25/01/2019
FSG
It is commemorated on January 27 for being the date of the liberation of the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in the framework of what is known as the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazis in World War II, in which millions of people were killed (Jews, Roma, political prisoners, homosexuals, disabled ...).
The theme of the Holocaust memorial and the educational activities of the United Nations this year 2019 is "The memory of the Holocaust: Demands and defends your human rights." This theme aims to encourage young people to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust, to act against discrimination and to defend the values of democracy in their communities, at a time when the spread of neo-Nazism and intolerant groups fuels the growing anti-Semitism and other forms of hate around the world. The theme chosen by the UN highlights the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The Roma community was one of the main groups persecuted and exterminated by Nazi hatred, together with Jewish people (more than 6 million victims), LGBT people, people with disabilities, and other groups (Polish, militants of lefts, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.). It is estimated that between half a million and a million Roma people were murdered in the Nazi extermination camps. The holocaust of the gypsy people is remembered with the name of porrajmos, or samudaripén, Romany words meaning "devour" and "murder of all", respectively. This historical fact is commemorated on August 2.
From the Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) we find it especially relevant that the UN insists this year on the need to demand and defend human rights, since as a social entity that promotes equal treatment and the defence of rights in the face of discrimination, we consider it a priority not only continue to advocate in their defence but to increasingly involve Roma people in the importance and necessity of making visible the exercise of their citizenship and defending it. For many years a large part of the Roma community has been far from social participation, but for a long time there has been a significant mobilization of many Roma people, especially young people, who report situations of anti-Gypsy discrimination and hostility, and who participate in various social forums, cultural and active citizenship, and social and political activism in the defence of their rights.
In this historic moment of rise of extreme right groups in various European countries, including Spain, which retake old speeches that criminalize foreign people and ethnic minorities, it is fundamental a reaction of citizens to defend a fundamental principle such as the right to equality and the right to non-discrimination.
Therefore, from the Fundación Secretariado Gitano we want to share not only the sentiment of this important date, but also share with you that the defence of human rights and equal treatment and Non-discrimination is the responsibility of society as a whole and will continue to be our main objective.
Reference bibliography:
Gitanos bajo la Cruz Gamada de Donald Kenrick y Grattan Puxon
Un gitano en Auschwitz de Otto Rosenberg
Right to remember: A Handbook for Education with Young People on the Roma Genocide. Consejo de Europa.
Dikh he na bister (Look and don’t forget), Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth-roma/ternype
Ian Hancock´s conference about Roma and Holocaust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEJb-p6SOE
Links