{"id":1768,"date":"2013-07-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/%20rroma.org\/26-07-2013-rroma-debate-in-france\/"},"modified":"2022-07-24T15:07:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-24T14:07:02","slug":"26-07-2013-rroma-debate-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rroma.org\/de\/26-07-2013-rroma-debate-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"26.07.2013 Rroma Debate in France"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Blick (2013) reported on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe controversial statement of the mayor of Cholet, Gilles Bourdouleix, who, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twhile visiting an illegal Rroma camp that was to be evicted made a racist \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tremark to. Bourdouleix is reported to have said: \u201cHitler may not have killed \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tenough of them.\u201d This occurred after he visited the settlement, consisting of \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taround 150 caravans and after a dispute between himself and the residents. The \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRroma are reported to have provoked the mayor with the imitation of the Hitler salute. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBourdouleix, however denied having made the remark. According to him, this is \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tword twisting and a subordination of the newspaper \u201cLe Courrier de l’Ouest\u201d, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twhich lost processes against Bourdouleix. The Blick adds that the term \u201cGens du \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvoyage\u201d refers to the Rroma with French nationality whereas the term \u201cLes Roms\u201d \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tis usually associated with Romanian and Bulgarian ethnic Rroma.<\/p>\n

Lehnhartz (2013) adds that \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe leaders of the Alliance Party \u201cUnion des D\u00e9mocrates et Ind\u00e9pendants\u201d (UDI), \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tto which Bourdouleix belongs, announced his expulsion from the party. The \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tprefect of Loire-et-Marne has strongly condemned the utterance as a \u201ctrivialisation \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tof crimes against humanity.\u201d After Bourdouleix accused the newspaper \u201cLe \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourrier de l’Ouest\u201d of defamation and manipulation, the newspaper published a \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trecording of the comments on their website in order to legitimize their \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\treporting. Bourdouleix was already noticed in previous years due to defamatory \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstatements against travelling Rroma. But perhaps more frightening than \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBourdouleix statement, the fact that 30 percents of the respondents or a survey \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgave him right to highlight the intentional non integration of Roma with his \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\texcessive remarks.<\/p>\n

Le Point (2013) reported on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t24 July that Bourdouleix resigned from the \u201cUnion des D\u00e9mocrates et Ind\u00e9pendants\u201d \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(UDI). The UDI party leaders saw themselves forced to unavoidable and immediate \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmeasures following the unambiguous Bourdouleix\u2019 words. Jean Arthuis, chairman \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tof the UDI, further criticised Bourdouleix on the fact that he had not \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsubsequently apologized for the remarks. 20 Minutes (2013) notes that the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsocio-political topic of Rroma remains controversial and could cause gains for \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tparties of the rights in the upcoming municipal elections of March 2014. La \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tD\u00e9p\u00eache (2013) adds that Bourdouleix because of the accusation of \u201cJustification \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tof crimes against humanity\u201d risks up to five years in prison and a fine of up \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tto 45,000 euro.<\/p>\n

Lafetter (2013) analyses \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe debates in France in the context of French Rroma policy of recent years. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Lafetter it is obvious that Rroma, who are increasingly living on the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstreet, are the victims of a failed policy. Although the rigorous practice evicting \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRroma from informal camps leads to short-term relief of conflicts with local \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tresidents, in the long run, it prevents the integration of Rroma. The leftist government \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdoes even more evictions than the previous Sarkozy government: \u201cla gauche d\u00e9mant\u00e8le plus que la droite, sans pour autant proposer de \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsolution p\u00e9renne de relogement. Selon les chiffres r\u00e9colt\u00e9s par Philippe \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGoossens, de l\u2019AEDH (Association europ\u00e9enne pour la d\u00e9fense des droits de \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tl\u2019homme), 5 482 personnes ont \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9vacu\u00e9es de force au deuxi\u00e8me trimestre 2013, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcontre 2 883 au premier trimestre. Un record depuis 2010.\u201d<\/em> [The left \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tevicts more than the right, without actually proposing alternative lodging \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsolutions. According to numbers gathered by Philippe Goossens of the AEDH, 5 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t482 people were forcefully evicted in the second quarter of 2013 against 2 883 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tduring the first quarter. A record since 2010.] <\/em>The evictions are also \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\talmost always done in the name of humanity. One deplores the lack of sanitary \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconditions in the camps or one orders the removal of the settlements for safety \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\treasons. This, however, renders long-term integration, which should be the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tultimate goal, even more difficult.<\/p>\n

Moreau (2013) reports on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe demolition of informal housing in Bordeaux-Bastide. The competent mayor arranged \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe eviction and subsequent destruction of residential units to make it \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\timpossible to re-use. This was done at the request of the residents, who \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcomplained about noise, poor hygiene, verbal attacks, pimping and others. The \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tarticle reproduces without any reflection derogatory views about Rroma, when he \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcites: \u201cApr\u00e8s un temps \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tde tol\u00e9rance, au fil des mois, les p\u00e9titions de riverains se sont succ\u00e9d\u00e9 pour \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\td\u00e9noncer des nuisances permanentes occasionn\u00e9es par cette installation pr\u00e9caire \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t: probl\u00e8me d\u2019hygi\u00e8ne, tapages nocturnes et diurnes, voitures ventouses, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsentiment d\u2019impunit\u00e9, agressions verbales, trafics en tout genre, prox\u00e9n\u00e9tisme, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfum\u00e9es noires et odeurs toxiques \u00e9manant de feux de m\u00e9taux vol\u00e9s coul\u00e9s sur \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplace, etc.<\/em>\u201d [After a time \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tof tolerance, during the month, petitions from neighbours followed one after \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe other to denounce the permanent nuisances that this precarious occupation \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgenerated: hygiene issues, noise day and night, impunity feeling, verbal \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taggressions, various traffics, pimping, black smoke and toxic fumes from the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfires melting stolen metals on the spot, etc.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Trossero (2013) reported on \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe eviction of an informal Rroma camp in Marseille. Due to a large police \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpresence, the eviction generated a lot of public attention. Supporters \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdemonstrated against the removal of the dwellings. The police chief of \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarseille Jean-Paul Bonnetain, relativised the large police presence: It was \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tnot a confrontation but rather a peaceful eviction.<\/p>\n

French Rroma organizations \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcriticize in particular the unilateral practice of evictions: Too little land is \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmade available for the Rroma, thus shifting the problems but not solving them.<\/p>\n

Lefebvre (2013) discusses \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe difficult living conditions in an illegal Rroma camp in Roubaix. Because of \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe lack of water, residents are forced to tap into the adjacent hydrants, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twhich calls attention of the authorities. Several Rroma were therefore already \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tarrested. The lack of safe water also leads to a marked deterioration of \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsanitary conditions. Georges Voix, of the League for Human Rights stated: \u201cC\u2019est intol\u00e9rable, ces gens ne \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpeuvent pas vivre dans ces conditions. Les m\u00e9decins qui interviennent dans le \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcamp prescrivent la plupart du temps pour des maladies de peau dues \u00e0 un manque \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\td\u2019hygi\u00e8ne. Et pour cause. Avec cette chaleur, la transpiration, la poussi\u00e8re et \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tl\u2019impossibilit\u00e9 de se laver, tout est r\u00e9uni pour d\u00e9velopper des pathologies \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcutan\u00e9es.<\/em>\u201d [It is \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tintolerable, these people cannot live in these conditions. Doctors who \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tintervene in this camp mostly prescribe medication for skin diseases due to the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tlack of hygiene. With this heat, sweat, dust, the impossibility to wash \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\toneself, everything is there to develop coetaneous pathologies.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Moga (2013) reported on an \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tinformal camp in Strasbourg, in the district of Saint-Gall. The camp existed \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfor over eight years and is home to around 400 Rroma. Now, the camp is to make \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tway for a set of gardens. According to the responsible persons of Strasbourg, a \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpermanent camp was thought about, especially now that voices were raised for \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tthe maintenance of the camp. Marie-Dominique Dreyss\u00e9, when she took office in \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2008 as the person responsible for Social Affairs, she was shocked by the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsometimes precarious conditions in the slums. In response, she founded the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tproject \u201cPlace 16\u201d, the only legal Rroma camp in Strasbourg, which opened in \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2011. Around 130 people live in fixed caravans, almost all from Romania. Place \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16 was to be only an interim station for the families until they have \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsuccessfully built their own business and integrate. But almost all residents \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tof the facility are there since the beginning. One now hope that with the free \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmovement agreements due in early 2014, their access to the labour market will \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\timprove. The organization wants to create more camps that are recognized by the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstate on the model of the \u201cPlace 16\u201d camp. The goal is to build in Cronenbourg and \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tin Port du Rhin camps on which the Rroma can build their own houses, using \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\treclaimed wood. However, regular objections from residents of the projected \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tareas are creating a problem.<\/p>\n

The French newspaper \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tL’Express (2013) reports on a special art project in the village Bodvalenke in \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHungary. On the initiative of one resident, paintings were mounted on the \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfacades of many houses in the village. The subjects of the images cover the Rroma \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tculture, with the aim to attract tourists and at the same time contribute to \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgreater tolerance towards the Rroma. Bodvalenke has no tourist infrastructure, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tso engaged residents take care of the tourists themselves.<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n