From: "bill wayland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 22:34:13
Subject: Appeal for freedom for Mario Bango
The International Action Center stands in solidarity with the following
appeal,
issued by the Mario Bango Defense Committee in the Slovak Republic. We urge
our
members and supporters to join in the international campaign for justice for
Mario Bango and the Roma people.
FREEDOM FOR MARIO BANGO! STOP THE LYNCHINGS OF ROMA PEOPLE!
THE OPPRESSED AND PERSECUTED HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES!
To all militants for racial and social justice,
to all opponents of fascism and racism!
We ask you to support Mario Bango, an 18-year-old Roma activist in Slovakia
who
is facing 12 years in prison for defending his family against a racist
assault.
His case is symbolic of the plight of the Roma people, so-called "Gypsies,"
in
East Europe today.
Nearly six decades after perhaps 500,000 Roma were murdered by the
Nazis, Roma
people in East Europe are again afraid to walk the streets. As people of
color,
they have become the targets of a new Nazi movement that has arisen in that
region over the past decade. They are beaten and murdered by "skinhead"
youth
gangs and are victims of official discrimination as well. Rightwing
governments
and political parties make them scapegoats for the devastating poverty and
unemployment imposed on East Europe in the last 10 years by the policies of
the
International Monetary Fund. In reality Roma people have suffered the most
from
the economic catastrophe. They have the highest unemployment rate and the
lowest
income. Although Roma make up 9 percent of Slovakia's population, they
comprise
40 percent of those in prison.
On March 10 Mario, his brother Edo and their mother were riding on
a bus in
the largest high-rise estate of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia,
when
Edo was attacked by a young racist named Branislav Slamka. Mario came to
his
brother's aid and, in the course of the struggle, Slamka was stabbed
fatally.
The brothers themselves called the police and waited for them to arrive
while
the attacker was taken to a hospital. When their mother asked for water
during
the interrogation at the police atation she was called a "Gypsy c—t' by a
policeman. This was not the first such attack suffered by the Bango family.
In
his early teens Edo was hospitalized after a beating by racist skinheads.
Such
tragic experiences have become routine for Roma people in Slovakia today.
Mario was jailed immediately. When his attacker died several days
later, Mario
was charged with "causing injury leading to death." Although there are
reports
Slamka belonged to a Nazi organization, Slovakia's media (much of it owned
by US
companies) and rightwing politicians have portrayed him as "an innocent boy
attacked by Roma." Racist MPs in the Slovak parliament have portrayed the
Nazi
attacker as the "victim" and the Bangos as criminals who were trying to
steal
his wallet. They are using this tragedy to whip up a new hate campaign
against
Roma people and against Mario in particular. Mario's life has been
threatened in
prison.
From an early age Mario has been a fighter for justice and equality.
Together
with Edo he organised a youth march against fascism in Bratislava. In early
September 2000 the brothers organized a demonstration against the
International
Monetary Fund as a show of solidarity by Slovak youth with the planned
protest
against the IMF summit in Prague. The brothers went to Prague to protest
against
the IMF and took part in the peaceful blockade of the Nuselsky Bridge.
Believing in working-class unity, Mario and Edo have supported the Slovak
labor
movement in its fight for decent wages and working conditions and have
taken
part in all major trade union rallies in Bratislava. They helped poor
tenants
in an industrial suburb of Bratislava resist eviction by a wealthy
speculator
who had bought their homes. Mario and Edo are also avid students of the
history
of Black and Native American people in the United States, which is so
similar to
that of the Roma people.
Mario's life in the service of the oppressed has now been
interrupted by
the attack of a misguided racist. After one experience of a direct racist
attack , after years of fear of skinhead attack, after years of nonstop
stress
while simply walking in the streets, after being forced to stay at home
every
night to avoid violence and after escaping several attempted attacks,
aÝmoment
came which sooner or later inevitable.
Mario has been fighting for others for years. It is time now to express
to
him our thanks.
Therefore we ask you to join us in demanding that the Slovak government
drop
all charges against Mario Bango.
Please send protests and appeals for the release of Mario to the
following
addresses:
Urad Vlady (The Office of the Government)
Namestie Slobody 1
813 70 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Tel: 011 421 7 5729 5111
Fax: 011 421 7 5249 7595
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Kancelaria Prezidenta
Stefanikova 14, 814 38 Bratislava
Tel: 011 421 7 5441 6624
or email to the President's web site at http://www.prezident.sk,
click on
VIRTUALNA POSTA, THEN CLICK ON NOVY PRISPEVOK, which means new message.
Please send letters of solidarity to
PO Box 178
850 00 Bratislava 5, Slovakia
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Mario's family is poor and has difficulty affording an attorney,
bail and
legal costs. Donations for his defense may be sent to the
Friends of Mario Bango
c/o International Action Center
39 West 14 Street, New York, N.Y. 10010
Checks should be made out to the International Action Center with
"free Mario
Bango" written on the memo line. Funds will be forwarded to Slovakia.
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