Another name for assimilation for Roma: Urban transformation
ISTANBUL (DİHA) - Speaking at the panel organized as part of the "Solidarity Activities with Roma" organized by the Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Platform, Zero Discrimination Association and Sulukule Children's Art Workshop, Roma Citizen Şadi Çatı said, "They are dividing us with these projects, we have neither our language nor our culture left."
A panel was held at the Cezayir Meeting Hall within the scope of the "Solidarity Activities with Roma" organized by the Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Platform, Zero Discrimination Association and Sulukule Children's Art Workshop on the problems experienced by Roma citizens due to "urban transformation" projects and the discrimination they are exposed to. Speaking before the start of the panel, Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Platform Spokesperson and Zero Discrimination Association President Elmas Alus said, "'Mental discrimination' against Roma citizens continues to be at a serious level. "The common victim of Romani people, no matter where they live in Turkey, is urban transformation," he said.
They both demolished their homes and incurred debt!
Following the speeches, documentary films were screened that told the problems experienced by Romani citizens. Moderated by Başak Ekim Akkan from the Boğaziçi University Social Policy Forum, the panel was also attended by Director Nejla Osseiran, Belgin Cengiz, Romani citizen Şadi Çatı from the Gaziosmanpaşa Sarıgöl Neighborhood, and Turan Şallı, President of the Edirne Romani Education Volunteers Association. Director Nejla Osseiran stated that Romani citizens whose homes were demolished were incurred debt and directed to apartments, drawing attention to the fact that Romani people were thus separated from their own culture and ties to life. Osserian emphasized that Romani citizens who were placed in apartments were mostly unable to continue their lives in such apartments and abandoned the "building" life.
'They made promises and left they will go'
A Romani citizen from Gaziosmanpaşa Sarıgöl Neighborhood, Şadi Çatı, drew attention to the fact that 300 Romani families were left homeless as a result of the demolition. Çatı reacted to the AKP government's "Urban transformation" projects and said, "We used to be poor. In 2002, someone came to us, everything we had was gone, we didn't even have poverty anymore."
Emphasizing that their culture was also destroyed along with their houses being demolished as a result of the "urban transformation" projects, Çatı said, "We have our own language. We can't speak this language everywhere because no one knows it. We used to talk to our neighbors in our own neighborhood. Now they are dividing us with these projects, we have neither our language nor our culture left." Çatı, who reminded us of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement during his term as Prime Minister, "We have come to be someone for the helpless," said, "I am telling you frankly, they are lying. They come and speak at Romani associations during election periods and make promises, but then they leave."
31.10.2014
