Hindus denounce Romania proposal of renaming “Roma” as “Gypsy”
By ANIThursday, February 3, 2011
NEVADA - Hindus strongly object to reported Romania proposal of officially changing the term “Roma”, currently used for its largest minority group, to “Gypsy”.
Notable Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that this proposal appeared simply as an attempt to belittle the already most stigmatized community in Romania and Europe.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that “Gypsy” was seen as disparaging and insulting by Roma communities. Before making such a change, Romania should consult Romanian Roma communities and European Roma organizations.
Rajan Zed further said that Roma maltreatment in Europe was like an undeclared apartheid. Roma reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.
According to reports, two Romania parliamentary committees have voted to officially change the ethnic group’s name from “Roma” to “Gypsy”. Their population in Romania is estimated at between 1.8 and 2.5 million, reports suggest. (ANI)
