Paris Riots in the Islamic Arrondisements Continue

For the 7th straight day, riots continue in `La Zone'...the Islamic `suburbs' mostly on the north side of Paris populated by a largely unassimilated Arab population in Paris. CNN.com - Paris braced for more rioting - Nov 3, 2005

The official `explanation' of why the riots have been triggered has to do with the death of two Islamic youths who were fleeing from the police and were electrocuted whenthey hid in a power substation. But the reality is that this has been coming for some time, as the Islamic population of France - and Paris in particular- has become more seperatist and more disgruntled.

The Islamic suburbs of Paris and other large French cities have become known as `La Zone'; depressed areas where Islamic gangs largely rule, Christians and Jews mostly stay out of and the French police only travel in large armed bands. Unemployment in France, high anyway at around 12% is even higher among France's almost entirely unassimilated Islamic population.

Interestingly enough, the CNN article, like articles on this from the BBC and other sources either fail to mention or bury the fact that this is a sectarian riot with a brief reference.

The political subtext of all this is interesting in terms of French politics in that it highlights the rivalry of our old pal, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the conservative Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, both likely rivals for the presidency in 2007 when Chirac steps down. De Villapin cancelled an overseas trip because of the the French public's dissatisfaction at the government's failure to stop the violence and to shore up his support in the French cabinet,split because of differences between de Villapin and Sarkozy's approach to quelling the riots.

Sarkozy has been much more hardline, labelling the rioters as "scum", saying many of the suburbs need "industrial cleaning" and utilizing the French police in an aggressive manner,including firing tear gas into a mosque where rioters were hiding.

De Villapin was originally much more `politically correct' in his statements and actions, but has lately been trying to appear more hard line as the violence continued (and the polls began going in the other direction!) stating to the French parliament today that "I refuse to accept that organised gangs are laying down the law in certain neighbourhoods."

The violence shows no sign of abating. And it's obvious that France needs to somehow integrate its Muslim population into the French mainstream.

Good luck with that, mes Amis! You'll need it.