Health and freedom for the gypsies

The gypsy flag once again presided over the entrance to the Island Palace, headquarters of the Cabildo de Tenerife, on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the Samudaripen, the gypsy holocaust at the hands of the Nazis. On the night of August 2, 1944, 4,500 people of this ethnic group were assassinated in Auschwitz and 500,000 were killed.

“Sansofé (welcome) to the home of all Tenerife, ours too, because we feel, work, live and dance like Tenerife and Canary Islanders that we have been for many years”. The heartfelt words of José Carmona, secretary of Karipen and president of the Gypsy Federation of Canary Islandsexemplify the solemn ceremony held yesterday morning at the entrance to the Insular Palace, headquarters of the Cabildo de Tenerife. The Roma flag returned to preside over the place to commemorate the victims of the Nazi genocide against that ethnic group, the Samudaripen, as they call it in their language. It happened on August 2, 1944, during World War II. The Cabildo endorsed its firm commitment to antigypsyism by reading a manifesto together with the groups that represent the Roma living on the Island.

The act of homage was attended by the president of the Island Corporation, Rosa Davilaand the councilors of Social Action, Águeda Fumero, and Culture, José Carlos Acha, in addition to his colleagues from the corporation Serafín Mesa (CC) and Ana Salazar (vox). The aforementioned José Carmona and the representative of the Romi Emprendedoras Association, Concepción Escalona, ​​also spoke.

Memory. Rosa Dávila indicated that “this is a day of homage and remembrance.” She stressed: “We cannot forget the horror of World War II, but even less the people who suffered persecution, as happened with the gypsy people.” She valued that “the Cabildo is still open to continue working with the Roma community in Tenerife and we want to continue being the flagship in the fight against discrimination.”

Rejection. The Minister of Social Action, Águeda Fumero, dedicated a memory, as a tribute, to the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Nazi regime. She affirmed that “from the rejection of discrimination, the Cabildo works on the path towards an increasingly free, just and egalitarian society.” Ella Fumero pointed out that “we are promoting collaboration with the groups to advance in social, economic and cultural aspects, as well as in lines of financing for the implementation of participatory projects”. She concluded: “Always giving a voice to the Roma community, making their reality visible and promoting their integration into community life.”

Stake. The gypsy people have their space to participate in the decisions of the Cabildo de Tenerife regarding their reality through the Island Roundtable, which meets periodically. In this space for dialogue, issues that specifically concern the Roma population are discussed, as well as the line of subsidies called for the strengthening of associations and coexistence on the Island.

‘Samudaripen’. Samudaripen is how the genocide to which the Roma population was subjected during the Hitler regime is known in Roma. It took place for more than a decade in twenty European countries and cost the lives of 500,000 people. That day in August 79 years ago had its highest point when 4,500 were gassed in a single night in the terrible Auschwitz concentration camp. The Roma population, together with the Jews, were the two ethnic groups targeted not only in Germany, but also in other countries under the Nazi regime. The organized massacre was not recognized until 1982. It involved the extermination of between 25 and 50% of the European Roma population.

Women. Concepción Escalona read a manifesto in which she remembered the victims and alluded to the more than 3,000 people who today make up the Roma community in Tenerife and the need to continue promoting actions that end discrimination. She also had a reference to La Gran Redada, the attempt to eliminate the gypsies living in Spain, a Hispanic Samudaripen. The project, devised and directed by the Marquis of Ensenada, Fernando VI’s minister, began on July 31, 1749 and continued the following days. He did not succeed in exterminating “the evil race.”

Support. During his speech, José Carmona thanked the Cabildo for its support since 2012. He explained that “with the institution we have been working hand in hand to improve our community and, in general, all of Tenerife’s society.” He added that “the hand is still outstretched because we feel we are from Tenerife and we are here to collaborate with a benchmark in working with this community.” He insisted on the argument by stressing that more than a decade ago “it has become the flagship of the Canary Islands in terms of policies with the gypsy people and as a result of that work the Insular Table that I praise was born.”

Referrer. Carmona also remembered uncle Raymond –Raymond Gureme, a nonagenarian French gypsy, who died in 2020 and one of the last survivors of the Samudaripen–. In this regard, he argued that he “will always guide us in the fight for resistance and justice.” He added: “He is part of the history of our people, of the past, of the present and of the future.” He recounted that “in an interview they asked him what he advised young people. He replied to live in peace while continuing to fight ». He delved into the idea: “When faced with another question, what would you say to the non-natives? He replied: Let us live in peace.” José Carmona reflected: “After meditating on these words from Uncle Raymond I can only think like a resilient being, remember the past but without filling myself with hate.” He added to conclude: “Simply remember so that this barbarity does not happen again and promote future generations so that they continue our full inclusion in a Canarian society that we love and feel part of it. Sastipe Thaj Mestipen (Health and Freedom)”.