Participants of the seminar arranged by the Human Rights Centre of Falstad on 6-7 October this year requested the Norwegian authorities to establish a so-called truth commission to make up status of Norway’s violations against Romany people.  

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the Association of Romany and Gypsy people, the Global Museum and the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman, who among others gathered at the Falstad Centre, now jointly request an apology for all the violations the authorities have committed. 

They say a stronger apology is needed than the one delivered by the local government minister Ragnhild Queseth Haarstad in 1998.  

– We want all the available evidences reviewed and then there would be an opportunity to make independent investigations. It is the only way to address previous policies, said Mari Møystad of the Global Museum. The museum plays an important role in documenting Gypsy history.

Strong and independent mandate needed
The Commission must receive the mandate to review all available evidences and make their own investigations where necessary.

The objective of this work must be:

– To provide an overview of the Norwegian policy towards the Romany people / Travelers in the 1900s,

– Describe the atrocities and make the consequences known to the Norwegian public;

– Give a presentation of policy and ideological and value-based foundation;

– Evaluate the offenses in light of Norway’s international human rights obligations and Norwegian law;

– Assess now existing measures and compensation arrangements, cultural works, as well as propose new measures for strengthening Romany culture and language.

– Contribute to making information accessible for the Romany people, who have lost contact with their families because of the government’s previous policy.  

The Commission must have a strong and independent mandate, adopted by Parliament, note the seminar participants.  

It must be given access to all archival materials that could shed light on the facts. The process must be public, with an opportunity for the Commission to arrange open hearings. Romany organizations and committed individuals need to be heard in shaping the Commission’s mandate and working.  

Surviving during almost five centuries 
Romany people have been in Norway since about 500 years. Until as late as the end of the 1900s, the Norwegian authorities led a policy of elimination toward the minority group culture, language and way of living.  

A number of intervention measures such as setting up of children, forced sterilization, putting in work colonies and the prohibition against using their own language were adopted.

The group has been – and remains – vulnerable to discrimination and negative attitudes from the Norwegian majority population. This has led to marginalization, many have lost their cultural identity, and as a result of public policy, many lost touch with their families and relatives.  

After the ratification of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities found in 1998, some measures and time-limited projects have been implemented to support education, culture and language of Romany in Norway.  

The participants of the Falstad Seminar 2009 nevertheless believe a more forceful policy is necessary. This policy must provide clear guidelines for municipal and county level how the Romany people education, language and culture should be strengthened.  

Falstad seminar 2009 particularly focused on four areas of great importance for Romany people as a national minority: 1. Education allowing the nomadic lifestyle. 2. Freedom of language. 3. Cultural Centers. 4. Truth Commission.