By Tristan Simonu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
Photo: Natalka, the three year old victim of the arson attack. [Source: White Watch]
VITKOV, Czech Republic – Natalka Kudrikova is a three year old girl recovering from severe burns she suffered last year after a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of her family home in Vitkov.
Natalka is from the Roma or gypsy minority, and police believe that the alleged arson attack could have been racially motivated. Inside of the home was a Roma family of eight, several of whom were injured by the fire. Natalka lost 80% of her skin, three fingers, and has spent months in an induced coma following the attack. After 14 major surgeries she is still recuperating and cannot walk without support. Her 27 year old mother also suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 30% of her body.
In May, the four young men accused of attacking Natalka were charged with racially motivated attempted murder. Under cross examination, two of the men admitted to attending anti-Roma demonstrations organized by right wing extremists. A photo of one of the men walking next to the leader of the far-right Workers’ Party was recently published by an anti-fascist website. The leader of the now banned Workers’ Party, Tomas Vandas, denies any involvement in the incident.
It is reported that the extreme-right seem to have a new confidence about them holding regular marches through Czech towns. In regions with high unemployment and poor social conditions the rise of extremism is popular with unemployed young men. In fear of persecution, hundreds of Romanies are now emigrating and many have been granted asylum in Canada.
According to a 2005 UNICEF report, 84% of Roma in Bulgaria, 88 % in Romania, and 91% in Hungary live below the poverty line. In many European nations Roma have limited access to jobs and education and often live in squalid conditions without basic public services. In eastern Slovakia the village of Ostrovany spent $16,000 to build a wall separating the Roma from their ‘white’ neighbors, because of fears of “alleged Roma crime.” In Hungary over the last two years, nine Roma have been killed in unprovoked night time attacks according to the European Roma Rights Center. Last month in Italy several Roma camps were torched. According to Claudio Cordone, Amnesty International’s interim Secretary General, “EU leaders must adopt a concrete plan of action to address the human rights abuses faced by Romani communities. They must speak up against racist attacks and hate speech and provide concrete measures to end discrimination in access to housing, education, health, and employment.”
For more information, please see:
CNN WORLD – Burned girl a symbol of Roma hate and hope – 25 June 2010
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – Europe must break cycle of discrimination facing Roma – 7 April 2010
CZECH RADIO – Police hunt for attackers as two-year-old Roma girl severely burned in alleged arson – 20 April 2009
REUTERS – FACTBOX: Facing discrimination: Roma around Europe – 30 July 2008
