EU delegation on the Roma people: in spite of the illegitimate expulsion of EveryOne Group, collaboration with Europe continues
Up to now EveryOne’s relationship with the LIBE delegation of the European Parliament on a visit to Rome from 18-20 September in order to monitor the situation of the Roma people has been difficult.
The synergy with several MEPs in the delegation – a lengthy collaboration that has led to important results in the field of civil and human rights – placed EveryOne in a delicate position at a moment when its members felt it their duty to express criticism about the choice of some of the EU representatives. Criticism that they could not avoid making, however, because the delegation is made up of too many Italians, and moreover, too many extremists and nationalists opposed to any integration of the Roma people and any policies of solidarity towards foreigners.
EveryOne expressed its doubts and disapproval in firm words, by contacting the individual MEPs and appealing to the delegation through press releases which were published in the media.
Gérard Deprez, head of the Committee on Civil Liberties, ally in other EveryOne campaigns, was offended by the Group protest and decided to exclude it from the meeting with the NGOs which was held yesterday afternoon, at Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate. What is more, his office distributed a statement to all the members of the delegation, in which EveryOne were accused of “offending the European Parliament” disclosing its position, which was merely one of civil criticism, also because its relationship with the ALDE, which Deprez himself belongs to, is, and remains excellent.
Some MEPs have expressed their solidarity, considering absurd the decision to exclude EveryOne, a group working in the field of human rights, from the meeting. A decision that represents a serious breach, especially considering that the group was also represented by Nico Grancea, who is not only a Roma activist, he is also a witness of the persecution of the Roma people of Romanian origin.
A paradox has therefore arisen: the principal witness of the condition of segregation and oppression the Romanian Roma are subjected to in Italy was excluded from the exact same European body that has the role of protecting the Roma people from intolerance.
Nico Grancea lives with his family in an abandoned factory and has been the victim of violence, camp clearances, threats and intimidation of all kinds. It took great courage to decide to appear before the delegation in Rome and give his testimony. The reward for his courage, for his civil heroism, was the most unthinkable form of exclusion. The European Union and all those who are working to defend human rights must reflect in depth about this episode, which is symbolic of our times, a ruthless period of intolerance towards minorities.
We must remember that no other human rights organization has been expelled by a government body since at least 1945… let alone by an international institution that deals with civil liberties! However, in spite of this episode, Gérard Deprez and the members of the delegation have continued to hold talks with EveryOne Group, and the collaboration for the emancipation of the Roma people, the fight against racism and the urgent need to protect ethnic minorities continues; in fact it has been strengthened, because, in spite of the misunderstandings, out common goal is the safeguarding of the Roma people.
And it is for this precise reason that yesterday EveryOne Group presented the delegation with a copy of the text of the Frame Charter of the Roma People in the European Union, a fundamental document for the legal recognition of a “Roma nation without a compact territory” the only basis for any integration programme or political strategy for the European Roma. This is the press release concerning the diplomatic incident that took place on September 18th.
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