Hindus and Jews laud European Parliament for strong message against France Roma expulsions
September 8th, 2010 - 4:05 pm ICT by ANINevada (US), Sept 8 (ANI): Hindus and Jews have applauded European Parliament (EP) for sending a strong message to French President Nicolas Sarkozy regarding his apparent “witch-hunt” against Roma (Gypsy) community.
EP, which met in Strasbourg (France) on September seven, held a debate on the burning issue surrounding treatment of Roma people in Europe.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada today, said that it showed that Europe would not tolerate racism and xenophobia projects undertaken by some European politicians. Freedom of movement rights should be enforced for “all citizens” and not for just “one class of citizens”. Politicians should not be permitted to boost their sagging popularity in tougher times at the cost of helpless Roma.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich criticized the European Commission (EC) for timid response on Roma expulsions and appearing to tone down the issue and added that it had failed to do its job on freedom of movement issues and protecting minority rights.
It had not been doing enough to protect Roma, Europe’s largest ethnic minority numbering around 15-million, and seemed like refusing to accept its responsibility and closing its eyes when France was deporting
Roma in apparent violation of rules.
EC President Jose Manuel Barroso did not even mention France by name on Roma issue in his State of the Union address to EP.
Rajan Zed and Jonathan Freirich pointed out that Europe’s slide towards racism and xenophobia, as it appeared from Roma maltreatment in various European countries, was unacceptable and should be stopped. In addition to France; other European countries like Denmark, Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Italy had also reportedly deported Roma in the past. (ANI)
- Hindus ask European Commission to take France to Court over Roma "witch hunt" - Sep 10, 2010
- Hindus & Jews want sanctions against France on Roma maltreatment - Aug 27, 2010
- Hindus and Jews Want Sanctions Against France - Aug 27, 2010
- Hindus & Jews shocked at France's continuing Roma expulsion despite promise otherwise - Nov 09, 2010
- Hindus & Jews concerned at dismantling plan of Roma settlements in Rome - Sep 04, 2010
- Hindus and Jews ask EU & UN to halt France's racism engulfed Roma maltreatment - Aug 14, 2010
- Stop treating Roma as pariahs: Hindus & Jews tell Europe - Jan 03, 2011
- Hindus ask Sarkozy to resign over Roma fiasco - Sep 17, 2010
- Hindus & Jews concerned at Pope's silence on Roma deportations in Europe - Aug 04, 2010
- Hindus laud European Commission for showing guts in warning France over Roma issue - Oct 01, 2010
- Hindus portray France as an "embarrassment for Europe" in view of Roma maltreatment - Sep 16, 2010
- Hindus and Jews critical of Romania proposal of renaming "Roma" as "Tsigan" - Dec 14, 2010
- Hindus want urgent EU probe into allegations of secret Roma lists in France - Oct 11, 2010
- Hindus & Jews ask European Union intervention to stop dismantling of French Roma camps - Jul 30, 2010
- Hindus & Jews term Roma deportations from European countries as "blatant apartheid" - Aug 01, 2010
Tags: apparent violation, ec president, european parliament, european politicians, freedom of movement, freirich, french president nicolas, french president nicolas sarkozy, gypsy community, hindu statesman, jewish leader, jose manuel barroso, nicolas sarkozy, president nicolas sarkozy, rajan zed, state of the union address, strasbourg france, tougher times, universal society, witch hunt