Persecution of Roma

In April 2008 members of neo-fascist political parties won the general election in Italy. The previous government had already begun anti-immigrant programs, especially focusing on the Roma, often known as "gypsies," but the new government promised to take them to a new level.

In 2007, Roma were forced into squalid settlements called "solidarity villages," but the new administration has started closing these down in an attempt to force the Roma to leave the country. The Interior Minister, Roberto Marroni, has initiated a program of national registration and fingerprinting the Roma, even if they are Italian born (and some families have lived in Italy for centuries) or have passports.

Emboldened by the attitudes of the government, a local mafia group, the Cammora, has committed dozens of attacks on settlements, chasing the Roma out of their homes with iron bars and torching the settlements. Maroni's response to these atrocities was, "that's what happens when Gypsies steal babies." It is a commonly believed urban legend that the Roma kidnap babies, then distract people by throwing the babies at them in order to steal from them. Another minister, Umberto Bossi, stated "The people do what the political class isn't able to do."

In May, a woman accused a Roma girl of trying to kidnap her baby. In response, vandals burned down a settlement in the Ponticelli neighborhood outside of Naples, and both adults and children were seen hurling Molotov cocktails. Firefighters and police officers stood by and watched, keeping the fire only from spreading away from the settlement.

In another incident in June, two teenaged Roma sisters, Christina and Violetta, drowned while at Torregaveta beach. Some commentators brought up the possibility of foul play since the sea was rough and the girls did not know how to swim.

There has been resistance. Roma groups have held demonstrations wearing the black triangles that the Roma had been forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps. Members of anti-racist groups have sent their own fingerprints to the Interior Ministry. Catholic and Jewish human rights groups have condemned the actions of the Italian government, and so have religious officials, even the Pope. A petition can be signed at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-ethnic-cleansing-of-Roma/index.html demanding stronger political censure from the European parliament and the EU as well as the formation of a Crisis Management Committee. It is important for citizens of the world to learn about this very disturbing situation and to put pressure on the Italian government as well as other governments that have been persecuting the Roma.

--A. H.

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