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Riot situation in France worsens, 10 police officers injured
Rioting continued for the 11th consecutive night in France as at least 10 ten police officers were injured on Sunday by rampaging youths. This even as French President Jacques Chirac had promised to improve the situation which has gone totally out of control due to the riots.
According to reports, the officers were fired at with pistols and hunting rifles in Grigny, south of Paris. Of them, two have been hospitalized. Earlier, towns like Dreux, to the west, and city of Nantes were not spared either. The carnage has mainly taken place in poor suburbs having enormous populace of migrants.
The whole rioting was flared up after two youngsters, one French-African and the other French-Arab, who were supposedly escaping from the clutches of the police, ended up getting electrocuted accidentally. This sparked off aggravation amongst the ethnic minorities over issues of racism, unemployment, unfair police treatment and most of all their insignificant position in French society.
Since then, France has been burning literally. Over 3,300 vehicles have been smashed while many public constructions and private firms have also been affected badly post October 27th when all the chaos started. On Saturday itself, close to 1300 vehicles had been damaged, 30 of those inside the city walls of Paris.
President Chirac did say his government would try to provide respect and justice for all but only if public order is reinstated. "The law must have the last word," said Chirac after calling an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation. However, his government has managed to do little so far to diffuse the ever mounting tension so far.
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, on the other hand, has said approximately 2300 additional officers have been brought in to control the state of affairs. After meeting with Chirac, Villepin informed he would make known his policies intended for the nation's deprived suburbs on national television. The current scenario has not only blemished the country's image but also forced Villepin to abandon his Canada visit.
Meanwhile, the police claim to have arrested close to 350 people so far. A police spokesman even tried to underplay the gravity of the situation. "It's 211 districts out of 36,000, so France is not burning", he was quoted as saying.
The men in power feel that drug traffickers and Islamist militants are adding fuel to fire by enticing the north and sub-Saharan African immigrant communities through internet and mobile phones.
In the mean time, Russia and the United States have advised their countrymen to stay away from the 'under-fire' suburbs in France.
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Written
by :
Kavindra Rani | Published on :
04:54:01
EST
Mon, 07 Nov 2005 |
Something
to say »
» Mr Unhappy
Perhaps if France gave up the huge farmer subsidies and we started investing in African and even Middle Eastern projects to redistribute some wealth then immigration would slow down by itself. These people only come to Europe as there is no hope for them in their own countries to begin with. They arrive, certainly in France and have no hope when they get there! Combination of things needs to be done, most stems from investing in African projects, stopping agricultural subsidies.
Combine this with closing European borders until they have solved this whole integration issue; its pointless more and more people arriving if they cannot integrate or have little chance when they arrive.
It seems that out of all EU countries it is actually the UK which offers opportunities to migrants and that Country is full. In the UK, if you are good enough you get the job or University place.
France acts as if it has a class structure, which is amusing as they killed their own Royal Family and are supposed to be a Nation of 'the people'.
What a joke!
Commented by ( Mr Unhappy ) on 05:23:31 EST Mon, 07 Nov 2005
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