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Crime and Gypsies In Europe 3 10/12/2010

The third part of our article series named "Crime and Gypsies In Europe" is about France. On the one hand, France is the country of the principles, "Equality, Freedom and Justice.". On the other hand, France, as one of the oldest members of European Union, is a country from where Roma Gypsies are being deported.

1230 Roma Gypsy were deported from France in the context of "Initiative against crime" started by Sarkozy at July 28, 2010. Reasons of deportations are claimed to be illegal settlements of Roma Gypsies and being involved in crime (prostitution and begging) of Roma Gypsies.

Gypsies deported had came from Bulgaria and Romania. So, Gypsies deported are also citizens of European Union and they have the right to move freely. The oldest members of European Union including France have the right to limit working and settling of immigrant citizen without raising 7 years. However, French government have announced that they subdue these limitations to support entegration of new member states at 2008. After a while later, French government start to deport Roma Gypsies at 2009. Now, there are at least 12000 Roma Gypsies deported.

To be French Citizen or Not To Be

To evaluate the issue in the context of relation between citizenship and immigration make possible to know the whole story. First of all, we have to ask the question that what does being a French citizen means? There is no need to be descendants of older French citizens to be a contemporary French citizen. You have to live in France and share the same destiny with other French citizens. From this standpoint, everybody who migrated to France, who work to subsist in France, who adapt to the rules of France have the right to be a French citizen. However reality is a little bit different.

The Others Of France: İmmigrant Citizens

There have always been others for France. Women and jews were others of France during French Revolution even everybody shouted the slogan "Equality, Freedom and Justice". Today, Gypsies, African people and the other immigrants are the others of France. Being other means to be discriminated even you are a citizen. It means a french police official to stop you and ask for identification because your skin is a little bit darker than the others. It means to be unemployed even you graduated from university. It means colour of your skin to be a good reason to be rejected for a job. The rate of unemployment is over %5 among French citizens. However, it's over %26,5 over other French citizens.

Immigrant Ghettos and Crime

Gypsies and Africans live in suburban areas together in France. They are coming to the city together everyday. They are looking for a job. They are collecting paper or scrap. They are being humiliated and discriminated because of the colour of their skin or their origin.

If the rate of unemployment is %26,5 in a getto, people living in there how could find any food to eat? What could you do if you are unable to find of a job because you are immigrant? Howmuch money could you make collecting scrap or paper? Everybody know the answers... If you can not find a job, you can not make money. If you don't have money, you can't eat healthily and it will be possible for you to die young. And it's also possible for you not to be able to send your children to school. While these events were happening around you, it's possible for you to involve in crime activities!

These things are happening in French ghettos. In 2005, unemploment and discrimination caused a kind of rebellion in Paris ghettos. The government suppress the uprising with violence. A ministry dealing with immigration and "national identity" was established. What did the ministry do?

-They prepared a draft law making more difficult immigration to France for people who are unemployment and unable to speak French and not familiar with "French culture". The law was enacted.

-French government start to deport people who are not familiar with "French culture"! It's planned 28000 immigrants to be deported. However they added 2000 immigrants to this list in reality and 30000 immigrants were deported.

-They start to publish a web page asking about the mean of French citizenship.

At the end... There was an other rebellion in an other ghetto where mostly Gypsies lived in Grenoble at 2010 July. After the event, Sarkozy starts the initiative against crime and Gypsies started to be deported with their "own wish".

Now, we have some question to ask? What does french citizenship means and Why the rebellion in Gypsy ghetto existed?

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