Solution of social problems is surely difficult. It's complicated and accident-prone. The ones who claim to solve social problems have to be well informed, brave, volunteer and self sacrificing.
Nobody interested in overcoming of discrimination maden in written sources including humiliating discourse against Gypsies until now. I would never forgive myself if i haven't tried to solve this problem although i know it exists.
I am happy that this was my opportunity to struggle against this discrimination and to be successfull largely. Here is my works and acquisitions.
1-Precidency of religious affairs issued a circular to stop blamings against Gypsies depending on superstitions in June 6th, 2000. This circular was sent to muftis (prayers). İmams were educated about the superstitions targeting Gypsies and they told truths about these legends to people.
2-Explanations of the Gypsy word in Turkish dictionaries of Turkish Linguistic Society and National Education Ministry were largely changed and corrected. Humiliating expressions and their explanations were deleted from dictionaries.
3-I filed a claim to force National Education Ministry to delete articles which humiliate Gypsies in İslam and Turk encyclopaedias. Most of them were deleted.
4-Gypsies were declared as bad and thief people in laws, regulations and ordinances of goverment. It has been possible these writings to be deleted with my continual applications.
5-Secret circular of the ministry of interior about Gypsies sent to police department of each cities in 2003 was repealed with my forces.
6-I filed a claim about Culture Ministry on European Court of Human Rights because a book including discriminative discoursed against Gypsies which published by the ministry. I hope to win the case.
It was not easy to do all these jobs. I faced reactions and barriers when i was tryin to solve the problem more than ten years. I have had important troubles. However i have never given up and i did it.
These are the first acqusitions of Gypsies in Turkish history. On the other hand, there are still strong prejudices against us in peoples mind. It's important to educate them!
I continue my educational activities i started 16 years ago. I have published books and books which will be published. I am writing articles. I gave seminars. I will go on working for our people, Gypsies...
*Mustafa Aksu: Researcher and author
No comments:
Post a Comment