Category Archives: France

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Why so much hatred?

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Why so much hatred?

While starting with a good intention, Planet.fr, in their article entitled “Roms: pourquoi tant de haine?” [Rroma: why so much hatred], manages to pack quite a few stereotypes and misinformation in a short article. They speak of 17’000 Rroma (only those who have arrived from Romania and Bulgaria), associating Rroma with migrants and neglecting the 500’000 who live in that country, speak of poverty, etc.

On the positive side, they mention that France is indeed quite racist at this stage against Rroma and tha French politics have a problem with Rroma.

France News Western Europe

22.02.15 The case of the dead child that could not be buried

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22.02.15 The case of the dead child that could not be buried

The case of the dead child that could not be buried in France after a mayor refused to sign the inhumation permit came to a close this week. The police had launched an investigation on the mayor’s actions following the reports of the case in the press. This investigation has now been closed without further actions. This in spite of the fact that prominent politicians like Toubon declared the mayor’s action to be clearly illegal.

– Refus d’inhumer un bébé rom en Essonne: L’enquête classée sans suite. In: 20 Minutes. 18.02.2015. http://www.20minutes.fr/…/1544115-20150218-refus-inhumer-be…

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08.02.2015 France: Some positive news …

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Not all news in France on Rroma is negative. In the north of France, an association helps Rroma to integrate, to obtain papers and find work. They follow Rroma, mostly from Romania who have been in the region for several years.

In Avignon, the state lodged some 30 Rroma in a camping after having been expulsed from their camp. Probably, the officials thought that as they are “travellers” a camping is the proper thing to do.

France News Western Europe

08.02.2015 French Evictions: 2015 started no better than 2014

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While the press ponders the reports from the ERRC and the LDH on the evictions of Rroma camps in France, these evictions, as apparent from other papers, continue in full swing. For example, about 100 Rroma were evacuated by the police from a former factory (La Marne) or in Loos, the polices “re-organised” Rroma camps (Voix du Nord).

Meanwhile, the Figaro reports on crimes committed by the “gens du voyage”, the French version of the term of “Travellers”. In this case, some Travellers are reported to have stolen an car with a baby on board and abandoned the kid on the side of the road. Following this, the police raided 6 camps. These camps have nothing to do with the illegal Rroma camps – these are camps with caravans etc. Once again, criminality is presented as a way of life and as part of the culture. In addition, the journalist is not quite sure of his terminology, using several different terms to denote the criminals he reports on.

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08.02.2015 Italy: An official says Rroma are good at sorting garbage

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08.02.2015 Italy: An official says Rroma are good at sorting garbage

An Italian social Policy councillor Francesca Danese, has suggested that Rroma in Italy should be hired to sort garbage, adding that they have the “skills to rummage through waste”.  We are not sure on which facts she bases her statement but are positive that it shows a total misunderstanding of the minority, and constitutes a racist act. This is not acceptable from a government official.

France News Western Europe

08.02.2015 France expulsed a Rroma camp every third day in 2014

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The French Press reports on a report from the European Roma Right Center (ERRC) and the League for Human Rights (LDH) on the expulsion policies of the French state. According to them, France expulsed ca. 13’000 of the estimated 17’000 Rroma living in deplorable conditions in camps around the big French cities. Evictions occurred on average every third day. (Le Monde). L’Humanité adds that the state does nothing for an equality of chances for this population and denounces the underlying racism behind these policies. (L’Humanité). France Bleu notes that nearly 67% of these evictions were done in and around Paris. (France Bleu). The magazine Politis, on the same subject, notes that nearly 4 out of 5 people interviewed (around 100 people) were evicted up to 5 or 6 times. They stress that these policies are dehumanising and criticise that these evictions mostly occur around Paris. (Politis)

All journalists as usual missed the key point: The press only actually speaks about 17 to 20’000 Rroma in illegal settlement, and not of the overwhelming majority of Rroma who live in France and whose number is estimated at half a million.

France News Western Europe

01.02.2015 France: Evictions in spite of the Winter

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Normally, Republican France refrains from deporting migrants and from evicting illegal settlement in the Winter. This is no longer the case. Evictions continue, and the problem is being shifted from one community to the next. It is as if, one can argue, that the authorities want to maximise the exposure of the general population to poor migrants, guaranteeing an increased racism. This has to stop. Evictions this week, as an example occurred in Cannes and in Chellois.

France News Western Europe

01.02.2015 France: A few timid attempts at integration

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In spite of the constant evictions of Rroma that make the headlines in French Newspapers, there are a few attempts at finding longer term solutions. The law requiring evicted people to be relocated is being reluctantly applied, for example in Nimes, in St. Gilles, or in Choisy, while activists are pushing the case further by occupying empty or official buildings as in Noisiel. This is literally a drop of water on a hot stone, and the French state should rather try to definitively integrate these 15’000 migrant Rroma who have now been in France for several years.

France News Western Europe

01.02.2015 France: A few timid attempts at integration

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In spite of the constant evictions of Rroma that make the headlines in French Newspapers, there are a few attempts at finding longer term solutions. The law requiring evicted people to be relocated is being reluctantly applied, for example in Nimes, in St. Gilles, or in Choisy, while activists are pushing the case further by occupying empty or official buildings as in Noisiel. This is literally a drop of water on a hot stone, and the French state should rather try to definitively integrate these 15’000 migrant Rroma who have now been in France for several years.

France News Western Europe

01.02.2015 France: Evictions in spite of the Winter

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Normally, Republican France refrains from deporting migrants and from evicting illegal settlement in the Winter. This is no longer the case. Evictions continue, and the problem is being shifted from one community to the next. It is as if, one can argue, that the authorities want to maximise the exposure of the general population to poor migrants, guaranteeing an increased racism. This has to stop. Evictions this week, as an example occurred in Cannes and in Chellois.

France News Western Europe

25.01.2015 The case of the dead Rroma baby in France:

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In a further development in the case of the dead Rroma baby in France, Jacques Toubon, in charge of the defence of the rights, stated that the order of the mayor denying the burial of the baby was illegal. He added that this constituted a discrimination. That Toubon, a rightist politician not know for his love of minorities in France says such things is a sign of progress, albeit a slow one!

France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

25.01.2015 Perpignan: Gitans and North Africans Traders at a market.

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Street press reports on the Perpigna market in the South of France where Rroma (Gitan) trades work alongside North African immigrants and where both communities make sure the market is safe for visitors. The article, while positive on the whole, still dishes out a few standard clichés: The Gitans were sedentarised (they always were sendentary), both communities are extremely “masculine” with little space for women, etc. As usual, the Rroma realities are not reflected in the press.

France News Western Europe

25.01.2015 UK Commissioner Eric Pickle looses a case against Rroma in the UK

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London Green Belt Commissioner Eric Pickle lost a landmark case against two Rroma. The judge stated that Pickle’s department breached both human rights and equality laws in denying Rroma to pitch in the green belt. This case highlight the current policies in England but also in France of evicting Rroma settlements, even, if in this case, these existed for generations.

France News Western Europe

14.01.2015 France and Integration: Yes, Rroma Can be Integrated

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In an editorial, the Huffington Post advocates the acceptance of migrants and minorities in France, stating that they contributed to the enrichment of the country and that they contribute to cement the idea of Europe. De Gouyon calls for people to fight against racism anf eork towards the integration of Rroma.

However, again, as usual, Rroma are reduced to the migrant part of the population, to the 10 to 15 thousands who live in Ghettoes and camps on the outskirt of the big French cities. There are more Rroma than that in France (and elsewhere).  Stating that the problem is limited to these 15 thousand people is a great first in France, a country where the discussion on immigrations often takes an irrational path, and where one could easily get the impression, reading the press, that there are millions of Rroma migrants. There are very few, this is a fact worth stating!

De Gouyon Matignon, Louis. Oui, les Roms sont intégrables. Huffington Post. 6 January 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/louis-de-gouyon-matignon/oui-les-roms-sont-integrables_b_6417666.html

France News Western Europe

14.01.2015 France and Rroma

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Hounding Rroma in France, titles the New York Times following the refusal of burial for burial of the young Rrom who died on New Year. The NYT stresses that the current government continues the repressive policies started by Nicolas Sarkozy although, according to the article, France received EU funds for the integration of minorities and for Rroma in particular.

France News Western Europe

14.01.2015 Rroma Baby burial in France

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A Rrom baby died in France over the New Year and was denied burial in the town of Champlan. The mayor of that town, who in the meantime claims he has not prevented the burial, has been unanimously condemned by the press and politics, among which, Prime Minister Valls. Vall, who, as we have repeatedly written in this blog is himself not beyond populist racism, for once stated this was an insult to France.

We hope that this insult to France doesn’t stop at dead Rroma and that the living ones will also be allowed to stay.

Meanwhile, the young Maria Francesca was buried in a neighbouring town… May she rest in peace.

France News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

14.01.2015 Nicolas Dupont Aignan … Is ignorance an excuse?

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Interviewed by Metro News on January 5th, the Mayor of Champlan, Essone (France), Mr. Noicolas Dupon Aignan stated “Rroma should be in Romania”. This clearly show that his understanding of the subject   is limited if not non-existent. We do wish that people who obviously have little if any understanding would rather simply avoid the subject rather than blabber the same platitudes and stereotypes as have already been heard for ages.

Roma are not Romanian, although there are Romanian Rroma, and not all Rroma are uneducated migrants begging in the street… Please take note.

France News Western Europe

31.12.2014 France – Between Expulsions and Integration : The Integration Attempts

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While expulsions are going on, there are nevertheless some efforts in France to try to integrate the migrant Rroma who are currently living in ghettoes at the outskirts of the major cities of that country. For example in Tourcoing, the Church is inviting to a debate on Rroma and their place in Society. The priest who initiated the debate stress their exclusion and lack of integration.

Meanwhile, RTL reports on the successful integration of more than 400 Rroma, 219 of them minors, in the region of Lyon. This article is one of the few so far in France showing that integration of these Rroma is feasible, in spite of what Valls stated last year, namely that Rroma cannot be integrated. (RTL)

In the department of Essone, a group of volunteers is working to integrate Rroma and is fighting the current expulsion policies of the French state. (Essonne Info)

While this is true of the minority of Rroma who are migrants and part of the current migration issue in France, there are many more Rroma in that country who are integrated and live “normal” lives. These should not be forgotten in this debate.

France News Western Europe

31.12.2014 France – Between Expulsions and Integration : The Expulsions

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Again, and this in spite of the usual republican reprieve over the Winter period, the French authorities expulsed migrant Rroma from illegal camps in various places. Le Monde reports about these blanket expulsions, from Le Havre to Saint Denis (Le Monde, 28 Nov.); and more articles report on other expulsion such as in Saint Denis (Libération Dec. 12); in Bobigny, the Rroma who were expulsed of their camp have “vanished” (Le Monde, 29. Nov.); In Stains, Rroma are being forced to leave, and this, in a communist town where one could expect a bit more tolerance (Liberation, 18 Dec.); in Haubourdin as reported in la Void du Nord; and in Champs sur Marne, Rroma left their encampment prior to an announced eviction.

These evictions do not resolve any issues. They just displace the problem from one location to the next. And in addition, the press, by just reporting on these Rroma, who, by all accounts make up roughly 15 thousand people of the more than 150 thousand living and integrated in France, give a very biased and dangerous picture of the minority and play in the nhands of populists and extremists.

France News Western Europe

31.12.2014 France: Segregated classes for Rroma

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The movement against racism and for the friendship between people (Mrap) has denounced the creation of a segregated class for Rroma children in Bron (close to Lyon) for the children living in an illegal camp there.

We cannot stress enough that segregated classes and segregated education is an absolute no go. This has proven to be the way to create an underclass rather than to integrate people.

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