The Nation

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Adama Traoré's Death in 2016, triggered protests in the whole of France

Two Dead Men , the faces of the France have the current Racism debate.

Adama Traoré, a young Black Man from the Paris suburbs who died in police custody Four Years ago; and Jean-Baptiste Colbert, a white aristocrat from the 17Th Century , which managed the country's finances under king Louis Xiv

It is remembered today in demonstrations against the brutality of the police; The Other with a marble statue in front of the National Assembly .

"We have fought here in France for Four Years ," Adama 's sister, Assa Traoré, she Told us. "My Brother , the case is [also] known, but it is George Floyd's Death That really show what's going on here in France . "

Adama Traoré is 24 years old, when he was arrested by the police after fleeing from an ID check outside of Paris. He died on a Police Station hours later. The Cause of his Death was hard-fought, and several studies provided conflicting results.

tens of thousands of people have. this month in protests in his memory, reinforced by the impact of the events in the United States

Assa Traoré, the sister of Adama Traoré is an active anti-Racism activist

"We Are importing ideas from the United States," says the historian Sandrine Le Maire, an expert on the French colonialism.

"The Death of Adama Traoré and George Floyd happened under similar circumstances, but our historical baggage is not the same. There was no lynching here, or racial laws.

"There Are stereotypes inherited from the colonization, but the Racism has never in our legislation. "

In the United States, where official national data Are not available, the Washington Post has counted More Than 1,000 deaths in police operations in The Past year alone. It says That a disproportionate number of The Victims were black.

The French police say That they do not have figures for deaths in police custody. They say That 19 people have died in The Past year, in the case of police interventions, but there is no data on their ethnic origin, because it is illegal is it to collect this information in France .

equality for all?

France is the concept of national identity Based on the unity and equality of its citizens. State measures which single out a particular group Based on ethnicity, for Example - Are seen as harmful.

But, say many of France 's Ethnic Minorities , the ideal of equality remains in the theory at the expense of reality, and That Racism in the police work, in school or in The Job Market - is impossible to overcome, if it cannot be quantified.

Last Weekend , President Emmanuel Macron 's own spokeswoman, Sibeth Ndiaye , added her voice to those calling for a new debate on ethnic data.

Senegal Ndiaye, born in Ms, said in an open letter, to measure That for France , the National Vision to thrive in The Face of extremists, the narratives of both sides, it was necessary, "and the view of the reality as it is".

"Let us dare to publicly debate topics That have become taboo," she claims. Her proposal was immediately shot, the Senior white - the Minister in the government.

France requires its immigrant citizens to adopt, the History , the culture and the History of the Gare du Nord. "Multi-culturalism", a historian said to me, "is a dirty word here".

But whose History is it?

And so Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who is sitting curls with its long marble-and splendor-outside of the National Assembly .

'Black Code'

Hardly noticed by most of the riders with their horns honking, as you crawl past him, along the Left Bank of the Seine, but a destination for those who say it is time to re-examine this type of public History in France .

Since Colbert, famous for the execution of France 's finances under the sun-king, Louis Xiv , was also the brain behind his infamous 'Black Code', a set of rules, like The Black slaves in their colonies.

Inspired by scenes of demonstrators across the channel to Bristol, the crashes to be The Statue of Edward Colston in The City , The River , some Are calling for Colbert, from his prominent position. He has also named a room after him in The Assembly building.

France 's former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, says today the Chairman of The Memorial to the abolition of slavery in Nantes, the Colbert room should be renamed, but he draws The Line on the removal of Monuments or street names.

"We Are in a new Phase with the Death of George Floyd and youth movements in France ," He Said .

He proposed, That France reconsider, to give its Monuments and street names, more explanation and context, as an alternative to easy to remove. "We must intend to do The Work ," he says.

"you can't explained the story clear," Sandrine Le Maire. "Or we will start deleting everything and anything: castles, castles, monarchies. We need symbols, even if they shock you. Historical figures Are multi-faceted: [Marshal] Petain in the First World War hero, the rejected 20 years ago as the staff was [in The Second World War ]. "

President Macron -talk, agreed to The Nation last week: "The Republic will not be deleted any trace, or a name from its History ," He Said . "It will not remove all of The Statue . "

The Challenge of memory

So, no assessment of the French Monuments or street names, at least Not Yet . Mr Macron is not the one who like to forced into the choices of events.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert developed rules, such as The Black slaves were treated in the French colonies

he, However, was more outspoken than most of the French leaders about the country's past, courting outrage before his election with the words, That France had committed "crimes against humanity" against its former colony of Algeria.

And it's the Story Of France is not - his statues - That holds The Answer , says Jean-Francois Mbaye, a black French MP, was born in Senegal.

"We Are ready to teach, the History of French slavery, the French colonization?", he asks. "France 's former colonies Are aware of their History , but I do not think That our people, our youth, know it. "

"It's a statue may be pleasing to remove, and throw it in The River ," he Told me. "But what then?"

Assa Traoré believes That , if Colbert The Statue , in front of the National Assembly , his deeds "is to be written on The Statue , the plaque of a Black Man . Let a Black Man tell us That Colbert was and what was not meant to be The Black Code, a white man. "

Other names, what Are the stories in France , the non-white citizens, it should be added That the Land, built the roads, she says, and other statues, outside of your building.

Black Lives Matter is a slogan That resonance is here, but black Lives - whether in the data or in the Monuments - Are sometimes hard to see in the official History of France .

racism, emmanuel macron, george floyd death, france, black lives matter

Source of news: bbc.com