ANYONE WHO has ever visited a French low-rent housing complex can attest to the problems that have long lain beneath the surface of French society - poverty, marginalisation, ethnic tension. But even jaded observers would probably be shocked by the scale of violence which erupted in Paris' suburbs recently, and has since spread to other cities.
Various culprits have been blamed for the spate of riots which has been gathering strength over the past two weeks. Foreigners point to France's immigration policy, which downplays ethnic identity in favour of assimilation, thus relying on sometimes heavy-handed approaches, such as the banning of headscarves worn by Muslim women and girls. The French are more likely to blame local factors. The right blames the immigrants. The left blames the Government for cutting back its expenditure in the suburbs that house immigrant communities, thereby worsening marginalisation. And within those communities, many blame Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, for his get-tough approach to the criminal gangs that have become involved in the attacks.
The current conflagration provides plenty of fodder for sociologists and political analysts to examine France's long-standing uneasy relation with its mostly black and Muslim immigrant population, as well as the impact which the tougher position the Government has taken to enforce its assimilationist policies is having on the immigrant psyche. There is plenty of opportunity to connect the dots. Long-standing racist attitudes are being fuelled by global concerns about terrorism. Many immigrants will be the focus of greater security scrutiny for no other reason than that they are black/dark and Muslim. This was bound to add fuel to the flickering embers that have long been a part of France's national life. The situation is probably not helped by divisions within the Government. Mr. Sarkozy is a leading candidate to succeed Jacques Chirac when the latter retires as president. But so, too, is his prime minister. Supporters of the two men have been happy to use the violence to attack their rivals.
The Government's slow response in moving to contain the violence may also have been constrained by concerns about its past dealings with immigrants. The result, according the latest reports, is that the rioting has become more organised and sophisticated. Poor leadership and slow reaction to crises also exacerbate the problem.
But France is not exceptional. More and more of the industrial democracies are grappling with the issue of how to integrate immigrants, and not always succeeding in their efforts. Before they moralise too much at France's troubles, they would do well to make sure their own houses are fully in order.
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