Paris in blood and fire

The unrest was triggered after two youth of African origin, who believed the police were chasing them, tried to hide at an electricity power substation where they were accidentally electrocuted and died in agony.

The police tried to cover up the incident, but the enraged inhabitants of the deprived Paris suburbs, including Seine-Saint-Denis, attacked public places and torched over 1,200 public transportation vehicles.  

The harsh reaction of the police and security forces toward the poor suburban residents, who have suffered due to racism for years, is another indication of how the French government discriminates against and mistreats its Black citizens.

French nationals of African origin, who trace their roots to various parts of France’s former colonial empire, have suffered discrimination for years.

They have never been provided with adequate medical, educational, and social services and the employment rate is high in their communities due to the discriminatory policies of employers.

A brief comparison of the standard of living of French Blacks and whites shows that many French whites are racist and still regard their Black fellow citizens as slaves.  

The Blacks of the tower blocks on the outskirts of Paris have always endeavored to improve their living conditions. However, unfortunately, they have always encountered numerous obstacles to finding housing and employment in Paris because the French government regards them as second-class citizens.

France claims to be the world’s cradle of democracy, but nevertheless, at the same time, tolerates discrimination against Black French nationals in employment, and so these people can usually only find low-paying jobs.

On the other hand, the suppression of the recent demonstrations in the Paris suburbs, the use of military helicopters against demonstrators, and finally, the arrest and mistreatment of about 250 Black youth reveal the racist nature of the French government.

The silence of international organizations and the self-appointed flag-bearers of human rights indicates that human rights is merely a tool used to serve Jacques Chirac’s neocolonialist government and that the United States and other Western countries use the very same means against Third World countries.

Although Black slums are found all across France, the French government will certainly take advantage of international organizations and adopt more inhumane measures against the Black community.

According to unconfirmed reports, the French government is determined to revoke the French citizenship of some of these Africans and deport them to their homelands. Of course, if such a decision is carried out, severe damage would be inflicted on France’s economy, because the Blacks are the cheapest manpower available in the country and so their expulsion would lead to an economic downturn.

Also, since these poor French Blacks are mainly Muslims, the Islamic Republic of Iran and other Muslim countries should observe their religious and humanitarian duties and form a committee to investigate the condition of these Muslims.

This committee should promptly investigate both the death of the two Black youngsters in France and the living conditions of Muslims in France and prepare a report to be submitted to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Islamic Human Rights Committee.

If the French government rejects the Islamic countries’ proposal, it should be boycotted by all Muslim states to force it to moderate its behavior toward French Muslims.

France is in such a critical situation that the expansion of the demonstrations could even lead to the collapse of France and its division into Muslim and Christian sections.

SA/HG

End

MNA