0:00:41 > 0:00:44SHOUTING IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- NEWS REPORT:- More than 100 Romanians living in South Belfast
0:00:49 > 0:00:51have been forced to flee their homes
0:00:51 > 0:00:53following a string of racist attacks.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57The group of around 20 families, which includes a five-day-old baby,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59spent the night in a local church in the city
0:00:59 > 0:01:02after suffering a week of verbal and physical attacks.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05I was told by the family, a man with a gun.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08And they were waving the gun at them telling them to go away.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25My name is Nicolae Nicola.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I'm from Romania. I'm Roma.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And I've been in Belfast 14 years.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35We feel a part of this community.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42We want to take care of Belfast, we want to keep Belfast safe.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44I just love it!
0:01:44 > 0:01:45I just love it!
0:01:45 > 0:01:46And not only that...
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Belfast is home.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Anybody telling me I'm a gypsy, I am gypsy.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58We don't need to forget who we are because what is being gypsy?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00I mean, Roma. What does it mean, Roma?
0:02:00 > 0:02:02It means gypsy, and also, there's no difference.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37I'm secretary of the Romanian Pentecostal church in Belfast.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49This place means too much to me.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50Holy lands.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Holy lands is a community and all the students around.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57And it's all mixed altogether.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03I see sometimes, you know, I go in the city.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06People think about Roma, they're just out to steal.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09You know, to causing trouble, you know and causing fights,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11you know and other things.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16From my point, I'm a Roma and I'll always look around me
0:03:16 > 0:03:19to not affect someone else.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21That is Roma culture.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- NEWSREEL:- The family stayed here all night while the authorities
0:03:24 > 0:03:27tried to find somewhere else to house them.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Will you stay in Belfast?
0:03:29 > 0:03:30Maybe, maybe.
0:03:32 > 0:03:33Some of the community, they get scared.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36You know and mostly to Roma.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38They go back home at the time.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39Some of them, they come back.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Some of them, they decide not to come back.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I love to go to Romania, you know?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And I will go one week a year.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50And after that week, you know, I cannot wait to come back.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Here, I know the city.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53People know me in the street.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56So, nothing could change me.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04Come inside.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Grandma, she's cooking.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Yeah, cooking!
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- Cooking!- Andrea! Natalie, come on, please.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Myself, I do have three children.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35In Belfast, I have my dad and my mum and my sister and my brother-in-law.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38They're living together, you know, here in Belfast.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46They speak in the house just half English, you know?
0:04:46 > 0:04:47They speak more English to the school.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- I know!- Give daddy a kiss, hi!
0:04:55 > 0:05:00I remember back home back in Romania the community like today in Belfast
0:05:00 > 0:05:02here, they're all close together.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04And I remember, you know,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07at least one member of the family was cooking
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and everybody was coming to the house.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12So you imagine, you know, maybe 20 in that family.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14There had only three or four people with a job.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18So, it was very, very poor life back home at that time.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32At that time, you know, as a Romanian citizen,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35you had no rights to come through Europe.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40You know? You had no rights to come to England or Ireland 100%.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43So you imagine, you know, coming through all Europe, you know,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45without proof of ID.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50And not a normal you just walk in the train, and then you take a seat.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55We just come in the wee box in each of the train have for the tools.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Or hiding in the train somewhere, you know.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02But it was not easy, you know, on that time.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07Because I was just a child and my father, you know,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12did his best to change my life and, you know, my family life.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23I remember what happened in 1999.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I was hiding with my father and my mum and my other sister,
0:06:26 > 0:06:31and you know, in the lorry. And then for at least six hours,
0:06:31 > 0:06:36we didn't talk because other friends who passed and managed to pass,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39they said if you speak or if you talk or to make a wee noise,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and then I heard they'll find you
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and then they'll just throw you in the water and then you be dying
0:06:44 > 0:06:46in the water and nobody will support you.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50And that was not easy, especially for my dad at that time.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58We didn't know much information about Belfast.
0:06:58 > 0:07:04But Belfast was very open, you know, to supporting new communities
0:07:04 > 0:07:06coming to Belfast.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11And believe me, everywhere I go, when I come back to Belfast
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I feel like... Not like home.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16More than a home.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20When we started the community centre,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23we never imagined we are going to do this for the Roma.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Job. Munca.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Street. Strada.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Street, strada.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34And a Roma culture, you know is happy to help others
0:07:34 > 0:07:36or to welcome others.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38But only if they know each other.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43That is very important, you know, to the Roma community.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44Because of if they know each other,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48they can rely on other friends or families.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Day to day business, I'm a Roma-Romania support worker.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55It's not easy.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05I face each day you know about at least 20, 40 people.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Myself. That could be any situation they need support.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Example, housing advice, language issues
0:08:13 > 0:08:18and we advise the Roma community, get a job.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34The car wash for Roma, it is important.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And most of the families that work in it and Roma people
0:08:37 > 0:08:38they work in car wash.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43They come straightaway from Romania and they will ask the family in
0:08:43 > 0:08:45the house, where do I go tomorrow to work
0:08:45 > 0:08:47because that is the first dream,
0:08:47 > 0:08:52you know, they come here. I say, yes, come with me to the carwash,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and you'll get a job in a carwash.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And it is easy to get a job in a car wash because
0:08:58 > 0:09:01there's lots of carwashes in Belfast.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03We're talking about over 60.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06And it is good for our community, you know,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09because they have a chance to get a job at carwash.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10We just want to work,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13we don't apply for a national insurance number to get benefits
0:09:13 > 0:09:16because you're not entitled if you have national insurance number,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20you're entitled to benefits if you do have a job.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23And to get a job you need the national insurance number.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Most of the population of the Roma in Belfast, they're employed.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33If we're talking about in 2009,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36self-employed, you know, black-market,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39everywhere to make money, to live day by day but now,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43most of the population Roma, they're employed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Sometimes I go on the job seeker office and translating for someone
0:09:47 > 0:09:50or supporting a Roma family and that four hours
0:09:50 > 0:09:53we didn't see a Roma person to come to the doors.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58So from my point in our survey we have in the Romania community centre
0:09:58 > 0:10:03what we know is only about four families they have a job seeker
0:10:03 > 0:10:07and we are talking about 250, 300 families living in Belfast.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12Anybody here ever had an issue or a problem that they wanted to discuss
0:10:12 > 0:10:14with the human rights commission, we'll see what we can do to help.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:11:13 > 0:11:16It is a bit difficult for families that move into Belfast
0:11:16 > 0:11:17about housing.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21They don't find house and they go in and move with friends' families and
0:11:21 > 0:11:27are loads in the house and it's not safe for them.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34- NEWS REPORT:- 21 people living in one house with bare electrical wires
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and evident health and safety problems.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41It is difficult for Roma people to find because landlords
0:11:41 > 0:11:44don't really like to give houses to Romanians, Roma.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19So when we come to Belfast after a few weeks it was like home.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21We move in the Holylands,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24students shaking hands when you wake up in the morning and I said,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28my father said it's like the village, everybody know each other,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30so the students in the morning, hello.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33And in Newton Bridge, were you the only people in your class
0:12:33 > 0:12:36that was from Romania?
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- The only girl.- The only girl.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So there were boys in your class...
0:12:50 > 0:12:53In general there are very few Romas working.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58I associated them all with The Big Issue and it's very enlightening
0:12:58 > 0:13:01to hear that there's a good working culture.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02SPEAKING OWN LANGUAGE
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Have you tried to learn English?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10SHE TRANSLATES
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- He tried, yeah.- It's difficult?
0:13:13 > 0:13:14It's difficult for older people.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Poverty and destitution. The Roma people are the poorest community
0:13:38 > 0:13:39we've ever worked with.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44The food bank has been increasingly used by Roma families and they're
0:13:44 > 0:13:46referred through our county.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50So there are literally families out there starving and need food banks
0:13:50 > 0:13:54to feed their families but one thing worth remembering
0:13:54 > 0:14:00is that the experience that Roma people face in present-day Romania
0:14:00 > 0:14:01is ten times worse.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15There's no paid work here, people say, so they travel abroad.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17France, Italy, Northern Ireland.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Most of the Roma families back home is poor life, you know,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and they work on the farm,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30the land and that is the only income they can get.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32You want to work but you cannot get a job.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37So that is the biggest problem back home.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41People leaving because they cannot get job.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It's important that you say take families through
0:14:43 > 0:14:45for each case I think.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Yeah, yeah. Like example, you know,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I had another family in Holylands,
0:14:50 > 0:14:55and every weekend his daughter has been kicked out...
0:14:57 > 0:15:00..was kicked out and his window has been broke
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and then I just find out he's turning the music at night time
0:15:04 > 0:15:08in the car, sitting in the car and turning to music
0:15:08 > 0:15:12and then in the house the door is open every day
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and the kids making noise outside.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18I say to him, who was the problem, I think you was the problem, you know,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21I told him. He say yes, but, you know,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25how about the students are turning the music on and I said, look,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28if you go to see, you know, who's causing the problem then
0:15:28 > 0:15:31we cannot resolve your problems so, we resolve this problem.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02People they are drinking in the streets,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04they're kicking doors to the Roma screaming after them,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07go back to your country, Romania and some of the family, you know,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11they're not happy because they been here for a few years
0:16:11 > 0:16:14so from our point I don't think the students
0:16:14 > 0:16:16living in this area, are doing it,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20I think the friends that come along with them to have a
0:16:20 > 0:16:22party, I think that is causing the trouble.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33It's Paddy's Day, let's kill it.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45SPEAKING OWN LANGUAGE
0:16:48 > 0:16:52- How are you?- Big police presence. - Yes, big thing.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59SPEAKING OWN LANGUAGE
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Which side is the worst? Which side?
0:17:09 > 0:17:11HE TRANSLATES
0:17:11 > 0:17:13- Next door. Next door.- Next door?
0:17:13 > 0:17:18- Yeah.- Is it upstairs or downstairs or middle?
0:17:18 > 0:17:19HE TRANSLATES
0:17:19 > 0:17:23All the house, all the house, kicking the doors last night.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28We'll find out who they are. We'll report them to the University,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30the University will deal with them.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Anymore problems you tell Nicolae, he'll tell me.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34HE TRANSLATES
0:17:34 > 0:17:38- OK?- I'll call back, I'll speak to them, I'll get their details.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41No problem. Thank you.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42OK. Thank you.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Hello, Sara.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55Last night, you know, all night has been music and party
0:17:55 > 0:17:57and he couldn't wake up to go to work this morning.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01He couldn't wake up.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE
0:18:04 > 0:18:06I have children.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It was like...
0:18:09 > 0:18:15St Patrick, lots of people drinking...
0:18:15 > 0:18:17like crazy people.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22At one point, you know, we cannot forget our own language,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Roma language because Roma language you find it all over the world.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30But, I go around houses to Roma people and I see
0:18:30 > 0:18:33most of the children they speak in the house English
0:18:33 > 0:18:37so these children they will grow here and they will have a job,
0:18:37 > 0:18:42they will speak English now, how about when they grow up?
0:18:42 > 0:18:44They will never speak Roma.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Maybe they will say they are not Roma
0:18:46 > 0:18:49and they'll say they're not Romanian because they are born here,
0:18:49 > 0:18:50it is OK.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55This is from Romania, this is Jesus.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00God gives me the world, God gives me...
0:19:00 > 0:19:03English, Romania, clothes.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Today we do PE to the school.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12I running, we jogged, we play like exercise video
0:19:12 > 0:19:18and then we have to line up and then we go to the classes.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28You see Roma culture it is so poor on school and education.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34All these small children I helped them to get in the school
0:19:34 > 0:19:37and I work a lot with the parents and it's good.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39How they say it, change is good sometimes.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42My dad's going to work,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46I'm going to the school with my sister and my mum stays home.
0:19:48 > 0:19:55The school is very good because the school is give us to learn English.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57I'm going to do an... Argh, sticky!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Picture for my cousin for his birthday.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07I live in this house. Me and my cousins.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11This is my cousin.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17This is two of my sisters and this too, my cousin.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23To the school, some people is Chinese, some people is...
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Spanish, Chinese.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31Yeah, Spanish and English people and Romania and our friends
0:20:31 > 0:20:38tell me how they say stop or count five.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41In Romania. And then I tell him.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Thank you, bye-bye. Thank you.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50Nicolae is come around, here, he's very, very respected.
0:20:50 > 0:20:56I know he likes to do good, good things to the people.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02He finds us houses, he respect us, like he's coming around.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Do you want to come upstairs?
0:21:34 > 0:21:39I came here when I was eight and then now I'm in school
0:21:39 > 0:21:43and then I went and worked since I was 16.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- Where you from?- Romania.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Romania.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52I was doing volunteering for about eight months in the Roma Centre
0:21:52 > 0:21:57and then I got employed and after last year I got married.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02The women always stay home, cook, cleaning
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and then also be with the kids.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08For myself it was very different.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12I'm not used to their tradition, you know?
0:22:12 > 0:22:14I'm more of in here.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19But as myself, I have to stay home now.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22The baby shoes.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30I love it. When she moves, I feel her and it was amazing,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32it's an amazing thing when you feel her,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34like the way she's moving and all.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37It's a good thing when you're having your baby.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40I'm very happy when I hear and see people, see the women,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42that they're having a better life.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Because I know when, for women,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49when they came first I see them and they didn't have work,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52they have to stay home with the kids,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56they didn't have money but now I see them speaking English,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58have their own doctors, go and treat themselves,
0:23:01 > 0:23:02I'm so happy when I see that.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Can't wait to see her with those clothes like on her.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Didn't want to have the life that my mum had.
0:23:13 > 0:23:19She made a very good decision for us because her dad died
0:23:19 > 0:23:24when she was very young and then after she got married,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27she had us and she was having a hard life.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34And then when I find out because I'm pregnant
0:23:34 > 0:23:38and I didn't want that my children get that feeling.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44She's very happy and she's proud of me.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49I want to go back and work after I finish maternity.
0:23:49 > 0:23:55It's a future, I'm just 20 so it's still good for me,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59it's a good opportunity to be someone in my life.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03So I have a better life,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07a better life for my kids so when they need something
0:24:07 > 0:24:09so I can offer them everything they want.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Roma community and BBC.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35PREACHES IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:24:45 > 0:24:50Church, it is very important to the Roma communities.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Not only in Belfast, all over the world.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57When we do church events, some of the kids come again to the front
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and say, I feel sorry what I did.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02You know, you know, I will never do it again.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06And these things and... And I'm glad to see that, you know.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11Because the only person or the only thing they can change sometimes,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14family or a person, is a religion.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19CHANTING IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Sunday, we had service.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30We baptised and the church service.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35We had about 30 or 25 candidates getting baptised.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38It was a big thing for ourselves, for the community.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41And you see all the Roma community come from around
0:25:41 > 0:25:42and meeting together.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47And it's good to see that community that was not supported
0:25:47 > 0:25:50in our country to be united, you know?
0:26:16 > 0:26:19My family always said we are never going to stay here.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23We're never going to live here all of our life, you know?
0:26:23 > 0:26:27A similar situation with the Roma community saying to the children.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30So I am telling them, stop saying this to the children.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Because the kids, they will remember this in the next five years,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36ten years. And then, you're still here?
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And then the children, they will have plans
0:26:38 > 0:26:40if you tell them they will stay here. And they will...
0:26:40 > 0:26:42You know, never go back to Romania.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47What do you want to be when you grow up?
0:26:47 > 0:26:52A nurse. The nurses helping the sick people.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And at they're helping to give them some...
0:26:56 > 0:27:00To give them, like, medicines and to help them to not be sick.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02It's very good.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07- I like it. I love it, I love it. - I love it.- I just love it!
0:27:07 > 0:27:10I just love it!
0:27:12 > 0:27:17If she has a good education, she'll have a good future.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22And after she can do whatever she wants.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Like, to be maybe, probably a doctor!
0:27:26 > 0:27:27To find a job for her, you know?
0:27:27 > 0:27:29And not...
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Don't do bad things, not to be a cheeky girl like my sister.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35I love my sister, but she's very cheeky.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37So I want her to be someone in her life.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44My dream is 100 years' time, we will be seeing, like,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Roma working doctors.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48They have their own businesses.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51They're supporting the school and they'll be in education
0:27:51 > 0:27:53and, you know, they will be in university.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56You know, and these things.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And I'm looking to see maybe a police officer
0:27:59 > 0:28:02or maybe to work in the government, you know? Maybe to see a Roma
0:28:02 > 0:28:04work in the City Hall,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Belfast City Hall or somewhere where we never imagined
0:28:08 > 0:28:10we would have a chance, you know?
0:28:11 > 0:28:15So that is a big dream for me to see a Roma person,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17you know, to see...
0:28:17 > 0:28:19you know, he's doing well in Northern Ireland.