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French Prime Minister Says ‘Apartheid’ Is Leaving Minorities on Fringe French Premier Says ‘Apartheid’ Is Leaving Minorities on the Fringe
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — Prime Minister Manuel Valls of France on Tuesday cited a deep divide in the country, likening it to a state of “territorial, social, ethnic apartheid” that had left part of the population on the cultural fringe. PARIS — Prime Minister Manuel Valls of France on Tuesday cited a deep divide in the country, likening it to a state of “territorial, social, ethnic apartheid” that has left part of the population on the cultural fringe.
Mr. Valls, often regarded as the most popular politician in the leftist government of President François Hollande, has been known for his outspokenness and tough stance on radical Islam. A day after the end of the attacks in the Paris area that left 17 people dead at the hands of three Muslim extremists from France, Mr. Valls spoke of waging a war “against terrorism, against jihadism, against radical Islam, against everything that is aimed at breaking fraternity, freedom, solidarity.”Mr. Valls, often regarded as the most popular politician in the leftist government of President François Hollande, has been known for his outspokenness and tough stance on radical Islam. A day after the end of the attacks in the Paris area that left 17 people dead at the hands of three Muslim extremists from France, Mr. Valls spoke of waging a war “against terrorism, against jihadism, against radical Islam, against everything that is aimed at breaking fraternity, freedom, solidarity.”
But during a traditional New Year’s speech to the media on Tuesday, Mr. Valls acknowledged that France had a deeply rooted problem that, he implied, has resulted in a divided society. But during a traditional New Year’s speech on Tuesday, Mr. Valls acknowledged that France had a deeply rooted problem that, he implied, has resulted in a divided society.
“These last few days have emphasized many of the evils which have undermined our country from within, or challenges we have to face,” he said. “To that we must add all the divisions, the tensions that have been brewing for too long and that we mention sporadically.”“These last few days have emphasized many of the evils which have undermined our country from within, or challenges we have to face,” he said. “To that we must add all the divisions, the tensions that have been brewing for too long and that we mention sporadically.”
“A territorial, social, ethnic apartheid has spread across our country,” he said.“A territorial, social, ethnic apartheid has spread across our country,” he said.
Mr. Valls avoided singling out Muslims, but it was clear that his remarks were a response to the terrorist attacks this month and addressed growing concerns about the situation of “two Frances” that, as he said, has relegated the poor and heavily immigrant population to ghetto-like suburbs of Paris, where many Muslims from North African backgrounds live. Mr. Valls avoided singling out Muslims, but it was clear that his remarks were a response to the terrorist attacks this month and addressed growing concerns about the situation of “two Frances” that, he said, has relegated the poor and heavily immigrant population to ghetto-like suburbs of Paris, where many Muslims from North African backgrounds live.
His comments came at a time when public opinion of Mr. Hollande and his government has improved, largely because of its response to the attacks. But they immediately drew criticism from some members of the political opposition and some Muslims. His comments came as public opinion of Mr. Hollande and his government has improved, largely because of the response to the attacks. But the remarks immediately drew criticism from some members of the political opposition and some Muslims.
Guillaume Larrivé, a member of the conservative U.M.P. party, acknowledged on Twitter that France had failed to integrate its immigrant communities, but criticized Mr. Valls for using the word apartheid. “France isn’t South-Africa in the ’70s,” Mr. Larrivé said in a post. Guillaume Larrivé, a member of the conservative U.M.P. party, acknowledged on Twitter that France had failed to integrate its immigrant population, but criticized Mr. Valls for using the word apartheid. “France isn’t South-Africa in the ’70s,” Mr. Larrivé said in a post.
Mr. Valls spoke as the investigation into the terrorist attacks, the worst in France in recent memory, continued here and elsewhere in Europe. In Paris, four suspects who were believed to have links to Amedy Coulibaly, one of the three gunmen involved in the attacks, appeared before an antiterrorism judge, the Paris prosecutor said in a statement.Mr. Valls spoke as the investigation into the terrorist attacks, the worst in France in recent memory, continued here and elsewhere in Europe. In Paris, four suspects who were believed to have links to Amedy Coulibaly, one of the three gunmen involved in the attacks, appeared before an antiterrorism judge, the Paris prosecutor said in a statement.
The prosecutor called for the four men, ages 22 to 28, to be put under formal investigation on charges of “terrorist conspiracy to commit crimes against people.” One was also accused of carrying weapons “in relation to an initiative to carry out terrorist acts.” In France, the names of those not yet charged with crimes are not generally released. The prosecutor called for the four men, ages 22 to 28, to be put under formal investigation on charges of “terrorist conspiracy to commit crimes against people.” One was also accused of carrying weapons “in relation to an initiative to carry out terrorist acts.” In France, the names of those not formally charged with crimes are not generally made public.
Mr. Coulibaly, a 32-year-old Frenchman with immigrant roots, fatally shot a police officer in a suburb south of Paris, officials say, before taking several people hostage the next day at a kosher supermarket in Paris, killing four of them. Mr. Coulibaly was later killed by the police as they stormed the supermarket, and two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, who were responsible for the attack on a satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, were also killed by the police.Mr. Coulibaly, a 32-year-old Frenchman with immigrant roots, fatally shot a police officer in a suburb south of Paris, officials say, before taking several people hostage the next day at a kosher supermarket in Paris, killing four of them. Mr. Coulibaly was later killed by the police as they stormed the supermarket, and two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, who were responsible for the attack on a satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, were also killed by the police.
The four men were detained and questioned by the police last week, along with eight other suspects, including four women. Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, said that the police had freed three suspects on Saturday, and that five others were released on Monday evening without being charged. The four men were detained and questioned by the police last week, along with eight other suspects, including four women. Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, said that the police had freed three suspects on Saturday, and that five others had been released on Monday evening without charges.
Mr. Coulibaly declared allegiance to the Islamic State militant group in a video posted on Twitter, where he also urged young French Muslims to take up the fight.Mr. Coulibaly declared allegiance to the Islamic State militant group in a video posted on Twitter, where he also urged young French Muslims to take up the fight.
In a separate case, the German police searched 13 residences, mostly in Berlin, as part of a wider investigation into a ring of possible extremists linked to a mosque in the capital that is suspected of sending money and weapons to Turkish and Chechen fighters in Syria. In a separate case, the German police searched 13 residences, mostly in Berlin, as part of a wider investigation into a mosque in the capital where people suspected of being extremists are thought to have sent money and weapons to Turkish and Chechen fighters in Syria.
No one was arrested in the raids, carried out by 200 officers early on Tuesday, the Berlin police said.No one was arrested in the raids, carried out by 200 officers early on Tuesday, the Berlin police said.
The searches are part of efforts to gather evidence for the investigation against two individuals arrested last week as the European authorities move against radical jihadists. The searches are part of efforts to gather evidence for the investigation of two individuals arrested last week as the European authorities move against radical jihadists.
The French authorities also announced on Tuesday that five Russian citizens from Chechnya had been arrested in southwest France and that a cache of explosives had been discovered in the town of Béziers. The French authorities also announced on Tuesday that five Russian citizens from Chechnya had been arrested in southwestern France and that a cache of explosives had been discovered in the town of Béziers.
But officials speaking at a news conference in Béziers did not draw a connection with the investigation into the Paris shootings and characterized the men as being linked to organized crime. Yvon Calvet, the prosecutor in Béziers, told reporters that it was too early to draw conclusions but added that there was no “radical religious context” to the case, which has not been referred to antiterrorist prosecutors in Paris. But officials speaking at a news conference in Béziers did not draw a connection with the investigation into the Paris shootings and characterized the men as being linked to organized crime. Yvon Calvet, the prosecutor in Béziers, said that it was too early to draw conclusions but added that there was no “radical religious context” to the case, which has not been referred to antiterrorist prosecutors in Paris.
In his address to the media, Mr. Valls appeared to signal that the French government, while moving on several fronts to bolster national security, is now also turning its attention to the underlying social issues behind a cultural gulf. In his address, Mr. Valls appeared to signal that the French government, while moving on several fronts to bolster national security, was now also turning its attention to the underlying social issues behind a cultural gulf.
He cited “daily discrimination” against those who do not “have the right family name or the right skin color or because the person is a woman.”He cited “daily discrimination” against those who do not “have the right family name or the right skin color or because the person is a woman.”
He said he was not looking to make excuses for those who threaten French society, but “we must look at our country’s reality.”He said he was not looking to make excuses for those who threaten French society, but “we must look at our country’s reality.”
Mr. Valls also cited a “collective fear” created by the weak economy and lack of jobs, especially for youths, that was aggravating the divide.Mr. Valls also cited a “collective fear” created by the weak economy and lack of jobs, especially for youths, that was aggravating the divide.
The remarks were more diagnostic than prescriptive. French officials have moved aggressively to prosecute those guilty of making statements glorifying terrorism and have denounced discrimination against minorities, but some Muslim leaders also called on the government to do more to protect Muslims, especially in the wake of the attacks. The remarks were more diagnostic than prescriptive. French officials have moved aggressively to prosecute those suspected of making statements glorifying terrorism and have denounced discrimination against minorities, but some Muslim leaders also called on the government to do more to protect Muslims, especially in the aftermath of the attacks.
“He is winking at the right,” said Mohamed Henniche, president of the Union of Muslim Associations in Seine Saint-Denis, a region northeast of Paris, “and this shouldn’t come from a man of the left.”“He is winking at the right,” said Mohamed Henniche, president of the Union of Muslim Associations in Seine Saint-Denis, a region northeast of Paris, “and this shouldn’t come from a man of the left.”
Mr. Henniche said the use of the word “apartheid” contradicted the spirit of solidarity that had prevailed after the terrorist attacks, and said it would fan unnecessary tensions with the Muslim community. Mr. Henniche said the use of the word “apartheid” contradicted the spirit of solidarity that had prevailed after the terrorist attacks and said it would fan unnecessary tensions with the Muslim community.
“It gives the impression that the problem is the Muslims, but Muslims are the victims here,” he said. “There is a problem with French people of immigrant background, but it is a problem of racism, of unemployment, of segregation.”“It gives the impression that the problem is the Muslims, but Muslims are the victims here,” he said. “There is a problem with French people of immigrant background, but it is a problem of racism, of unemployment, of segregation.”
Mr. Henniche said that if there is discrimination in France, it comes from “a minority of people” who refuse to hire immigrant people who live on the outskirts of its cities. Mr. Henniche said that if there was discrimination in France, it came from “a minority of people” who refuse to hire immigrants who live on the outskirts of big cities.
“France needs antidiscrimination laws, not antiterror laws,” Mr. Henniche added. “France needs antidiscrimination laws, not antiterror laws,” Mr. Henniche said.
Mr. Valls said the roots of some of the friction could be found in the weeks of riots, including fires and violence, by young people in the suburbs of Paris in 2005. The riots had “left scars that are still here” and led to the current state of division, he said.Mr. Valls said the roots of some of the friction could be found in the weeks of riots, including fires and violence, by young people in the suburbs of Paris in 2005. The riots had “left scars that are still here” and led to the current state of division, he said.