Gypsy kids herded into Czech schools for disabled

By KAREL JANICEK – 22 hours ago

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) — Roma children face severe discrimination in the Czech Republic and are still being segregated into schools for those with mental disabilities, a rights group said Thursday.

The charge comes a year after the European Court of Human Rights demanded that the country stop the practice.

Roma children "continue to be dramatically over-represented in practical primary schools that follow a special curriculum for mentally disabled pupils," the European Roma Rights Center said in a report.

Czech Education Minister Ondrej Liska said it could take three to five years to solve the problem but admitted that the children of Roma, or Gypsies, "are not less talented and do not have fewer abilities than the others."

Rights advocates said, however, that officials at all levels are reluctant to address the issue.

"What is needed here is a real action to bring Roma children into mainstream schools," said Robert Kushen of the Budapest-based Roma Rights Center. "I hope we can see that commitment, but I'm skeptical."

Roma are one of Europe's largest, poorest and fastest-growing minorities. An estimated 7 million to 9 million live in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries.

They remain at risk of social exclusion, despite government programs to integrate them. The European Union has set aside millions in education, housing and job aid to help.

In November 2007, the European Court of Human Rights demanded the Czech Republic take steps to end the discrimination against Roma youths in schools after Roma students sued. The ruling acknowledged that "other European states had had similar difficulties."

Failure to comply with the ruling could lead to a new court case and possible fines or sanctions.

UK gypsies speak of need to unite

UK, 16.6.2008, 15:03, (Roma Daily News)

Faced with a rising tide of racism better unity is needed within the Romany movement in Britain, influential voices were heard to say this week.

Meeting at Dale Farm, the UK's largest Gypsy township still under siege by a hostile local authority, newly-elected members of the Gypsy Council spoke (10 June) of their wish to help a achieve a common front.

"I would like to see the revived Gypsy Council and the Federation working together," said John Johnson, chair of the Southern England Romany Gypsy & Irish Traveller Network, following his co-option as a committee member.

Joe Jones, another leading federation spokesman went further, suggesting that the GC and the national Federation, which links some 56 local groups, could agree to merge. "The Gypsy Council has been in decline but it has the brand name," said Richard Sheridan, newly elected president. "We at Dale Farm need everyone's support and this is the best place for us to make a start towards real unity."

The meeting resolved unanimously that members of the Federation should be invited to attend and participate in the next Gypsy Council session, at Greenwich University in July. Katie Goldsmith, of the Gypsy and Traveller Alliance Youth Division, co-opted to help form a new youth section at Dale Farm, said she believed young people could spearheard the movement, providing street drama at protest events.

Johnson said it was an outrage that a local MP should lead a 200-strong demonstration against a Travellers' site in Basingstoke, stirring up yet more race hatred against a minority. This is where we needed to unite and act together, Johnson stressed.