Maltreatment of European Roma (Gypsies) worsened during 2011 despite high-sounding paper strategies, conferences and funding to integrate them.
Roma continue to face apartheid conditions, prejudice, exclusion and rights denial in Europe and efforts have failed to integrate them. Roma need dignity and respect like other Europeans and they are not getting it.
It is time for Europe to wake-up and do something concrete to end Roma apartheid. European politicians need to exhibit a strong will, commitment, intention and responsibility to bring concrete and lasting results on the reality of the Roma population, instead of just weaving dreams in capital boardrooms.
Europe needs to clarify to the world where it stands on the issue of Roma and how long it will let the clearly visible Roma apartheid continue throughout almost every European locale.
Their alarming condition is a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly face social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, unusually high unemployment rates, etc.
Jan. 3, 2012