Hindus & Jews shocked at EU, Roma plight

Hindus and Jews have expressed shock at the results of recent European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey which concluded that every second Roma was discriminated against.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada today, said that it was almost 2010 and Roma apartheid in Europe was still continuing openly and blatantly in full view of the world with no end in sight.

This European Union Survey on Roma also found out that each discriminated Roma experienced about 11 incidents of discrimination yearly, 66-92 percent of Roma did not report discrimination because they felt that “nothing would happen or change” by reporting, about 86 percent could not name an organization that could assist them in case of discrimination, about 69 percent of Roma consider ethnic/immigrant discrimination was widespread.

The survey pointed out that one in four Roma was victim of crime, one in five Roma was victim of racially motivated crime, each crime victim Roma experienced about four incidents in a year, 81 percent crime victim Roma considered victimization racially motivated, 65-100 percent Roma did not report personal victimization to police because “they were not confident that the police would be able to do anything”, one in three Roma were stopped by police and half of Roma thought they were stopped because they were Roma, Roma stopped by police experienced four stops a year.

Alarming condition of Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc., Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich pointed out.

Zed and Freirich urged European Union and United Nations not to stay apathetic and silent spectator when fellow Roma brothers/sisters were facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe. He urged them to show strong political will, courage, and commitment in support of Roma cause.

References to Roma people in Europe, who numbered around 15 million, reportedly went as far back as ninth century AD. How many more centuries Roma had to reside in Europe to prove that they were “real and equal” Europeans like any other, Zed and Freirich asked.

ENDS

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