Italy: Stop segregation and forced evictions of Roma

Three years ago, Italian authorities moved over 300 Romani children, women and men to a segregated camp in the town of Giugliano, on the outskirts of Naples.

The choice of location was shocking: an area unsuitable for human living, next to a landfill stocking toxic waste. With poor basic services, the camp soon became ghastly, featuring broken toilets, rampant garbage, and dangerous electricity connections.

The Giugliano camp was set up only one year after the Italian government had adopted a National Strategy for Roma Inclusion, promising to overcome segregation in camps and provide destitute Romani families with dignified housing. But this was an empty promise and segregation continues.

Recently a court ordered the municipality of Giugliano to remove families from this perilous site. Without consultation with the Romani community affected, local and national authorities came up with a solution: the construction of yet another segregated camp. The case of Giugliano is shocking, but not isolated.

Across Italy, thousands of Roma are still faced with prejudice, segregation in substandard camps, forced evictions and discrimination in access to adequate housing, violating both international and EU law. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his cabinet have taken no step to address the issue.

On the contrary, the national government is co-financing the construction of the new camp in Giugliano, actively fostering segregation. This must stop without delay.

Call on the Italian Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior to stop segregation, forced evictions and discrimination of Roma: http://appelli.amnesty.it/italy-stop-roma-segregation/