Migrating Roma face human rights hurdles

VIENNA (AP) - Roma face widespread discrimination when they migrate throughout Europe in search of a better life and governments are failing to address the problem, human rights experts said Monday, 9 Nov 2009.

Often referred to as Gypsies, Roma are an ethnic group that has traditionally lived mostly in southern and eastern Europe. Besides a lack of access to housing, social services and education, they often do not have the identity papers needed to get decent jobs and are seen as criminals.

"We have allowed the Roma population to be scapegoats in our own societies -- an underclass," said Thomas Hammarberg, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe. "The leaders of governments must begin to take this problem seriously because this is hypocrisy when it comes to human rights."

Hammarberg and other experts spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a conference in the Austrian capital about Roma migration and freedom of movement.

According to a report by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency serving as a basis for the discussions, the arrival of Roma is often seen as something negative by EU member states. Among other things, local authorities throughout Europe make little effort to support their integration into the labor market, the report said.

Morten Kjaerum, director of the Vienna-based agency, said many EU states were "very actively" applying bureaucratic barriers for Roma -- although they are often EU citizens.

"There (are) also ... the traditional stereotypes, the prejudice and racism facing Roma, which may actually be the underlying reasons for creating these more administrative barriers," Kjaerum said.

To Knut Vollebaek, high commissioner on national minorities at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, countries should be held accountable for their inaction.

Governments "have a responsibility for all their citizens, whatever minority or whatever ethnic group they belong to," Vollebaek said. "The government is the government for everybody."

To Janez Lenarcic, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the primary problem is a failure to draw Roma into society.

"Roma move because the countries where they moved from failed to integrate them," Lenarcic said. "Their movement is also posing special challenges because the countries where they move to are not ready to receive and integrate them."

Roma, who are often the victims of hate crimes, recently attracted the attention of celebrities. In August, Madonna drew international attention by saying during a concert in Bucharest that widespread discrimination against Roma should end. Thousands of fans responded by booing her.
By VERONIKA OLEKSYN