The European Union has issued a rare public rebuke to France after
its interior minister, Manuel Valls, called for the deportation of
thousands of Roma, saying their lifestyle is "completely different to
ours" and that they "should go home".
"We are not here to welcome
these people. I think we should state it again clearly and calmly," he
said. "We are not trying to stigmatise, but look at the reality, the
difficulties we are experiencing in these cities."
The
Barcelona-born son of Spanish immigrants has been criticised for his
remarks, even by some of his cabinet colleagues. But with local
elections looming, some politicians are attempting to turn the Roma and
their campsites into an electoral issue.
There are thought to be
around 20,000 Roma living in camps in France and the country's
Socialist government has continued the policy of dismantling Roma camps
begun under the previous right-wing administration. Amnesty
International, for its part, has called for a ban on such forced
evictions, saying that at least 10,000 Roma have already been forcibly
removed from campsites in France.
Roma migrants come to France because they are hoping to find a better
future for themselves and their kids. So all they want is ... to live
in adequate conditions, send their kids to school and have access to
employment.
Marion Cadier, a researcher at Amnesty International France
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Originally from Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans, Roma say they face
a pervasive climate of racism and discrimination in France.
In 2010, over 70 percent of illegal Roma camps in France were
demolished after forced evictions. And a recent poll revealed that about
80 percent of the French population approved of and supported the
dismantling of such camps.
Like all EU citizens, the Roma have the right to move freely
throughout the European Union, which has threatened to take action if
France does not respect the treaties it has signed.
"If these fundamental rights are not respected, the Commission will
take all action at its disposal," Olivier Bailly, a European Commission
spokesman, said.
But immigration remains a contentious issue within the EU. It rose to
its highest levels in 16 years in Germany last year, while there has
recently been a backlash in Britain after the home office deployed vans
to spread the message that illegal immigrants ought to leave the
country.
But it is not all bad. Sweden recently became the first European
country to grant residency to all Syrian asylum seekers who manage to
make their way to Swedish shores. It is a country with the world's most
generous refugee policies, welcoming tens of thousands of people fleeing
wars across the world.
So what is the future of the European Union? And what next for the
Roma of France and elsewhere? Why has their plight become political?
To discuss this, Inside Story, with presenter Lauren Taylor,
is joined by guests: Marion Cadier, a researcher at Amnesty
International France; Franck Guillory, the editor-in-chief of
Jolpress.com; and Rob Kushen, the board chair of the European Roma
Rights Centre.
"There is a real and terrible phenomenon, no matter ... [if]
they are willing or unwilling, or if it's possible or if [it's] not
possible to integrate [the] Roma population [in]to the French
population. The truth is that we are seeing situations in France which
have not been seen for 50 years, which is actually thousands of people
living in townships .... If you take the train or if you go by car from
Charles De Gaulle ... airport to Central Paris all along the ... way you
can see settlements where these people live. In Central Paris at night
... [they] sleep in the street. This is unacceptable.
Myself, from a
moral point of view, you say 'yes let's try to integrate [them], let's
try to make them ordinary French citizens'. But at the same time ...
[do] they really ... [have the] capacity to be integrated? .... I am not
sure."
-Franck Guillory, the editor-in-chief of Jolpress.com
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA |
