Czech Republic: “Slave of Race” initiative holds “happenings” to launch petition
A newly-created initiative called “Slave of Race” (Otrokem rasy) launched its
activity today with two happenings, one in front of the Czech Interior Ministry
in Prague and another in front of the Ostrava town hall, where people sought
signatures on a petition in support of those remaining in the Přednádraží
ghetto. Because the situation in Ostrava has drastically deteriorated, the
initiative is focusing its activities on that topic.
Prague
The event in Prague took place in front of the Interior Ministry and began
with performances by the hip-hop group United Gypsy Crew and hip-hop performer
Bonus. Organizer Ivanka Mariposa Čonková then read aloud a letter to the
interior minister calling on police not to intervene against the tenants on
Přednádraží Street in Ostrava. Landlord Oldřich Roztočil has requested police
intervene to evict them.
Singer Pavlína Matiová then performed two songs. Her second number was the well-known
song “Čhajori Romani”.
Ostrava
The event in Ostrava was organized the ProAlt civic initiative and the Life
Together (Vzájemné soužití) association. It took place on Prokešovo Square, in
front of the New Town Hall in Ostrava, where a petition table was set up.
Signature collection is continuing on the petition against the eviction of the
Přednádraží inhabitants into overpriced residential hotels.
Representatives of the municipal department have also been called upon to
hold immediate, transparent negotiations with the aim of ensuring dignified
housing for the occupants of Přednádraží Street and other evacuated localities
in Ostrava-Přívoz, preferably in municipally-owned apartments. The municipal
department of Moravská Ostrava a Přívoz is currently not leasing its available
housing to anyone from Přednádraží, as its representatives confirmed in a
statement issued today.
The text of the petition reads:
AGAINST THE EVACUATION OF THE OCCUPANTS OF PŘEDNÁDRAŽÍ STREET INTO
OVERPRICED RESIDENTIAL HOTELS
Since 3 August 2012, the Office of the Municipal Department of Moravská
Ostrava a Přívoz has insisted on the immediate evacuation of tenants from
buildings on Přednádraží Street and other localities because of their poor state
of repair as determined by the Building Works Authority in Ostrava. At the same
time, this municipal authority has acknowledged that a significant proportion of
the poor state of the buildings is due to a broken sewer line, the
administration and maintenance of which continues to be the subject of court
disputes, and for which the occupants of Přednádraží Street are not responsible.
For more than 10 years, the Přednádraží residents have been asking for
repairs to these properties in vain. Now the substitute accommodation that
municipal bureaucrats are offering to those who have been forcibly evicted from
Přednádraží consists of overpriced residential hotels – in other words, a very
good business deal for someone. The situation on Přednádraží Street is due to
the failure of the authorities, not the residents!
The petition (in Czech only) is available for signature online at
http://www.petice24.com/prednadrazi
