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Weekly Mail n° 294

• News from ENAR
• News from other networks
• Progressive stories on diversity
• News from Europe
• European institutions
• United Nations
• Roma issues
• Publications
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ENAR has issued a press release concerning the recent wave of “Döner murders” in Germany. The murders of people of Turkish and Greek origin in Germany by a far-right terrorist group show once again that far-right ideologies and discourses have been allowed to thrive in Europe, whilst counter-terrorism measures have focused predominantly on Muslim terrorist groups in the last decade. On 14 November, the German police discovered that a neo-Nazi terrorist group was behind the murders of several people, mostly of Turkish and Greek origin, between 2000 and 2007. ENAR is deeply concerned that European countries have failed to tackle right-wing terrorism in the last decade and protect their citizens from deadly violence. Read More

• ENAR launches “Debunking myths and revealing truths about the Roma” on occasion of European Roma Platform

Did you know that Roma people are often victims of crime? According to an EU survey, one in four Roma respondents has been a victim of personal crime and one in five has been a victim of racially motivated crime. This is just one of the truths revealed in “Debunking myths and revealing truths about the Roma”, released by ENAR and the European Roma Information Office (ERIO) on the occasion of the European Platform for Roma Inclusion on 17 and 18 November. This first ‘truth’ in particular deserves attention, as the Roma Platform has so far failed to address the rise of anti-Gypsyism and racist violence targeted at the Roma population across Europe. It is urgent that EU Member States and the European Commission finally take anti-Gypsyism seriously given repeated incidents of racist violence against the Roma. Read More

• European Roma Policy Coalition wins “Campaign of the Year” Award

The European Roma Policy Coalition, of which ENAR is an active member, won this European Public Affairs Award 2011 for its campaign for an EU Roma strategy. The campaign sought to establish a comprehensive Roma strategy at EU level, which the European commission committed to by presenting a framework for Roma integration strategies in April 2011 (endorsed by the EU Council in June). The strength of the campaign lay in the diversity of the approach ranging from lobbying and mass mobilisation, to litigation, and media work. The campaign gained momentum in July 2010, when the French government applied repressive measures which explicitly targeted the Roma population. ENAR played a key role in this campaign, notably by organising Europe-wide protests against the anti-Roma measures taken by France. Read More

• KISA Press Release: Deportation of victim of sexual assault from Vietnam

KISA, member of ENAR Cyprus, issued a press release reacting to the deportation of a victim of sexual assault from Vietnam. On 13 November, the Ministry of Interior deported a migrant woman from Vietnam who came to Cyprus in 2010 to work as a domestic worker in the house of a community council leader of a village in the Paphos district. As she reported, the migrant woman was forced, as a result of withholding her documents, threats for deportation and psychological violence, to work in addition to her tasks as domestic worker and career of an older person, also as undeclared worker in a coffee shop and agricultural work and, what is worse, to also provide sexual services to the employer. Read More

• ENAR Belgium press release

ENAR Belgium issued a press release to denounce a discriminatory incident targeting three Roma persons, who were accused of an unfounded theft. Read More (in French only)

The Equal Rights Trust responded on 11 November to the Commission on a Bill of Rights Discussion Paper entitled Do we need a UK Bill of Rights? The Commission was established to investigate the creation of a UK Bill of Rights and this Discussion Paper marked the beginning of the process of public consultation on this issue. In its response, ERT endorsed the view that the UK does not need a new Bill of Rights. The Human Rights Act 1998 is a Bill of Rights. Moreover, ERT believes that both the rights specified and the mechanisms provided to make these rights effective through establishing judicial oversight and requiring public bodies to act in conformity with the rights are an essential, non-negotiable minimum standard for the protection of human rights in the UK. As such, ERT opposes any proposal to repeal, regressively amend or weaken the Human Rights Act. Read More

• ERRC and OSJI: Czech Republic: Four years after landmark judgment, urgent action needed to stop illegal segregation of Romani children into special education

• Young immigrants launch film about their experiences in Ireland

NEWS FROM EUROPE 

• German neo-Nazi terror cell linked to 10 murders

Two suspects believed to be members of a neo-Nazi terror cell involved in killing at least 10 people, mostly of Turkish and Greek origin, have been arrested, German prosecutors said. In a video which they apparently planned to send to German media outlets, the alleged terrorists claim to have killed eight ethnic Turks, one ethnic Greek and a police officer from 2000 to 2007, prosecutors said. The attacks occurred all over Germany and became known as the "Doener Murder Series." Until the arrests, police had not thought they were committed by the same people. Read More

• Poll: majority of Finns see Finland as racist country

An overwhelming majority of Finns say that Finland is at the very least a fairly racist country. Two thirds of the nation feel that there is a large or at least a moderate amount of racism in Finland. In spite of this, only two per cent recognise or admit to being very racist, and 12 per cent say that they recognise a moderate amount of racism. The information emerges in a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by TNS Gallup. Among the minorities attracting the most negative attitudes are Somalis, as well as Muslims in general, but Roma are disliked even more, with 37 per cent saying that they take a fairly negative or very negative attitude toward them. Minority groups getting the most positive attitudes include the Sami, Swedes, British, Estonians, and Chinese. The respondents were given a list of 17 nationalities or minorities, 13 of which brought positive responses from a majority. Read More

• Two on trial for high-profile British racist murder

Two men went on trial in London on 14 November for the 1993 murder of black student Stephen Lawrence, a landmark case that led to police being branded racist and helped to end a doctrine that prevented a suspect being tried twice for the same crime. His killing and the police's handling of the investigation prompted a judge-led inquiry that accused the capital's force of "institutional racism," professional incompetence and a failure of leadership. The report by senior judge William Macpherson, published in 1999, was a defining moment in the history of British race relations and led to sweeping changes in the way public bodies deal with racism. The trial of Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, who both deny murder, began at London's Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey. Read More

• Spanish ministers sign protocol on the info systems used for incidents related to racism and xenophobia

Is there a need to change the EU rules on family reunification of migrants? On 15 November, the Commission launched a public debate on the right to family reunification of third-country nationals living in the EU. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, the Commission will decide whether any policy follow-up is necessary – such as setting up clear guidelines, modifying the current rules or leaving the legislation as it is. Stakeholders and the general public are invited to have their say at ec.europa.eu/yourvoice. Since 2003, common EU rules specify the conditions under which family members of a non-EU citizen, legally resident in a Member State, are allowed to enter and reside in the EU. Read More

• European Commission: Report shows overall positive impact of mobility of Bulgarian and Romanian workers on EU economy

• 5^th European Equality Summit

The annual European Equality Summit took place in Poznań on 14 and 15 November, and was accompanied by an informal meeting of EU ministers tasked with the implementation of equality policies and countering discrimination in all its forms. The main theme of the Summit was ‘Implementation of Equality Policies at the Local and Regional Level’. That level of activity is crucial to the struggle against discrimination and the promotion of equality. It is there that national policies and programmes are put into practice, it is there that groups experiencing inequality organise themselves and voice their needs. It is the local and regional levels where the ideas of social advancement and change take root and develop. These conclusions, among others, were incorporated in the documents summing up the Summit: the Poznań Declaration, adopted on Tuesday, and the attached recommendations. Read More

• Hate crimes remain serious problem across OSCE region, ODIHR report says

Hate crimes continue to be a serious problem across the OSCE region, concludes a report released by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the International Day for Tolerance. According to the report, which covers the year 2010, there were numerous instances of intimidation, threats, vandalism, arson, assault and murder, targeting individuals or groups because of their ethnicity, religion or other status. “It is extremely worrying that bias-motivated violence continues seemingly unabated in our region,” said Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of ODIHR. Read More

• 'Active' tolerance vital during times of extraordinary change, UN officials say

Top United Nations officials stressed on 16 November the importance of practising active tolerance at a time when the world is undergoing unprecedented economic and political changes, and called for countries to embrace diversity, combat discrimination and increase education efforts about human rights. “Our practice of tolerance must mean more than peaceful coexistence, crucial as that is. It must be an active understanding fostered through dialogue and positive engagement with others,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message to mark the International Day of Tolerance. “Practising tolerance can serve as the antidote to prejudice and hatred,” he said, emphasizing that engaging with others is crucial to combat discrimination. Read More

• UNHCR thanks Italian navy for rescuing boat in distress packed with refugees from Libya

After two days of sending out distress calls from a satellite phone in the Mediterranean Sea, 44 people, mostly sub-Saharans, were rescued by an Italian military vessel on 10 November. UNHCR is grateful that the Italian navy took this initiative despite the fact that the boat was in Maltese search and rescue waters. UNHCR was alerted that relatives of some of the passengers onboard the boat called from a satellite phone on the evening of 8 November. A full 48 hours later, the boat was rescued in the middle of the night. Read More

• Call for submissions: Indigenous peoples' languages and culture

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is calling for submissions on the role of languages and culture in the protection and promotion of the rights and identity of indigenous peoples. Submissions will need to be submitted by 17 February 2012 to be taken into account in the Expert Mechanism's study, a draft of which will be finalized in early April 2012 in preparation for the Expert Mechanism's fifth session in July 2012. Read More

Judges on 8 November ordered Slovakia to pay €43,000 in damages, costs and expenses after finding that the sterilisation of 20-year old Roma woman without her informed consent in a public hospital violated her human rights. The case came to the Strasbourg human rights court following the allegation of a Slovak woman of Roma ethnic origin that she had been the victim of forced sterilisation. It is the Court’s first judgment dealing with sterilisation. Read More

• Czech Education Ministry not planning to abolish "practical" or "special" schools　

Last week the Czech Education Ministry issued a press release saying it does not plan to abolish either the "practical" or "special" schools or the institutions it operates that provide children with substitute child-rearing. "I definitely am counting on those institutions and schools continuing and I very much appreciate the work of their staffs," Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš said. The Czech media have been speculating that the "practical" and "special" schools might be closed in connection with the government's strategy for educating children from socially excluded localities. Read More

• Rights body condemns French Roma expulsions

A leading European rights watchdog says France's expulsion of Gypsies last year violated their rights. A report by the Council of Europe said the expulsions of more than 1,000 Gypsy immigrants, also called Roma,and the demolition of hundreds of illegal Roma camps were "discriminatory" and "contrary to human dignity", constituting an "aggravated violation of human rights”. Many of the Roma were originally from Romania and Bulgaria, and as citizens of EU member states were entitled to freedom of movement within the bloc. The expulsions pitted Nicolas Sarkozy's government against European officials, with the European Commission's justice commissioner, Viviane Reding, comparing France's treatment of the Roma to Nazi-era deportations. Read More

• Report: Research suggests immigration status a bigger problem for sex workers than trafficking

A new study on migration and trafficking in the UK sex industry has challenged the idea that trafficking is the main factor in trapping people in exploitative and abusive employment. Based on a survey of 100 people of migrant background involved in the industry, the research has found that a majority of them had not been forced or trafficked into the profession. If they experienced difficulties in exercising rights to take decisions in matters concerning their personal lives these were more likely to come from the issue of official immigration status than from forced labor. Read More

• European Commission publication on equality mainstreaming

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice has recently published a Compendium of practice on Non Discrimination/Equality Mainstreaming. It is designed to assist policy-makers and programme managers at local, regional and national level to mainstream non-discrimination/equality in all policy fields. To this end, the compendium offers guidance and presents a variety of practice examples from different EU Member States. Read More

• Country reports on measures to combat discrimination 2010

The 2010 country reports examining measures to combat discrimination describing the state of affairs up to 1st January 2011 are now available for Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the UK. These reports were drafted for the European Network of Legal Experts in the non-discrimination field (on the grounds of Race or Ethnic origin, Age, Disability, Religion or belief and Sexual Orientation), established and managed by the Migration Policy Group and Human European Consultancy. Read More

• OHCHR hosts Human Rights Day 2011

This year thousands of people decided the time had come to claim their rights. They took to the streets and demanded change. Many found their voices using the internet and instant messaging to inform, inspire and mobilize supporters to seek their basic human rights. On Human Rights Day 2011 OHCHR will pay tribute to all human rights defenders and ask you to get involved in the global human rights movement. The High Commissioner for Human Rights will host a global conversation on human rights through social media on 9 December in New York. Read More

• Event: Social exclusion in BME and migrant communities: How is the UK meeting its European obligations?

• ERGO Network hosts final conference on effective Roma campaigning

• Launch of the European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities

On 14 November, the European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities was launched. The new website is an exhaustive source of information on health inequalities at EU, national and regional level, on social determinants of health and on Health in All Policies. It aims to provide visitors with practical and useful information and to give them opportunities to promote their own work. Read More

• European Network of Migrant Women website launched

The European Women’s Lobby has launched the website of the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW), the first network for migrant women at the European level. The ENoMW was founded in 2010 in the framework of the EWL project "Equal Rights. Equal Voices. Migrant Women in the European Union" and is currently coordinated by the EWL Secretariat. The website will provide visibility for the network and serve as a networking tool. It will be regularly be updated with activities of the network. Read More