Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Hindus have urged Hungary to do more for her Roma brothers/sisters, who continue to be marginalized, deprived, and discriminated against.
Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that in Hungary, despite various government initiatives, Roma reportedly continued to face blatant discrimination, shanty town living, an atmosphere of hostility, huge unemployment rate, lower life expectancy, prejudice, significantly higher school dropout rate, racism, media bias and stereotyping, school segregation, social exclusion, mistrust, human rights violations, etc. According to an estimate, less than 1% of Roma obtained higher education degrees.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that instead of reportedly continuing to marginalise Roma socially, this country of Lake Balaton, romantic Danube River, Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok, should be more embracing of Roma brothers and sisters who have been reportedly living with them since 14th century. Hungarian government should be more proactive in protecting Roma and other minorities. Zed urged all religious leaders, religions and denominations of Hungary to work for the upliftment of Roma, because religion told us to help the helpless.
Roma in Hungary, whose estimated numbers sometimes reach around one million, form about ten percent of total Hungary populace, which makes it largest Roma minority as percentage of total population in the world. Current demographic trends indicate that in 2050, about 21 percentage of Hungary population will be Roma.
Rajan Zed said that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around ten million and were the most disadvantaged. There seemed to be no coherent and effective policy to assimilate them into the society. Their alarming condition is a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world.
