The Roma Genocide was held for the first time in an open-air event in Turkey

The Roma Genocide was commemorated in an event jointly organized by the Zero Discrimination Association and the Stop Say Racism and Nationalism Platform.

The victims of the Roma Genocide, the greatest tragedy experienced by European Roma, were commemorated in Istanbul by Roma civil society organization representatives and anti-racist activists. The commemoration event was held simultaneously with 30 European countries where the European Grassroots Anti-Racist Movement (EGAM) is organized.

The President of the Zero Discrimination Association, Elmas Arus, who read the press release on behalf of the institutions organizing the event, said, “Very little is known about this issue in Turkey. Therefore, it is an important task for us to keep the memory of the victims of the genocide alive and to share information about the genocide with a wider audience.” span id="more-425">

“Just like in Europe, discrimination against Roma is widespread in Turkey today. In addition to not being able to properly benefit from public services such as employment, housing and education, Roma citizens are also being deprived of their living spaces through projects such as “urban transformation” that do not have people at their core and are aimed at sharing profits; they are being condemned to complete poverty. Moreover, these practices are being carried out by public institutions such as local governments. Roma, who are the targets of racists, are subjected to lynching attempts, as in the case of Selendi; despite being victims, they are being exiled like criminals.”

Arus concluded his words by saying, “revealing and disseminating the truths about that period is a necessity of the fight against racism and discrimination both in Europe and in Turkey. Because denying or ignoring the genocide means continuing the logic of genocide.”

Full press release:

We Respectfully Remember the Victims of the Roma Genocide

Today, we have gathered here as representatives of Roma civil society organizations and anti-racist activists to respectfully remember the victims of the genocide committed by the Nazis against the Roma during World War II. Despite the fact that Roma people were among the millions of victims of the Holocaust, one of the greatest crimes against humanity, such as Jews, regime opponents, the disabled, and homosexuals, very little is known about this issue, especially in Turkey. Therefore, it is an important task to keep the memory of the victims of the genocide alive and to share information about the genocide with wider segments of society.

Before the Nazis came to power in 1933, many discriminatory laws targeting Roma people were already in effect. The Nazi regime made these widespread prejudices and discriminatory practices more systematic.

Roma people were seen by the Nazi regime as “asocial” and “inferior races” that posed a threat to the biological purity and power of the “superior Aryan race.” For this reason, an “ethnic cleansing” was implemented step by step. During the first year of the Nazis’ rule, Roma people’s work and social living spaces were restricted. The bans increased day by day and eventually they were first forced to live in ghettos and then massacred in death camps.

The genocide carried out by the Nazi regime was the greatest tragedy that the Roma people living in Europe have faced for thousands of years. Between 1933 and 1945, around 500,000 Roma people were killed; many more were persecuted. The genocide revealed the most brutal side of racism and nationalism.

Unfortunately, discrimination against Roma people in Europe did not end with the defeat of the Nazi regime. Many discriminatory practices, from the sterilization of Roma women without their consent to the forcing of Roma communities to live in ghettos, continued until recent history. Institutional discrimination against Roma citizens continues today in many European countries, such as the Czech Republic and France.

Although the German state paid compensation to the Jews who were victims of Nazi persecution after the war, the Roma people did not benefit from this. The Roma Holocaust was only recognized by the German state in 1982. Today, the Roma Holocaust is widely commemorated in many European countries and Holocaust memorials are being erected. In Turkey, the genocide has not been recognized or brought to the agenda by either public institutions or the government.

Just like in Europe, discrimination against Roma is widespread in Turkey today. In addition to not being able to benefit from public services such as employment, housing and education, Roma citizens are also being deprived of their living spaces through projects such as “urban transformation” that do not have people at their core and are aimed at sharing profits; they are condemned to complete poverty. Moreover, these practices are carried out by public institutions such as local governments. Roma, who are the targets of racists, are subjected to lynching attempts, as in the case of Selendi; despite being victims, they are exiled like criminals.

While the Roma Genocide constitutes an important part of European history, the discriminatory practices against Roma today can only be understood by taking this historical background into consideration.

Therefore, revealing and disseminating the truth about that period is a necessity of the fight against racism and discrimination in both Europe and Turkey. Because denying or ignoring the genocide means continuing the logic of genocide.

In this context, while respectfully remembering the Roma victims of the Genocide, we would like to underline once again that we are determined to fight the discrimination that continues against Roma citizens today.

Zero Discrimination Association
Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Platform