MINELRES: First Moscow Conference of Roma organizations of Russia "Romane phrala"

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Roma Network <romale@zahav.net.il> 


The First "Romane Prala" Open Congress of Interregional Russian Roma
Public Organizations Union was held in Moscow on the 1st of July. The
subject of the Congress was "The problems of Russian State policy
towards Roma population".

The attendants of the Congress were representatives of 15 Roma
Communities, Ukrainian Roma Communities leaders and Saint-Petersburg
Roma Juridical Center leaders. The main problems of the Roms in Russia
were stated in the opening speech by Georgy Tsvetkov, the Union
president:

"Nowadays our people find themselves in a difficult and hard situation.
On the one hand, a material level of most Roma families is falling in a
dramatic way. Especially this problem is urgent in provinces, outskirts
and villages. During Perestroika period the Roms did not manage to find
their position in society in new living conditions. One of the main
reasons for this is a low educational level, as well as ignorance of
their rights and as a result - inability to assert these rights before
the authorities. 

Critical social problems in combination with the lack of education lead
to the criminalization. This problem solution to a great extent depends
on the state policy towards national minorities. Today we have guests
and representatives from different regions and republics to discuss the
problem of Roma ethnos and the State interrelations, for Russian Roms
future is based on these interrelations intensity".

There were 10 reports presented at the Congress. The participants shared
their work experience, success and problems. 

During report discussions it was emphasized that the majority of power
structures cooperation failures are connected with the complexity of
Roma organizations work with local government bodies. Roma community
representatives are treated with great prejudication and the reason for
this negative attitude is in a great way caused by mass media that
mostly covers Roma problems in Russia one-sidedly and in a biased way.
All participants agreed on the urgency of necessity to originate a
Program of the Roms integration into Russian society on a national
level. All participants unanimously made a decision to send a letter to
the State Duma of the Russian Federation for the President with an
appeal to originate a Roma program in Russia. All participants signed
this appeal letter. In the nearest future it will be published in
Russian press. 

The most interesting and meaningful Congress reports on Roma status in
Russia, on Russian State national policy problems and on organizations
activities in various regions of Russia will be published in Roma
Network. 


Marianna Seslavinskaya, "Romane Prala" Roma Union vice-president   
marjana@romale.ru