A bold move? A necessary move? A stupid move? A move that contradicts France’s own, old, and famous revolutionary motto: Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood?
The Roma people have been present in Central Europe since the 11th century and millions are currently living all over Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Today there are at least 400,000 Roma people living in France as citizens, with many of them living peaceful lives and working jobs. The group in question is the additional estimated 12,000 Roma from Bulgaria and Romania currently living in unauthorized camps around the country. Among them it seems – at least seems – no effort made to adapt to their country’s culture and way of living. They don’t need to forget their own culture and traditional way of living, BUT they have to integrate into civilization and adapt to the way life in the host country.
Deportation of Roma people is not new, is not specific to France and is mostly in response to the group’s well known general disposition, which is the tendency to remain outside of the social norm.
This has happened in Sweden also. Although the Roma have the right, as the EU citizens to travel freely throughout Europe, if they wish to remain in France for longer than three months, they are required, as anyone else, to obtain a work visa or a residency permit. It seems that the Roma believe they don’t need to follow rules and laws do not apply to them, for reasons that I don’t know. Maybe their disdain towards society makes them believe that they can do what they want, rather than to adhered to their host countries law, rules and codes.
The Roma travel to wealthy cities, now that they can, because there they can stand outside train stations and sit in the streets and beg for money. This has become an organized activity and it reminds us that our society cannot take care of those in need. Our system fails its people. This, of course, includes the Roma people. Even if we want to help the beggars, however, we tend not to open up our pockets because it has become an industry which forces women and children to beg. And since I believe this is and industry I’ll keep my pocket closed.
Human rights activists are angry over the deportations. And by all means, human rights must always be respected. After Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007, the Roma people were free to travel Europe, something they were not allowed to do before. That should indeed be respected.
But, again, to ask the Roma people to adapt to their host countries need and culture, to find a job, to contribute to the wealth of the country, and themselves, is as a matter of fact, something the host country could expect and should ask for. I do believe in that too.
On one hand I am a great believer in the human rights. To respect the human rights is fundamental for me. All people are born equal and have the right to live their way of life. We should protect and take care of those people in need.
On the other hand I also believe that the internal affairs of a state should be respected too. No other country should interfere or define how a state should be organized or how they are running their businesses as long the human rights are respected. If people are not integrating and not contributing I believe the state has the right to act as well.
What comes through my mind though is the quote from John F.Kennedy's presidential inauguration speech in 1960 when he stated:
“Don’t ask what the country can do for you. Ask instead what you can do for your country”.
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