French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has made a new law to evacuate all Roma people from France. Why? Well, apparently all Roma people are involved with crime, so says Sarkozy. There is some truth to the argument: there is is major crime coming from Roma camps. However, to evacuate all Roma people from the country, because a portion of the group is involved with crime is just stupid and descriminative. If you follow that ideology than you migt as well expell all cultures and groups, because there is bound to be at least one that is invovled with crime.The European Union and the UN consel on rascism condems this act of descrimination. It is just plain wrong to force all Roma people out when it is a minor group that is commiting crime. It would be much better if they increase law enforcement in these areas of high crime, but to evacuate the country of a people, because of this discrimination is wrong on the fullest degree.
Thousands of people have attended demonstrations in Paris and other French cities to protest against tough new security measures introduced by the government which they say are being used to target the country's Roma community.
France began clearing large numbers of illegal Roma camps in July, after Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, announced a series of measures to fight crime.
Read more here
The Roma are EU citizens but they rights seem to have less recognition than the stateless, immigrants and refugees.
ReplyDeleteRather than engaging France on issues of immigration, human smuggling and terrorism as the Harper government has, Canada should unequivocally condemn this overtly racist policy.
The Roma from Eastern Europe's EU countries have the right to be in France for three months. After that, they need to show proof that they are earning an income. My guess is that collecting scrap metal for pocket change doesn't count.
ReplyDeleteThe problem for the Roma in Europe is that they are Europe's lowest caste--the untouchables. Most Europeans want nothing to do with the Roma. I remember sitting on a full bus with a Roma family sitting on some seats near the from. Other people had to stand on the crowded bus. In a few minutes, the family of four Roma got off the bus. Not one person sat on any of the empty seats.
Should the Roma be allowed to stay in France? According to the EU rules, they can stay for three months. Should they be allowed to stay after three months? If France says "No," then that's France's decision to deport the Roma back to Eastern Europe.
Should France be targeting the Roma? No. France should be checking on all migrants to see if they have the legal right to remain in France.
I did notice a few years ago in Germany, immigration police officers walking the streets of Berlin to check the identity papers of those around them. It seemed very Arizona-ish. Nevertheless, the Germans did it. They didn't seem to target white or Japanese tourists.
In Canada, we imposed visa requirements on Czech citizens coming to Canada because members of the Roma community were coming to Canada to claim refugee status. Wouldn't it have been easier for the Czech Roma to seek refuge in France?
The report you are pulling is from Al Jazeera, not, I would suggest, your first choice for unbiased news. Also, that article does not claim that:
ReplyDelete"... French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has made a new law to evacuate all Roma people from France.".
It appears you may have been a tad overzealous in stating your case.
The Roma people need to act like citizens, just like anybody else. If they, as an identifiable group, refuse to act in a reasonable and law abiding manner, then I would suspect that this is sufficient for differential treatment, often called profiling.
Here's your rights for free movement of people within the EU (for citizens of EU member states):
ReplyDeletehttp://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/justice_freedom_security/free_movement_of_persons_asylum_immigration/l33152_en.htm
So long as any given Roma, or a relative (not defined how close this relationship must be) is engaged in "Economic Activity," they can stay. I think scrap-dealing likely would fall into this category.
Further, public policy or public security can be invoked only against individuals, not groups, so that is an illegitimate reason to remove the Roma.
My guess is that the point it to keep the Roma who are removed from achieving permanent resident status (5 years), as there would be an enforced expulsion decision against them. Those removed can return directly to France as soon as they like. That and racism unfortunately plays well politically in much of Europe.
In any case, the actions of the French government could be challenged at the ECJ or, possibly, the European Court of Human Rights (if anyone will pony up the dough to help the Roma).