INTERNATIONAL ROMA FILM FESTIVAL IN HUNGARY

September 2007

Call for entries

The 4th International Festival for Young Filmmakers in Miskolc, northern
Hungary welcomes entries of all types of films (feature, short, documentary,
animated) to a special category:

\"ROMA-IMAGE - Roma before and behind the camera\".

The festival, organized by CineFest and Hungary\'s only roma radio station,
Radio C, is an unique chance to explore Europe\'s roma-related films.

The films in this category will be awarded by an independent jury. The entry deadline is June 30, 2007. The DVD or VHS of the picture must arrive via mail until the deadline date, together with the signed and approved entry regulation and the obligatory supplements (photos, dialogue list, etc.).
The decision of the pre-jury is foreseen to the August 1, 2007.

Details about festival program, other events, jury, entry form etc. you can find on the webpage www.cinefest.hu.

RADIO C
FM 88.8
www.radioc.hu

Tradition, innovation, music and culture - a roma medium since 2001.

2 February 2010 Dear Colleagues The UK Association of Gypsy Women has embarked on a campaign that will call on the UN for immediate evacuation and re-settlement of the Roma community residing on lead contaminated camps in Kosovo. We are appealing for the support of Romany/Roma/Traveller NGO’s, individuals and all human rights organisations that will use their influence to lobby European and US Governments, not least Antonio Guterres UN High Commission for Refugees and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon regarding the plight of the Roma community residing on the Osterode and Cesmin-Lug refugee camps in Northern Kosovo.

The families’ original homes were at the “Roma Mahalla”, on the southern shore of the Ibar River, part of the oldest Mahalla in the Balkans, having thrived for almost 150 years. The homes here were burned by Kosovan Albanians in an attempt of ethnic cleansing as the conflict for Kosovo was ending: The families were packed into the contaminated camps by the UNHCR with an assurance their stay would be for just 45 days until a safer place could be found, however that was more than a decade ago.

The Roma refugee camps were built close to the Trepca lead mine and smelting works. The factory was closed by order of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UMIK) in 2000, but the slag heaps were never cleaned up.

Osterode camp is overlooked by a 200 metre high mountain of 100 million tons of toxic lead waste. Deadly grey dust blows continually down on the camp below, subjecting the families on a daily basis to toxic lead poisoning on an unprecedented scale.

There are some 650 families, with around 400 children, 200 of which are under the age of ten, residing on Osterode. So far 77 deaths to date in the camp, their organs have simply packed up. Furthermore, even if an immediate evacuation-re-settlement is orchestrated, it will take up to 10 years of intensive medical treatment to rid their blood of the poison. Meanwhile, as many as 200 children are forgotten and abandoned by the UNHCR.

The lead blackens the children’s teeth, blanks out their memory and stunts their growth: mood swings from nervous hyperactivity to something akin to coma; epileptic fits etc, every child conceived on the camps will be born with irreversible brain damage. Armed with this knowledge then and the evidence of the highest levels of poison in the blood ever recorded in history on humans, self affected abortion is preferable.

Dorit Nitzan of World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office, Belgrade, warned this is the worst lead poisoning that they know of in Europe. Lead in the blood is measured in micrograms per deciliter, measured in tens. More than 100 mg/dl in the blood is considered a catastrophically high level. (WHO tests showed the children had so much lead in their blood that medical equipment could not measure it accurately. It should be noted allegedly, that the Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers working in the contaminated areas were frequently tested for lead poisoning and were relocated to other parts of the province if the results were above acceptable limits.

Medical treatment, known as “Chelation”; was given to some of the children to clear the blood of the lead- sponsored by WHO but, the success of the treatment assumes that the children have been removed from the source of the pollution. Only one family is known to have left the camp, they were taken to Germany for their child to receive treatment and re-settled there.

Leading toxicologist Professor Alistair Hay, UK Government advisor, said he had never encountered a situation in all the years he had been looking at lead where the situation is as catastrophic as it is for these children.

In 2008 the UNHCR and its sister organisation, UNMIK, abandoned the people on the camps and handed responsibility of them over to the Kosovan Government. The WHO, International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have called for immediate evacuation and proper medical treatment for the people on the camps.

Roma families are being ‘voluntarily’ and forcibly returned from European Countries back to Kosovo steadily, it seems with utter disregard to the lifethreatening situation in which they may find themselves. Widespread discrimination against Roma people in Kosovo and the political, security and economic situation is not conducive to their return, moreover, one would imagine, that obtaining documentation and the repossession of property would prove to be extremely difficult for them.

We believe, the Dutch and Norwegian Governments have funded the rebuilding of the Roma Mahalla in Southern Mitrovica, the US Government have also launched a new project to re-house 50 families from Cesmin Lug where children go barefoot even in the winter on the polluted earth, however, the Roma people cannot be expected to feel safe going back to live in the Kosovan Albanian majority south after what happened in 1999, nor should they be encouraged or forced to do so.

Paul Polansky: Author, Historian, Poet, and Former Advisor to the UN on Roma in 1999, and Human Rights Activist, has tried in vain to get the refugees human rights recognised, has recently returned from a week in the camps.

He told me of nine year old Ergin who is suffering from Kidney Failure and his seven year old brother, who shares Ergin’s special diet, he is five years old and is in an even worse condition than Ergin. Although, Ergin has been hospitalised six or seven times during the past year, he will not survive without his special diet. Neither will his brother.

Ergin was taken off the special diet last September by the Kosovo Agency for Advocacy & Development, who are a Pristina-based Albanian NGO that has a contract with the Minister of Communities and returns to administer the Romani camps in north Mitrovica, KAAD said: the government could no longer meet the cost of the 7 euro’s a day for the special diet. Theirs will be probably be, the next two deaths in Osterode. It appears then, that the Kosavan government can find a better use for that 7 euros a day, other than to spend it on rescuing two little children from the jaws of death.

As Paul Polansky said, we have already lost an entire generation of Romani children to irreversible brain damage’, his contention is that it is doubtful, that they will be able to father another generation We strongly feel that the situation of the Romany/Roma/Traveller people across the whole of Europe today, especially that of Ostrode and Cesmin Lug camps are frighteningly reminiscent of events preceding the holocaust and can no longer be ignored. An article in 1996 in the Observer, by Nick Cohen, stated ‘Gypsies have become the Jews of Europe’. It drew comparisons with the attitudes towards the Jews of the 1930s and the Gypsies of the 90s, comparisons that in UKAGW view remain unchanged today. The situation in Kosovo needs intervention as a matter of urgency.

In 2000, the EU leaders pledged to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by 2010, mindful of this then, the time is now for all human rights activists to lobby for the immediate evacuation and re-location, of the Roma community from the living hell that they are forced to endure on a daily basis on the toxic waste camps in Kosovo.

Rachel Francis-Ingham | ukagw@ymail.com

(From http://www.enar-eu.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=15284&la=1&langue=EN)

Racism is a reality in the lives of ethnic and religious minorities in the EU. The extent and manifestations are however often unknown and undocumented, especially in official data sources, and as a consequence it can be difficult to analyse the situation and to establish solutions. Even where there are extensive official data, NGOs offer a vital alternative data source that comes directly from experiences of those individuals and communities experiencing racism on a daily basis.

Against this background, since 2001, ENAR has piloted, extended and continuously improved the ENAR Shadow Reports. The reports developed to become a major tool for monitoring the situation of racism and xenophobia in the EU member states. They also proved to be an invaluable documented starting point for strategic and coordinated action for the anti-racist civil society towards national governments, the European institutions, bodies and the media.

Since the first European Shadow Report in 2004 and following subsequent improvements, many stakeholders, including other NGOs and institutional stakeholders, have remarked the progress and usefulness of ENAR’s analysis. The Shadow Reports have proved to be a major tool for advocacy and communication towards national governments and European institutions and bodies and have been used by other stakeholders as an evidence base. The reports are unique in that they bring together facts & developments to help build a counter-perspective on racism that reflects the views of NGOs and victims and local, national and EU levels and have had a demonstrable impact on policy change, representing a key source of analysis.

With the objective of maintaining highest quality, ENAR is seeking an author to draft the comparative European Shadow Report 2007.

The comparative EU wide Shadow report is based on the ENAR National Reports 2007, covering comparatively the same topics as outlined in the Handbook of Instructions for the ENAR National Shadow Reports 2007.

The European Shadow Report 2007 shall reflect the NGO perspective and the situation of racism comparatively in the European Union and shall include the following:

1. Executive summary and introduction

2. Description of victim groups (e.g. immigrants, ethnic or religious minorities, refugees, visible minorities etc.)

3. Specific areas in which racism and religious discrimination is visible/hidden in the national context, such as the labour market, housing, education, personal experiences etc.

4. Summary of the political and legal context, and policy developments in the areas of anti-discrimination, migration and integration, criminal justice, social inclusion

5. Data collection: a description of the process of collecting data on discrimination or any difficulties experienced in collecting information on this topic

6. Good/best practice of NGO work against racism.

7. Set of recommendations for further actions to be undertaken at EU level

8. Conclusion

The European Shadow Report 2007 shall be produced in English on the basis of 24 National Reports written in English and 3 National Reports written in French.

Financial compensation for completion of the study, which should not be longer than 30-35 pages, is €6000 (tax and VAT included).

Deadline for submitting proposals for writing the European Shadow Report 2007 is Monday, 28 July 2008.

The author of the study will be selected by Thursday, 31 July 2008 and shall start drafting the report on Monday, 4 August 2008.

Deadline for submission of draft study is Friday, 19 September 2008.

Deadline for incorporate changes sent by ENAR Secretariat and submit final draft is Tuesday, 30 September 2008.

Proposals should include:

- Letter of application, including a statement of expertise on human rights and race equality issues in the European context; and language skills
- One relevant writing sample
- A brief elaboration on the methodological approach used to work and timeline including key deadlines and tasks
- Budget breakdown on the costs involved in completing the task

Proposals should be marked “European Shadow Report 2007” and forwarded to ENAR Secretariat, 43 Rue de la Charité, B-1210 Bruxelles, Belgium, Email: katalin@enar-eu.org

Deadline:

13 August 2008

Budget line/available budget:

EUR 200 000

Objectives and supported actions in the field of ENAR's work:

The subject of the contract is to collect and analyse data and information in order to deliver a report and a handbook of good practices as outlined in detail in Annex A.1 of the technical specifications.

Applicants:

---

Legal basis:

FRA2-2008-3200-T03

Community contribution:

Estimated value excluding VAT: EUR 200 000

Publication reference:

FRA2-2008-3200-T03

Contact:

procurement@fra.europa.eu

General remarks:

You can find more information here: http://eumc.eu.int/eumc/index.php?fuseaction=content.dsp_cat_content&catid=3e4a7c4a74f57&contentid=4864e2d596f9c

19.8.2008

Deadline

25 September 2008, 17:00

Budget line / available budget

EUR 220 000 - 280 000

Objectives and supported actions in the field of ENAR's work
The subject of the contract is to collect and analyse data and information in order to deliver a comparative report, a working paper and 6 case study reports. The objective of the project is to study the housing situation of Roma and travellers across the EU, highlighting significant initiatives that improve their living conditions, in order to provide the Agency with the essential evidence for its conclusions and opinions to the Community institutions and EU Member States, which will assist them in developing appropriate policies and measures to improve the situation.

The obligations of the contractor in the context of this project are to develop 1 comprehensive comparative report, 1 working paper containing an analysis of survey data that will be made available to the contractor, 6 case studies, and implement 1 round table conference. The contractor must develop the project in close cooperation with Roma civil society organisations, as appropriate.

The comparative report will rely on:

thematic studies that will be carried out by RAXEN National Focal Points;
on the analysis of the survey data; and
on the key findings of the 6 case studies.
Applicants

Participation in tendering procedures is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons coming within the scope of the Treaties and to all natural and legal persons in a third country which has a special agreement with the Communities in the field of public procurement on the conditions laid down in that agreement.

Legal basis

FRA2-2008-3200-T04

Community contribution

Estimated value excluding VAT: between EUR 220 000 and EUR 280 000.

Publication reference

FRA2-2008-3200-T04

Contact

procurement@fra.europa.eu

General remarks

You can find relevant documents here: http://eumc.eu.int/eumc/index.php?fuseaction=content.dsp_cat_content&catid=3e4a7c4a74f57&contentid=48a98bcce8051

Between December 10, 2007 - International Human Rights Day - and March 8, 2008 - International Women's Day - Mama Cash (www.mamacash.org/) runs a Campaign 88 Days for women's rights.

You can make a contribution too! How? At 88days.mamacash.org you can read all about the campaign.

One of the easiest and fastest ways to support Campaign 88 Days is to spread the word about women's rights. Know a friend or two who would like to learn about Mama Cash and Campaign 88 Days? Send the campaign e-card to as many people as possible 88days.mamacash.org/page.php?id=2169.

BELGIQUE/4020 LIEGE
BLD.EMILE DE LAVELEYE 122/11
ASENOV ALEKO-0032/0/496488672

Kedves Támogatónk, kedves Barátunk!

Amikor petíciót fogalmaztunk Sólyom Lászlónak, nem gondoltuk, hogy több mint kétezer aláíró gyűlik össze néhány nap alatt – ekkor született meg a Méltóságot Mindenkinek Mozgalom és a meltosag.net. Amikor valamivel később a „Nem az én nevemben" akciót elindítottuk, magunk sem számítottunk arra, hogy több mint tizenhétezer aláírás érkezik majd a nemazennevemben.eu oldalra és a képek száma is meghaladja a több ezret! Pedig ezen az oldalon látszólag semmi sem történt, s az aláíráson, képfeltöltésen kívül semmit nem is lehetett kezdeni vele. Mégis rendületlenül klikkeltetek, nézegettétek a képeket, húsz nyelven olvastátok az oldalt és gyönyörködtetek Oláh Jolán mozaikjában. Úgy gondoltuk, ennél sokkal többet érdemeltek – hiszen éppen azokban az időkben látogattatok rendre hozzánk és vállaltátok névvel, képpel a szélsőjobb előtörése miatti rosszallásotokat, amikor az ország többsége visszavonult vagy belesimult az arctalan tömegbe. Ezért hoztuk létre a www.coMMMunity.hu oldalt – ahol már nem csak nézelődhetsz, olvasgathatsz, képet tölthetsz fel és gyönyörködhetsz, hanem számos más dolgot is csinálhatsz: aktívan építheted az emberi méltóság tiszteletben tartását vallók közösségét. Gyere, regisztrálj, posztolj, blogolj, oszd meg velünk és másokkal gondolataidat, képeidet, filmjeidet és persze hozd el barátaidat is. Ez az oldal a Te oldalad! Egy olyan oldal, amilyen eddig még nem létezett. Nálunk bárki újságíróvá lehet, aki regisztrál és hisz abban, hogy a publikálással visszaszoríthatja a gyűlölködést.

Építsünk együtt egy közösséget, és mutassuk meg, hogy a szabad szónak ereje van!

Szeretnénk veled is megosztani örömünket. Gyere el a nyitóbulijára október 17-én 18.00-tól a Gödör klub kávézójába.

Program: a TÁP színház színház-koncertje, beszélgetés, végül tánc Dj Clairvo lemezeire.

coMMMentezz, ne háborúzz!

PS: Tegeződni és magázódni egyszerre nem szeretnénk - a tegező forma tehát a bizalom és nem a bizalmaskodás jele.

A Contest for young leadership talent from minorities of any kind on www.eurobama.net or www.atmospheuropa.eu  

The AtmosphEUROPA contest is organized by the ICLS (The Intercultural Communication and Leadership School) of Rome – www.intercivilization.net and The Intercivil Society of London. The Contest is supported by the President of European Parliament, leading members of mainstream political groups (left and right) of the European Parliament, the European Commission and a number of civil society partners. The Contest has been inspired by the 21st century social mobilization methods of Barack Obama.

This contest is for you if: YOU ARE less than 30 years old, coming from a minority background and living in Europe and

YOU LEAD on climate protection, on good diversity in society, or on poverty reduction.

YOU WIN this Contest if you mobilize the most people who will vote for you and your ideas on climate, diversity and poverty.

YES. YOU CAN submit your candidacy before 30 September 2009 and the public will vote for you and your leadership ideas on the Internet in October. The 12 most successful candidates (12 stars) will be invited to Brussels for the prime time final on 4 November 2009. Then another public vote will choose the most popular one among the 12 stars.

YES. YOU CAN do this all through www.eurobama.net or www.atmospheuropa.eu.

In the early hours of Monday, February 23 a new violent act has taken place causing the death of a five years old child and his father. Most recently the brutal murder of Marian Cosma, a member of the Romanian national handball team, shocked the whole country. But in addition to these tragic events, there are other crimes taking place, too, day by day which get less attention. However, the fact is that the police and the judiciary in general are unable to cope with their duties and in some cases they made striking mistakes in between the investigation and the verdict. The picture that comes through to the large public from these events is that while during the turmoil some members of the police - sometimes breaking the law and ultimately backing each other - apply unjustifiable violence even against innocent bypassers. They do not take measures against organized criminal groups and ethnic based attacks even if they have all necessary information at their disposal. The criminal gangs in the environs of Veszprém, a town in Hungary, have led an obvious illegal way of life in the front of local authorities. Following the tragic events in Tatárszengyörgy the authorities ignored the obvious fact of perpetrators. All these experiences inflamed popular feelings to an unprecedented degree, the process is being even more intensified by everyday problems stemming from the economic meltdown and the instigative behavior of extremist groups.

Therefore, we civilians, members of the Action Against Violence movement, are asking the Government and all competent authorities to re-establish trust in jurisdiction. Put the existing law in operation in all its rigor now, before the large public demands the application of more severe punishment and the introduction of inhuman punitive sanctions that would only result the spread of violence and injustice. Authorities should make clear that all citizen regardless of the color of their skin are entitled to protection while all perpetrators have to assume the consequences of their deed.

Furthermore, we ask that the Government should take genuine measures for the radical settlement of the situation of millions of people living in deep poverty. The increase of social problems – besides ongoing disadvantages – is considerably contributing to the intensification of the tensions.

We are aware that the solution of the situation does not depend solely on the government. Therefore at the same time we are appealing to every one of our fellow citizens. Although the increase in number of violent acts during the last couple of weeks and the exasperated opinions that followed them have saddened us very much, we are pleased to find out also about many new initiatives within which Hungarians, both from majority and Roma communities, have stood by a country that should be built on reconciliation and cooperation.

More and more people realize that the real difference is not between Roma and non-Roma but between honest and dishonest people which has nothing to do with the color of the skin. Even in the midst of ever increasing tension, more and more people dare give voice to their conviction that stigmatizing an entire ethnic group with collective guilt is unacceptable and is extremely harmful. The clash between different ethnic groups would equally harm all Hungarians: both Roma and non-Roma. Only extremist groups would benefit of it, therefore they use all possible means to intensify artificially the tensions.

Therefore we are asking all Hungarian citizens regardless of their ethnic background to stand for peaceful coexistence, to respect the laws in force and to seek non-violent and non-partisan solutions. We are asking all citizens to give voice to their conviction in this regard and to assist the immediate and larger community by offering alternative solutions to exclusivist and violent acts. And last but not least support all those groups and initiatives which are actively striving to achieve these goals!

Common Action Against Violence Civic Movement

movementagainstracism@gmail.com