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Third French minister criticizes Roma expulsion policy

Other News Materials 31 August 2010 16:04 (UTC +04:00)
The French junior minister for urban policy, Fadela Amara, Tuesday criticized the government's expulsions of foreign-born Roma, joining two other cabinet members who expressed doubts over the policy.
Third French minister criticizes Roma expulsion policy

The French junior minister for urban policy, Fadela Amara, Tuesday criticized the government's expulsions of foreign-born Roma, joining two other cabinet members who expressed doubts over the policy, DPA reported.

"I am against the expulsions," Fadela Amara told RTL radio, adding: "I have always fought against expulsions."

The former head of a women's rights organization said that Roma were being discriminated against and mistreated in their countries of origins.

"So it is high time we had a policy of reception and integration of this population," Amara said.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he had considered resigning because of the controversy over the expulsions, and Defence Minister Herve Morin slammed law-and-order discussions based on "hatred, fear and scapegoats."

However, Amara went further, also criticizing President Nicolas Sarkozy's declaration, in a June 30 speech, that insufficiently controlled immigration was responsible for a rise in crime in France.

"I am convinced there is no link between crime and immigration," Amara said. "Insecurity is not a matter of skin colour."

She also blasted the architect of the Roma expulsion policy, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, saying he had "sensationalized" the law and order problem.

On Monday, Hortefeux declared that Roma committed one out of every five thefts committed in Paris.

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