Assessment for Roma in Spain

Risk Assessment | Analytic Summary | References

Risk Assessment

Roma in Spain are not likely to engage in violence against the state in the foreseeable future. They have low levels of organization and cohesion and have few resources with which to sustain a rebellion. As with other Roma from across Europe, mobility appears as a common response to discrimination and repression, rather than to engage in violent or nonviolent political action.

While there also has not been a history of protest, the group does possess several risk factors, including government repression, and political and cultural restrictions. Despite government efforts, there is little improvement in the situation of Spain's Gypsies. De-facto discrimination continues in housing, education and employment. There have also been sporadic violent attacks and protests against Gypsies since 1990. As elsewhere, the negative image of the Gypsies leads to discrimination which, in turn, places the Gypsies in the situation where they are more likely to commit the acts that help to perpetuate the negative stereotypes. If the Roma's situation continues to decline in Spain, there may come a time when they organize to the point where they can begin to lobby the government to make changes. With the new organizations that have been created, some protests over issues such as the marriage law may begin to occur, but as of yet, this has not happened.

Analytic Summary

The Roma first arrived in Spain in the 15th century (TRADITN = 1), and since that time have dispersed across the country (GROUPCON = 0) in search of the best economic opportunities available (MIGRANT = 3). While they have assimilated linguistically with the dominant group (LANG = 3), they have different customs (CUSTOM = 1) and most importantly are easily identifiable based on their race (RACE = 3). Due to this easy identification they are targets for discrimination and, at times, repression.

The Roma face demographic disadvantages (DEMSTR03 = 2) 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. They also face political and economic discrimination through both historical neglect, and their basic exclusion from the Spanish society (POLDIS03 = 2, ECDIS03 = 3). The Roma are restricted in where they are able to move, and they recently have begun to face some cultural restrictions, mainly that Roma weddings are not recognized by the state and as a result some Roma have had difficulty receiving spousal benefits. In 2000 there were also acts of government repression against the group. Roma homes and property were reportedly burned by the police in an attempt to have the Roma leave the area. It should be noted that the Spanish government has pledged to try to improve the political standing of the Roma and try to increase their civil rights.

Despite these hardships the Roma remain a factionalized group (COHESX9 = 3), but there have been several new organizations to help improve their situation. Apart from the existing Gypsy organizations, there are now such groups such as Union Romani and the Spanish Romani Woman's Federation. The latter group is most concerned with having the marriage law changed so that Roma marriages will be recognized. The Roma's other major demand is to be protected from the Spanish people. Evidence of the need for this protection is seen with the anti-Roma demonstrations that occurred in 2000 (COMCON00 = 4), and harassment of Roma by individuals and small groups continues to the present (COMCON01-03 = 1).

The Roma in Spain have been assisted in raising awareness of their situation through the European Roma Rights Center, which actively reports abuses of Roma, and calls on governments to do more to protect their Roma populations.

Possibly due to the factional nature of the Roma community, or maybe due to their precarious position within Spain, the Roma have very rarely ever raised attention to their plight. No protests are rebellion were reported for 2001-2003 (PROT01-03 = 0, REB01-03 = 0).

References

Lexis/Nexis: US Department of State Human Rights Reports for 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2001-2003 (all published the February following the year which they cover.)

Lexis/Nexis: All news files: 1990-2003.