Roma

"Go die elsewhere, I've got a train to catch"

Julien — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:05:54 +0200

He was 33, he was a Roma gypsy, and he played the organ in Naples's metro. He was shot dead on May 27, caught in mafia crossfire. The scene, caught on several security cameras, shocked many Italians: while one man died at their feet, onlookers continued to pass the metro turnstiles.

Our Observer Alberto Celani alerted us on this story.

Petru Birladenu was apparently in the wrong place at the wrong time. That day, eight members of the Sarno di Ponticelli clan, one of Naples's Camorra families, drove down a street in the Spanish quarter, the city's most dangerous neighbourhood, riding motorcycles and armed with machine guns. They opened fire as they drove past the Monsanto metro station, shooting wildly.

Some believe that the Sarno clan's intention was to mark its territory after Mariano, the boss of a rival Camorra clan, began trying to regain control of the Spanish quarter when he was released from prison.

Other Italian media explained, after studying the video in detail, that Mariano himself was probably in the area and may have been the target of the attack. The roma musician and his wife were heading towards the metro when the shots erupted. Shot in the arm, Petru tried to take cover in the metro before collapsing in front of the turnstiles. Onlookers hurried past him without a second glance. Italian Web users discuss the incident on this website: some believe that no one reacted because the victim was a gypsy. Others are irritated what they see as unfair finger-pointing:

I don't know if all the people who blame the onlookers have any idea what it means to find oneself in the middle of eight people who suddenly open fire. How brave would they be then, would they rush to help an unknown person who for all they know may have been the target of the attack, and may be targeted again? It has nothing to do with racist reactions. Who could have know he was just a poor Roma and not a dangerous gang member like the killers themselves? Do you have any idea of the terror those who live in mafia-controlled neighbourhoods live with? Then get off your high horses!!

"Hi, I'm Romanian"… not Roma!

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:18:03 +0200

Romanian immigrants have been given such a bad reputation in Europe that the Romanian government has ordered for an expensive publicity campaign to improve the country's image abroad. Some see it as a hidden message - that not all Romanians are Roma.

The campaign is targeting Spain and Italy in particular, where the Roma communities make up the largest of the immigrant groups, with 500,000 and 700,000 inhabitants respectively. According to the Romanian government, they need to make an "effort in communication to correct the mistaken perception of Romanian citizens with alternative information to that of the sensational media debate based on the violations of some citizens originating from Romania".

And they're not holding back on the budget. Notorious New York agency Saatchi & Saatchi have been commissioned with a comprehensive "360°" campaign, which will include posters, a three-spot series, a website and also conferences and meetings to promote research that presents Romanian people as beneficial to Spanish society. A similar campaign, called "Piacere di conoscerti" (Pleased to meet you) is planned for Italy too.

In Spain, Romanian "gypsy" associations quickly noticed that there were no Roma people represented in the adverts. According to them, the message that the government is trying to get across is that "not all Romanians are Roma".

One of three videos from the campaign "Hola, soy Rumano".

Indifferent holidaymakers sunbathe next to dead Roma girls

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:57:05 +0200

UPDATE (23.07.08 - 5pm): We contacted the Naples journalist who took the photos. He thinks that the affair has been blown out of proportion. Read his account further down the page.

Two girls of Roma origin drowned at a beach in Naples on Saturday. Photos of their dead bodies, lying a few metres from indifferent sunbathers, revive the controversy over Italian attitudes towards the minority gypsy community.

Midday Saturday and the two cousins, 16-year-old Cristina and 14-year-old Violetta, were selling trinkets on the beach. At 2pm they decided go into the water. But neither knew how to swim and conditions were rough. The pair were swept under by a strong current, and although their cousin and younger sister escaped and ran for help, it arrived too late.

As the photos show, the bodies of the girls were left lying under the sun while holidaymakers continued to relax on the beach, apparently unmoved. Covered by towels, the feet of the girls remained exposed for hours until the police returned to pick up the bodies. The tragedy comes at a sensitive time for the Italian Roma; after Silvio Berlusconi announced plans to fingerprint the entire community.

(thanks to our Observer Alberto Celani for his great help on this post)