Police sweep on Roma as Porajmos commemorated

By GRATTAN PUXON

UK, 2nd August: The London Porajmos commemoration yesterday was overshadowed by police-led dispersals against homeless Roma in some of the capital's richest districts. Others were stopped at railways station checks by immigration officers.

At Marble Arch, near affluent Park Lane, their spirits buoyed for a while by the appearance of Roma activists and musicians, families sleeping rough complained bitterly of continued harassment by Metropolitan police, Immigration and Romanian Embassy staff. Daniella, aged 42, said she had come to Britain in the hope of receiving medical held for heart decease and a serious eye condition. "They have taken my blankets and I'm sleeping here on the ground tonight," she told this writer.

"I don't want to be living like this. I want work," saids Aaron. "But there's nothing for us in Romania and we'd starve if we didn't come here."

All said they were subjected to Operation Chefornak on 19 July, a major City of Westminster sweep by police using recently adopted Dispersal Zone powers. Some had agreed under pressure to be deported. Most, having no alternative, had returned to sleep on the grass at Marble Arch.

Roma with origins in six countries had gathered earlier in the day at the nearby Hyde Park Holocaust Memorial to remember the destruction of the Auschwitz Zigeunerlager and the 500,000 victims of the Nazi genocide against the Romani people.

Among those attending was the deputy head of mission at the Czech Embassy, Antonin Hradilek. He had agreed to participate after Ladislav Balaz, of Europe-Roma, led a protest outside the embassy

at the start of day of action organized by the 8 April Movement.

"We are here to recall the Porajmos, which must never be forgotten, " said Balaz. "At the same time it is vital to draw attention to the revival of Nazism and the hate marches taking place in the Czech

Republic right now."

He was accompanied by Roma community leaders Albin Horvat, Pavel Botos, Petr Jano, Josef Cina and others, from as far away as Newcastle and Halifax. The UK-based Romani Council was represented by Joe P.Jones and Joseph G.Jones.

On behalf of Roma from Bulgaria, Toma Mladenov said the situation in his home country was dire. The ecomony was in ruins and Roma presently had no representative in parliament. "Our greatest need

is to get better organized," he commented.

Standing beside him, Angel Ivanov, currently studying at Essex University, said afterwards

in addition to better representation he hoped more self-help could be encouraged. "As far as we can we must solve our own problems."

Prof Rainer Schultz, of Essex University, told of the last days of the Zigeunerlager and the desperate fight put up by women and children as they were dargged to the gas chambers.

For the first time, the Porajmos commemoration was this year linked to a simultaneous event at Hiroshima. A message from Hiroshima was read out by Shigeo Kobayashi, who is activily supporting Traveller families at Dale Farm following the 15m euro destruction of their community two years ago.

David Landau, of the Jewish Socialist Group, conveyed the solidarity of Jews everywhere whose people, he said, had suffered a common fate with Roma in the Holocaust. That solidarity, he emphasised, must continue today as fascism against reared its head.

Demonstrators later blocked the entrance to the French Embassy in protest against the 9,000 Roma expelled last year and the ongoing raids against encampments and shanty-settlements. After been cleared away by Met police they marched to Marble Arch, led by the Rhyhms of Resistance band.

Link: http://roma.idebate.org/news-articles/roma-hit-police-sweep-porajmos-remembered