Gypsies or Roma in Eastern Europe

"As economic Turmoil Mounts,So Do Deadly Attacks on Hungary's Gypsies" is a headline in New York Times.It did not surprise me as I read a lot about the plight of Romas in Eastern Europe.I did not read or hear much about them when I was in India.After I came here,I saw them here and there, and wondered about their appearance. They look like Indian and read that they moved from somewhere in Rajasthan to Europe long time ago. Romas are one of the groups that face discrimination as a group.They are concentrated mostly in Hungary,Slovakia,Czech Republic,and Romania.Their economic situation is horrible.They do low end jobs and in some countries live in separate enclaves.They are being treated as outcasts.Their houses are firebombed,burned and they are shot at. According to this news report,these attacks in Hungary may have been carried out by police officers and military personnel.Eastern Europeans experienced so much oppression during communist rule and I thought that they are more tolerant to other groups.I met people from Hungary,Slovakia,Czech Republic and Romania.They are very friendly and wonderful people.They date and marry other people from different back grounds.But when it comes to Romas,their attitude is quiet different.These people think that Romas depend on public welfare funds and do petty criminals acts.Some of that may be true,but discriminating all the Romas ,instead of finding solutions,do not change the situation.