Hindus & Jews urge Italy not to discriminate against its quake affected Roma people

April 8, 2009 - PRLog -- Hindus and Jews have urged Italy to help the earthquake affected Roma people at par with other affected Italians.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement, said that as earthquake did not discriminate with anybody, so the Italian authorities also should help all quake victims wholeheartedly without any kind of discrimination.

According to a member of EveryOne Group for International Cooperation on Human Rights Culture, “Many Roma families living in makeshift accommodation were also hit by the earthquake, with the same impartial cruelty, but no shelter is being offered to them and they are being turned away when they approach the civil protection units or the hotels for help.”

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich urged Italy to be more kind to its Roma populace, who reportedly faced widespread discrimination and victimization.

In Italy, Roma reportedly continued to be exposed to ill-treatment; hate; violence; unacceptably low living conditions, many times with no access to electricity or running water; higher mortality rates; inadequate camping sites; forced evictions without rehabilitation; etc., Zed and Freirich argued.

Hindu and Jewish leaders further said that Roma in Italy were reportedly in urgent need of protection of their human rights, social rights, right to proper housing and education, etc. Their continual social discrimination should also be dealt emergently.

Rajan Zed points out that effective implementation, firm commitment and strong political will is needed to improve the Roma plight, who reportedly continually suffer and face human rights violations.

Roma are said to have migrated from Indian subcontinent to Europe about a thousand years ago. Italy, known for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, enjoys the eighth Quality-of-life index rating in the world.