Editorial

French PM visits riot-hit neighborhood By Helene Fontanaud
26 minutes ago



French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin made an unexpected visit on Tuesday to a Paris suburb that has been hit by riots as parliament prepared to approve an extension of emergency powers.

Villepin traveled to Aulnay-sous-Bois northeast of Paris a day after President Jacques Chirac said in a national address that the worst civil unrest in almost 40 years pointed to a deep national malaise and identity crisis.

The prime minister met local residents, teachers and business leaders during the previously unannounced visit, his first to an area that has been hit by rioting by youths who feel excluded from mainstream society.

"During our meeting this morning I heard a lot of people who really want to make progress, to get ahead, realize their projects, find a job. They should be helped," Villepin said afterwards.

"Of course we must be mobilized against the feeling of injustice and against discrimination. It's an every day struggle which should mobilize us all, every French man and woman," said Villepin, who also vowed to be firm with lawbreakers.

The unrest began on October 27 with the accidental deaths of two youths apparently fleeing police but quickly engulfed tough suburbs in towns around France. Police say violence has now "returned to almost normal" levels with 215 vehicles destroyed overnight.

"PRESIDENT IN DISARRAY"
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National Police service chief Michel Gaudin told Le Monde newspaper that 80 percent of those arrested for rioting were already known to police.
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In future, more officers would have to work at night when troublemakers were most active, he said.

In Monday's televised address, Chirac said his government wanted to extend emergency measures such as curfews to help stamp out violent protests against racism and unemployment by youths of African and Arab origin as well as white youngsters.

"These events bear witness to a deep malaise," he said. "It is ... an identity crisis," Chirac said in his first direct address to the nation on the violence.

Chirac, 72, acknowledged the need for France to tackle discrimination but rejected so-called "positive discrimination" that would favor minorities for jobs. He also announced the creation of a voluntary task force to help youths find work.

Center-right politicians said Chirac had shown firmness and determination, but the opposition Socialists, who are expected to oppose the extension of emergency powers during the National Assembly debate, said the president had proposed nothing new.

"In the end it was a speech which, like the extension of emergency powers that are no longer justified, struggled to hide the president's disarray over his own record in office," the left-leaning daily Liberation said in an editorial.

ACTION, NOT TALK

Passage of the law extending emergency powers nevertheless seems certain because the ruling center-right party dominates the two chambers of parliament. The Senate votes on Wednesday.

Villepin last week announced he would restore 100 million euros in axed credits to local associations, new efforts to create jobs and unveiled plans to lower to 14 the age for failing pupils to start apprenticeships.

The Medef business leaders' group said 2.4 billion euros of employers' contributions to a special housing fund should be used for urban renewal. Its leader Laurence Parisot also urged a meeting soon with unions on how to ensure ethnic minorities a fair deal in the jobs market.

But many residents in neighborhoods hit by unemployment and crime had low expectations of Chirac and the government.

"He (Chirac) seemed really concerned by the situation but the question is whether the measures will be implemented or not," said Sylvain Charles, a resident of La Courneuve, north of the capital.
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doar i-am vazut pe hooligans la toate tv cum aratau: cu haine firmate, bascheti de sute de euro si cu ultimul tip de celular !!!

Ei cu gura lor afirma ca intr-o zi pot castiga mii si mii de euro, cu droguri, prostitutie si altele din repertoruil asta, doar nu-s "prosti" (trad: cons)
sa mearga sa lucreze onest, pt. un mizerabil de salar fix !!!

80 % din "bietii maghrebieni din banlieus" au CAZIER ! DOSARE PENALE !

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La 2005-11-15 15:07:39, Mos Grigore a scris:

> French PM visits riot-hit neighborhood By Helene Fontanaud
>  26 minutes ago
> 
> 
> 
> French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin made an unexpected visit
> on Tuesday to a Paris suburb that has been hit by riots as parliament
> prepared to approve an extension of emergency powers.
> 
> Villepin traveled to Aulnay-sous-Bois northeast of Paris a day after
> President Jacques Chirac said in a national address that the worst
> civil unrest in almost 40 years pointed to a deep national malaise
> and identity crisis.
> 
> The prime minister met local residents, teachers and business leaders
> during the previously unannounced visit, his first to an area that
> has been hit by rioting by youths who feel excluded from mainstream
> society.
> 
> "During our meeting this morning I heard a lot of people who
> really want to make progress, to get ahead, realize their projects,
> find a job. They should be helped," Villepin said afterwards.
> 
> "Of course we must be mobilized against the feeling of injustice
> and against discrimination. It's an every day struggle which should
> mobilize us all, every French man and woman," said Villepin, who
> also vowed to be firm with lawbreakers.
> 
> The unrest began on October 27 with the accidental deaths of two
> youths apparently fleeing police but quickly engulfed tough suburbs
> in towns around France. Police say violence has now "returned to
> almost normal" levels with 215 vehicles destroyed overnight.
> 
> "PRESIDENT IN DISARRAY"
> *************************************************************************
> National Police service chief Michel Gaudin told Le Monde newspaper
> that 80 percent of those arrested for rioting were already known to
> police.

> *********************************************************
> In future, more officers would have to work at night when
> troublemakers were most active, he said.
> 
> In Monday's televised address, Chirac said his government wanted to
> extend emergency measures such as curfews to help stamp out violent
> protests against racism and unemployment by youths of African and
> Arab origin as well as white youngsters.
> 
> "These events bear witness to a deep malaise," he said.
> "It is ... an identity crisis," Chirac said in his first
> direct address to the nation on the violence.
> 
> Chirac, 72, acknowledged the need for France to tackle discrimination
> but rejected so-called "positive discrimination" that would
> favor minorities for jobs. He also announced the creation of a
> voluntary task force to help youths find work.
> 
> Center-right politicians said Chirac had shown firmness and
> determination, but the opposition Socialists, who are expected to
> oppose the extension of emergency powers during the National Assembly
> debate, said the president had proposed nothing new.
> 
> "In the end it was a speech which, like the extension of
> emergency powers that are no longer justified, struggled to hide the
> president's disarray over his own record in office," the
> left-leaning daily Liberation said in an editorial.
> 
> ACTION, NOT TALK
> 
> Passage of the law extending emergency powers nevertheless seems
> certain because the ruling center-right party dominates the two
> chambers of parliament. The Senate votes on Wednesday.
> 
> Villepin last week announced he would restore 100 million euros in
> axed credits to local associations, new efforts to create jobs and
> unveiled plans to lower to 14 the age for failing pupils to start
> apprenticeships.
> 
> The Medef business leaders' group said 2.4 billion euros of employers'
> contributions to a special housing fund should be used for urban
> renewal. Its leader Laurence Parisot also urged a meeting soon with
> unions on how to ensure ethnic minorities a fair deal in the jobs
> market.
> 
> But many residents in neighborhoods hit by unemployment and crime had
> low expectations of Chirac and the government.
> 
> "He (Chirac) seemed really concerned by the situation but the
> question is whether the measures will be implemented or not,"
> said Sylvain Charles, a resident of La Courneuve, north of the
> capital.
> ********************************************************