Hindus condemn dismantling of Roma camps in Helsinki

Hindus have strongly criticized City of Helsinki for reported dismantling of two Roma camps during the last two days without providing them alternate accommodation.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was simply inhuman to force the Roma in harsh conditions outdoors.

The Roma camps, reportedly in existence since August, were broken up in Kalasatama and Kyläsaari areas of the capital. There are reportedly similar camps/shacks within the Helsinki city limits occupied by Finnish derelicts and homeless alcoholics. Jussi Pajunen is the mayor of Helsinki.

Meanwhile, United Nations sometime back listed Finland as one of the countries which discriminate against Roma people.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, in a statement at the 12th session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 15, said: “Regarding access to housing, direct and indirect discrimination against Roma, Sinti and Travelers and/or forced evictions are known to have taken place in a number of countries, including Finland…” She further said, “…more must be done to end such discrimination.”

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Finland to take care of its Roma population who reportedly faced apartheid conditions. Maltreatment of Roma, who mostly migrated from India many centuries back, was a dark stain on the face of Finland. How Finland, which prided itself for its human rights record, was tolerating such widespread prejudice against a segment of its own society, he asked.

Rajan Zed argued that Roma had been living in Finland since 1500s, took part alongside other Finns in all of the wars the country participated in, and their mother tongue was Finnish. What more Roma needed to do and how many more centuries they had to reside in Finland to prove that they were “real and equal” Finns like any other, he asked.

Hindu statesman pointed out that it was 2009 and many Finland restaurants, stores, and other licensed premises still reportedly refused them entry. Replying to a telephone survey sometime back, some employers reportedly admitted that they would not want to hire a Roma even if he/she had the qualifications for a job. Prejudicial treatment occurred even though the Finnish Penal Code, through an amendment adopted in 1995 sections 11(8) and (9), criminalized incitement to racial hatred and racial discrimination. The Criminal Code at Article 47(3) also provided for punishment of discrimination in employment.

Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Finland to improve the plight of its Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 12,000 and were the most disadvantaged.

Roma reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc., Rajan Zed pointed out.

Hindu statesman further said that it was like an undeclared apartheid. The abuse of Roma was outside even the European Union norms. Everybody openly saw the prejudice and various reports had clearly pointed out the brazen discrimination Roma faced in Finland, but the country just ignored it and appeared to lack the will to stop it.

Roma inclusion and integration programs needed to immediately take off the ground providing them with better health and education avenues, higher economic opportunities, sources of empowerment and participation, etc., Zed pointed out.

Rajan Zed stressed that Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, which represented about 80 percent of the Finns, should also come out in support of the cause of this distinct ethnic and cultural group of Roma, because religion taught us to help the helpless.

--SAMPURN