Roma relocated to former chemical plant

Alert DateJune 1, 2012 Country: Romania Address: Baia Mare General Type: Discrimination, Institutional discrimination, Equality/Integration Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Roma & Travelers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Housing Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Other

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Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Perpetrator Gender N/A
Perpetrator Age N/A
Perpetrators Number N/A
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

According to media and NGOs accounts, on June 1st 2012, the local authorities from Baia Mare have relocated a Roma community to a building belonging to the former Cuprom factory, a building where recipients with toxic substances from the former factory had been left behind. A certain number of the persons relocated, primarily children, had to be taken to the emergency room, presenting health problems [1]. The case determined the reaction of the US Embassy to Bucharest [2] and of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights [3]. In the June 10th 2012 local elections, incumbent mayor Cherecheş of Baia Mare, who spearheaded the actions regarding the Roma, won the elections with an 86% score, apparently the highest score in Romania.[4]

Sources:

  1. Andrei Trif, Intoxicaţie în masă printre locatarii blocului social amenajat la Cuprom Baia Mare (Mass intoxication among the inhabitants of the social block of flats arranged at Cuprom Baia Mare), in eMaramureş, 02.06.2012, available at: http://www.emaramures.ro/Stiri/67195/ULTIMA-ORA-Intoxicatie-in-masa-printre-locatarii-blocului-social-Cuprom-Baia-Mare (accessed at: 09.07.2012) and Bogdan Eduard, Exclusiv EVZ: Auschwitz-ul de la Baia Mare. 2000 de romi mutaţi în Uzina Morţii de primarul Cherecheş “Chimicul” (Exclusive EVZ: the Auschwitz from Baia Mare. 2,000 Roma moved from the Death Plant by mayor Chereches, the “Chemical”),  in Evenimentul Zilei, 04.06.2012, available at:   http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/exclusiv-evz-auschwitz-ul-de-la-baia-mare-2000-de-romi-mutati-in-uzina-mortii-de-primar-984719.html (accessed at: 09.07.2012); Romani CRISS, Şanse Egale and Asociaţia Umanitară Împreună, Scrisoare Deschisă (Open Letter), Bucharest, 03.06.2012, available at: http://www.romanicriss.org/PDF/Scrisoare%20deschisa%20Baia%20Mare%20evacuari%20si%20incident%20substante_2012.pdf (accessed at: 17.07.2012)
  2. US Embassy to Bucharest, US Embassy Statement on the Roma Housing Situation in Baia Mare, 06.06.2012, available at: http://romania.usembassy.gov/policy/media/pr-06062012.html (accessed at: 09.07.2012)
  3. Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights, Romania: Commissioner concerned about the relocation of Roma in a toxic building, 07.06.2012, available at: http://www.coe.int/t/commissioner/News/2012/120607BaiaMare_en.asp (accessed at: 09.07.2012)
  4. Radu Marinaş, Roma relocation scores Romania mayor a major vote win, Reuters, 14.06.2012, available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/14/romania-roma-idUSL5E8HE6F020120614 (accessed at: 09.07.2012)