Floods and refugees An increase in asylum applications by Czech and Slovak Roma ("Gypsies") has been followed by racist panics in Canada and Britain.
According to the Czech magazine
Socialistická Solidarita, this exodus was the result of "growing racist tendencies, especially after heavy flooding during the summer. After this catastrophe the media began a massive campaign against Gypsies, blaming them for a multitude of problems (stealing charity funds, looting empty houses, and so on.
Of course these were lies. All people arrested for these crimes were "white." In many cases police and rescue teams refused to help Gypsies in destroyed areas.
But the media campaign was successful - Gypsies were seen as the root of all problems. This suited the government because people who talk about Gypsies didn't see the main reason for the
Spain EUROPA ECONOMICA
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EUROPA. UNIOS
Jobless of Europe, unite!
El País project which separate the United Left from Initiativa, and stating the obvious: that there is no longer any fundamental or organic link between the leaderst. This organic link between the leadership of was what the United Left leadership did. It was, in fact, the only responsible thing do. Those who are bleating about bruised Catalan sovereignty are crying crocodile tears. The multi-national nature of the Spanish state must not become a barrier to the interplay of ideas and political programmes! * The author is a founding member of Cuadernos Internacionales, a regroupment of Fourth International supporters in the Spanish state, and a member of the International Executive Committee of the Fourth International. disaster," and the government's poor response.
After this campaign there was a TV report about emigration to Canada and the possibility of obtaining refugee status. TV claimed that the easiest solution was for all Gypsies - to leave the Czech republic. Some families tried this possibility, but the cause for their asylum applications is racism and racist attacks, not television.
There have been 12 racist murders in the Czech Republic (population 10.5 million) since 1991. The number of reported racist attacks has risen from 150 in 1991 to over 650 in 1996. 10% of Czech police identify themselves as members or sympathizers of nazi organisations or the far right Republican Party. And 87% of Czechs say they would not want Gypsies as neighbours. Source: Socialistická Solidarity (Czech group of the IS current led by the British SWP) <[email protected]>
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