Hindus and Jews ask upcoming Hungarian EU Presidency to end European Roma apartheid

Nevada (US), Dec 21 (ANI): Hindus and Jews have asked the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), starting January one, to work on ending European Roma (Gypsy) apartheid.

Well known Hindu statesman Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA, in a statement in Nevada today, said that new Hungarian Presidency should not stay apathetic and silent spectator when about 15 million fellow Roma brothers/sisters were reportedly facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe. They urged Hungarian Presidency and Hungary's President Pal Schmitt and Prime Minister Viktor Orban to show strong political will, courage, and commitment in support of Roma cause.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich pointed out that European Roma reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.

Rajan Zed and Jonathan Freirich, however, applauded statement of Hungarian Presidency on Roma issue given on Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, saying that "it was a step in the right direction": "Hungarian Presidency will focus on child poverty and the social integration of the Roma population. Our special priority is to adopt the European framework for national strategies of the inclusion of the Roma and to give a real impulse to the solution of this important European issue".

Currently, Belgium holds this Presidency. Hungary will hold this rotating Presidency for the first time, which will end on June 30. (ANI)