Turkey's Roma People Unite for Rights
Turkey's Roma people united under a forum association for a so-called Roma people "opening", a term previously used by other minorities in Turkey.
Roma People Forum of Turkey (ROMFO), founded by over 70 associations and 6 federations, represent 3,5 million people in Turkey.
In 2010, 10.000 people gathered to initiate the Roma people "opening" during a series of workshops with the participation of PM Erdogan.
"A people under government discrimination"
Hacer Foggo, a ROMFO coordinatior, said that while the workshops created awareness on Roma people's issues, a government policy has yet to be formed.
"Roma people suffer most when it comes to governmental issues such as education, medical treatment and bureaucracy. This is why we need a bold government policy to tackle this problems. The policy should be effectuated without worrying about elections. We don't want to be regarded solely as a source of vote."
Our most urgent issues are related to lodging/urbanization, discrimination, culture, employment, healthcare and education, a forum statement said.
Foggo, said the key to success in state-led programs is by involving Roma people in the process, reminding that the education ministry is currently working on the schoolization of Roma children in 12 major cities in Turkey.
"No jobs for Roma people"
Metin Salih Şentürk (President, İstanbul Association of Roman Florists): The government has been looking for a platform to discuss about Roma people's rights since 2010. For years, many projects aimed to improve Roma people's conditions collapsed due to lack of dialogue. We are more optimistic, because we have a forum now. We will work on a roadmap and start our struggle to obtain our right from the government.
Cengiz Ilgın (Representative from Ereğli District): There are no Roma people associations in northern Turkey. We can't coordinate with other associations. Our biggest challenges are the lack of education and employment. We can't even work as construction workers. We don't know how grave the situation is in other parts of the country.
"We didn't know our constituional rights"
Ahmet Çokyaşar (President, Kocaeli Federation of Roma People's): Over the past few years, there has been a rise in the number Roma people associations in Turkey, but we need people who will plan our future, people who will communicate our problems to other segments of the society.
Halit Keser (President, Contemporary Roma People Association of İzmir): The forum has several connections among politicians. The biggest challenge Roma people had so far was their despise towards bureaucracy and ignorance of their constitutional rights. We hardly worked around under associations. If our new forum turns out good, everything will be better. (NV)