Paris' suburban riots have continued for 10 days. The disturbances have challenged the authority of the state, threatened the country's stability and tarnished the image of the country.

The government's current pressing task is to put down the riots and restore order. The violent act in total disregard of laws and rules is criminal, the police have arrested several dozen troublemakers, those people expressing their dissatisfaction with violence and other dangerous methods will be punished. What is gratifying is that in such a country as France where the dividing line between left and right is distinct and struggle between parties is furious, leaders of major political parties have called for formation of a "common battle line", so that the country can walk out of the "suburban crisis" at an early date.

While calming down the disturbances, people are bound to think of the deep-seated reasons for the eruption of the disturbances. What merits attention is that the disturbance is not a trouble created by the ultra-Rightists or new Nazi as usually occurred in Europe, but is an irrational anti-society action taken by youngsters in the areas inhabited by migrants in compact communities in the suburb. As the saying goes, "It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep��the trouble has been brewing for quite some time". France's suburban problem has existed for many years. The outskirts of big cities of France are mostly places where African migrants live in compact communities. During the 1960s-1970s, laborers from African countries (chiefly from North African countries) entered France during the country's rapid economic development, many of them later had France's nationality, moved into low-priced houses built by the local government on the outskirts where they gave birth to and raised children. Generally speaking, the migrants' economic status is low, their children's education level is relatively low and are in an inferior position on the employment market. France's unemployment rate has been hovering between 8 percent to 10 percent for many years, while the unemployment rate for suburban migrants has reached 25 percent. In addition, these young people who have grown up among their clans people are relatively closed to the outside, so to different degrees, they have difficulties in merging themselves into society. Migrants-related political disturbances occurred in France since the 90s of the last century indicate that the migrants' religious background has become the obstacle to their merger into the mainstream society. Discrimination is an invisible existence, it can't be seen, but can be perceived.

Thus, on the outskirts of Paris, the areas long been in disrepair, densely populated and with a high rate of crimes are called "sensitive communities". Robberies and other criminal activities occurring there, illegal trading and trafficking of drugs have caused people to step back from the outskirts.

This writer Zheng Yuanyuan once watched a movie titled "Banlieue 13", what it depicts is precisely the terrifying violence of the criminal syndicate on the outskirts of Paris. This writer is meditating: Is it that the "urban guerrilla warfare" in American slums is being shown in France?

In recent years, there has all along existed the struggle of line on the question of solving France's "suburban crisis". Should it adopt a human-oriented policy of social solicitude, or the "zero lenient" policy successfully used by leaders of certain American cities? After the change in French political power in 2002, the latter view took the upper hand, French internal affairs minister favors a hard line toward the criminals. His tough policy once caused a fall in the crime rate, but it failed to make the disadvantaged group feel the solicitude and warmth. After the outbreak of the disturbances, the minister's extreme wording aroused resentment and invited criticisms. This brought home to the French rulers that what they are faced with are after all depressed young people, are small potatoes long been neglected and even forgotten by society which failed to provide them sufficient opportunity.

In his speech about the disturbances, Jacques Chirac said on November 2, "We should redouble our efforts to guarantee equal opportunity", he also admitted, in the suburb, "the sense of trauma and setback is on the increase". This raises the question of governance ethics: Whether or not the governors can have dialogs with the disadvantaged group in the spirit of respect and loving care, can learn to listen to their opinions, understand the anxiety of the youngsters who do not abide by law and behave themselves and adopt relevant economic and social measures to help them rid of their living predicament. Such thought has gained recognition. French Premier has pledged to present a report on "racial harmony and equal opportunity" within one month.

When there is fighting on the outskirts, there can't be tranquility in Paris; when there is trouble in the suburb, the flower capital can hardly display its world-famous grace and romance. A harmonious society should be a tranquil society where everybody abides by law and observes rules, as well as a vigorous society that can provide equal opportunity for development. This is the warning given to the world's people by the "suburban crisis" in Paris.

By People's Daily Online