This article discusses how the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg criticized France for not inviting the Czech Republic, Romania, or Bulgaria to the immigration summit in Paris. While I was studying abroad in Prague, Roma were mentioned many times during our orientation. Our program wanted us to be aware of the Roma situation in the Czech Republic, so we could better understand the Czech mentality towards them. While I never encountered any Roma myself it was clear that many of the adults had a strong distaste for them. That being said I found this quote from the article very interesting: "Speaking to journalists after the talks, Schwarzenberg said he is sensitive about the Roma issue because he grew up close to the camp in Lety, south Bohemia, where more than 1,300 Roma were gathered during the Nazi occupation." This reminds me of the discussion we had in class today about the other and also either becoming the other or sympathizing with the other. While Schwarzenberg may be Czech, because he grew up so close to a concentration camp filled with many Roma he can't help but sympathize with them. In this instance he may be going against what his national identity tells him he should feel. Finally the article mentions "In a recent interview, Schwarzenberg said he believed that the French expulsion - spearheaded by Sarkozy - "goes against the spirit and rules of the EU." He added that "to put it mildly, when inspecting the case, one cannot but voice the suspicion that racist motivation plays a role, too."
Wow. That is really appropriate for the discussion. I know a little about the Roma and that they are despised by pretty much all of Europe. I hope that some progress will be made, but...
ReplyDeleteThe Czech Foreign Affairs Minister should be an example for his country. They should make a movie about the Roma in concentration camps to show Europeans how dangerous it can be to loath those without a stationary identity.