Mr de Villepin said restoring order was his "absolute
priority".
Dalil Boubakeur, the head of the French Council for the
Muslim Religion, said people in the suburbs "must be given
the conditions to live with dignity as human beings", not
in "disgraceful squats".
Under neoliberalism, more and more people are being left
out, left by the wayside, with no place in the economic
order. Those 'of color' are the most disadvantaged,
whether they live in the Third World or in the West. When
we hear "restoring order is the absolute priority", we
learn the nature of the neoliberal political response to
the plight of those left by the wayside.
rkm
--------------------------------------------------------
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4405620.stm
French riots spread beyond Paris
________________________________________
The unrest has been spreading
The violence that has wracked Paris suburbs over the past
week has spread to new areas and outside the capital for
the first time.
French youths set alight buildings and cars and buses, in
the eighth consecutive night of rioting.
Cars were torched in the central city of Dijon, and
sporadic unrest was reported in south and west France.
The violence was triggered by the deaths of two teenagers
of African origin.
________________________________________
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has pledged to
restore order.
He was speaking in parliament, following criticism at the
government's failure to end the violence.
Violence spreading
Thursday night's incidents occurred in several towns to
the north-east and north-west of the capital, including
Aulnay-sous-Bois.
Most of the attacks took place in the largely immigrant
area of Seine-Saint-Denis, where about 1,300 police had
been deployed.
As on previous nights, gangs of youths armed with bricks
and sticks have been roaming the streets of housing
estates.
Nearly 200 cars were set on fire as well as shops and a
large warehouse, which took 100 firefighters several hours
to bring under control, a BBC correspondent in Paris says.
Shots were also reportedly fired at riot police - it was
not immediately known if there were any injuries.
A fire was started in at least one school in the area,
reports say.
On Thursday, the violence also spread beyond the Paris
region for the first time, with reports of cars on fire in
the central town of Dijon.
The unrest began after teenagers Bouna Traore, aged 15,
and Zyed Benna, 17, were accidentally electrocuted at an
electricity sub-station in Clichy-sous-Bois.
Local people say they were fleeing police - a claim the
authorities deny.
A criminal investigation and an internal police inquiry
have been opened.
'Troublemakers'
Mr de Villepin said restoring order was his "absolute
priority".
In scenes of escalating unrest overnight on Wednesday,
shots were fired at police and firefighters, while gangs
besieged a police station, set fire to a car showroom and
threw petrol bombs. At least 177 cars were also set
alight.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who earlier met the
dead teenagers' families, said the violence was "not
spontaneous" but rather "well organised".
He said the government would not allow "troublemakers, a
bunch of hoodlums, think they can do whatever they want".
On Thursday afternoon, Mr de Villepin held talks with Mr
Sarkozy, other ministers, as well as MPs and mayors from
affected towns.
The areas affected are poor, largely immigrant communities
with high levels of unemployment.
Minister for Social Cohesion Jean-Louis Borloo said the
government had to react "firmly", but added that France
must also acknowledge its failure to deal with anger
simmering in poor suburbs for decades.
Muslim leaders have urged politicians to show respect for
immigrant communities.
Dalil Boubakeur, the head of the French Council for the
Muslim Religion, said people in the suburbs "must be given
the conditions to live with dignity as human beings", not
in "disgraceful squats".
PARIS RIOTS
Clichy-sous-Bois: Two teenagers die in electricity
sub-station on 27 October. Successive nights of rioting
follow rumours they were fleeing by police. A number of
people arrested or injured.
Aulnay-sous-Bois: A flashpoint after violence spread from
Clichy. Shots fired at police and cars and shops set
ablaze. Further trouble in eight nearby suburbs, with more
shots fired at police.
Others: Police report incidents involving gangs of youths
in town in the suburban departments of the Val-d'Oise,
Seine-et-Marne and Yvelines. Reports of petrol bombs
thrown at a police station in the Hauts-de-Seine.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/4405620.stm
Published: 2005/11/04 08:17:40 GMT
© BBC MMV
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