TÜRKİYE 2012

Çorlu Gypsies Organized An Aid Campaign For Little Sultan 03/01/2012

Çorlu Gypsies started an aid campaign for Little Sultan (7 aged) who fights against cancer of the blood in Şişli Etfal Hospital in Istanbul. Roma Gypsies, who started the campaign upon advice of administration of Çorlu Musicians Association for Little Sultan altough they scrape a living, shows one of the best examples of solidarity.

Little Sultan is being looked after by her uncle who subsists on scrap and paper collecting. They live in Yahya Kemal Neighbourhood of İstanbul. The situation of Little Sultan who was diagnosed with cancer of the blood distresses her relatives living in Çorlu district of Tekirdağ city (Thracia) besides all of her neighbours. The Gypsy families living in Çorlu cooperated to support Little Sultan within the bounds of possibility.

The solidarity existed with contribution of Çorlu Musicians Association among Gypsies living in different cities points at a beauty which have to be a model for all of the society. Our author Cemil Akmaca living in the neighbourhood who evaluates the issue says: "If all of the society accept the solidarity created by Çorlu Gypsies as a model, most of our problems would be solved."

Source: Çingeneyiz Tekirdağ

An Association Is Founded In Ege Neighbourhood 05/01/2012

Ege Neighbourhood Urban Problems, Culture and Solidarity Association, which is founded to introduce demands of the residents about urban transformation to local authorities, begans its operations in Ege neighbourhood which is one of the important Roma Gypsy settlements of Izmir. The administration of the association ask local authorities to start urban transformation without eviction.

The residents of Ege Neighbourhood in which almost 1000 family live plan to explain their demands related with urban transformation to the municipality. Common expectation of the residents is that the transformation will be done without evicting families from the neighbourhood. Surely they want to live in better housing conditions. But they also want to live in the same neighbourhood. The mukhtar of the neighbourhood Özer Kaleli evaluating the issue made a comment: "The Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality promised us that they won't evict us from the neighbourhood. We believe him. We ask them not to prepare any projects without considering our wishes. Ten families live in one house here. If you give one new house for each old house, where will the other nine family go? You have to consult us for hindering any kind of problem which could be caused by urban transformation. Otherwise, there will be great problems."

The issue of urban transformation projects without eviction which have been discussed whenever urban transformation is brought to agenda is important for either economic and cultural features. It's almost impossible for citizens, who have lived in a place and subsisted with possibilities they find in the same place for a long time,not to face problems about acculturation and subsistence. Citizens, who have been evicted from their older houses and settled to new houses in an other neighbourhood in the context of urban transformation projects prepared without considering acculturation and subsistence in some metropolitan cities, were obligated to go back to the their older neighbourhoods and they were obligated to live under worse housing conditions.

Source: Egede Sabah

A Terrible Pain Started With Urban Renewal: Little Sultan Died 06/01/2012

Little Sultan who had a treatment because of cancer of the blood in Şişli Etfal Hospital lost her life. Her uncle living in Yahya Kemal Neighbourhood in İstanbul were taking care of Little Sultan whose parents divorced after their house were demolished in the context of urban renewal. Death of little Sultan, who spent her short life with terrible pains like eviction, homelessness, divorsing of her parents and cancer of the blood, lacerated her relatives.

Destiny of little Sultan, who was being taken care by her uncle subsisting on scrap and paper collecting, started to change with demolishing of their house in Yahya Kemal Neighbourhood in the context of urban renewal. Parents of Little Sultan were on bad terms with eachother when their house demolished and they became homeless. They divorsed at that time. Little Sultan's father went to Çorlu to subsist. Then Sultan got cancer while she was living with her uncle in İstanbul.

Çorlu Gypsies started an aid campaign for Sultan with contributions of Çorlu Musicians Association. Solidarity of Çorlu Gypsies, who also live under poor life conditions, were appreciated by publicity and accepted as one of the best examples of cooperation. However force of Çorlu Gypsies were not enough for Little Sultan to survive cancer.

Sultan's pains started with demolishing of her family's house continued with devorsing of her parents. Little Sultan whose pains are ended forever today gave us a noteworthy lifestory for all of us. We, as Çingeneyiz.org family, share our condolences to Little Sultan's family. We complelely share their pain and accept their pain as ours. 

Source: Çingeneyiz İstanbul

Blood Group Lists In Memory Of Little Sultan 11/01/2012

Residents of Yahya Kemal Neighbourhood, who lost their little sister Sultan last week, will prepare blood group lists in memory of little Sultan. They learned that unavailability of blood needed was a reason of the death of little Sultan. Now, they will prepare blood group lists reaching citizens living in Yahya Kemal and the other close Gypsy settlements to hinder existing of similar tragedies.

It will be possible to find suitable persons who can give blood quickly whenever blood group lists are completed. Residents who tell that the only aim they have is to stop similar tragedies like the death of little Sultan emphasize that they will do all they can do.

We, as Çingeneyiz.org family, support the decision of the residents of Yahya Kemal Neighbourhood. We offer all of our volunteers and all members of Çingeneyiz.org family to prepare blood group lists. These lists could save many of our brothers and sisters life in future.

Source: Çingeneyiz İstanbul

New Houses Will Be Built For The Families Whose Tens Burned

New houses will be built for 17 Gypsy families, whose tents burned in a fire broke out last june in Altınoluk, in Küçüksu Neighbourhood. It's being planned to complete new houses, which will be built adding second storey to the current houses in Küçüksu neighbourhood, as soon as possible. There are so many families who have to live in tents even in metropolitan cities.

The fire broke out as a result of gas tube explosion caused tents of 17 Gypsy families living in Altınoluk to become unuseable. The families who have lived in new tents given to them by The Red Crescent will move to the new houses in Küçüksu whenever they are built.

Some citizens live in tents on account of the fact that their subsistence ways force them to be on the move continually. Especially citizens who subsist on basket making, sieve making or peddling live in tents in places they go to sell their goods. Some other citizens are obligated to live in tents because their houses were demolished by authorities without offering them an other place to live in. Winter brings them hard times each year. These people hope authorities to prepare suitable buildings for them in where they could live in especially in winters.

Source: Bandırma Manşet

Mobile Kindergarden For Gypsy Children 17/01/2012

The mobile kindergarden which was established to inform Gypsy children about pre-school education walks the streets in Ceyhan districts of Adana city . Authorities say that the mobile kindergarden is first step. They plan Gypsy children to register kindergarden in next phases if they succeed to create demand for pre-school education among children with the mobile kindergarden.

The mobile kindergarden for which Şahin Özbilen Neighbourhood having a very crowded population of Roma Gypsies were selected as pilot area aim to create sympathy among Gypsy Children to education. The mobile kindergarden will service in a different street each week.

It's said that the primary of the reason of Gypsy children's educational problems is that their families don't send them to school. However, this is not the only reason of their educational problems. Discriminative behaviours of classmates, parents and even some teachers who have prejudices targeting Gypsies could cause Gypsy children to be alienated from school unawares. Scholars evaluating the issue emphasize that it's needed to overcome prejudices targeting Gypsies which is very common especially among teachers to raise the rate of accessibility of Gypsy children to education. It has to be guaranteed that Gypsy children won't face any kind of discriminative behaviour in school if we really want projects like the mobile kindergarden to be suscessfull really.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Ability To Pay Will Be Investigated To Apply For TOKİ Houses 19/01/2012

It's declared that ability to pay payments of TOKİ houses will be investigated when people apply for the houses built for poor people and Roma in Keşan district of Edirne (Thracia). Muhktar of Yeni Mescit Neighbourhood Fikret Kantar said that the houses were built for poor people and the ones who have the ability to pay the payments have aready had their own houses.

It's laid down that people who appyl for TOKİ (mass housing administration) houses , which were built for poor people, will be investigated that if they have ability to pay the payments or not in Keşan on account of the fact that people had a real difficulty to pay their payments in some other projects. It's a very confusing situation that people who really need the houses of TOKİ have no possibility to pay the payments demanded by the foundation.

Ex-president of Porters Association and Mukhtar of Yeni Mescit Neihgbourhood Fikret Kantar evaluates the issue with those words: "It's meanless to investigate level of income for determining people who can apply to the houses built for poor Roma Gypsies. People who have income have their own houses and they don't need TOKİ houses. This means that the real ones who need the houses won't be able to benefit from the project.

Kantar said that there have been some other discussion about urban renewal and he explained to the authorities that Roma people have no possibility to pay more 100 TL for each month. Here is the payment schedule declared for the TOKİ houses built of poor people and Roma: Type C Houses: Total: 103.577 TL. Advance payment: 6000 TL. Monthly payment: 406 TL. Type B Houses: Total: 60.237 TL-74.520 TL. Advance payment: 2000 TL. Monthly payment: at least 323,54 TL, at maximum: 402.89 TL.

Latest incidents happened in Keşan prove the importance of engaging in dialogue with people who are planned to benefit from mass housing projects when projects are being prepared. It has to be investigated do these people have the ability to pay or not before building houses. Otwerwise, it won't be possible poor people to benefit from these projects. Thousands of Gypsy families living in tents under hard life conditions hope authorities to find them an urgent solution.

Source: Medya Keşan

Uniform Help From Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality 23/01/2012

Kocaeli municipality gave school uniforms to Gypsy children in 2 different primary school in Kandıra districy. This practice done to reduce expenses of poor Gypsy families who try to send their children to school under hard conditions won publicity's approval. Unability of poor families to buy school enstruments causes children to be alienated from school.

141 school uniform were given to Gypsy children in Mehmet Akif Ersoy Primary School and Tasvire Hurşit Güneş Primary School. Gypsy families who have a crowded population in Kandıra district of Kocaeli said that they hope this practice will be taken an example by other foundations.

One of the most important problems of poor families who scrape by is unability to buy school supplies for their children. This situation which cause children to give up school is more common than it's believed. Obligation of children to work for breadwinning and unability of families to cover school expenses hinder Gypsy children to have education. Besides this impossibilities, when prejudices the other students and sometimes teacher have about Gypsies step in, education becomes just a dream for most of Gypsy children.

Source: Kandıralılar News Portal

The Lawsuit of Selendi Continues 24/01/2012

The lawsuit of Selendi with 80 accused continues to be tried in Uşak. A group of people close to a thousand attacked to the houses of Gypsies living in Selendi district of Manisa city in the incident happened in 2010 January. Almost all of the victim Gypsy families attended in the courtroom although only 2 of 80 accused people participated to the trial.

The judge asked to investigate addresses of accused people who didn't participated in the last trial of the lawsuit which is being tried in Uşak city instead of Selendi district of Manisa because of security. The lawsuit, which is postponed on account of the fact that it's needed to correct the case's deficiencies and statements of accused people have to be taken, will be tried again in 2012 April 18, Wednesday.

Altough the incident happened in Selendi district of Manisa was tried to be presented as an usual conflict existed because of smoking by mass media, it was understood in a short time that the background of the issue is much more complicated. One of the most important proofs of the tension had been lived in Selendi between Gypsies and rest of the recidents was that Gypsies had been hindered to enter cafes which they can enter up to 2 months before Selendi incident.

It's claimed that a separatist discourse against Gypsies was popularized among non-Gypsy residents of Selendi and a provocation was planned using national and religional arguments targeting Gypsies in Selendi before the incident. Slogans like "Kill all Gypsies" or "Beat Roma" registered in the criminal charge show the degree and vehement of the provocation. Now, all sensible publicity are waiting for the case result.

Source: DHA

Winter Suffering In Paşaköy 31/01/2012

Roma and Abdal Gypsies living in Paşaköy neighbourhood of Sancaktepe district of İstanbul are facing harder conditions with snowing. The streets are not paved in Paşaköy in where almost 50 family live in houses without water system and canalization. If snow blocks the streets, bogies carrying water and bread won't be able to enter to the neighbourhood.

People who make a living the hard way live in tents and shanties in Paşaköy neighbourhood. Unfavorable weather conditions firstly influence poor people in Paşaköy like everywhere. It's needed to carry water to the neighbourhood with bogies because there is no water system in Paşaköy. Residents could be without water if snow blocks the unimproved roads.

There are settlements in different parts of metropolitan cities like İstanbul in where people are trying to live under hard housing conditions. These people, who try to hold on to life despite infrastructure problems and extreme poverty, hope authorities to overcome the deficiency of infrastructure in their neighbourhoods as soon as possible.

Source: Çingeneyiz İstanbul

The Roma Association Visited Some Foundations 02/02/2012

Administrators of Malkara Roma Mine and Agricultural Workers Solidarity Association visited district governorship of Malkara, district police department, Edirne Roma Associations (EDROM) and Esenyurt Roma Association. Visits were done to inform foundations about the activities of the association, problems of local Roma community and share experiences.

Malkara Governor Fatih Kadiroğlu and district security director Behçet Kalkan were informed about planned activities of the associations and general problems of Roma Gypsies living in Malkara in the visits. Administrators of Malkara Roma Mine and Agricultural Workers Solidarity Association shared their experiences with the administrators of Edirne Roma Associations and Esenyurt Roma Association. New activities which the associations will be cooperated to actualise were also planned in the meetings.

Source: Çingeneyiz Tekirdağ

Basketmaking Course For Gypsy Women 07/02/2012

The first period of the basketmaking course for Gypsy women planned by district governorship of Mezit district of Mersin city is completed. The cost of the course is beared by Çukurova Development Agency and Mersin Social Cooperation and Solidarity Foundation. 25 women got training about basketmaking in the course in which 50 women will be educated in total.

It's said that an education about how to make more productive the craft were given to the Gypsy women for whom basketmaking is already a traditional occupation. The baskets produced in the course will be on display in shopping centers soon.

Basketmaking which has an important role among tradional Gypsy occupations were so common among Gypsy peoples before industry. The craft of basketmaking maintained by various Gypsy peoples living in Europe, Anatolia, Africa and South Asia lost its popularity with dissappearing of the demand to handmaking baskets.

Source: DHA

Gypsies Are At City Council's Agenda 02/09/2012

The City Council of the Burhaniye district of Balıkesir (Aegean Region, Turkey) put the Gypsies' problem on the agenda. Gypsies living in the district explained their problems in the 10th ordinary meeting of the general assembly of the city council that gathered in the Hüsnü Pazarbaşı Youth and Culture Center. Representatives of political parties and non-govermental organizations participated in the meeting.

The meeting started with a barcovision about Gypsies prepared by Başak Savut, City Council institutional development administrator. Then participants began to speak. Necmi Şengider, president of the city council, underlined that they are not the center of solution but explained that they will tell about the problems of Gypsies to the authorities. A citizen evaluated the general situation of Gypsies living in Burhaniye with the following words: "We are obligated to live in small houses although our families are big, 10 people live in a room. There isn't even a cafe in our neighbourhood. We need support to build more healthy houses. We hope that authorities get interested in our problems."

The most common problems of Gypsies living in the Aegean region concern housing and unemployment. There are plenty of people who live under bad housing conditions, in addition to people who have no house and live in tents. An other problem of Gypsies living in the region is that the unemployment rate in Gypsy neighbourhoods is much higher than the average. Gypsies from various ethnic sub-groups like Roma, Abdals or Elekçis in the Aegean expect the authorities to establish new platforms where they could share their problems like they did at the city council of Burhaniye.

Source: Körfez News

Conditions For Starting Stockbreeding Is Not Applicable For Siğilli 02/5/2012

The president of Siğilli Village Roma Development and Solidarity Association Kadir Gözeli made a press statement about state-sponsored stockbreeding project planned to be done in the village in the name of Roma Gypsies living in Siğilli. Kadir Gözeli told that the conditions demanded to apply for the project is not applicable for the villagers.

Villagers who want to apply for state-sponsored stockbreeding project are being asked to have a full equipped barn with a certificate of ownership in Siğilli village of Keşan district of Edirne (Thracia). However, most of the families living in the village don't have any possibility to prepare a full equipped barn. President of the association Kadir Gözeli evaluated the issue with those words: "We are being asked to have full equipped barn with a certificate of ownership. However we are not living under better living conditions in full equipped houses so it's not possible to have wonderful barns for us. 4-5 Roma family live in a house in the village."

Most of the resident of Siğilli village want to benefit from the state-sponsored stockbreeding project. The project is a real hope for villagers who are already working as agricultural workers. Common expectation of the villagers is the authorities to make conditions of applying for the project easier.

Source: Körfez News

Violin-Making Course For Gypsies 02/17/2012

Local Gypsy population will take a course in violin-making in the context of a project planned by the governorship of Ezine district of Çanakkale (Marmara region, Turkey). Trainees will receive a certificate in the course started with contribution of the governor, Cengiz Karabulut. The course named "Happy Voices" is being planned to be started this year.

Citizens between 18-40 aged will be able to apply for the course which will continue 3,5 months. It's intended that the trainees will have a qualification degree which let them to begin on a business about violin making or repairing at the end of the course.

Vocational courses which become widespread in recent years are giving hope to poor people without a regular job. Individuals originated from Gypsy peoples were obligated to subsist on unpreferred jobs by the rest of society with low income when they mostly lost their traditional occupations after the improving of industry. Vocational courses can make possible reviving of traditional Gypsy occupations pursuant to modern conditions. Surely, vocational courses could be successful if only prejudices which hinder Gypsies to have better life conditions are overcomed.

Source: CHA

An Election Is Held In Gebze Roma Association 02/23/2012

The new administration of Gebze Roma Tourism Culture and Art Activities Solidarity Association is determined with an election in the extraordinary general meeting. Yaşar Boztaş is elected as the new president of the association instead of the ex-president Yaşar Şencan in the meeting. New members were also participated to the administration.

Here is the new administration members with their missions: Şahin Çelikli (vice president), Bayram Şerefli (accountant), Yüksel Boztaş (secreteria), Şahin Alakuş (member), Serkan Çelik (member), Recai Akkuş (member).

The president Yaşar Boztaş made a statement after the meeting to evaluate the election: "From now on, Roma living in Gebze will be brought to the agenda more often. We will try to do whatever we can for our neighbourhoods..."

Source: Bizim Kocaeli

Forbidden Of Carriages In The City Caused Tension 02/28/2012

The decision of Tekirdağ (Thracia Region of Turkey) city council about forbidden of carriages to be driven in the city gets reaction from the citizens subsisting on scrap and paper collecting using carriages. Horse owners who is mostly Roma Gypsies demand authorities to offer them new ways for subsistence or municipality to buy their horses for a certain sum.

The decision maden in Tekirdağ city council in 2012, February 1th forbids carriages to be driven in the city. The decision is being justified with a claim of some mukhtars that carriages cause traffic problem and environmental pollution. Citizens who lost their only job because of the ban gathered in front of the municipality building to speak with authorities. Altough they were not able to meet with municipality officials, they explained the situation to the press that they have not been able to bring home the bacon for a few days.

Many Gypsy families whose traditional occupations were horse training or farriery started to subsist on scrap or paper collecting with carriages or transporting with horse-drawn carriages when they lost their traditional occupations. Authorities who plan to forbid carriages to be driven in the city have to consider the reality that the horse owners have no other job. These people will face a real disaster if their losses are not recouped as soon as possible.

Source: Trak News

Bolu Municipality Will Be In Cooperation With Gypsies For Recycling 03/01/2012

Officials of Bolu Municipality decided to work together with Gypsies living in the city about recycling and waste parsing. According to the decision, whenever labour is demanded for recycling and waste parsing, municipality official will ask local Gypsy community. Citizens with Gypsy origin who subsist on scrap and paper collecting appreciated the decision of the municipality.

It's explained in the statement maden by municipality that the local Gypsy population will be free to subsist on scrap and paper collecting independently and municipality will ask them to work together whenever it's needed. Forbidden of scrap and paper collecting without offering alternative jobs in some cities cause big problems for the citizens who subsist on these jobs. Bolu Municipality give possibility of working either independently and as a part of the municipality at the same time to the local Gypsy population and this decision is evaluated as a very positive development. Common expectation of citizens who subsist on paper and scrap collection is spreading of positive examples like the case of Bolu Municipatlity all over the country.

Source: Bolu Haftasonu

 Clothing Support From The Red Crescent 09/03/2012

The Red Crescent gave clothing support to Roma Gypsies living in Mevlana Neighbourhood of Gebze district of İstanbul. The support organized by the local Roma association was admired by the needer residents without a regular income. Clothings given by the Red Crescent were distrubuted to the needers in the center of local Roma association.

Clothings given by the Red Crescent were presented to the needer families living in Mevlana Neighbourhood in a ceremony organized by the Gebze branch chairperson of Roma Cooperation and Solidarity Association Yaşar Boztaş and Samsunians Association. The administrators of local Roma association thanks to the ones who made contributions to the activity primarily the Red Crescent and said that this kind of organizations will continue in the future.

There are many families without a regular income who have no possibility to buy clothings. Supports given by various foundations are so important for the families whose food consumption is also under the average. On the other hand, it won't be possible for them to solve their main problems unless they have formal jobs and regular income.

Source: Marmara Newspaper

The New Employment Project For Roma Gypsies 03/12/2012

General directorate of Turkish Employment Organization (İŞKUR) prepared a project to offer a business opportunity to Roma Gypsies by order of Faruk Çelik who is the minister of labor and social security. 1500 Gypsies living in different cities will be employed for 6-8 months in the context of the project. They will be paid between 750-900 TL (450-600 $) monthly.

150000 people have been employed in last 2 years in the context of the program of working for the benefit of society. Employment period was raised from 6 months to 8 eight months upon the demand. 1500 Roma Gypsies will be employed in the context of the program (75000 people will be employed totaly this year.) Citizens who will be employed in the context of the program will work in jobs like scavenging, renovation of public substructure, enviromental monitoring in schools, restoration, afforestation, stream improvement, soil conservation. Incorperating Gypsies, among who unemployment rate is higher than the average, to the program is being accepted as an important step to solve economical problems of the society.

Source: Hürriyet

Modern Dance Course For Gypsy Teenagers 03/16/2012

Antalya Metropolitan Municipality offers a free modern dance course for Gypsy teenagers at the recommendation of The New Generation Roma Cooperation and Solidarity Association. The course which takes place each Thursday in the Yeni Mahalle Culture Center caused a lot of interest among Gypsies, primarily the ones living in the Zeytinköy Neighbourhood.

Children and teenagers between the ages of 9 and15 are transported to the course with the municipality service car. They are being taught modern dance in addition to traditional Roma dances by the dance teacher Mehmet Erbağcı. The president of the New Generation Roma Cooperation and Solidarity Association Fatma Şirin says that the children have a chance for socialization in the course.

Most of the teenagers taking part in the course are from the Zeytinköy Neighbourhood which is one of the most important Gypsy settlements of Antalya. Roma and Abdal Gypsies have lived there together for a long time. The most common traditional occupation of the Gypsy families living in Zeytinköy is carriage.

Source: Antalya Körfez

Benefactors Restored A School In Ege Neighbourhood 03/28/2012

Sakarya Primary School In Ege Neighbourhood of Konak district is restored with contributions of the benefactors. Benefactor businessman Umut Demir, Alsancak Protection and Prettification Association and İzmir Efes Rotary Club were awarded with a plaquet for their contribution to the restoration of the school in where most of the students are Roma.

Residents of Ege Neighbourhood besides students and their families participated to the ceremony organized to celebrate the restoration of the school. Vefa Bardakçı, the provincial director of national education, made a speech in the ceremony. He said that restoration of schools will start in disadvantaged regions especially in villages and suburbs. He explained that they aim to provide equality of opportunities in education.

Restoration of Sakarya Primarily School in Ege Neighbourhood which is one of the biggest Roma neighbourhoods of İzmir caused excitement among the residents. They hope this kind of works to be continued.

Source: DHA

Vocational Education Center For Roma 23/04/2012

Toroslar Municipality of Mersin opened a Vocational Education Center for Roma living in the district. The center, in which Roma will be educated about music and bamboo weaving, was established in the Alsancak Neighbourhood of the district. The president of Mediterranean Roma Federation Ali Daylam and the mayor Hamit Tuna participated to the inaugural of the center.

The mayor of Toroslar district Hamit Tuna said that they primarily aim to give academic music education to the Roma musicians who are losing their jobs because of technological progress. The president of Mediterranean Roma Federation Ali Daylam said: "We will get vocational education in vocational courses. We will do our best for motivating our people to participate the courses."

The vocational courses which are started to be established in recent years loom large in the process of the Roma to acquire a profession. Citizens who welcome establishing of the courses warmly give close attention to the courses.

Source: F5 News.

Change Of Duty In Hacı Evhat Neighbourhood Association 04/30/2012

Serkan Bulut, who is one of the residents of Malkara Hacı Evhat Neighbourhood, is elected as the new president to Malkara Hacı Evhat Neighbourhood Development and Solidarity Association instead of ex-president Ercan Kınalı who resigned before. Most of the residents subsist on coal mining in the mines around the district.

Serkan Bulut, who is elected as the new president in the extraordinary general assembly in April, said that he will focus on education and employment problems of the residents in the future. Roma of Hacı Evhat neighbourhood, who subsist on coal mining mostly, are agricultural workers in summers when coals are closed. Serkan Bulut believes that if they can raise the education degree of the residents, it would be easier for them to find better jobs.

Source: Çingeneyiz Tekirdağ

Roma Fire Is Raising 05/01/2012

70 Roma will get dance education in the context of the Vocational Education Project For Disadvantaged Groups planned by Vocational Education and Small Scale Industry Supporting Foundation, Turkey Handicraftsmen and Artists Confederation and Turkish Employment Agency. The Roma who participate the program will establish a music group named "Roman Ateşi-Roma Fire".

The president of Antalya Roma Association Ferhat Uçakdağ, who suggests the idea of establishing a Roma music group, said that Roma youths who subsist on musicianship work under hard conditions and if they get the education, they will have a chance to work under better circumstances. The Roma who participate the program will also be educated about preparation for animation, theater activities, human relations, theatrical makeup and the like.

Participants, who will get education 6 times a week, will learn folk dances of 6 regions of Turkey besides traditional Roma dances. Traditional Roma dances will be tried to be adapted to new forms in the educations.

Source: DHA

Inaugural Of Producer Solidarity Association 05/04/2012

There will be the inaugural of Producer Solidarity Associaition which is established to value handicrafts of the residents whose houses in Sulukule were demolished in the context of the Urban Renewal Project and moved to Karagümrük in 2012 May 5th, Saturday. The Luck and Destiny Workplace which is established within the association have done many good jobs already.

The residents whose houses were demolished by the municipality in Neslişah Sultan and Hatice Sultan Neighbourhoods which are also known as Sulukule and Sultan Neighbourhood by the local publicity settled in the houses around Karagümrük as renters. Women from old Sulukule and some volunteers decided to establish an association named "Producer Solidarity Association" to overcome some problems primarily the economic ones they face in their new neighbourhood. Various handicraft productions are being produced in the "The Luck and Destiny Workplace" which has already been established within the association. Women who participate the workplace share their knowledges with the others that the workplace is being accepted as a kind of vocational school by the residents.

The members of the association invite everybody to the inaugural.

Adress: Hırka-i Şerif Mahallesi Külahlı Sokak No: 23 Karagümrük

Phone: +90212 521 21 90

For detailed information

http://kaderkismetatolyesi.blogspot.com/p/hakkimizda.html

http://ureticidayanismasi.blogspot.com/p/hakkimizda.html

Roma Musicians Demand Establishing of City Band 05/09/2012

President of Tekirdağ Roma Culture Remaining and Musicians Association Ümit Satılmış and members of the management visited Tekirdağ mayor Adem Dalgıç in the municipality building. The administrators of the association explained the demand of establishing a city band in Tekirdağ which was told them by the local Roma musicians to the mayor.

Roma musicians living in Tekirdağ city of Thracia region (Turkey), in where there is a crowded Roma population, demand establishing of a city band which they believe to be a chance to have a regular job for local Roma population. Roma musicians, who generally work in traditional weddings, have financial problems due to technological development of musical equipments and decreasing of traditional weddings. The administrators of local Roma association underlined the importance of establishing of a city band for Roma musician in the conversation they made with the mayor. The mayor Adem Dalgıç evaluated the issue with these words: "We will investigate to see what can we do about the demand. We will try to establish a city band soon".

Source: Çerkezköy News

Roma will be Music Master 05/16/2012

14 Roma have been employed as music master as a result of joint work of Bursa Governorship and Bursa Roma Association. The president of Bursa Roma Association Efkan Özçimen said that they will try to improve the project in the upcoming days. Roma who are employed within the scope of the Public Education Center are happy that they have had a regular job with social security.

Roma musicians employed within the scope of the Public Education Center started to teach in public schools. It's said that students are pleased with the lessons given by Roma musicians. Roma musicians who learned the art in their family from their parents endear students to the music and they prod them to play an instrument.

Roma musicians who are employed as music master said that they got to give up music due to the problems they face in recent years. Technological instruments gum most of the musical instruments up. This situation cause many Roma musicians to be unemployed. Decreasing of traditional weddings is an other reason of the problems Roma musicians face. Supporting projects are so important for Roma musician who have difficulties to remain their craft under these circumstances.

Source: Son Dakika Bursa

Media Roma is on the Air 05/21/2012

The news site of Roma and Roma communication channel Media Roma is on the Air. There will be an online television named Mediaroma Tv on Media Roma in where news related with Roma will be shared. Media Roma web page which is prepared by a completely volunteer team will make a contribution to the promotion of Roma culture and overcoming of prejudices targeting Roma.

There will be Roma weddings, news about Roma, documentaries and tv programs which reflect the basic features of Roma culture in Mediaroma tv which will be published over Media Roma web page. The web page is being prepared in Turkish and English. The team plans to prepare the web page in other languages in the future.

Media Roma web page, which is a part of Çingeneyiz.org family, aim to be voice of Roma people who are the ones who speak Romanes or who are the descendants of Romanes speaking ancestors. All kind of contents published in the web page will be free to use in other places as long as it's referred to Media Roma which is prepared without any kind of commercial concern. Roma who have no possibility to show their pains, happiness and the beauty of their culture will make themselves heard over Media Roma.

Please use the link below to see the web page

www.mediaroma.org