İSTANBUL - On International Roman Day, HDK is calling for solidarity with the Roma people against exclusion and discrimination.

 

Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) deputy co-chair Tülay Hatımoğulları has issued a statement on International Roma Day.

 

The statement says: "Roma experience discrimination, exclusion, violence and repression in the countries where they live. They are forced to live in conditions that are degrading to human beings. They are discriminated against in the labour market because of their ethnic identity. They have difficult access to health care, are excluded from the education system and are forced to live in neighbourhoods outside the cities."

 

Fierce assimilation policy

 

The social and cultural values of our citizens with Roma identity are threatened by a fierce assimilation policy, said the HDP and declared its solidarity with the Roma society, which has contributed so much to the coexistence of cultures and created artistic and cultural values.

 

The International Roma Day has been held annually since 1990 on 8 April as a day of action to raise awareness of the situation of Roma worldwide.