France's Immigration Policy Criticized for Targeting 'Gypsies'

As part of new, tough policies on crime and illegal immigration, French President Nicolas Sarkozy directed police to bulldoze illegal Roma camps spread throughout France. The government is offering Roma affected by the raids $392 to return to Romania and Bulgaria.

France criticized for targeting an ethnic group

	French President Nicolas Sarkozy fought criticism that his removal of illegal camps was specifically targeted toward Roma.

The French government says it is targeting all illegal camps, not just Roma. But EU Justice Minister Viviane Reding said her investigation suggests that police are targeting the Roma population, which would violate a law governing behavior towards an ethnic group.

"This is a situation I had thought Europe would not have to witness again after the Second World War," she said, according to the New York Times. 

Sarkozy fought back at a press conference, saying, "The disgusting and shameful words that were used -- World War II, the evocation of the Jews -- was something that shocked us deeply."

Reding said she regretted interpretations of her statement, but the battle over the policy dominated this week's European Union Summit.

Who are the Roma?

	Most Roma have settled in Eastern Europe but many have also migrated to the West, as shown by this population map.

Roma are an ethnic minority with origins tracing back to India, but much of their background and history as a people is still unknown.

The Roma were enslaved until the 19th century, but even after being freed had difficulty garnering success or independence. Their dark skin and lack of education or property remain a constant roadblock, according to an Amnesty International Report.

While some of the most brutal attacks against Roma were brought on by the Nazis in World War II, for their entire history Roma have been the targets of police abuse and racist attacks. Without equal access to education, housing, healthcare or employment, they’ve faced tremendous hardships in boosting themselves in European society.

Roma have stood out as clannish, patriarchal minorities: education is typically undervalued and young children are often forced into early marriages. These setbacks, among others, have led to high crime rates among Roma populations, giving French politicians reason to worry about makeshift immigrant camps popping up throughout France.

Government officials argue that they’re not expelling Roma simply because they are a minority, but rather due to increasing crime rates. There was a 138 percent rise in the number of Romanians, mostly Roma, who were arrested in Paris last year. 

Not just France

	France is not the only European country where the treatment of Roma has been a hot topic.

The treatment of Roma in Europe has long been debated and discussed, and France is certainly not the first country to propose controversial policies to deal with large Roma populations.

Two years ago in Italy, a government official, Roberto Maroni, made headlines for declaring that all Roma camps must be dismantled or their inhabitants would be expelled or jailed. When mobs carrying explosives destroyed 60 Roma camps, Maroni said, “That is what happens when gypsies steal babies, or when Roma commit sexual violence.”

The issue of Roma was part of a deal brokered when Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union -- an economic and political group of 27 European countries.  The Romanian government promised to create programs that would help better integrate Roma into society.

Many of these proposed projects were halted due to budget cuts, however, causing large groups of Roma to leave Romania and Bulgaria for countries like France, where they hoped to find greater economic opportunities.