sexta-feira, 20 de fevereiro de 2015

"Large increase" of racism and xenophobia in France

By Admin 08:00

According to the Commissioner, only in 2014, the number of anti-Semitic acts basically doubled, and the number of Jews to leave France tripled compared to 2012.

"The violence against the Muslims, in particular against women and homosexuals is also growing," he reveals.

But Nils Muižnieks has no doubts in stating that there are important advances in terms of legislation and measures to combat racism and discrimination in the country, but the Commissioner said that a greater effort is required to put the measures into practice.

Muižnieks appeals still the French authorities to strengthen the process of reception of migrants and asylum seekers, in addition to being given greater attention with regard to unaccompanied children, which according to the same, are between 7,000 and 12 thousand. "Many are literally abandoned, without any medical support and education", he stressed.

The Commissioner urged Paris to still make an effort to honor the commitment to accommodate 500 Syrian refugees and suggested a lifting of administrative barriers, such as the need to have a travel visa to enter.

Finally, there was a special attention of Muižnieks for violence and discrimination against Gypsies, often "perpetrated by the forces of law and order, particularly in operations of eviction".

Hollande and Valls recognize problems

The French authorities appear to be sensitized to the problem. During a visit to a Jewish cemetery vandalized in the East of the country on the day 17, the French President, François Hollande, asked if it was "need to put soldiers in cemeteries" and explained that violence against Jews and Muslims was to undermine the foundations of the Republic.

Weeks before, in the wake of the attacks against Charlie Hebdo, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that "there is an ' apartheid ' and territorial, social and ethnic in France".

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