Mainstream antipathy to Roma bigger threat than far right, warms Czech
intelligence
In recent months, a series of violent rallies targeting Romany communities
have been seen in the Czech Republic. Besides known far-right activists,
the protestors have included large numbers of ordinary locals frustrated
with what they see as the authorities’ inability to deal with high crime
levels and other problems plaguing Romany-dominated districts. Now, the
Czech intelligence service has warned that anti-Romany sentiments in
mainstream society could become a more serious threat than far-right
extremism. I discussed the report with sociologist Ivan Gabal.
“We are witnessing two competing tendencies. One is a slow effort by the
government to build integration policies to overcome social exclusion, and
to lower the number of people living in excluded localities. The other is
the worsening situation inside these localities, and the conflict
atmosphere in their vicinities.
“The latter is pushing the problems faced by Romany localities towards
security issues, and I think that the intelligence service simply means
that this shifting tendency has become really significant.”
Why do you think anti-Romany sentiments are increasing? Some observes
suggest Romanies have become a scapegoat for many ethnic Czechs who
themselves are hit by the economic depression…
“What we see and what the intelligence service is describing is the
situation in some of the northern regions and some localities in southern
Bohemia. There, rallies are organized and attended by frustrated neighbours
of these localities. We don’t see these events taking place in Prague or
Brno, for example. So I would link these developments to the daily
experience of living next to these ghettos, with high crime levels and poor
relations between the majority population and Romanies, including Roma
children.”
If the situation is deteriorating, would you say that the government
programmes of social inclusion have failed?
“Failed is too strong an expression. What we have seen is a slowdown due
to the fact that the previous Nečas government decided to cancel the
position of minister for human rights who was mostly responsible for
integration programmes.
“The government tried to move this agenda towards social and educational
policies. In these areas, mainly in education, we have not seen the desired
changed, namely an increase in the capacity of elementary schools to
educate children with Roma and socially excluded Roma background.”
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