Fundación Secretariado Gitano

The Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) condemns the treatment given to the Roma population in France[editar]

Madrid, 29th July 2010.- After the serious incidents happened this weekend in the French city of Saint Aignan as a result of the death of a young Roma, and the reaction of the French Government announcing the evictions of camps and the immediate expulsion of the country of the foreigners Roma who have committed a crime, the Fundacion Secretariado Gitano (FSG) states that:

• This type of reactions reinforces negative stereotypes against Roma population that already exist. Illegal actions are committed by persons as individuals and the justice must act before these facts with all the legislation and means available. What it cannot happen is to continue criminalizing the Roma population as a whole for the actions done by a few individuals. It is unfair to present a stereotype image of the Roma population that, in many cases, has made a big effort to participle in the society as full-fledged citizens. Despite of that, a great part of the Roma population continues suffering from poverty and social exclusion that are unacceptable in a Europe of the 21^st century.

Therefore, FSG urges:

• The French Government to respect the international legal framework in the evictions of EU citizens; to avoid stigmatised declarations against Roma; to support social inclusion policies instead of promoting massive expulsions and force evictions of camps.
• The European Commission and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU to assume a leader role denouncing this facts and fostering the implementation of policy measures for the advancement of the social inclusion of the Roma population in the EU based on the ten Common Basic Principles, the action plan proposed in the Commission Communication for the social and economic integration of the Roma in Europe (7^th April 2010), the Parliament Resolutions, specially the one on The social situation of the Roma in Europe (11^th March 2009), the Joint Statement by the Trio Presidency with the occasion of the Second European Roma Summit (8^th and 9^th April 2010) and the Council Conclusions on advancing Roma inclusion (adopted last 7^th June 2010).
• The Spanish Government, after a Presidency of the Council of the European Union committed with the Roma inclusion, to continue defending the rights of the Roma and to reject measures against free movement of persons in the EU.

The FSG, in coordination with other national and European organisations, especially with the European Roma Policy Coalition (ERPC) of which FSG is a member, will call the attention to the Ministry of External Affairs, the European Commission and any relevant institution to react openly against the measures foreseen in France and show a more proactive stance in the search of solutions throughout more social inclusive policies and avoiding any violation of fundamental rights.

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