Category Archives: France

Albanie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

French Prefect in front of tribunal

Published by:

French Prefect in front of tribunal

The prefect of Lyon, Mr. Michel Delpuech, has to appear in front the administrative tribunal of Lyon following a complaint from about 60 Romanian Rroma who were expulsed from their illegal camp by order of the prefect. There is a further complaint from Kosovars and Albanians for the same reason. The Prefecture states that there is no legal basis for asking to be re-lodged, as this is purely required for asylum seekers and not for EU citizen.

We hope he gets convicted…

France Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

We are Gypsies, and are not like Rroma

Published by:

We are Gypsies, and are not like Rroma

Reportage on French Gitans (Gitanos) in Montpellier facing off the new immigrants. As in Germany, one has a similar reaction: We are Gitanos, they are [foreign] Rroma. We are not like them … This is the same as the Sinti in the famous Sinti and Rroma … While this is perfectly understandable, this should not be taken as a “truth”. Gitanos, Manouches, Sinti, and about 40 different other groups are all Rroma.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

France: Integration is also possible

Published by:

France: Integration is also possible

An nice article on a young Rrom from Romania who managed to get out of the camps, get a job, a flat, and a nearly normal life.

It shows that in spite of Mr. Valls’ statement that Rroma cannot integrate that they do, given the chance.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Frances defends itself on Rroma policies at the UN

Published by:

Frances defends itself on Rroma policies at the UN

France had to defend itself in the United Nation after having been criticised on its policies towards Rroma, especially in their camp closures as well as for tolerating an increasingly anti Rroma discourse in the country. Noting that the prime minister Valls himself made statements that can only be qualified as very depreciatory if not racist towards Rroma (they cannot integrate etc.), one cannot but agree with this assessment of the UN.

France insisted that its policies were not geared against minorities but rather were done because of the illegal nature of these camps and also to “protect” their inhabitants against insalubrious living condition. The latter argument could be taken as valid if France would respect its own recommendations to find alternative lodging to people in those camps.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

France: Camps closure again, and a few other news …

Published by:

France: Camps closure again, and a few other news …

A camp was closed and evacuated in Nantes, this case a camp of Manouches, as these were in caravans and cars. In Pringy, Rroma are squatting a disaffected factory.

The mud that was dumped on a Rroma camp in Hautbourdin in the north of France still makes the news, this time on a report of people helping Rroma in the region to integrate; and in Nantes, the press reports that for picking up the Mai lily.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Meanwhile, in France

Published by:

Meanwhile, in France

Hautbourdin, the commune where the mayor dumped mud on a Rroma camp to force its eviction is still in the French headlines. In some papers such as La Voix du Nord, there is some understanding towards those actions, stating that mayors do no longer know what to do, while in other papers, such as Nord Éclair, one reports on counteractions of people incensed at the actions of the mayor.

Clearly, he was not right. And there should be consequences.

In Lyon, Rroma started squatting an empty building, while close to Paris, the fire brigade was called due to a fire in a Rroma camp (one of the excuses used by the authorities to close them). And clearly, the tour de presse could not be complete without three Rroma being arrested for burglary.

France Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Serbie

Turkish article criticises Italy, France, and Serbia on Roma

Published by:

An article in Daily Sabah, a Turkish based paper, sharply criticised the handling of Rroma in Italy, France, and in Serbia. Especially on the Italian side, their critique is to the point and seldom mentioned in the Press in Europe: Namely that in many cases in that country, Rroma are artificially segregated into camps and prevented from integrating. Police and NGO are working hand in hands on this. And these Rroma in camps are only a minority … Like iN France.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

France: Expulsions, as usual … But also solidarity

Published by:

France: Expulsions, as usual … But also solidarity

In Hautbourdin, in France, the Mayor evacuated the local Rroma camp by dumping three truckloads of manure according to international press or mud, according to the French sources. The camp in the North of France was under evacuation order, nevertheless, the actions of the municipality go beyond decency and legality.

Volunteers and people showing solidarity went to the camp and plated crosses in the fresh mud.

Another camp was expulsed in Bron, in the Rhone region and another one in Henin-Beaumont, also in the North, while in the Grenoble region, they report on a large camp with an evangelical preacher.

Finally, in Sevran, a round table and a festival has been organised to explain who the Rroma in France truly are. The round table, held on the 17th, had a minister and several Rroma activists.

Bulgarie République tchèque France Italie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest North Macedonia

ERRC Criticises several countries on Rroma

Published by:

ERRC Criticises several countries on Rroma

The European Roma Right Centre criticised several European countries on their handling of Rroma in general and on very particular cases too, such as in the case of France.

France, Macedonia, Italy, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria were cited.

République tchèque France Grèce Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Amnesty International in appeal for Rroma in Europe

Published by:

Amnesty International launched an appeal on the international Rroma day on April 8th, denouncing prejudices against Rroma that still prevail in Europe and give rise to violence and exclusion. They specifically cite the Czech Republic, France, and Greece in this appeal.

Bulgarie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Rroma camps, thieves, and the usual clichés … France

Published by:

Rroma camps, thieves, and the usual clichés … France

Rroma camps still make the headlines in France. As if a small minority of 15 thousand Rroma was representative and was news. News is that they are being used, misused, and are becoming victims of French politics.

In Marseilles, a camp was closed; while in Antibes, the expulsion will have to wait a little; and in the North, around Roubaix, volunteers and Rroma are still mobilising to further integration and to prevent further expulsions; and in the South West of France, an expulsion of Bulgarian Rroma is reported while in Antibes, they are getting a short respite. Finally, In Nantes, a judge granted a permanent address to Rroma currently living in a camp, are-requisite to any integration in France.

The real pity is not the fate of these migrants, it is the fact that the French Press can’t seem to get over their short sighted stereotypes…

Bulgarie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

And as usual … France …

Published by:

And as usual … France …

France this week was in the midst of its local (departmental) elections which has seen a surge in support for the Front National of Marine Le Pen. The French press, never adverse at racial profiling, did go quite far this week. They spoke of evictions in Grimaud, close to St. Tropez; of a fire in a camp in Montpellier; of evictions in Bayonne;  but even more so on criminality.

A report of organised criminality and begging in the region of Lille in the North of France, whereby a Bulgarian gangster ring would force people to beg in that city. Just across the border, some Rroma were arrested for stealing handbags in a fancy shop in Liège.

In brief, the standard picture of the migrant South Eastern European Rrom, who comes to beg, steal, or simply benefit from the social welfare is reinforced, this ahead of elections where an extreme right party is making huge inroads…

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

France – more of the same

Published by:

France – more of the same

Meanwhile, a small number of Rroma in France continues to grab the headlines. In the north, in Roubaix, Rroma and NGOs are fighting against eviction, while in St. Ouen, near Paris, some Rroma will be relocated in an “insertion village” a project meant to integrate Rroma.

In both cases, the press continues to portray Rroma as poor migrants from South Eastern Europe, travellers (see the pictures), and as difficult to integrate. This generalisation, as we have always said is actually racists. This concerns a small minority of the Rroma population in France.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Shantytowns in Lyon: A reportage from the Swiss television

Published by:

The Swiss television “Mise au Point” presented a reportage on the Rroma shantytowns outside of Lyon. Beside the obvious fact that they forget to say that this is a very small minority of migrants, less than 15’000 over all of France (against ca. 500’000 integrated Rroma), the commentaries of the neighbours are really really scary. Listen …

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Magazine condemned for incitation to hatred

Published by:

French Magazine condemned for incitation to hatred

The French Magazine “Valeurs Actuelles” has been condemned for incitation to racial hatred against Rroma for an article and title page of the magazine called: “Les Roms, l’Overdose” – The Rroma, the overdosis that was published in August 2014. The director of the publication, Yves de Kerdrel has been sentenced to a fine of 3’000 Euro.

This is a news, and good news, especially in France where the image of the Rroma is not good, and where even the Prime Minister is not adverse at racists statements against this minority.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Meanwhile in France …

Published by:

Meanwhile in France …

As usual, not a week can pass in France without the press lamenting about illegal settlements, or reporting on the judicial actions of Rroma or NGOs fighting evictions. This time, these are again the Rroma from Roubaix, in the North of France whose expulsion is pending a legal hearing that has now been reported to mid April.

Bulgarie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

Why so much hatred?

Published by:

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 Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

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

Published by:

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…

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest Roumanie

08.02.2015 France: Some positive news …

Published by:

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 Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

08.02.2015 French Evictions: 2015 started no better than 2014

Published by:

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.

rroma.org
fr_FRFR
en_GBEN de_DEDE fr_FRFR