Assessment for Roma in Spain

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Risk Assessment | Analytic Summary | References

Risk Assessment

Roma in Spain are highly unlikely to engage in violence against the state in the foreseeable future. The Roma do not have a history of rebellion or protest against the state, and no militant Roma groups exist. Furthermore, the Roma have no history of autonomy or other risk factors that would encourage separatism.

While their nonviolent history and low levels of organization make it unlikely that the Roma will engage in violence, several risk factors for protest are present, including persistent and widespread economic and political discrimination. Economically, Roma face significant employment and housing discrimination originating from prejudices and racism among Spaniards. They work primarily in low paying jobs and have the worst quality housing of any group in Spain. Discrimination against Roma in the Spanish education, criminal justice and health systems also persists, and Roma women are especially marginalized. Few government programs have effectively addressed these grievances. No Roma hold legislative or executive positions in Spain, and their historical involvement in government has been extremely limited. Finally, Roma have been subjected to sporadic, violent harassment by Spaniards in recent years. Overall, the continuing marginalization of Roma in Spain may lead to a growth in the number and strength of Roma advocacy groups, but it is unlikely to result in violence.

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Analytic Summary

The Roma first arrived in Spain in the 15th century, and today comprise approximately two percent of the Spanish population. Roma, who are frequently called gitanos in Spanish, faced hostility almost immediately, with the first anti-Romany laws passed in the late 15th century, during the Spanish Inquisition. Laws and practices over the next centuries consistently denied Roma citizenship, political, social and economic rights. Policies also sought to force cultural assimilation with the dominant population. Such persecution persisted through the Franco regime.

Romaa are concentrated in the province of Andalusia (40 percent of the Roma population) and in and around large cities (GROUPCON = 1). While many speak Spanish, others speak various Roma dialects, primarily Calo (LANG = 1). Roma also have distinctly different customs (CUSTOM = 1) and are easily identifiable based on physical appearance (RACE = 1). Most Roma have assimilated to the dominant religion in Spain, Roman Catholicism. However, there is a growing evangelical Christian Roma movement as well. The Roma face economic and political discrimination based on racism, historical neglect and their virtual exclusion from Spanish society (POLDIS06 = 2; ECDIS06 = 3). Discrimination against the Roma persists in employment, housing, health care and education. Roma often complain that they are portrayed negatively in Spanish media (CULGR06 = 1).

The Roma face demographic disadvantages due to their higher birth rates. There has also been an influx of Eastern European Roma into Spain, which heightens societal dislike of the Roma. Government repression occurred in 2005 when 10 Roma families were forcibly evicted in Valencia (REPGENCIV06 = 2). In separate incidents in 2005 and 2006, Roma were subjected to violent harassment by Spaniards (CCGROUPSEV105-06 = 1). No Roma hold legislative or executive positions in Spain, and their historical involvement in government has been extremely limited (LEGISREP06 = 0, EXECREP06 = 0). The Roma are not guaranteed political representation because they are not an officially recognized minority group in Spain (GUARREP06 = 0). However, there have been Roma in previous years in the Spanish legislature; and Spanish Roma do have a representative in the European parliament.

Despite these hardships, the Roma have few influential organizations to help improve their situation. The Spanish Roma groups such as Union Romani and the Association General Roma Secretariat are part of a movement that seeks to protect Roma culture and combat discrimination (GOJPA06 = 2).

The Roma in Spain have been assisted in raising awareness of their situation through kindred groups such as the European Roma Rights Center and the International Romani Union. These groups, which actively report abuses and call on governments to do more to protect their Roma populations, do not provide material or political support to the Spanish Roma (KINSUP06 = 0). Possibly due to the factional nature of the Roma community, or maybe due to their precarious position within Spain, the Roma have rarely raised attention to their plight. No protests are rebellion were reported for 2004-2006 (PROT06 = 0; REB06 = 0).

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References

European Roma Rights Centre. Various reports. 2004-2007. http://www.errc.org/.

EU Accession Monitoring Program. 2002. "Monitoring the EU Accession Process: Minority Protection." Open Society Institute.

Gay y Blasco, Paloma. 2000. "Gitano Evangelism: the Emergence of Politico-Religious Diaspora." Paper presented to the EASA conference. Krakow. http://www.transcomm.ox.ac.uk/working%20papers/WPTC-01-04%20Gayyblasco.pdf

Lexis-Nexis. Various news reports. 1990-2006.

Liegeois, Jean-Pierre. 1994. "Roma, Gypsies, Travellers." Netherlands: Council of Europe Press.

Solsten, Eric, and Sandra W. Meditz, ed. 1988. Spain: A Country Study. Washington, DC: Library of Congress.

Union Romani. http://www.unionromani.org/union_in.htm#ques, accessed 5/11/2007.

U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Spain. 2001-2006.

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