Criticizing Sweden, which prides itself for its human rights record, US-based Hindu scholar Rajan Zed has urged the Swedish government to improve the plight of Roma populace who are living in apartheid like conditions.
The Sweden government’s human rights website places the Roma at a highly vulnerable position with various discriminations in society. Despite government’s chatter on fight against discrimination, racial discrimination and plight of people belong to minorities is still widely prevalent.
Generally speaking, many Roma encounter great difficulties in virtually all spheres of society, including education, the labour market, housing and health care and to possibility of participating in the community on the same terms as the majority population.
In an e-mail statement, Mr. Rajan Zed asked how Sweden, which prides itself for its human rights record, was tolerating such reportedly widespread prejudice against a segment of its own society.
Describing Maltreatment of Roma - a dark stain on the face of Sweden, he said that Roma who were contemptuously referred to as tattare or Gypsies has been living with a constant inequity and are facing political, social, and economic exclusion. Abuse of Roma in the form of forced transportation, banishment, ban on owning businesses, forced assimilation, forced sterilizations, etc., has been a reality.
Zed also talked about the long history of Roma plight by saying that many were deported over the centuries to Finland. Various edicts during 17th century decreed that the Roma were to be driven out. During the 18th century, many were drafted into army while others were dispatched to forced labour or forced settlement. Romani immigration was banned from 1914 to 1954. During the period between two world wars, the tattare/Gypsy issue was the topic of a fierce debate with racist overtones and often drawing on racial biology.
Despite extensive legislation against ethnic discrimination, additional funding for Roma related prejudice/discrimination issues with Ombudsman, formation of various agencies to improve their living conditions, Roma still reportedly faced political, social, and economic exclusion. Can’t the about 9.2 million people of Sweden properly integrate and include their about 60,000 Roma brothers/sisters, Rajan Zed asked.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Roma had been living in Sweden since 16th century. How many more centuries they had to reside in Sweden to prove that they were “real and equal” Swedes like any other, Zed asked. It was moral obligation of Sweden to improve the plight of its Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who were reportedly the most disadvantaged.
Rajan Zed further said that it was like an undeclared apartheid. The maltreatment of Roma was reportedly outside even the European Union norms. Everybody openly saw the prejudice and various reports had clearly pointed out the brazen discrimination Roma faced in Sweden, but the country seemed to have just ignored it and appeared to lack the will to stop it.
Roma inclusion and integration programs needed to immediately take off the ground providing them with better health and education avenues, higher economic opportunities, sources of empowerment and participation, etc., Zed pointed out.
Rajan Zed further said that Church of Sweden, which was the national church and claimed up to seven million membership (out of total about 9.2 million population), should also come out in support of the cause of this distinct ethnic and cultural group of Roma, because religion taught us to help the helpless and it was the duty of majority to protect its minority.
Image credit: http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/
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