Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

France – A social or minority crisis? | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The explosion of anger in the forgotten Parisian districts, and its alteration into acts of violence and destruction of facilities, deserves long consideration and dialogue with activists in the Arab communities of France, which should completely seclude itself from these acts of sabotage.

We have come across justifications for this state of congestion and we may be able to understand the repercussions of discriminative policies practiced against minorities. Yet this does not mean that the Arab communities should not look at themselves before looking at the &#34other,&#34 and enduring the internal crises of the communities themselves before discussing the social problem in French society.

It is in the best interest of the French Arabs not to appear as arsonists and violent criminals. The riots will not improve the miserable circumstances from which they suffer, but will rather enhance the factionalist ideology that is antagonistic towards minorities, will propel these people to resume their policies, and furthermore will impede upon the incorporation of Arabs into French society.

There is a state of chaos within the Arab community of France that has been endorsed by recent events. There are no leaders within French society to calm the situation, or any civil institutions that could mobilize the public opinion of these minorities. Furthermore, the second-generation Arab community in France has not been able to organize itself in a civilized manner, nor achieve any major accomplishments within French society that may lead to them playing a more substantial role, thus weaken the policies of extreme racist factions.

The minority must first call itself to account for the degree of contradiction between the grand size of this community and their meager accomplishments in the field of politics, economics, culture and academic life.

The French Arabs should live as French citizens and will have to prove that they are part of French society. Such action entails higher level of achievement, mobilization to enhance the living and educational standards of French Arabs and defeating those who stigmatize the Arab minority. Firstly, they must divest themselves of the &#34Ghetto&#34 complex, mix with French culture; make the most of democracy and civil institutions to achieve real accomplishments and not to be portrayed as an angry group out to cause destruction. Leaders of this community must first admit the internal crises from which the community suffers then move to find a remedy for such crises, instead of expanding this angry group that only destroys itself and others.