離開
進入《中英對照讀新聞》German State Recognizes Roma as National Minority 德國一個州承認羅姆人（吉普賽人）為全國性少數民族
◎陳成良
The German state of Rhineland-Palatinate recently became the first in the country to formally protect the language and culture of the Sinti and Roma, also known as Gypsies.
德國萊因蘭─巴拉丁挪州近日成為該國第一個正式保護羅姆人與信德人語言及文化的州，這兩個民族也就是一般所知的吉普賽人。
The agreement establishes the Sinti and Roma as a national minority, meaning the government is obliged to protect their language and financially support their culture. In addition, Roma and Sinti history will be taught in state schools.
這項協議將信德人與羅姆人定位為全國性少數民族，意味政府有義務保護他們的語言，並對其文化提供財務援助。此外，羅姆人與信德人的歷史，都將列入州立學校的教材。
「With this agreement we want to make a difference in terms of discrimination and the rights of the Sinti and Roma in society,」Rhineland-Palatinate governor Kurt Beck said after signing the agreement.
「我們希望藉由這項協議，讓羅姆人與信德人在社會上受到的歧視及其所享權利，有所改變。」萊因蘭─巴拉丁挪州州長貝克簽署這項協議後表示。
Jacques Delfeld, who heads the German Sinti and Roman Association and countersigned the agreement, said while Germans are sensitive to minorities in general, Roma and Sinti continue to face discrimination in everyday life, leading many to deny their origins.
共同簽署這項協議的德國信德人及羅姆人協會主席戴爾菲德說，雖然整體而言德國人還算注意少數民族，但羅姆人及信德人在日常生活中仍持續受到歧視，使得許多人否認他們的身世。
In case of discrimination, the agreement obliges the government to take measures to support the minority. About 80,000 gypsies live in Germany, some 8,000 of them in Rhineland-Palatinate.
一旦有歧視的情形發生，該協議規定政府須採取行動協助這個少數民族。德國境內約有8萬名吉普賽人，其中約8千人住在萊因蘭─巴拉丁挪州。
新聞辭典
Gypsy：吉普賽人。羅姆人與跟他們有密切關係的信德人合稱為吉普賽人，為起源於印度北部，散居全世界的流浪民族。吉普賽人一詞源於歐洲人對羅姆人起源的誤解，當時歐洲人誤以為羅姆人來自埃及，於是稱之為「埃及人」，而「吉普賽」（Gypsy）是「埃及」（Egypt）的音變。
persecution：名詞，迫害。The heretic met with severe persecution.（那個異教徒遭到殘酷迫害。）
discrimination：不公平待遇，歧視。Is there racial discrimination in your country?（你們國家是否存在種族歧視？）
