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Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
A Roma boy climbs on the top of a ramshackle house, torn down by local authorities, in Craica, a shantytown on the outskirts of Baia Mare, Romania. All pictures taken on June 14, 2012 and made available on June 19.
Human rights groups have accused authorities in a Romanian town of violating legislation and trampling on the dignity of Roma gypsy inhabitants by forcibly evicting hundreds of them and relocating them to a chemical plant closed down over pollution concerns.
Authorities in Baia Mare began moving dozens of families in May from poor neighborhoods where they had lived in 20-year-old improvised buildings with no water, sewage or power supplies.
Amnesty International expressed concern following local media reports that 22 children and 2 adults had become ill after they were rehoused in the former industrial facility.
The vast majority of Romanian Roma live on the margins of society in abject poverty and pro-democracy groups say the state does not do enough to prevent discrimination.
-- Agence France Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
Roma children play outside a former Cuprom chemical plant turned into a housing project in Baia Mare.
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
A bulldozer prepares to tear down a ramshackle house in Craica.
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
A Roma child sits on a couch in Craica.
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
Roma people go through waste debris looking for useful materials, after several ramshackle houses were torn down by local authorities in Craica.
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
A Roma man looks on as authorities prepare to tear down houses in Craica.
Andrei Pungovschi / AFP - Getty Images
A Roma child sleeps in a ramshackle house in Craica.
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Why should we expect it to be any different in Romania than in any other capitalist country? Hey, they threw out the Commies and are amongst our newest capitalist friends now!
Kick the poor folks out of the way! Then bring in the real estate developers to build condos for the rich. Invite overseas investors to join in the feast. It is the current fashion.
Let's keep it simple: the econonmically top 1% are GOOD; the other 99% are LAZY, BAD, ETC.
OH brother ....
Not another one of those OWS people ....
@Chitta: Do you really think the people were better off under communism? Failed experiment. The "people" lived in abject poverty while the "rulers" pocketed all the money. That's why every communist country, with the exception of Cuba and North Korea, China for example, the people protested, demonstrated, and demanded political change, hence, communist governments fell. And, sorry, but the "1%" earned their money. I have a job and support myself, and don't want anyone taking away from me what belongs to me or belittleing me because I chose to make something of myself and earn a living. Quit with the it's not fair, I want one too, why do they have one and I don't, life sucks, take it away from them and give it to me, boo hoo blame game.
Some people were better off under communism. Do a little research and you'll discover that the standard of living for millions of people in former communist countries dramatically decreased after their countries privatized their economies. Often it was the politically connected and wealthy oligarchs that snapped upped the country's assets, creating a criminal element of super rich elites representing less than 1% of the population. This social revolution was so traumatic and devastating that the life expectancy of the average citizens actually declined significantly. And as for China, well, it's still a communist country only now the government is partnering with the wealthy elites of the world to build a wealthier and more powerful nation. The communist party is still the only party allowed and the government takes a majority interest in every business developed in the country. All property is still owned by the government even if your family has lived there for hundreds of years. Cuba on the other hand is still a tropical paradise where the average person lives a rather simple life. They have a very high standard of health care (better than millions of uninsured Americans) and enjoy high standards of education with one of the highest literacy rates in the world. North Korea is of course one big prison camp brutally oppressed by unenlightened despots, a terrible tragedy.
You do realize your talking about real peoples lives here. Try this with any nationality in the states and watch what happens. No government or group should have the power to push other people around like this. The Roma have got a bad rap for 100 years. Leave them alone, their not bothering anyone.
First of all, these gypsies built their so-called houses on public domain, without any authorization. More than that, you could find there gypsies from other counties who moved in and established there. On the other hand the authorities re-located the gypsies in an OFFICE BUILDING! There were no chemical facilities there. Yesterday I just spoke to one of them and he said they like it there, because they don't have to pay for electricity, water, heating etc. The information you have is not complete. And by the way, Stringtail, they are bothering a lot of people: they are robbers, rapers, beggers, you name it. All this fuss was created by their so-called leaders, before the local ellections, hoping they could get some money from the ellected mayor...
I have found that many Roma are actually denied citizenship and equal rights and protection under the law in the countries where they live. They are discriminated against socially, politically, and economically. They have been scapegoated by the majority and the governments for hundreds of years. During the holocaust of WW2 they were brutally enslaved and exterminated by the Nazis. There is still a severe prejudice against them in Europe and in many other countries as seen in baimarean's use of terms like "so-called" and the references to "bothering . . . people" and labeling them as "robbers, rapers, and beggers", as if such criminals are not found among any other elements of society. Due to the propaganda that has been directed against them for centuries, they remain marginalized and disadvantaged and must make due as best they can, often stateless and landless, undereducated and underemployed.