'Living in fear' - Cork Roma worry kids will be taken - Cork

From the Cork Independent

"Living in fear" is how the Cork Roma community have been described by the co-founder of the Roma Support Group Bill Dunlea after two children were removed from Roma homes last week.

The second child that was removed, in Athlone, was related to members of the Cork Roma community and the family were in regular contact with Cork Roma Support Group who are working towards national support.

"We did a survey last year to find out the needs of the Roma community. We were in contact with the families in Athlone and we have been in contact with the families over the past year.

An uncle of the family that had their child taken last week is living in Cork and it was a huge shock for him to hear what had happened.

"To be honest," Mr Dunlea said, "The community is very upset. They are just stunned and they are looking at their own children now and if they are any bit different they are wondering if they are going to be taken.

"One of the young fellas said to me the other day, I heard there is an old Irish phrase, 'come in here, don't be staying out there too long, the Gypsies will take you.' Now the Gypsies are saying, 'Come in, don't be staying out there, the settled people will take you."

Cornell 'Bobby' Rostas, a member of the Cork Roma community, said everybody is afraid after what happened in Tallaght and Athlone.

"I don't know what to say, we are angry and I just dont want it to happen to me. I have four children, the oldest is 11 and the youngest is one and a half years old.

"They are blonde and they are not dark skinned and I worry that they might be taken. I have stopped them playing outside of our estate. Everyone has stopped letting their children play around the area.

"I never talk to the Cork garda and it is a good thing. I just want them to leave us alone.

"It is upsetting because we know the family and we are worried it could happen to us. I just don't want to have to worry about my chidren being taken."

UCC lecturer Gina Lordan, who co-founded the Cork Roma Support Group said there were positive things to take from the incident.

"I think what happened highlighted a problem that was going unnoticed. A lot of people know what happened wasn't right and to have a child taken from its family is not easy on anyone."

Gina's colleagues organised a protest last Friday to show solidarity with the Roma community and it was a great success.

"It was a great success, I didn't expect it so many people to turn up. There was just one Roma woman as the rest were to afraid to attend and some of the older men were also worried, just in case.

"After the protest, some of the Irish families that came invited the Roma to a pub for a drink and I think that is most unusual. It must be an historic event."