A Closer Look: The Roma Dilemma

Many countries around the world have Roma populations, but in Europe, the Roma met their deepest and most thorough persecution.  Originally emigrating in the 11th century from the Punjab region of northern India, the Roma people met prejudice and rejection at every turn.  The worst of the persecution was during the holocaust, in which nearly a third of the Roma (commonly known as gypsies) were systematically exterminated in Europe.  In areas in which the Nazis were strongest, Roma mortalities soared to nearly 70%.

Both then and today, the Roma have been subjected to many stereotypes, but like most stereotypes, while they are perhaps true amongst some members of the group, these preconceptions are applied uniformly and used to make unfair and unwise decisions about groups of people.  Nadia, a co-author of Romani.org, wrote a forceful response to some of the stereotypes against Roma, which can be found here.
The persecution of Roma still occurs throughout Europe, especially in the former Soviet block.  Even Western Europe seems eager to find ways to rid itself of Roma; anti-immigration legislation is a popular means in the UK, France, Denmark, and Italy (to name a few).

Most recently, Italy’s prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi has passed anti-immigration legislation to:

“…make illegal entry an offence (as it already is in Britain, France and Germany), confiscate property rented to illegal immigrants, restrict the granting of asylum and make it harder for legal immigrants to bring in family members.”

While this is the formal policy, action taken against Roma in Italy ranges from police and vigilante violence to the torching of Roma settlements.  Italy’s action (or, at least, lack of protection) has been condemned by Spain, which stands out as one country that is welcoming and accepting of the Roma.

This trans-Mediterranean tension represents the larger issues which lie beneath the Roma debate: human rights, a European community of cohesion and equality, and a love-hate relationship with immigration.  While many European states are resenting the open borders that allow poorer immigrants to enter and crowd their countries, this migration also comprises most of the population growth in Europe- something needed to help sustain its social welfare programs and its economy in general.