Gypsies of Gaza appeal for help

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The bloody conflict raging in the Middle East isn’t just affecting Jews and Palestinians. As ever, the Gypsy people are being caught in the crossfire of a war they never started but are fast becoming victims of. Jake Bowers reports.

Many people know that Romany people have an Asian origin, but the world’s 12 million Romany people are largely regarded as a European people. But Gypsy people can be found across the world, and many significant populations still exist in asia.

Gypsies of India originally refered to themselves by the term “Dom”, meaning “man” in their language. While in other Gypsy communities the word transformed into “Rom” or “Lom”, the word Dom is still used by Gypsies of the Middle East and North Africa. Today there are Dom communities living in countries such as Cyprus, Iran, Iraq/Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan/Tadjikistan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel/Gaza/the West Bank, and Turkey.

As the world watches in horror at the increasingly bloody conflict in Gaza, a Gypsy woman from Jerusalem has appealed for help on behalf of the Domari community of the Gaza strip.

Amoun Sleem, founded Domari : the Society of Gypsies in Israel ten years ago. She says: ”If you know anything about Gypsies, you know that they are a people who have been discriminated against throughout their long history. They have moved from country to country in order to be at peace with others. ”

“My people (forefathers) have lived in the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank for over 100 years, and yet, in many ways, during these 100 years our standard of living and status of life has not changed. Many of my people still live without electricity, many do not have indoor plumbing, and many cannot read or write. ”

But the current military assault on Gaza by the Israeli army has prompted Amoun Sleem to appeal for help to the world. She says: “I am saddened to inform you about the plight of our Gypsy sisters and brothers in Gaza. They live together with Palestinian people, thus also becoming the victims of the conflict. Until now the people in Gaza Strip did not have an easy life, it was riddled with poverty, anxiety and lack of hope.”

”Recently, the situation is really miserable. We receive a lot of information and alarming signals from Dom families. Many Gypsies have already lost their lives, and many more have been left wounded. Those, who are left live in fear and despair, worrying about what is yet to come. The ones living in Gaza have often lost everything they had. It is heart breaking for us, also because our ethnic group, already small, is decimating. Watching our relatives suffer is not easy as well.”

“On the behalf of Gypsy community from the Holy Land, I would like to ask you to remember about us, and keep our troubles in your minds. The Gypsies should stand united and supportive of each other, in order to survive and protect our culture.”

The Domari Society is directly appealing for financial help. Those who wish to donate money to help relieve the suffering can do so via the following bank account:

Domari Gypsy Organization of Israel

REG: 580350890

Mercantile Discount Bank ltd.
Sallah Eddin Branch no. 638, Jerusalem

Account No. 503878

Watch a film about Amoun Sleem, Director of the Domari Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem, here: