Who Are The Roma? (SLIDESHOW) - International Business Times

click to see slideshow Who Are The Roma? (SLIDESHOW) - International Business Times: "Roma have lived in Greece since the late 14th century and now number about 350,000. They are the largest ethnic minority group in the country and are known as “Tsiganes.” According to the Pelekas.com website, 'most Greek Roma are indigent, living either as nomads seeking seasonal employment, or in makeshift settlements with no infrastructure whatsoever.'
Pelekas adds: 'Living in a legal limbo, [Greek] Gypsy populations attempting to settle down have repeatedly faced social prejudice and harassment. In recent years, as land has become more expensive, forced and often illegal evictions of Gypsies from long-standing settlements by order of municipal authorities have become more frequent. '
It is estimated that 80 percent of Greek Gypsies are illiterate.
During the Athens Summer Olympics of 2004, Roma families and encampments were reportedly cleared out and bulldozed, respectively, by Greek authorities, in order to provide space for athletic events (and most likely to remove the poor Gypsies from public view)."