“you’re so absent…”
The President of the Zero Discrimination Association and documentary director Elmas ARUS. She is known for her fight against discrimination against Gypsies. She plays an active role in the Roma initiative. She is the first name to be awarded the Council of Europe’s Humanitarian Aid Award for her successful work to improve the situation of Turkish Roma. She donates her 10,000 Euro award to the association she is the President of to be used for the education of Roma children.
I met Elmas at the Roma Citizens in Turkey Conference held in Istanbul in 2010. The words she said at this conference, which was also attended by representatives from the European Union and the Council of Europe, still ring in my ears: “Do you know? No one asks our children ‘What will you be when you grow up?’ Do you know why they don’t ask? Because their fate is predetermined. And we are here to change this fate. So that when our children grow up, they can say, ‘I will be a doctor, engineer, police officer, teacher, historian, professor, even Prime Minister’ like your children… We are here so that these paths can be opened.”
I propose to hold the interview in any Gypsy neighborhood. He looks favorably upon it and organizes it. Kuştepe Youth Platform President Bahattin Turnalı picks us up from Taksim. We go to Kuştepe to meet with Gypsy youth from both the platform and the Gönenliler Association.
Elmas, first I want to ask: What is the difference between a Roma and a Gypsy?
Gypsy is a term used by the other-gaco to describe the Roma and groups living like Roma socio-culturally.
Sorry, I didn’t quite understand what “gaco” means?
Gaco means someone who is not from the Gypsy community.
So am I becoming a Gaco now?
Yes, you are a Gaco.
Hmm, I understand, I say and we laugh heartily.
Until the expansion of Roma, Gypsy was a word that did not bother the society very much. But after the Romani Initiative, it started to be used intensively as an ethnic concept. We can say that there was a confusion of concepts. Other groups called by local names such as Lom, Dom, Abdal, who were defined as Gypsies, objected to the definition of themselves with the word Romani, and they still do…
Bahattin joins the conversation.
When you say Romani, it feels like you have moved up a notch, moved up a class. Maybe it feels that way. It is cooler. As if you have gained a status. For example, some say I am not a Gypsy, I am Romani.
Elmas adds.
Ultimately, it is necessary to fight against negative expressions that fill in the background of concepts rather than the concepts themselves. Today, the word Romani may create a positive perception for a short time, but when the Romani community is in such a disadvantaged situation, this seemingly positive situation may very soon become a negative judgment. Then, under which word will the society express itself? Moreover, the hateful expressions that are the basis of the social problems that Gypsies have experienced for centuries were not put under the word Romani. We were exposed to these hateful expressions under the name Gypsy.
What would you prefer me to say, Romani or Gypsy? I usually use the word Gypsy. Because for me, gypsy is not a hateful word or a definition that has bad connotations and bad connotations. But I still don’t want to be in a discourse that makes you uncomfortable.
It doesn’t matter. You can use either one. Whatever you want. I use both.
Since when have you been interested in the problems of Turkish gypsies, what have you done?
Since a young age, you have been growing up aware of the social difference between you and the rest of society. This difference comes up in every aspect of your life. In friendships, “yours-gypsies”… In neighborhood, family, and relative relationships, “them-gacos”… I was always aware of the problem, but I started working on a solution in the early 2000s. While I was studying at university in Edirne, I dreamed of making a documentary about who my own society was, its traditions, customs, and cultural dilemmas. This was also a journey into my own identity. I took a volunteer team of 7 people to share my dream. With that volunteer team, we went into and out of more than 400 neighborhoods in 38 provinces in 7 regions of Turkey. At the end of this 9-year study, we obtained 360 hours of archival footage. We made a 60-minute documentary called “Half” and shared it with the public in order to raise social awareness.
After the film was finished, I and the volunteer team were no longer the same people we were when we started this work. In this world where it is said that 72 nations live, we took on a responsibility towards this society that is considered as “Half” nation, ignored, and experiencing deep victimization. We founded the Zero Discrimination Association in 2009. Since then, we have been advocating for Roma and disadvantaged groups like Roma.
I immediately turn to the youth. What does Elmas Arus mean to you?
The voices of the youth are rising.
She is our opinion leader, our idol, our voice…
Bahattin wants to say something in particular:
A man takes another man as an example, right? I take Elmas Hanım as an example. I want to be like her. Especially her stance on TV programs, her self-confidence, the fact that she voices the problems of the Roma on every platform, is worth everything.
Elmas smiles a little proudly, a little shyly.
Don't do it. You are embarrassing me. I want the youth to come to the fore, the flag to the youth, you are young. The liberation is in the youth, I care a lot about the Youth Platform.
What changed in your life after the Roma Opening?
Being a gypsy was like a black mark for us due to social judgments. The most important thing is that a social identity awareness is formed among the Roma. They started to express themselves and their problems. They contacted the state institutions through their citizenship rights. They became aware of their own rights. We have become aware of our problems that we perceive as our destiny. There has also been a serious awareness of the problems of the Romani community in other parts of society.
With the Romani Initiative, many Romani associations were established all of a sudden. How do you evaluate this, what were the positive and negative reflections?
The rapid development of the concept of “Civil Society” after the initiative and the establishment of so many associations are certainly positive. However, the negative aspect is that these associations cannot ensure their sustainability, they close down or they compromise on their civil society mission and survive with the support of political parties.
You are also actively involved in the state’s Romani Initiative efforts. You participate in national and international commissions and conferences.
Yes, I agree. I am trying to be the voice of the Romani people of Turkey.
What kind of differences have you observed between the Romani people in Europe and those in Turkey?
Europe has been working for 30-40 years to solve the problems experienced by the Romani people. There, the Romani people are defined as a minority. In Turkey, they are defined as a disadvantaged group. I am stating this because according to these two definitions, the problems and the stages of solving the problems are determined.
Even though there are no discriminatory expressions in the laws in Turkey, there is serious discrimination in the minds. This is an obstacle to the Roma benefiting from the rights that are equal for everyone. The most important minority problem in Europe is the Roma problem. There have been changes in the country's policies to solve the problem, but until a short period of time, the laws of some European countries still included discriminatory policies towards the Roma. The solution to the discrimination carried out by the state is much more difficult, almost impossible. For example, in Sweden, until the 1960s, the Roma could not send their children to school because it was forbidden. Before that, killing a Roma person was not subject to punishment. In other words, if you killed a Roma person, you were not considered a murderer and you did not receive any punishment. The sterilization law was officially implemented between 1934-73. 63 thousand people were sterilized. Until the early 2000s, it was forbidden for Roma people to have more than two children. The third child was aborted by the state. At a Commission meeting held in Istanbul, a Roma delegate from Sweden suddenly burst into tears while these issues were being discussed and shared an incident with us: “I was little. My mother was 8 months pregnant with her third child. One day, state officials took my mother away and we didn’t know where they were taking her. They took my mother’s 8-month-old baby from her womb and brought her home. My mother kept talking about her baby until she died. I wondered if it was dead, if it was alive, what happened to my child?” Here you see the intensity of discrimination there. Now, the Swedish government is preparing a White Paper. It is an apologetic book about the Roma in Sweden and the genocide committed against them.
It is unbelievable. You are talking about the terrible discrimination that was carried out in Sweden, which is considered one of the most democratic countries in Europe, until the beginning of this century. So what prompted and motivated Europe to launch a Roma Initiative? What do they say?
Despite all the good arrangements made for Romani people, of course there are many issues where Europe is also hypocritical. The genocide against the Jews in World War II is always talked about, but the genocide against the Gypsies is not talked about or known much.
There is a good documentary about the genocide against the Gypsies prepared by Kosovar Romani Orhan Galjus and Bob Entrop. It is called Broken Silence. I watched it at a conference on Public Broadcasting and Romani Minorities that I attended in Kosovo last April. It is very impressive.
Yes, I know. Orhan mentioned it but I haven’t been able to watch it yet.
By the way, Romani journalists from other countries asked about you at that conference. “Do you know Emas Arus? Do you know Elmas Arus?” I said “yes, yes, I know.” I was showing off. How famous you are among European Romani people.
You are so cute.
So are you… Anyway. Let’s finish the mutual compliment part and continue.
While the Roma people are discriminated against in the heart of Europe, on the other hand, we see that since the 70s, solution policies have been tried to be produced. On the one hand, the Roma population is very dense and increasing. There is a huge gap between the two communities. In the areas of poverty, education, housing, health… a terrible gap, in other words. What is the reason for this? There is no integration, no unity. The European population is an old population. They need a young population to work. Europe does not have a policy that will educate the Roma and make them prime ministers and ministers. They integrate and educate the Roma to use them as intermediate staff. The Roma population is also large in Turkey. If this population is not educated and integrated, there will be a social explosion. An urgent solution is needed. This is not only the Roma people’s problem, but the whole of society’s. The problems experienced by the Roma people will reflect negatively on the society as a whole.
How do the Roma people in Turkey express themselves?
The Roma people in Turkey see themselves as an essential element of Turkey, they do not see themselves as a minority. We often clash with the Roma NGOs in Europe. The men have been subjected to so much violence, they have closed themselves off so much. Gaco is their enemy. They do not want to have any contact with Gaco. They have so many handicaps in their subconscious. They cannot understand that we see ourselves as the essential element of Turkey, they oppose it.
When you look at Turkey, the Romani have done the shopping of the society, they have been blacksmiths, villagers, I don’t know what. They have been seen as the lowest segment of the society, as “half” and have not been touched. No matter how much they do not define it, they have not seen it as another group, they have seen it as the poorest, the lowest layer of the society. They have ignored it. I think the greatest assimilation is ignoring it. It is so deprived that I cannot even discriminate against you. An identity consciousness has emerged in the last 4 years. Although it is not yet visible, an ethnic identity has started to form. With the influence of the EU or with that influence, with this influence, we have finally started to be defined as an ethnic identity.
I want to ask you all. What are the prejudices and clichés that annoy you the most as Romani people? This question is causing a stir. Everyone says something. They take the floor from each other and complete the sentences and the missing parts…
When you say you are Romani, you are defeated 5-0. Look, there was a Kurdish opening, they say I am Kurdish, they write on Facebook. We cannot say it. We have been living in these lands for centuries under the crescent star flag, but we have to hide ourselves. At school, at work, in hospitals, in the military, in government offices… For example, if a beggar or thief is seen on the street, they are immediately called Gypsy.
When does society come face to face with Romani people? When they see them in the media. What does the media show? It shows the worst clichés. Women with shabby teeth, dirty, uncombed hair, belly dancing, snotty children are presented as examples. We are very angry with the characters in the programs Gırgıriye, Cennet Mahallesi, İnce İnce Yasemince. They have made a lot of money on us with these series. What have they done for us? Other than reinforcing clichés and wrong images. You will show Gypsies from all walks of life. There are these and there are those. In Cennet Mahallesi, women eat sunflower seeds and throw the shells inside the house. For God's sake, I ask where has such a thing been seen. We do not live like this. Please do not humiliate us like this. For example, there is a fight scene, a rhythm is heard and the fight ends. Romani people start dancing. Nowhere in the world does a person stop when they hear music while fighting. We have always been seen as an element of comedy and humor. For example, headlines such as "A drug raid was carried out in the Romani neighborhood. Romani youth fought" are given in the news. Since when did ethnicity start to be given in such news in Turkey? Such labels and generalizations offend us.
The call to prayer will be called soon, most of us will go in and pray. Unfortunately, there is discrimination even in the mosque. We have children here with beautiful voices who will be muezzins, but we have to listen to the call to prayer read in that bad voice. As if the call to prayer we read and the prayer we lead are not accepted.
Ah, media and cultural diversity. I have attended so many panels, conferences and workshops on this subject. Unfortunately, almost every media employee needs to receive special training. No one should idealize and think that a media organization or a media member is something. I have witnessed how ignorant, inadequate and insensitive my colleagues from the most respected broadcasting organizations in the world are on these issues. The people we call media members are also a part of the society they live in. They also have all the prejudices, clichés and taboos that exist in that society. First, we need to be able to be human, to have a conscience, to live together with the other, to accept and respect each other. In short, continuous and constant education is a must for everyone at every age.
Elmas also wants to share her experiences on this subject.
I get really angry sometimes when you go to a very serious program and they immediately start saying “oh, let’s make some music, your family loves music.” How can you laugh and play when your child is sick and being taken out of his house? Roma people don’t cry, Roma people don’t get sad… oh no! They cry as much as everyone else, they suffer as much as everyone else, but they look at the world positively, that’s the difference. Let me give you an example. A microphone is a very valuable thing. When we extended the microphone to the Gypsy community during the shooting of our documentary, they asked, “Will the Prime Minister hear us, will they solve our problems?” They felt valued by the extension of that microphone. Roma people don’t want to be isolated from society. They want jobs, they want identity cards, they want equal opportunities in education, they don’t want to be victims of urban transformation…
They express all these discomforts and say that they will now seek their rights, and that they will apply to RTÜK, and if necessary, they will file a lawsuit, especially when they encounter clichés and hate speech fed by the media. They make an effort to raise awareness in the Roma community about seeking their rights and expressing themselves in places where public services are received, such as schools and hospitals. They particularly state that they also need to do a lot to break down taboos, prejudices and clichés.
These young people are educated, these young people are excited, these young people consciously want to change things. Honestly, it was good for me to get to know them. It always makes me good to see idealistic, hopeful, hardworking, self-confident young people. I only ask where the women are. I say why are there always men. All in unison:
There are girls, there are girls. They are at school, at university, they had classes today. They are also with us, they are actively working.
What about love, marriage? What happens when you meet a Gajo in love?
Elmas laughs.
I am married to a Gajo. One day before our marriage, my wife said, “Let’s tell my mother that she is a Gypsy.” And we did. My mother-in-law was sick one day and then she said, “Well, she is a Gypsy but she is both educated and beautiful.” I managed to get away with being educated and beautiful. My father didn’t want it. He didn’t want it because he thought they would come one day and call her a Gypsy and push her away, but we convinced him in the end. I am lucky, I wasn’t pushed away too much. Let me give you another example. My aunt’s daughter is also married to a gaco, she has tattoos on her face made by Gypsies. Her husband constantly says, “Remove those tattoos, when I see them I remember that she is a Gypsy.” The children also ask their mothers, “Are we Gypsies, is Gypsyism a bad thing?” Think about the psychology of this person. For example, my son is in primary school and going to college. When he sees Roma people on TV, he says, “Look mom, ours are out.” Because we don’t teach him Gypsyism as something bad or a joke.
Children don’t know discrimination or hatred. Unfortunately, we teach them…
Finally, what are your goals from now on, Elmas?
When I finished university, my mother’s dream was to see me, a torn Gypsy, sipping my coffee and working in a plaza. But I am still in Gypsy neighborhoods, with Gypsies. I couldn’t make my mother’s dream come true.
As long as the problems of Roma and communities like Roma continue, my struggle will continue. Today it will be Roma, tomorrow it will be another group that will be victimized. The struggle for rights continues…
The conversation continues with all its warmth… Gönenliler Association President Metin Kamçı orders another cup of tea for all of us. Personal stories, angers, resentments, joys, sorrows, goals, dreams are told accompanied by rabbit blood. I don’t know… was the real interview the ones I couldn’t fit here?
Semra Güzel Korver
28.12.2013
Source: Neyyse
http://neyyse.com/o-kadar-yoksun-ki/
