Civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs: Politicians not responding to the hate against us
The civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs are greatly disturbed by the rising influence of extremist movements and groups in the Czech Republic. Saturday’s march by the Workers’ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) through the town of Krupka has once again confirmed how the Police of the Czech Republic choose to provide their “help and protection”. Just before the march came to an end, police officers attacked the participants of a religious gathering held to protest the march and injured several of them.
The press spokesperson for the Czech Police always tells the media that the behavior of police during such marches has been neutral and professional. This in itself leads to a certain legitimization of these hate actions.
Recent changes enacted by the current government have drastically transformed the everyday lives of all low-income families. These families are facing extreme pressures of uncertainty, fear, and stress over how to survive, be it tomorrow or next week. The main problem is the social welfare system does not offer employment alternatives. Unemployment is rising generally and for Roma people it is rising exponentially. The main effort now being made by the state is to transfer the burden of its obligations onto the shoulders of the citizens themselves.
This destruction of the state welfare system creates an open space for the activities of the Czech ultra-right. Czech neo-Nazis, masking themselves with the label of “nationalism”, love to talk about “national revolution”. They love to pretend they are “against the system”. Unfortunately, some in the majority population welcome these activities and support them. Public actions of a hateful character very often take place without being adequately condemned by political representatives or municipalities. This further violates the trust that the members of the groups under attack might otherwise place in the justice system of the current social order. The constant attacks and violations of everyday life experienced by members of minorities reduces their self-confidence and jeopardizes their equal access to full participation in the life of this society. Moreover, such attacks have a disastrous impact on children, as they are unable to evaluate such situations and the risks associated with them.
Various European Union bodies have also criticized Czech society for its approach to marginalized groups. The Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner is disturbed by anti-Roma, racist statements made here by some influential politicians – frequently, in his view. These statements are then reported in the media, which then makes it possible for anti-Roma ideas to be expressed by others. He has recommended the creation of a mechanism of active self-regulation so that such statements disappear from the public sphere and the stigmatization of Roma people in the media and in politics can be brought to an end.
At a time when neo-Nazis are marching through the streets of Czech towns attacking people, at a time when the state is simply incapable of facing up to such phenomena, at a time when the popularity of the DSSS has reached 2 % in some opinion polls, the civil members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs cannot and do not want to just stay silent. They are preparing draft amendments to the law on assembly which will make it as difficult as possible for right-wing extremist marches threatening Roma people to take place. These marches are significantly encumbering the budget of the Czech Police and disturbing the good people of the Czech Republic.
