Roma inclusion - a hypocritical discourse The fact that international organisations and donors involved in Roma inclusion (the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the World Bank, the OSI, the Norwegian Fund, UNDP) have lately started to develop their own policies and enforce the integrated, bottom-up approach is worth praising and appreciating. Even though it has been long known this is “the way” leading to Roma inclusion, it seems more than ever, however, that an approach in which community members and local authorities are empowered, made accountable, engaged, etc. is being attempted. However, there are some aspects of hypocrisy, ingredients that perpetuate and develop a “Roma business” which keeps the “system” and “industry” created around Roma inclusion alive and actually hinders Roma inclusion. Donors and international organisations At the level of Donors and international and intergovernmental organisations coordination among programs is simulated; in reality there is none. A locality happens to be approached by several programs, each with the same approach. Each Donor claims to have found the solution to Roma inclusion. Furthermore, it is this approach of empowering the community members at local level and the participatory approach they are preaching that do not take place in their yard. In other words, one can find very few Roma working in these institutions and in decision-making positions even fewer. In addition, those you find have nothing to do with Roma communities. They are more interested in the reports, the results made to look good, and the deliverables unless something is really happening in the communities. Those who know to produce all these receive funds even though these “experts” go to the communities more like tourists, take some pictures, write some reports and the work is done, money is produced. Moreover, there are funded organisations that are completely alien to the Roma communities reality and their approach is based on “Roma integration as disadvantaged population” (it shall read ‘assimilation’), without having the ethnic dimension included in their projects. Local authorities Local authorities “do not give a shit” about Roma inclusion. Formally, yes, they claim they want Roma inclusion but in reality they are interested only in the electoral capital. As long as the Roma stay poor, hence easy to be bought, why would they invest for the emancipation of the Roma? We are not making this a general case, but most of the mayors are interested in the Roma only if they can use this to get some money to their locality. A deputy-mayor told me, after I showed him a program and the need for Roma inclusion, “Let’s hope this time you will really do something for the Roma”. Not taking into consideration that most of the mayors see Roma as “others”, “the others” should understand that Roma inclusion is the authorities’ responsibility. The lack of coordination can be found at the local level, as well. A program implemented by an organisation is duplicated by another. The local authority works with both, not signalling this issue hence confusion, lack of concerted efforts, resources, etc. The NGO sector Roma organisations do not have a single voice. They are kept busy with project implementation. We care about Roma, right, but our material and organisational comfort comes first. We are service providers. We are not interested in a “common cause” and shared civic responsibility is a concept more and more alien to activists, experts, and organisation leaders. Those of us who have certain connections, communication channels have the impression that we can influence policies but in reality, alone, apart, no matter how capable we seem, we are only “the Roma on duty”. We focus our energy, thoughts, around the tensions and on the competition among us. As long as we do not give up our ego and as long as we do not have as a priority the common interest rather than the personal, group or organisation interest, we will not have policies to improve the life conditions of the Roma from the communities. And that is a pity, because there is certain know-how among the organisation leaders which, through a common voice, might influence the policies for the Roma, the Donors’ approaches and the indifference of authorities. Roma from communities – the beneficiaries I have recently entered a Roma community and the first thing they asked me was, “what have I brought them”, if I have something to give them. The Roma from most of the communities where projects and programs have reached have developed a victim mentality. They have become clients of the social measures, of the services provided under projects and programs. Ever since 1990 reports, researches and studies have been presenting Roma as victims, a population that needs assistance, and this is a characteristic defining the industry of Roma projects and policies. At the same time, the Roma from the Roma communities have started to become aware of the social benefits they can have as a vulnerable population. Some of them got the idea and started to play as victims or, as with most of them, even to unconsciously and naturally undertake this fact. When everybody tells you that you lack skills, you lack education, you are a problem, then you start to believe this and behave as such. Consequently, the Roma, once again, embrace the culture of poverty. On short term, it is a win-win situation: NGOs implement their projects and mobilise other funds; authorities continue to manipulate the Roma communities, particularly when there are election campaigns; the Roma in the communities will act as victims because it is better for others to provide them with social services and care. On long term, however, everybody loses because the Roma will become trapped in the social dependency, customers of social measures, rather than becoming partners, citizens. The bill that has to be paid later on will be much higher than the gains each of them has at the moment. Conclusion It is obvious that we are undergoing a moral crisis and this situation requires nothing less than a reform to create a new culture where there is no room for instant gratifications that are ethically dubious (‘shmekeria’ – cunning). After all, social development is a moral engagement. The hope it will be better, proper management and critical reflection are ingredients which, surrounded by morality, can bring about social inclusion for the Roma. All these actors, stakeholders, should understand Roma inclusion as a moral relation and allow space for engagement beyond the “job description” and procedures the system develops.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 06:56:34 +0000
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