US embassy cable - 03VATICAN2996

UNCLAS VATICAN 002996 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI) AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, VT 
SUBJECT:  VATICAN SPOTLIGHT ON ROMA 
 
 
1.   SUMMARY:  THE VATICAN'S FIFTH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE 
PASTORAL CARE OF GYPSIES WILL TAKE PLACE IN BUDAPEST, 
HUNGARY FROM JUNE 30 TO JULY 6.  THE CONGRESS WILL FOCUS ON 
 
THE PASTORAL NEEDS OF THE ROMA, BUT WILL ALSO INCLUDE 
LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS ON EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, INTEGRATION, 
AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THE FORMATION OF A CULTURE OF 
    SOLIDARITY AND TOLERANCE.  NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH 
DIRECTORS FOR ROMA ISSUES WILL ALSO PREPARE A DOCUMENT AT 
THE CONGRESS ADDRESSING GLOBAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE THE CARE 
OF ROMA.  THE CONGRESS IS BEING HELD OUTSIDE OF THE VATICAN 
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SHOW OF RECOGNITION FOR THE EFFORTS 
OF THE HUNGARIAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE AND HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT 
TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION OF ROMA.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  SECRETARY OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL 
CARE OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANT PEOPLES, ARCHBISHOP AGOSTINO 
MARCHETTO TOLD POLOFF AND POL ASSISTANT JUNE 26 THAT THE 
VATICAN'S FIFTH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE PASTORAL CARE OF 
GYPSIES WILL BRING TOGETHER 150 REPRESENTATIVES FROM 25 
EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES WORLDWIDE.  MOST PARTICIPANTS, WHO 
WILL FOCUS ON THE PASTORAL CARE OF GYPSIES, REPRESENT 
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, BUT THE U.S., INDIA, MEXICO, AND BRAZIL 
-- ALL OF WHICH HAVE SIGNIFICANT ROMA POPULATIONS -- WILL 
ALSO BE REPRESENTED.  PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE NATIONAL 
DIRECTORS FOR ROMA ISSUES, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS, 
LAY PASTORAL AGENTS, AND ROMA.  AMONG THE ROMA, THERE ARE 15 
CATHOLIC PRIESTS, NUNS, AND STUDENTS, WHO WILL PARTICIPATE 
IN AN EDUCATION ROUND TABLE. 
 
3.  WHILE THE CONGRESS WILL REVIEW BROADER ISSUES RELATING 
TO INTEGRATION OF ROMA, MARCHETTO NOTED THAT THESE ISSUES 
WOULD BE EXAMINED PRIMARILY IN THE CONTEXT OF PASTORAL CARE 
FOR THE ROMA.  NEVERTHELESS, MARCHETTO EMPHASIZED THAT THE 
HOLY SEE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE DIGNITY OF 
THE ROMA AND THEIR TREATMENT IN SOCIETY.  HE POINTED OUT 
THAT THE VATICAN FREQUENTLY ADVOCATES ON THEIR BEHALF TO 
LOCAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS.  IN THIS REGARD, HE ALSO 
    OBSERVED THAT THE HOLY SEE'S INTEREST ENGAGED A NUMBER OF 
VATICAN COUNCILS.  FOR EXAMPLE, THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL `COR 
UNUM' WHICH COORDINATES VATICAN HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS 
WORLDWIDE HELPS PROVIDE FOR ROMA MATERIAL NEEDS, WHILE THE 
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE EXAMINES GOVERNMENT 
POLICIES AFFECTING ROMA.  MARCHETTO ELABORATED  THAT HIS OWN 
COUNCIL FOR MIGRANTS HAD FOUR OFFICES DEALING WITH THE 
PASTORAL NEEDS OF REFUGEES, MIGRANTS, AND OTHER NOMADS (I.E. 
CIRCUS WORKERS, PILGRIMS, FISHERMEN), AND `PEOPLE OF THE 
ROAD, INCLUDING RAILWAY AND AIRPORT WORKERS, SEAFARERS, 
FOREIGN STUDENTS. 
 
4.  IN A DISCUSSION OF USG EFFORTS TO ADDRESS ROMA ISSUES, 
MARCHETTO MADE A POINT TO URGE THE USG NOT TO GIVE HUMAN 
RIGHTS SHORT-SHRIFT IN OUR FOCUS ON THE WAR ON TERRORISM. 
WHILE UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR NEW SECURITY POLICIES, 
MARCHETTO SAID HE HOPES THE PENDULUM WILL SWING BACK AND THE 
U.S. WILL RETURN TO ITS HISTORIC "DESTINY" OF OFFERING 
OPPORTUNITY AND FREEDOM TO THE WORLD'S REFUGEES, MIGRANT 
WORKERS AND FOREIGN STUDENTS.  HE URGED THE USG TO CONSIDER 
SIGNING THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF 
THE RIGHTS OF ALL MIGRANT WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR 
FAMILIES.  HE EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT ONLY 21 
COUNTRIES HAVE SIGNED ON AFTER THIRTEEN YEARS AND NO 
INDUSTRIALIZED NATION IS YET A SIGNATORY. 
 
5.  COMMENT:  DESPITE THE CONGRESS'S PRIMARY FOCUS ON 
PASTORAL ISSUES, WE EXPECT THE CONGRESS TO DEVOTE 
CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION TO THE ISSUES SUCH AS EDUCATION, 
INTEGRATION, AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN SHAPING 
PERCEPTIONS OF ROMA.  BEYOND THE VATICAN, MANY CATHOLIC- 
    AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE LAY CATHOLIC SANT' 
EGIDIO COMMUNITY REMAIN ACTIVE IN ASSISTING THE ROMA 
COMMUNITIES IN ITALY AND ELSEWHERE.  OFTEN, HOWEVER, LOCAL 
PARISHES TAKE LITTLE INTEREST IN ROMA ISSUES AND CAN 
SOMETIMES BE HOSTILE.  OUR SANT' EGIDIO CONTACTS RECENTLY 
TOOK US TO COFFEE HOSTED BY A ROMA FAMILY FROM BOSNIA. 
BETWEEN GUSTS OF WIND BLOWING THROUGH THE LARGE HOLES IN THE 
WALLS OF THEIR SHACK THE FAMILY EXPLAINED THAT THEY RECEIVED 
LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR LOCAL CHURCH OR THE ITALIAN 
GOVERNMENT.  OUR SANT' EGIDIO HOSTS EXPLAINED THAT THE LOCAL 
PARISH PRIEST HAD LOBBIED THE GOVERNMENT TO REMOVE THE ROMA 
ENCAMPMENT.  WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE HOLY SEE TO 
SHARE INFORMATION EMERGING FROM THE CONGRESS WIDELY WITHIN 
BISHOP'S CONFERENCES, ND TO KEEP ROMA ISSUES AT THE 
FOREFRONT OF THE VTICAN'S HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2003VATICA02996 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED