UN anti-racism panel slams France for Roma crackdown

[pampango]

Source: Globe and Mail

United Nations human rights body urges government to integrate members of ethnic group instead of expelling them

A United Nations human rights body rebuked France on Friday for its crackdown on Roma and urged the government to try to integrate members of the EU’s biggest ethnic minority rather than send them to eastern Europe. The 18 independent experts voiced concern that some of the hundreds of Roma flown to Romania in recent weeks under what France calls a voluntary repatriation program had not been fully informed of their rights or freely consented.

The experts, who form the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination known as CERD, also urged Mr. Sarkozy’s centre-right government to combat what they called a worrying rise in racist and xenophobic discourse by some politicians. “The Committee is concerned about the increase in incidents and violence of a racist nature against Roma on the territory of the State Party (France),” it said in a statement.

Campsites have been dismantled and in some cases bulldozed away on orders from Mr. Sarkozy, whose tough law-and-order rhetoric helped sweep him to power in 2007.

Opposition parties in France have accused him of targeting the Roma and other immigrants in a crime crackdown with the goal of boosting his record-low popularity ratings before the next election in 2012. Polls have shown that a solid portion of the French population support the crackdown.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/un-racism-panel-slams-france-for-roma-crackdown/article1687140/

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Figaro: Two Thirds of French Approve Government on Roma

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=119565

Two out of three French citizens approve the recent actions of their government regarding Roma people, shows a survey by Opinion Way for French daily Le Figaro.

According to the opinion poll 69% of French people look favorably to the “dismantlement of certain Roman camps”, while another 65% support the “expulsion to Romania of certain Roma without documents.” More than one third are "fully favorable" towards government actions against Roma (375%/37%).

Support is staggeringly high among people sympathizing with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP (92%/90%), with similar support among those in favor of the French ”extreme right” (97%/99%).

In addition, Marine Le Pen, daughter of notorious far-rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen, and MEP from his Front National, ranks right behind Sarkozy as the second person the French trust the most for “combating insecurity,” which le Figaro dubs a “surprise.” In that respect, Sarkozy has 28% and Marine Le Pen 21%, with Socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn third at 19%. Minister of Interior Brice Hortefeux, who was involved in France’s recent Roma campaign, is fourth at 17%.

[krabigirl]

1. The hard right is definitely in favor in France :(

[Lightning Count]

2. 69%?

That is incredible solidarity.