Paris attacks: Can France integrate disaffected suburbs?

[Surya Gayatri]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30924409

Excellent on-the-ground analysis of France's dilemma.

"In all the glowing coverage of France's 11 January march for Charlie, there was one omission which was understandable but revealing.

The absence of the banlieusards shows how the gulf separating the out-of-town estates from the rest of France is wider today than ever.


One of the Paris gunmen Amedy Coulibaly grew up on a notorious estate in the southern suburb of Grigny

No-one said it at the time, because they did not want to puncture the euphoria of national unity, but it is true nonetheless: The banlieues (city suburbs) were largely absent.

While the rest of the country turned out in force to uphold the ideas for which the 17 died, very few attended from those parts of France that were most familiar to the killers.

Evidently young people in the high-immigration banlieues were as shocked as everyone else by the murders.

But just as evidently, they did not share in the majority mood."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30924409

[flying rabbit]

1. It really boils down to opportunity. nt