Letter of protest to Berlusconi regarding Italian action on fingerprinting Roma living in camps

Dear Mr Berlusconi,

Since months we are looking very closely at the incidents of violent attack on the settlements in Italy, police brutality and violations, hate speech in which hundreds of Roma have been forced to run for fear of their life. So far there hasn’t been any appropriate reactions or measures taken to stop the violence and pogroms of Roma by your government.

The European Roma and Travellers Forum is seriously concerned about the action of the Italian authorities on fingerprinting Roma living in the camps across the country – adults and children alike – brushing aside the concerns of the European Institutions and International organisations.

– Having regard to human rights and fundamental freedoms, the principles of equality and non-discrimination, the right to privacy and to data protection, as recognised by the international and European conventions protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, and notably the European Convention on Human Rights and the related jurisprudence and by the Charter of Fundamental Rights, as well as the International Convention on Children’s Rights,

– Having regard to the EU Treaties, and notably to Article 6 and 7 TUE, Article 13 TEC (measures against discrimination based on, inter alia, race and ethnic origin), Article 12 TEC (prohibition of discriminations on the basis of nationality), Article 17 (European citizenship), Article 18 (freedom of movement), articles 39 and following (free movement of workers),

– Having regard to the European Council directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and to directive 2004/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the European Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States,

– Having regard to the Roma Staff Working Paper on Community Instruments and Policies for Roma Inclusion and to the 2008 Fundamental Rights Agency annual report,

– Having regard to the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament on Roma, on anti-discrimination, on freedom of movement,

we urge the Italian authorities to stop its anti-Roma activities immediately and to undertake all necessary measures to stop the Anti-Roma pogroms and ensure safe and secure life of all Roma living in Italy as well as the full implementation of International Laws and standards.

Similar activities to this one are not only a threat to the Roma community. These activities remind us of the Nazi and Fascist periods in the early 1930s, when Roma/Sinti and Jews were singled out for discrimination and persecution leading finally to the genocide of millions of innocent people.
Nowadays this is a serious threat to the future of European, to democracy and the rule of law.

Today the European Roma and Travellers Forum sent an open letter to all Heads of Governments asking them to condemn the activities of the Italian authorities ensuring that EU is a community of values based on democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, equality and non-discrimination, and that the EU is committed to fight against racism and xenophobia, as well as against discriminations based on any of the reasons stated in articles 13 and 12 TEC.

We believe that the international bodies too, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, OSCE and the United Nations should take a stand and condemn the behavior of the Italian government as inhumane and unacceptable.

On behalf of 15 million Roma living in Europe we are seriously condemning the anti-Roma activities and call on the Italian authorities to reconsider their activities and decisions.

Yours truly,

Rudko Kwaczynski
President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum