Remove Pig Farm for Roma Pride

This Sunday, October 4th, Roma Pride Day, Pavee Point and Roma activists are calling for the removal of a pig farm on the site of a WW2 concentration camp for Roma in the Czech Republic.

On Sunday Roma activists are meeting to learn about the Holocaust when an estimated 500,000 Roma died in concentration and forced labour camps.  Young Roma will watch the documentary ‘A People Uncounted’ –  that tells of the persecution of Roma throughout history and today, with a particular focus on the Holocaust.

“We want a respectful commemoration of Roma who suffered during the Holocaust,” says Manu Paun of Pavee Point, “And we want this pig farm to be removed from this site.”

The camp at Lety was established in 1939 to detain various prisoners and was turned into a concentration camp exclusively for Roma in 1942, until its closure in August 1943.

In the 1970s, a pig farm was built on the very foundations of the site of the camp.  Since then it has been running and receiving EU funding, as part of the Common Agricultural Policy.

“This ongoing presence is staining the memory and the dignity of the victims of the Roma genocide and their children.  It symbolizes the current persecutions faced by Roma all over Europe and beyond as well as the lack of knowledge about this part of European history, “ adds Manu.

Pavee Point is supporting a European-wide campaign by the European Grassroots Anti-Racism Movement to achieve dignity for Roma on this issue.  There are an estimated 5,000 Roma living in Ireland.

Photo: Manu Paun, Gabi Muntean and Ricardo Muntean highlight the issue of dignity for Roma who died in the Holocaust.