothing but lip service to equal rights for the Gypsy.
We, as a People, must stand up now against this trend of Anti-Gypsy-ism and be counted but I also know that I am wasting my breath to call for such a thing and action.
Why? Because most of our People fall into one of two categories: those that wish to hide their ethnicity, their origins, and then those who, while doing the first or not, could care less and could not be bothered as to what is happening to our People as long as it does not affect them and theirs.
Here we will do well to recall the words of the poem by Pastor Dietrich Bonnhoefer and heed the call that if we do not speak out now and stand up and be counted when they come for us there may be no one left to speak out and fight on our behalf.
Think about it...
© M V Smith, June 2007
Anti-Gypsy-ism is alive and well in the European Union, and here not just in the new member states, as well as in the United States.
A child, for example, vanishes, while on vacation with her parents in Portugal, in May 2007, and immediately everyone, especially the media, and here especially the gutter press, accuses Gypsies of having abducted the little four-year-old blond girl from Britain.
Why? For what reason?
Well, because the Gadje actually do believe the concocted fairy stories that Gypsies steal children, that’s why. And doesn’t everyone – so at least the media presents the case – know that the favorite ones that Gypsies like to steal are little blond boys and girls?
It is and was exactly the same when the selfsame gutter press screams about hordes of Gypsies coming into the country, as soon as the countries of their residence would be member states of the European Union. Well, that did not actually happen. The gullible Gadje, however, do believe all those stories and many still believe that thousands upon thousands of Rom from Bulgaria, Romania, and such places have come to Britain. Well, there are a few here who, unfortunately, engage in begging and, possibly, pick pocketing, but as for thousands; well, no.
Attacks on Romani in Eastern Europe, even in European Union member states, are common place, with even politicians of such countries being involved in the attacks, on a verbal level at least, and the “crowning glory” must be Volen Siderov of Bulgaria, a presidential candidate apparently even no less, who openly called for Gypsies to me made into soap, in a style that smacked of Nazi extermination policies. One would have hoped that such sentiments and the like had disappeared with the demise of Hitler's Third Reich but, as we can all see, this is not the case, unfortunately, and was rather wishful thinking and no such thing has happened as far as the Gypsy, the Rom, are concerned.
In truth, despite of the very fact that Siderov made such statements, and that the official government of Bulgaria called for the sterilization of all Gypsy women, Bulgaria was still admitted into the folds of the European Union, no questions asked. This shows that the EU has the same disregard for the Rom, as all those other countries that breach the human rights of the Romani People, and pays nothing but lip service to equal rights for the Gypsy.
We, as a People, must stand up now against this trend of Anti-Gypsy-ism and be counted but I also know that I am wasting my breath to call for such a thing and action.
Why? Because most of our People fall into one of two categories: those that wish to hide their ethnicity, their origins, and then those who, while doing the first or not, could care less and could not be bothered as to what is happening to our People as long as it does not affect them and theirs.
Here we will do well to recall the words of the poem by Pastor Dietrich Bonnhoefer and heed the call that if we do not speak out now and stand up and be counted when they come for us there may be no one left to speak out and fight on our behalf.
Think about it...
© M V Smith, June 2007
Hiding our Gypsy Ethnicity – Does that protect us?
The simple answer would be NO.
It has been going on for ages already, but seems to have really only been done since after World War II whether in places such as Germany or Austria or in the UK. While it is understandable for Sinti and Roma in Germany, especially, to have gone more or less into hiding and denying their ethnicity, especially those that have moved into houses and more or less “ordinary” jobs or into trade, such as scrap yards, and claiming to be of Italian extraction or other southern such but it makes no difference. In the UK one nowadays hears the comments from Romanichals when asked whether they be Gypsy, People with names like Brazil (find me a non-Rom by that name), and the answer more often then not will be, “our grandparents were Gypsies but we are not, we live in a house”. Is that, though, a deliberate hiding of their ancestry? In fact in most cases it is not but just a lack of understanding of the fact that being Gypsy is not a lifestyle but that we are a People and a Race.
However, it would appear that here, but especially in places such as Germany, Austria, France, etc. one might find the Sinti and Roma pretending to be somethings else than what they are and are in fact, at least to outsiders, hiding their ethnicity. It is also my belief that for that very reason many give their children Italian, Spanish or Greek sounding names, such as Marco, Sandro, Pedro, Massimo, Giovanni, and such, in order so that they can claim that they are of Italian or other such Mediterranean ancestry; anything but Sinti or Roma.
Methinks we have a problem and unless we all get away from pretending to be something that we are not and be in fact proud, also to the outside, that we are Sinti or Roma, that we are Gypsy, Zigeuner, with basically the attitude “I am Gypsy and proud of it” (“and if you have a problem with that so be it” - as an undertone).
We can never fight racism and discrimination against us as a People when the majority of our People hide and while wishing to have the discriminations and such go away, without in fact doing anything about it, not even joining an organization as a passive supporting member. Well, we all have to work for it; probably visibly, and I know that at times that will not be easy, but...
© M V Smith, June 2007
It has been going on for ages already, but seems to have really only been done since after World War II whether in places such as Germany or Austria or in the UK. While it is understandable for Sinti and Roma in Germany, especially, to have gone more or less into hiding and denying their ethnicity, especially those that have moved into houses and more or less “ordinary” jobs or into trade, such as scrap yards, and claiming to be of Italian extraction or other southern such but it makes no difference. In the UK one nowadays hears the comments from Romanichals when asked whether they be Gypsy, People with names like Brazil (find me a non-Rom by that name), and the answer more often then not will be, “our grandparents were Gypsies but we are not, we live in a house”. Is that, though, a deliberate hiding of their ancestry? In fact in most cases it is not but just a lack of understanding of the fact that being Gypsy is not a lifestyle but that we are a People and a Race.
However, it would appear that here, but especially in places such as Germany, Austria, France, etc. one might find the Sinti and Roma pretending to be somethings else than what they are and are in fact, at least to outsiders, hiding their ethnicity. It is also my belief that for that very reason many give their children Italian, Spanish or Greek sounding names, such as Marco, Sandro, Pedro, Massimo, Giovanni, and such, in order so that they can claim that they are of Italian or other such Mediterranean ancestry; anything but Sinti or Roma.
Methinks we have a problem and unless we all get away from pretending to be something that we are not and be in fact proud, also to the outside, that we are Sinti or Roma, that we are Gypsy, Zigeuner, with basically the attitude “I am Gypsy and proud of it” (“and if you have a problem with that so be it” - as an undertone).
We can never fight racism and discrimination against us as a People when the majority of our People hide and while wishing to have the discriminations and such go away, without in fact doing anything about it, not even joining an organization as a passive supporting member. Well, we all have to work for it; probably visibly, and I know that at times that will not be easy, but...
© M V Smith, June 2007
Italy's final solution for Gypsies
Italy, as the first – but will it be the last – European Union county, has begun setting up what can only be described as Concentration Camps for Gypsies.
This all in a supposed effort to turn Gypsies, who are often foreign Rom from the former Yugoslavia and Romania as well as Bulgaria, and, as it is claimed especially for their wellbeing and that of their children. The Nazis told similar stories to the Rom during their reign, when they forced them to settle, took away their horses and wheels from the wagons and then when they moved them into the once Jewish ghettos.
In Rome the Prefect will identify new areas for the nomads' camps (nomads?). Those settlements will be called “villages of solidarity” (dordi, what an interesting term for a ghetto or KZ). The “villages” will be controlled by a special public security police force of a minimum of 100 men; this means that the Romani situation will be managed a a problem of public security. It looks as if Gypsies in some EU countries are now being seen similar to terrorists. What next?
Each of those villages, as the authorities say, will give “hospitality” to 1000 to 1500 Rom and will be additionally controlled by security forces and associations.
All those “villages” will be more than 18 miles (30km) away from the center of Rome and well away from any services.
This makes, and one cannot say it any other way, Italy the first EU member state that is openly creating new concentration camps for Gypsies.
And what is Brussels doing? Well, nothing. It is the controlling center of the EU after all. This proves yet again that it is all but lip service when they talk about equal human rights for Gypsies in the EU and elsewhere. Let us not forget either that Germany is the true power behind the EU and that Anti-Gypsy-ism has been big always and is on the rise more and more again in that country. The rest of the wold also says nothing, nor do the organizations that claim to be representing the Rom, like the ERTF which is claimed to be the government of all Rom in Europe. It is obvious that it cannot attack its own paymaster.
Food for thought to us all, I hope...
Freedom is not free. It is very costly and sometimes has to be paid for in blood. If we do not fight for it now we may all end up rather unfree in such camps.
© M V Smith, June 2007
This all in a supposed effort to turn Gypsies, who are often foreign Rom from the former Yugoslavia and Romania as well as Bulgaria, and, as it is claimed especially for their wellbeing and that of their children. The Nazis told similar stories to the Rom during their reign, when they forced them to settle, took away their horses and wheels from the wagons and then when they moved them into the once Jewish ghettos.
In Rome the Prefect will identify new areas for the nomads' camps (nomads?). Those settlements will be called “villages of solidarity” (dordi, what an interesting term for a ghetto or KZ). The “villages” will be controlled by a special public security police force of a minimum of 100 men; this means that the Romani situation will be managed a a problem of public security. It looks as if Gypsies in some EU countries are now being seen similar to terrorists. What next?
Each of those villages, as the authorities say, will give “hospitality” to 1000 to 1500 Rom and will be additionally controlled by security forces and associations.
All those “villages” will be more than 18 miles (30km) away from the center of Rome and well away from any services.
This makes, and one cannot say it any other way, Italy the first EU member state that is openly creating new concentration camps for Gypsies.
And what is Brussels doing? Well, nothing. It is the controlling center of the EU after all. This proves yet again that it is all but lip service when they talk about equal human rights for Gypsies in the EU and elsewhere. Let us not forget either that Germany is the true power behind the EU and that Anti-Gypsy-ism has been big always and is on the rise more and more again in that country. The rest of the wold also says nothing, nor do the organizations that claim to be representing the Rom, like the ERTF which is claimed to be the government of all Rom in Europe. It is obvious that it cannot attack its own paymaster.
Food for thought to us all, I hope...
Freedom is not free. It is very costly and sometimes has to be paid for in blood. If we do not fight for it now we may all end up rather unfree in such camps.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Let's face the future
Moving forward with the lessons learned from the past
Moving forward with the lessons learned from the past, that is the only way that we can advance. It does not help us one bit to remain buried in nostalgia about the good ol' days of the grai and the wooden vardo. They weren't all that good days really, if we all be honest with one another. Yes, they may have been days of some kind of freedom of being able to move as and when... and the days of when you could pull onto the common without anyone bothering you... but... does anyone now living in a kenna really want to be out in a vardo in winter in real frost (we haven't had frost proper in this country for years now) and deep snow, especially as chavies with bare feet and but rags for clothes? Surely not. Anyone who is trying to claim thus, I am afraid, must think us all dinlos.
Anyone who tells me that he or she is harking back to the time of the vardo and the grai is, I am afraid to say, not be able to convince me.
While we must learn from the past, especially as regards to combating racism against us, and while the lessons of the martyrs of the Holocaust must teach us to beware of the rising tide of Anti-Gypsy-ism and neo-Nazism again, we must move forward for the betterment of the Romani-Gypsy in the world. This is not to say that we should assimilate to the style of life of the Gohja and live like they do, with djuks and matchkas ano kher, and the like, nor should we give up our old beliefs and practices. Nay, in fact the latter we should reinstitute and even add some new cultural celebrations to them, but we must not get stuck in the past. That also means that we must, in some things, adapt. Be this with regards to having (some of) our folks be working “proper” jobs, so to speak, even in law enforcement and medicine. Yes, I am aware that the so-called Rechtssprecher will now scream blue murder. So be it. Those truth-speakers who also keep women downtrodden in a way that was never the way of the People. Truth-speakers indeed. The same “truth-speakers” who will keep women down forever, given the chance, claiming that women must be subject to the men. Dordi! Dordi! What a load of trash that is. Those “leaders” of the People have no knowledge of the way our People used to work, it would appear. We never were patriarchal. Matriarchal rather, we were, though giving outwardly an appearance to the Gohja, in countries where the man ruled, that the men were in charge. That too shows how much those “leaders” know. The women, too, must be allowed to lead the way they always were involved.
Therefore, let us move forward together with the lessons learned from the past to a new future for the Romani Race. Forward to a new dawn of the Romani.
© M Veshengro Smith, June 2007
Moving forward with the lessons learned from the past, that is the only way that we can advance. It does not help us one bit to remain buried in nostalgia about the good ol' days of the grai and the wooden vardo. They weren't all that good days really, if we all be honest with one another. Yes, they may have been days of some kind of freedom of being able to move as and when... and the days of when you could pull onto the common without anyone bothering you... but... does anyone now living in a kenna really want to be out in a vardo in winter in real frost (we haven't had frost proper in this country for years now) and deep snow, especially as chavies with bare feet and but rags for clothes? Surely not. Anyone who is trying to claim thus, I am afraid, must think us all dinlos.
Anyone who tells me that he or she is harking back to the time of the vardo and the grai is, I am afraid to say, not be able to convince me.
While we must learn from the past, especially as regards to combating racism against us, and while the lessons of the martyrs of the Holocaust must teach us to beware of the rising tide of Anti-Gypsy-ism and neo-Nazism again, we must move forward for the betterment of the Romani-Gypsy in the world. This is not to say that we should assimilate to the style of life of the Gohja and live like they do, with djuks and matchkas ano kher, and the like, nor should we give up our old beliefs and practices. Nay, in fact the latter we should reinstitute and even add some new cultural celebrations to them, but we must not get stuck in the past. That also means that we must, in some things, adapt. Be this with regards to having (some of) our folks be working “proper” jobs, so to speak, even in law enforcement and medicine. Yes, I am aware that the so-called Rechtssprecher will now scream blue murder. So be it. Those truth-speakers who also keep women downtrodden in a way that was never the way of the People. Truth-speakers indeed. The same “truth-speakers” who will keep women down forever, given the chance, claiming that women must be subject to the men. Dordi! Dordi! What a load of trash that is. Those “leaders” of the People have no knowledge of the way our People used to work, it would appear. We never were patriarchal. Matriarchal rather, we were, though giving outwardly an appearance to the Gohja, in countries where the man ruled, that the men were in charge. That too shows how much those “leaders” know. The women, too, must be allowed to lead the way they always were involved.
Therefore, let us move forward together with the lessons learned from the past to a new future for the Romani Race. Forward to a new dawn of the Romani.
© M Veshengro Smith, June 2007
Gas Bomb Barricade at Dale Farm
With people like that sailing under the false flag of “Gypsy” we, the Romani-Gypsy certainly do not need any enemies.
Royal Mail has suspended delivery to this illegal settlement of Irish Travellers, falsely referred to as “Gypsies”, for fear of an explosion.
Dozens of 4ft-high Calor gas bottles, some wrapped in barbed wire, have been assembled in recent months at the entrance to the Crays Hill site in Essex.
The canisters surround a large gantry, recently erected after the council decided to evict the 1,000 mostly-Irish illegally-camped Travellers. Crays Hill Travellers have refused to explain the gas bottles. People living in Billericay, however, are convinced the gas bottles are there as a barricade if police, council officials or bailiffs attempt to enter the site.
A spokesman for Essex Fire Services said the canisters were a “threat and danger”, which if involved in a fire would be “just like a bomb”.
I ask now, as a Romani, what would happen if any Romani camp would do just that? I can tell you what would happen... armed police would already be there and everyone, including kids, would be arrested under the “Prevention of terrorism Act”. What are the police afraid of as regards to the Irish Travellers of Dale Farm, Crays Hill?
With people like this aided and abetted by certain do-gooders the real Gypsy needs no further enemy for those Travellers are being portrayed by said do-gooders as Gypsy, which they are not. The do-gooders know that but the general public does not and therefore the Rom are equated with the ITs and thereby seen by the Gohja as scroungers and whatever else.
How long will the Rom in the UK stand by and let their cause be hijacked by the likes of those that now make the Gypsies look like terrorists in the eyes of the Gohja with what they are doing. The Gohja per se, as can be seen in the comments sent in to the media like the Daily Express and Mail and such in reply to articles about the Crays Hills site, do not see any difference and do not understand any difference between Romani and Irish when the media insist on calling them “Gypsies” and not the media alone but people like their spokesperson and agitator, Mr Puxon.
Irish Travellers are Irish Travellers and Romani alone have the right to be referred to as Gypsy. The media, it would seem, does not understand that or does not want to understand that. The law in the UK has been, for a long time, clear about this by mentioning Gypsies & Travellers. While there maybe amongst the Irish Travellers some that have Romani blood in them the majority, 99% of them, do not and are nothing but, whatever they may claim, Irish Gohja who live in trailers because they find that convenient.
Dosta penauas!
© M V Smith, June 2007
Dale Farm - Britain's biggest Gypsy community
How long will this sham have to go on? Dale Farm is NOT Britain's biggest Gypsy community. It is an illegal Irish Traveller settlement and that's it. It does not matter how many times Grattan Puxon is going to claim it to be otherwise. It is a shame that the Romanichals in the UK do not have enough strength of character to stand up against such claptrap and lies as calling Dale Farm Britain's biggest Gypsy community. However, as someone has to do it I/we shall state again that Dale Farm is NOT Britain's biggest Gypsy community but an illegal Irish Traveller settlement, established against all laws. Irish Travellers are NOT Gypsies and will never be. Gypsy is only applicable to those of Romani origin, as per the Oxford Dictionary that states “Gypsy – one of a wandering (sic) race, originally from Northern India”, and however much the majority of ITTs will try, they are not Romani... Dosta.
Dale Farm is an illegal settlement by Irish Travellers and its development has broken all planning rules and laws, has been dragged, at great expense to the tax payer through the court system, including, I understand, Europe, and still they will not give in and understand that the laws apply equally to them as to the rest of UK society. Not a word is said by the likes of Mr Puxon on behalf of true Romani – with the exception where he can make political capital for himself out of any such issue – who have a planning matter before the courts.
Then again Mr Puxon, regardless of the fact that he got himself into the then World Gypsy Congress never had any other group in mind to help bar the Irish Travellers. Why beats me but that is the case.
Now, while we are at the subject of Gohja in leadership, let me say that it beats me again and again why we, the Romani-Gypsy, are so stupid to always allow such Gohja do-gooders to run things “on our behalf”. They don't do it for us. They only do it for their own interests and benefit, most of this in the field of politics or academia or just for pure vain glory to get their name in the papers all the time. Already allowing them into our ranks, into our organizations, is a mistake that many organizations have come to regret. Their ultimate aim always, it would seem, is to get into leadership positions and then to turn the organizations to suit them and their agendas.
Dosta, Phralale te Pheniale! We must do it for ourselves. We must not have any Gohja in our organizations, bar as supporters without vote.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Decade of Roma Inclusion
Any results? No.
One thing this “Decade of Roma Inclusion” has done is excluding the Sinti and other Romani from the process, in word, by referring only to “Roma”, and in deed by only making this “Decade of Roma Inclusion” valid for Eastern European Roma. Regardless of what the EU and others have been saying as to it being all-inclusive; it is not. All funds and help has only been given to Roma groups and mush of the funds have, it would appear, once again disappeared into the pockets of the Roma kings, buli bashas and emperors. The poor Rom have no improvement in their situations and still have to eek a living from scavenging on rubbish tips and such like. We don't even want to mention other activities such as begging and even more unsavoury ones.
© M V Smith, June 2007
One thing this “Decade of Roma Inclusion” has done is excluding the Sinti and other Romani from the process, in word, by referring only to “Roma”, and in deed by only making this “Decade of Roma Inclusion” valid for Eastern European Roma. Regardless of what the EU and others have been saying as to it being all-inclusive; it is not. All funds and help has only been given to Roma groups and mush of the funds have, it would appear, once again disappeared into the pockets of the Roma kings, buli bashas and emperors. The poor Rom have no improvement in their situations and still have to eek a living from scavenging on rubbish tips and such like. We don't even want to mention other activities such as begging and even more unsavoury ones.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Rushdie Knighthood enough reason for suicide bombers - Pakistani minister
A Pakistani minister stated on Monday, June 18, 2007 that the British government’s decision to confer a knighthood on Salman Rushdie, the author of “Satanic Verses” is good enough reason and justification for suicide bombers to attack targets in Britain.
The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, provoked the ire of many Muslims and led to the issuing of a fatwa in 1989 by the then Iranian leader, the late Ayatollah Khomeini.
However, this is neither here nor there, We do have, at least we still had, last time I checked, freedom of speech in the UK and the USA and no one can therefore, though they will try, Muslims and Jews alike, silence a writer. To, however, state that Rushdie's knighthood could justify suicide bombings is tantamount to a declaration of war. If that is so then maybe the British forces need to leave Iraq and have a little word in the ear of the Pakistani forces.
It beats me again and again that the so-called Muslims who espouse such violence and venom and who dare to call for a fatwa on a citizen of a free country and to state that the knighthood given to that author mentioned could be justification get away with such statements and, more often than not, the governments of the free world cave in to their demands.
Are we, as a people of a free country, willing to allow ourselves to be told who can and cannot receive an honor and decoration by other countries that have no freedom in their countries, threatening us with terrorist attacks if we do not take away the honor given to a person those governments disagree with?
I have nothing against Muslims nor any other faith and religion per se as long as they do not wish to impose their rule on others that are not of their beliefs. I have the same problem with the (fundamental) Christians who claim that they must covert everyone to their brand of religion, like those that destroy the Culture of the Romani People and Romani families by their actions. This, however, is another subject.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Gypsies claim site choice is 'illegal'
The Gypsy Council has heavily criticized South Holland District Council's methodology to find suitable sites for Gypsies and Travellers, saying it is discriminatory and illegal.
The council has responded to the district's public consultation on the matter and says the methods proposed will identify sites, which are unhealthy, unsafe, and in places that Gypsies will not want to live.
A letter from Ann Bagehote, the Gypsy Council secretary, says: "We have to object in the strongest possible terms.
"Your criteria deliberately ensures Gypsy caravan sites are treated less favorably than houses for non-Gypsy people.
"In our view that is not only offensive but also illegal. You need to re-write the criteria to say that both Gypsy and non-Gypsy families need decent accommodation.
"There is absolutely no point building a site where no-one wants to live."
The letter is appended to a report by council leader Gary Porter and corporate director Tim Leader due to be discussed by the cabinet on Tuesday, which says that the Gypsy Council's criticisms are not accepted by the district council.
The report will update members on the consultation phase but states there has been limited response.
No councillors made comments, while Weston and Cowbit parish councils replied saying that they were unable to identify suitable sites in their areas.
Two members of the public suggested locations and these will be fed into the formal site selection process and evaluated using the criteria adopted by the cabinet.
The report asks councillors to approve a modification of the site search method to include all land within one mile of a bus route and/or a major arterial road running through the district.
If the criteria is approved the council will then set about constructing a sieve map and creating a long list by the end of July.
The council needs to find land to accommodate two residential gypsy sites and a stopping place for up to ten caravans. It launched a public consultation this year after protests against its three preferred sites.
When one looks at where Gypsy Caravan sites are located one can well understand what the Gypsy Council spokesperson is on about. Anyone wanting to see what the conditions are like where Gypsy sites are generally placed should take a look at some of them, such as like the one in Earlsfield, South London, or the one under the Westway in West London.
In most cases Gypsy Caravan Sites are placed in entirely unsuitable locations, such as next to sewerage works, on former rubbish tips, right slap bang onto industrial estates next to cement works, such as in Earlfield, and so on. No non-Gypsy person would be asked to live there but Rom and Travellers in the UK are forced onto such sites.
When, on the other hand, Gypsies and Travellers purchase land themselves where they wish to live and even if the go through the planning process properly they are denied permission to set up their own site or settlements, often with the comments that the location, even if this is an old farm, is too far away from the local schools, amenities, etc.
When official sites, however, are established on sites next to sewerage works, cement works, etc., they are also far away from the local amenities but then that does not seem to matter.
M V Smith, June 17, 2007
The council has responded to the district's public consultation on the matter and says the methods proposed will identify sites, which are unhealthy, unsafe, and in places that Gypsies will not want to live.
A letter from Ann Bagehote, the Gypsy Council secretary, says: "We have to object in the strongest possible terms.
"Your criteria deliberately ensures Gypsy caravan sites are treated less favorably than houses for non-Gypsy people.
"In our view that is not only offensive but also illegal. You need to re-write the criteria to say that both Gypsy and non-Gypsy families need decent accommodation.
"There is absolutely no point building a site where no-one wants to live."
The letter is appended to a report by council leader Gary Porter and corporate director Tim Leader due to be discussed by the cabinet on Tuesday, which says that the Gypsy Council's criticisms are not accepted by the district council.
The report will update members on the consultation phase but states there has been limited response.
No councillors made comments, while Weston and Cowbit parish councils replied saying that they were unable to identify suitable sites in their areas.
Two members of the public suggested locations and these will be fed into the formal site selection process and evaluated using the criteria adopted by the cabinet.
The report asks councillors to approve a modification of the site search method to include all land within one mile of a bus route and/or a major arterial road running through the district.
If the criteria is approved the council will then set about constructing a sieve map and creating a long list by the end of July.
The council needs to find land to accommodate two residential gypsy sites and a stopping place for up to ten caravans. It launched a public consultation this year after protests against its three preferred sites.
When one looks at where Gypsy Caravan sites are located one can well understand what the Gypsy Council spokesperson is on about. Anyone wanting to see what the conditions are like where Gypsy sites are generally placed should take a look at some of them, such as like the one in Earlsfield, South London, or the one under the Westway in West London.
In most cases Gypsy Caravan Sites are placed in entirely unsuitable locations, such as next to sewerage works, on former rubbish tips, right slap bang onto industrial estates next to cement works, such as in Earlfield, and so on. No non-Gypsy person would be asked to live there but Rom and Travellers in the UK are forced onto such sites.
When, on the other hand, Gypsies and Travellers purchase land themselves where they wish to live and even if the go through the planning process properly they are denied permission to set up their own site or settlements, often with the comments that the location, even if this is an old farm, is too far away from the local schools, amenities, etc.
When official sites, however, are established on sites next to sewerage works, cement works, etc., they are also far away from the local amenities but then that does not seem to matter.
M V Smith, June 17, 2007
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND?
Tom Odley
Kent, England, June 10, 2007
Today's news, in England, highlights the report from the Farmers' Union, that very many thousands of pounds worth of soft fruits, mainly strawberries, may well be left to rot, due to the shortage of available fruit-pickers, despite the fact that very many pickers are coming from foreign countries to do this work?
As most of us will be aware, the Romany, the Gypsy-people of this country, were once deeply involved in this fruit-picking and other harvest work.
For very many Gypsy families the harvesting of fruit, hops, etc., occupied an important place in the Familial calendar, even affecting the setting of our annual horse-fairs and the like.
Fruit picking, apart from providing the means for many Gypsy families to earn an honest crust of bread, with the chance to put a little lova by for dealing or for harder times, afforded opportunities for Nidi Fohki to meet friends and relations that would arrive from other parts of the country to join in the harvesting of fruit.
Among the most important considerations for any Gypsy family contemplating the fruit and hop-picking seasons, was the availability and suitability of atchen-tans/stopping places during the picking.
Most fruit and hop farmers, especially during World War 2 and the early post-wars years, relying/depending so heavily on the speed, skills and hard work of the Gypsy fruit-pickers, for whom this was a way of life, would willingly set aside a small area for the tents, wagons and trailers of the Romani Fohki. At no major expense to themselves, the farmers would organize the provision of water along with the wood for the fires of this transient but reliable work-force of Romani.
Practically all of this work would be done on a "Piece-work" basis rather than on an hourly basis, with the result that; "If you didn't work hard, you earned little or no money!".
However.... subsequent to the arrival of "Peace-time" Britain and the gradual absorption of England and the other countries of the UK into Europe, along with the mass immigration of ex-colonial peoples, the early initiators of the Big-Brother system recognized the perceived threat, to them, of the Nidi Fohki as a result of the Romani tradition of "Independence", as the Gohja saw it, all though, in reality, there has always been a considerable inter-dependence between Rom and Gohja for practical purposes.
The arrival of the early Big Brother movement saw a gradual deterioration in civil freedoms, particular in the enforcement of land-planning controls. Many of these restrictions were aimed directly at the perceived, Gypsy "Freedom of movement", by both local and central government, with variable support from 'ordinary' citizens. Some among us can easily understand the emotions rising within some Gohja mush or housewife, locked in a hum-drum lifestyle and frustrated by their circumstances, happening to witness the passing of some "Gypsy" family lot, the Romani transients apparently "Laughing at Life"?
The envy, the jealousy that arose, therefrom, within many a Gohja onlooker, must have been nigh on explosive? "Bloody Gyppos!", why should THEY be allowed to live like that?
The overall tightening of planning laws along with the covert aim of "Big Brother" (via The Powers that Be.), to remove or severely restrict the individuality of the Gypsy, resulted in considerable pressures being put on farmers to deny or curtail the availability of stopping places to the Gypsy work-force that would have, in the past, played an important part in the harvesting of fruit and other crops, as well as availing labour for other farm-work such as beet-hoeing, hop-dressing, hop-training, hop-stringing, ditch-clearing and hedge-brishing, etc. Though a fair number of farmers, being almost totally dependant on their own Gypsy-work-force families, did their best to evade or ignore the "Anti-Gypsy planning laws", the end result was, eventually, a serious shortage of available harvest labour.
Farmers did their best to make up for this labour-shortage by way of mechanization, this proved fairly successful with some crops, such as hops, but entirely unsatisfactory with delicate crops, such as strawberries, apples, pears and the like.
With the opening up of the vast labour-force of Europe, the potential was there to satisfy fruit-farming requirements, but, as has been demonstrated and now acknowledged by the National Farmers Union on today's TV., the potential has NOT been fulfilled?
As I've said:
"What goes around, comes around?"
Amare Devel amensa!
Tom O
The Lord Ramh said:
"And the greatest of these, my gifts, is Understanding!"
© O Tom Odley, June 2007
Kent, England, June 10, 2007
Today's news, in England, highlights the report from the Farmers' Union, that very many thousands of pounds worth of soft fruits, mainly strawberries, may well be left to rot, due to the shortage of available fruit-pickers, despite the fact that very many pickers are coming from foreign countries to do this work?
As most of us will be aware, the Romany, the Gypsy-people of this country, were once deeply involved in this fruit-picking and other harvest work.
For very many Gypsy families the harvesting of fruit, hops, etc., occupied an important place in the Familial calendar, even affecting the setting of our annual horse-fairs and the like.
Fruit picking, apart from providing the means for many Gypsy families to earn an honest crust of bread, with the chance to put a little lova by for dealing or for harder times, afforded opportunities for Nidi Fohki to meet friends and relations that would arrive from other parts of the country to join in the harvesting of fruit.
Among the most important considerations for any Gypsy family contemplating the fruit and hop-picking seasons, was the availability and suitability of atchen-tans/stopping places during the picking.
Most fruit and hop farmers, especially during World War 2 and the early post-wars years, relying/depending so heavily on the speed, skills and hard work of the Gypsy fruit-pickers, for whom this was a way of life, would willingly set aside a small area for the tents, wagons and trailers of the Romani Fohki. At no major expense to themselves, the farmers would organize the provision of water along with the wood for the fires of this transient but reliable work-force of Romani.
Practically all of this work would be done on a "Piece-work" basis rather than on an hourly basis, with the result that; "If you didn't work hard, you earned little or no money!".
However.... subsequent to the arrival of "Peace-time" Britain and the gradual absorption of England and the other countries of the UK into Europe, along with the mass immigration of ex-colonial peoples, the early initiators of the Big-Brother system recognized the perceived threat, to them, of the Nidi Fohki as a result of the Romani tradition of "Independence", as the Gohja saw it, all though, in reality, there has always been a considerable inter-dependence between Rom and Gohja for practical purposes.
The arrival of the early Big Brother movement saw a gradual deterioration in civil freedoms, particular in the enforcement of land-planning controls. Many of these restrictions were aimed directly at the perceived, Gypsy "Freedom of movement", by both local and central government, with variable support from 'ordinary' citizens. Some among us can easily understand the emotions rising within some Gohja mush or housewife, locked in a hum-drum lifestyle and frustrated by their circumstances, happening to witness the passing of some "Gypsy" family lot, the Romani transients apparently "Laughing at Life"?
The envy, the jealousy that arose, therefrom, within many a Gohja onlooker, must have been nigh on explosive? "Bloody Gyppos!", why should THEY be allowed to live like that?
The overall tightening of planning laws along with the covert aim of "Big Brother" (via The Powers that Be.), to remove or severely restrict the individuality of the Gypsy, resulted in considerable pressures being put on farmers to deny or curtail the availability of stopping places to the Gypsy work-force that would have, in the past, played an important part in the harvesting of fruit and other crops, as well as availing labour for other farm-work such as beet-hoeing, hop-dressing, hop-training, hop-stringing, ditch-clearing and hedge-brishing, etc. Though a fair number of farmers, being almost totally dependant on their own Gypsy-work-force families, did their best to evade or ignore the "Anti-Gypsy planning laws", the end result was, eventually, a serious shortage of available harvest labour.
Farmers did their best to make up for this labour-shortage by way of mechanization, this proved fairly successful with some crops, such as hops, but entirely unsatisfactory with delicate crops, such as strawberries, apples, pears and the like.
With the opening up of the vast labour-force of Europe, the potential was there to satisfy fruit-farming requirements, but, as has been demonstrated and now acknowledged by the National Farmers Union on today's TV., the potential has NOT been fulfilled?
As I've said:
"What goes around, comes around?"
Amare Devel amensa!
Tom O
The Lord Ramh said:
"And the greatest of these, my gifts, is Understanding!"
© O Tom Odley, June 2007
Obituary - Vania de-Gila (Jan Kochanowski)
Vania de-Gila (Jan Kochanowski)
August 6, 1920 – May 18, 2007
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge that our dear brother “Kako” Vania de-Gila Kochanowski departed this world on Friday, May 18, 2007, at the age of 86.
This is indeed a great loss to all of us for he was one of the greatest Rom that was; unassuming and humble throughout. Those of us who have had the privilege and pleasure, for indeed it was both for sure, will, I am sure, never forget him. I certainly won't.
May the Gods of our Ancestors grant him the rest and peace he so rightly deserves. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends.
Jan Kochanowski (Vania de-Gila) was born on August 6th 1920 in the forest surrounding the city of Krakow (Poland). His motherly clan came from Latvia and had a nomadic lifestyle wandering from Poland to Bielorussia. So he used to live in tents among horses until the age of nine. His father belonged to a traditional military clan and was an officer in the Red Army, he died while defending the city of Smolensk in 1942.
Vania studied at the Catholic Lyceum of Aglona and passed his final secondary examination in Riga where he also attended his first year university course before the invasion of his country by the Nazi troops. During the war, more than half of his family members were exterminated, he was twice deported and he also escaped twice. He was transferred to France in order to build the Atlantic Wall. From there he joined the Resistance forces in the north of Paris. He received the War Medal 1939-45 of the British Army. Then he chose France, the Human Rights country, as his new fatherland.
Vania was the first Rom in the world and maybe is still the only one to have brilliantly upheld two doctorate theses : the first one in linguistics at the Sorbonne in 1960, the second in ethno-sociology at Toulouse university in 1984. Having to pay for his studies, his exceptional career was accomplished in extremely difficult and precarious financial conditions. He unceasingly kept on informing the civil society about the charity organizations who were supposed to act for the benefit of his People. He was an activist, fighting against the international corruption. He struggled for the recognition of the huge Roma genocide during the Second World War and for the creation of an International Indo-Romani Cultural Center (CICR) in France.
Fighting intensely for his People’s rights, he practically attended every Romani world congress as a member of the Praesidium. He was one of the first researchers to launch interdisciplinary field investigations through the Balkans with his friend Dr Bernard Ely, and also in India, the Roma’s mother country. There, he was invited by the most famous universities and the most well known pundits. He was the only western scholar to attend the official meeting when Hindi was adopted as the national language of the Indian Union. All over the world he was appreciated and recognised by every ethnic group : Gitanos-Kale, Sinte-Manush, Le Roms, Banjaras from India... etc.
He was a member of the Paris Linguistics Society (1955), as well as of the National Council for the Regional Languages (1988), member of the Latvian union in France (2002) and Transparency International (1998), President of Romano Yekhipe France and he had been appointed Plenipotentiary of the Romani Union at UNESCO in 1984.
© M V Smith, May 2007
Biography excerpt © Jean- Claude Megret (Balval)
Photo © Jean-Claude Megret (Balval)
Ronnie Wood given a Romany gypsy caravan for birthday
Ronnie Wood has been given a Romany gypsy caravan for his 60th birthday.
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie woke up to find the $79,000 traditional painted caravan parked in his drive, left there as a surprise from his wife Jo.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Ronnie rolled out of the house in the morning and burst out laughing when he saw it. He's delighted with the caravan.
"He has Romany gypsy roots and always said he wanted one."
The ageing rocker joked he might even take the caravan on tour this summer. The source added, "The Stones are playing the Isle of Wight Festival in the summer so he'll have a perfect chance to give it a good road test."
Ronnie, who turns 60 on June 1, was born to Romany gypsy parents and spent some of his childhood living on tugboats.
Former model Jo married Ronnie in 1985. The couple have two children together - Leah and Tyrone - and both have one child from previous relationships.
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie woke up to find the $79,000 traditional painted caravan parked in his drive, left there as a surprise from his wife Jo.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Ronnie rolled out of the house in the morning and burst out laughing when he saw it. He's delighted with the caravan.
"He has Romany gypsy roots and always said he wanted one."
The ageing rocker joked he might even take the caravan on tour this summer. The source added, "The Stones are playing the Isle of Wight Festival in the summer so he'll have a perfect chance to give it a good road test."
Ronnie, who turns 60 on June 1, was born to Romany gypsy parents and spent some of his childhood living on tugboats.
Former model Jo married Ronnie in 1985. The couple have two children together - Leah and Tyrone - and both have one child from previous relationships.
Maro Temm goes ahead, finally.
After a battle of four long years against the authorities, local and federal, and do-gooders, the first Romani settlement in Western Europe and the probably first ever Romani settlement by Romani for Romani is finally going ahead. The foundation stone for the buildings was finally laid on May 24, 2007, and could there have been a better day for this. May 24 is the central day of the festival of Kali Sara, the “patron saint” of the Romani People.
Maro Temm is a project of 13 homes built by Sinti for Sinti and this settlement at the end of the Diedrichstrasse in Kiel, Germany, will be one were Sinti children can grow up within the Culture and Traditions, without too much interference with the non-Romani world.
“We do not want to hide and isolate ourselves”, said Matthaeus Weiss, the leader of the local organization of Sinti and Roma in Schleswig-Holstein of which Kiel is the state capital. In other words he said that the Sinti who are establishing Maro Temm are not out to create a Ghetto.
What, however, is wrong with a ghetto that we, the People, make for ourselves. When the Jews in North London created an Eruf, a virtual Ghetto, everyone applauded but when the Rom ask to do the same and have their own settlements that they own and build and run they are being told that they cannot be allowed to do so because they would be creating a ghetto and people like Brother Weiss have to stand up and say that they are not trying to create a ghetto.
At least the precedence has now been set in an EU country of Rom having won the fight and the right to set up their own settlements. Maybe we can get down to being given such rights also in other EU countries, such as the UK, where we are still being told that we cannot have our own sites as and where we like, with all the excuses of the settlement being too far away from the local town or village or local schools, shops, etc., often even if we are talking of just say a mile or so away from local shops and schools.
The going ahead of the Maro Temm project should give us all a little more impetus to, maybe, just maybe, (continue) to battle for our own settlements elsewhere. It would appear that it can be done.
All one can do now is wish the Maro Temm project all the best and maybe everyone could get together and pool ideas so that such settlements can become reality in others countries.
© M V Smith, May 2007
Maro Temm is a project of 13 homes built by Sinti for Sinti and this settlement at the end of the Diedrichstrasse in Kiel, Germany, will be one were Sinti children can grow up within the Culture and Traditions, without too much interference with the non-Romani world.
“We do not want to hide and isolate ourselves”, said Matthaeus Weiss, the leader of the local organization of Sinti and Roma in Schleswig-Holstein of which Kiel is the state capital. In other words he said that the Sinti who are establishing Maro Temm are not out to create a Ghetto.
What, however, is wrong with a ghetto that we, the People, make for ourselves. When the Jews in North London created an Eruf, a virtual Ghetto, everyone applauded but when the Rom ask to do the same and have their own settlements that they own and build and run they are being told that they cannot be allowed to do so because they would be creating a ghetto and people like Brother Weiss have to stand up and say that they are not trying to create a ghetto.
At least the precedence has now been set in an EU country of Rom having won the fight and the right to set up their own settlements. Maybe we can get down to being given such rights also in other EU countries, such as the UK, where we are still being told that we cannot have our own sites as and where we like, with all the excuses of the settlement being too far away from the local town or village or local schools, shops, etc., often even if we are talking of just say a mile or so away from local shops and schools.
The going ahead of the Maro Temm project should give us all a little more impetus to, maybe, just maybe, (continue) to battle for our own settlements elsewhere. It would appear that it can be done.
All one can do now is wish the Maro Temm project all the best and maybe everyone could get together and pool ideas so that such settlements can become reality in others countries.
© M V Smith, May 2007
First EU country sets up concentration camps for Gypsies in modern times
It could not be long that this would start all over again and while all the Rom in Germany are hiding their ethnicity thinking that that will save them this menace is on the march again.
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Gypsies to be housed outside of Rome
By Stephen Brown
Rome will build four "solidarity villages" for gypsies outside the city, patrolled by police and equipped with welfare facilities, the government said on Friday, as part of a package of measures to allay concern about crime.
Gypsies - or Roma as they prefer to be known - from Italy and eastern Europe, and illegal immigrants, have been broadly accused in the Italian media of responsibility for a spate of violent crimes.
The media attention paid to the subject prompted one leftist cabinet minister to caution that the country that invented the Mafia should not be too quick to blame foreigners for crime.
City authorities have in the past tried to house Roma in settlements made of prefabricated material or in disused barracks, but many more Roma set up makeshift settlements by the river or beside motorways that local residents say are dens of criminality.
Attempts by Italy's previous conservative government to move them outside Rome's city limits met protests from human rights groups, but the current centre-left mayor, Walter Veltroni, said the new camps would give Roma better access to welfare.
"The new camps will be controlled by police, meaning local authorities will guarantee the camps get the resources they need," said Veltroni.
The European Roma Rights Centre told Reuters that "at first glance, segregating or building special facilities for Roma does not sound like a good idea at all."
"It sounds pretty much in line with what Italian authorities have been doing so far, like building camps around the country for Roma, or "nomads" as they call them," said Savelina Danova of the Budapest-based Centre, which has previously made legal complaints against Italy regarding housing for Roma.
City authorities will take three months to choose sites for the Roma villages and a further nine months to build them.
The security package will provide Rome with 200 more police officers and Milan, the northern city where locals led by the mayor have taken to the streets to protest against crime, with 600 more.
Milan also plans to install video cameras to check vehicle registration numbers and help police track criminals.
Interior Minister Giuliano Amato linked the "security pact", to be extended to other cities soon, to plans to boost social housing that Prime Minister Romano Prodi will detail next week.
"How are we supposed to help the Roma integrate if we don't have houses for them?" said Amato, who recently presented data showing immigrants were responsible for one third of the crimes in Italy while making up only four percent of the population.
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Those “settlements” are nothing else but ghettos or concentration camps, by whichever name one might like to call them, and how long before there will be gates that are manned by police officers – and we must remember that most of Italy’s police are “Carabinieri” which are military police – and fence topped with razor wire and watch towers, if they will not be there to start with.
Italy is starting it and, we must also not forget that the “official Gypsy Sites” in the UK could also, under the guise of protecting the residents, be rather quickly converted into concentration camps of sorts (and who was the inventor of concentrations camps after all) and that may also be the reason that they will not allow Rom to create their own settlements. They want everyone to go into the ones that they, the powers that be, can control.
The incident in the Midlands where the Gypsy families were forced to sell the land and site they had set up to the council and then were asked back in as rent paying residents points to the fact that the governments want to control sites.
Italy is, as said, starting it. Italy, one of the founder members of the then European Economic Community which became the European Community and then the European Union. It is also most amazing that it is find when the government wishes to establish ghettos for Gypsies, for those settlements are nothing but; but when Gypsies want to establish their own settlements for their own People then they are told that that would be creating ghettos and cannot be allowed.
Gypsies of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!
M V Smith, May 2007
Gypsy Union
Eastern European Roma and South African Blacks - What do they have in common?
No, I am not talking of genes, LOL, for it is not genes that they have in common. However both have the “the government has to do this and that for me” attitude, in exactly the same manner, be this in regards to housing and when there is a leaky roof or such, or in regards to finding employment and helping with setting up business.
Only a few weeks ago I was listening to BBC Radio 4 on the wireless, as they say here, and heard South African Blacks complaining that the ANC government is not sorting out their housing problems: “Look how the water comes into my home through the roof”, said one of the interviewees, and he said that because of those unsolved issues he would not vote for the ANC again.
So, the party and the government get the blame for a leaky roof and such. Here is what they, the South African Blacks and the Eastern European Roma have in common. The Eastern European Roma, especially in countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia, have the same attitude. The government or charities should repair their leaky roof, their bad windows, clean up the litter, garbage and trash that they, the Rom, leave strewn around their villages and homes, help them set up business, etc.
What is wrong with those people, whether Rom or South African Blacks? The Rom, I even have the feeling, are even worse in this entire aspect than the Southern African Blacks. Have they no pride in themselves? It would appear not.
A leaky roof of the kinds that are on the homes of the South African Blacks and especially on the shacks and bit upmarket homes of eastern European Rom do not require the municipality to come and fix it. All it requires is a hammer, some roofing felt and some felt nails and, maybe, some hot tar to seal the edges. The refuse which the Rom think has to be collected by the municipality from around their homes and neighborhoods, considering especially that, in the majority, many of those Rom refuse to pay charges for such services to the municipality. Why should the municipality bother if the residents cannot be bothered to keep the area clean. No wonder the Gohja have a bad impression of the Rom, of the Gypsy. The majority of our own do not help in that matter one iota. In places like the UK and most western countries per se the Rom are slightly more “civilized” but then again those Rom in most of those countries are not actually Roma but are of Sinti origin and that may account for some of it. Only in recent years have the Romanichals in Britain started to do the same thing, e.g. leaving mess around where they live or have camped; apparently following the bad example of the Irish Travellers, as regards to the rubbish laying about and also they go and fly tip, but the fact that the Irish behave in such a manner is no excuse in my eyes and those misbehaving in such a way must be dealt with severely and ideally this should be by a Romani court.
© M V Smith, May 2007
Mogati Paradoxes
Often, so I have been told, members of the Romani community do not want to wash mens/boys and womens/girls gear in the same washing machine at home and want two machines. So at least, as I say, I have been told. Some people have told me that they want or that they even have two machines so as not to wash the clothes of men/boys and women/girls in the same machine. I must say that I have only been told this; I have not actually seen the homes of those claiming thus.
Obviously there must be separate loads for men/boys and women/girls and also the clothes for the top half and those for the bottom half of the body must be washed separately but to demand and/or have two machines for the purpose is going a little too far – or is it a case of trying to be more Gypsy than others, which I think is more the case, by those that claim to use two machines or wanting two. If they want to be really separating that much then really they would need four machines.
For, nothing seems to be thought of though by going to a laundromat and using machines that have previously had Gohja clothes in them, of all kinds, top and bottom clothes often together. This is rather a paradox to me.
Then there is the issue about medical profession and medical professionals of our own People. It is claimed that we cannot, for reasons of taboo, have our own nurses, doctors, dentists, etc, and that it is against the mogati (marime) taboo.
But then we moan when the Gohja doctors, medics, nurses, health visitors, etc. don't treat us according to our Culture. They do not know our Culture in those aspects and therefore we either need to teach them – O Del forbid – or have our own medical personnel, and the latter is the only thing that makes sense to me in this case.
Many Rom, it would appear, have the same problem as regards to, it would appear, dealing with litter and garbage around the homes and settlements and bags of trash on the balconies, as they see it and claim it to be unclean to handle it and they would get defiled by doing so, while at the same time women and children are sent by many groups to scavenge on landfill sites and rubbish tips. The truth is in this instance that the men are simply to bone idle and lazy to clean up their own trash and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the mogati taboo.
Many could not possibly, so they say, eat food cooked and served by Gohja when they happen to visit there, or the chavies at school, but then they all quite happily, it would appear, traipse of to McDonald's, Burger King, Tapas Bars and other general restaurants not run by Rom, get pizza delivered, etc. without even thinking that that food has been prepared and cooked by Gohja hands and is, therefore, theoretically, ritually unclean, that is to say mogati/marime.
Let's stop being and acting dinlo and let's look at it all from the right angle.
© Veshengro, May 2007
Obviously there must be separate loads for men/boys and women/girls and also the clothes for the top half and those for the bottom half of the body must be washed separately but to demand and/or have two machines for the purpose is going a little too far – or is it a case of trying to be more Gypsy than others, which I think is more the case, by those that claim to use two machines or wanting two. If they want to be really separating that much then really they would need four machines.
For, nothing seems to be thought of though by going to a laundromat and using machines that have previously had Gohja clothes in them, of all kinds, top and bottom clothes often together. This is rather a paradox to me.
Then there is the issue about medical profession and medical professionals of our own People. It is claimed that we cannot, for reasons of taboo, have our own nurses, doctors, dentists, etc, and that it is against the mogati (marime) taboo.
But then we moan when the Gohja doctors, medics, nurses, health visitors, etc. don't treat us according to our Culture. They do not know our Culture in those aspects and therefore we either need to teach them – O Del forbid – or have our own medical personnel, and the latter is the only thing that makes sense to me in this case.
Many Rom, it would appear, have the same problem as regards to, it would appear, dealing with litter and garbage around the homes and settlements and bags of trash on the balconies, as they see it and claim it to be unclean to handle it and they would get defiled by doing so, while at the same time women and children are sent by many groups to scavenge on landfill sites and rubbish tips. The truth is in this instance that the men are simply to bone idle and lazy to clean up their own trash and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the mogati taboo.
Many could not possibly, so they say, eat food cooked and served by Gohja when they happen to visit there, or the chavies at school, but then they all quite happily, it would appear, traipse of to McDonald's, Burger King, Tapas Bars and other general restaurants not run by Rom, get pizza delivered, etc. without even thinking that that food has been prepared and cooked by Gohja hands and is, therefore, theoretically, ritually unclean, that is to say mogati/marime.
Let's stop being and acting dinlo and let's look at it all from the right angle.
© Veshengro, May 2007
Sharia Law compliable Bonds
London, April 23, 2007
The British government considers issuing bonds that are compliable with Sharia Law so that Muslim interested in investing can do so without qualms, as, under Sharia Law, interest is illegal.
While I can understand this to some degree (and could someone please tell me how the Arab banks work) I am afraid that I feel that this is yet another concession to the militant Muslims in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe). The UK and the EU are being held to ransom by terrorists and this from people who claim that they do not negotiate with terrorists. If this is not basically the same, and we must not forget that, as far as this author is aware, there are already twelve Sharia Law courts in this country while I do not know of any Jewish courts (aside from the fact that most law officers in the UK appear to be Jewish) and when the Rom want courts of their own, and that only in order to settle matters of the Culture, then they are told that they cannot.
As I have said before in some articles on this subject I am afraid to say that I can see the vision of the late Enoch Powell come true in the not so distant future if the authorities in the UK and the EU do not get some – and pardon my language – balls and put a stop to this pandering to terrorists.
© M V Smith, April 2007
The British government considers issuing bonds that are compliable with Sharia Law so that Muslim interested in investing can do so without qualms, as, under Sharia Law, interest is illegal.
While I can understand this to some degree (and could someone please tell me how the Arab banks work) I am afraid that I feel that this is yet another concession to the militant Muslims in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe). The UK and the EU are being held to ransom by terrorists and this from people who claim that they do not negotiate with terrorists. If this is not basically the same, and we must not forget that, as far as this author is aware, there are already twelve Sharia Law courts in this country while I do not know of any Jewish courts (aside from the fact that most law officers in the UK appear to be Jewish) and when the Rom want courts of their own, and that only in order to settle matters of the Culture, then they are told that they cannot.
As I have said before in some articles on this subject I am afraid to say that I can see the vision of the late Enoch Powell come true in the not so distant future if the authorities in the UK and the EU do not get some – and pardon my language – balls and put a stop to this pandering to terrorists.
© M V Smith, April 2007
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