Trouble Over Roma, Infanticide, The Disturbances In Greece…
- July 31st, 2010
- Posted by EUEditor
Stressful times at the end of the week in Europe, with arguments over deportation of Roma people, a harrowing case of infanticide in France, and more disturbances in Greece over the austerity drive and economic restructuring.
MOVING ON THE TRAVELLERS
The obvious presence of Roma or gypsies in European cities has for several years been disturbing local authorities and generating arguments over their rights, with now a new campaign against them announced in France.
The French government says it will start deporting illegal immigrants, mostly Roma people, from some 300 campsites around the country.
It said the camps were the source of offences like stealing, general delinquency, prostitution and the use of children for begging.
The move follows some violent incidents involving Roma and the police.
There are an estimated 16 million of the nomadic or semi-nomadic European “travellersâ€, predominantly from Bulgaria or Romania, and large groups of them have been moved on in recent times from Denmark, Italy, Sweden and parts of Belgium.
Human rights groups say that innocent individuals will be caught in the net as the French police now begin demolishing encampments, and deporting those connected with crime, or those in the country illegally.
Amnesty International has challenged the European Union to intervene, saying that national governments are breaking EU policy on rights of movement and protection from unjust arrest.
BABIES KILLED
Also in France this weekend, the police have charged Dominique Cottrez, 48, (30.7.10)with smothering to death eight of her own new-born babies, from 1989-2006.
A householder found the first of the babies while digging in a garden, and others were located in the family garage, in the small town of Villere-au-Tertre, not far South of Lille.
Cottrez is very fat and claims to have concealed her pregnancies even from her husband.
Investigators said she’d told them she had not wanted any children after her first two, and wanted to avoid seeing a doctor about contraception.
The case has generated intense commentary over the phenomenon of mothers killing small children, France having experienced at least five sensational cases of that crime over the last two decades.
NEW DISTURBANCES IN GREECE
Disturbances resurfaced in the streets of Greek cities once again, this time as truck drivers protested over deregulation of their industry.
More than 30000 registered are striking in opposition to a new licence system enabling more competition, mandated under the terms of special European Union support for the Greek government, to borrow money.
The government announced (30.7.10) it would use troops to keep up flagging fuel supplies to essential locations like hospitals, and get the navy to ensure deliveries of petrol to the islands.
Pictures
Images of Roma, culturalcommunities.org