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VI. IRU World Romani
Congress pledges fight against racism
Lanciano, 10. 10.
2004, 13:07 (Ustiben, by Grattan Puxon)
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Stanislav
Stankiewicz
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A pledge to fight the rising tide
of racism afflicting Roma around the globe
has been made by new IRU president Stanislaw
Stankiewicz, following his election yesterday
(9 Oct) at the 6th. World Romani Congress.
Stankiewicz, a former vice-president
of the IRU from Bialystok, in Poland, has
also promised to pursue recognition of Roma,
who now number 10 million in Europe alone,
as "a nation without territory".
But the congress in Lanciano, Italy, was
not without its low points. The opening on
Friday was marred by the absence through
illness of outgoing president Dr Emil Scuka,
from the Czech Republic.
There was widespread criticism of the
congress organisers who had sent out
invitations barely three weeks before its
opening. As a result, many who had planned
to attend were unable to obtain visas for
entry into Italy.
To avoid repetition of this failing, the
congress adopted a constitutional amendment
proposed by Veerendra Rishi,of the Trans-European
Roma Federation, saying notice of future sessions
must be posted at least six months before the event.
On the final day, news reached Lanciano
of a suggestion by SKOKRA, the coalition of North
and South American Romani groups, for having the
next World Romani Congress in Mexico City.
Those favouring this location, discussed informally
among delegates, point to the benefits of a stronger
link-up between Roma in the Americas and Europe.
"With unanimity, SKOKRA is ready to
propose holding the VII World Romani Congress
in Mexico," Mario Ines-Torres, in Canada, told
Ustiben.
Ines-Torres, who is visiting Mexico shortly,
says the ratification of ILO Convention 169 opens
up the possibility of official support for such a
congress from the Mexican authorities. A Pan-American
Romani congress is already at the planning stage.
Meanwhile, election results from yesterday show
that Nadezda Demeter, from the Russian Federation,
is now lst vice-president, with Viktor Famulson, of
Sweden, and Normundus Rudevica, of Lithuania,
as vice-presidents.
New general-secretary of the IRU is
Zoran Dimov, from Macedonia, head of the BTR
television station. Dragan Jevremovic,
of Romano Centro, has been re-elected chairman
of the IRU parliament.
Peter Mercer remains IRU representative
in the UK, which sent one of the biggest delegations.
It included Cliff Codona, vice-chair of TERF and
head of the National Travellers Action Group;
Valdemar Kalinin (elected to the Language Commission); Veerendra Rishi,
editor of ROMA (elected Indian representative) Sylvia Dunn, Rachel Francis
and Janie Codona, members of the National Association of Gypsy Women, and
Florina Zoltan, of the London-based Romani Resource Centre.
Source: Ustiben, by Grattan
Puxon
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