Thread: Africans denounce French DNA immigration bill

Africans denounce French DNA immigration bill
Fri 5 Oct 2007, 18:02 GMT

[-] Text [+] By Nick Tattersall

DAKAR (Reuters) - French plans for DNA tests on would-be immigrants have done little to endear President Nicolas Sarkozy to Africans, many of whom see it as evidence of deep-seated racism in their former colonial power.

The draft law, part of Sarkozy's promised crackdown on illegal immigration, would allow foreigners living in France to use a voluntary DNA test to prove blood lines to relatives they want to bring into the country.

The bill, a watered-down version of which was passed by the upper house of parliament on Thursday, has sparked fierce debate in France and outraged public opinion in West Africa, from where a large proportion of immigrants to France originate.

Critics say the test is based on a very narrow concept of the family, particularly in Africa, where a typical family unit often includes distant cousins, uncles and aunts. They also argue that the same rules are not applied to French citizens.

"This law is part of the right's tendency to over-legislate, particularly under this new president, who for several years has made stigmatising immigrants one of the main pillars of his policy," said Geraud Ahouandjinou, an immigrant from Benin who lives in a Paris suburb.

"It's not DNA which defines the family in France, so why should this strictly genetic measure be applied to people whose culture has a very broad concept of the family," he said.

When Sarkozy won power in May, African leaders rushed to congratulate him, particularly after his pledges to modernise often opaque relations with former colonies.

Ordinary Africans were more sceptical, mindful of his tenure as interior minister when he organised repatriation flights for illegal migrants, dubbed "Sarkozy charters".

CLIMATE OF SUSPICION

The main purpose of the legislation is to fight fraud in family reunion cases. The government says it could also speed up applications in genuine cases by cutting out background checks which can otherwise take years.

But, still seething over a July speech by Sarkozy in Senegal laced with allusions to colonialism and the suggestion Africa had failed to embrace progress, many Africans are sceptical.

"The toughening of immigration laws fosters an utterly noxious climate of suspicion ... which combines to make Africans feel increasingly undesirable in France and Europe," said Alioune Tine, head of Dakar-based African rights group RADDHO.

The proposed law has also provoked criticism in France.

Fearing a rebellion in the Senate, the government watered down the bill by making clear the state would pick up the cost of the tests, not the families, and that the focus would be on the mother rather than the father to avoid paternity disputes.

The bill will return to the lower house for approval later this month and is likely to pass into law, further straining relations with France's former colonies when it does.

"The practice of DNA testing is a violation of individual freedom, an attack on a person's physical integrity and not even certain to be free from error," Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade told a news conference this week.

"It would be better simply to ask someone not to enter your national territory than to submit them to a process that threatens that freedom."

(Additional reporting by Samuel Elijah in Cotonou)

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL05173203.html

"It would be better simply to ask someone not to enter your national territory than to submit them to a process that threatens that freedom."

Here in the United States we've tried the asking routine, it doesn't work.

The draft law, part of Sarkozy's promised crackdown on illegal immigration, would allow foreigners living in France to use a voluntary DNA test to prove blood lines to relatives they want to bring into the country.

I like this part of it.

Critics say the test is based on a very narrow concept of the family, particularly in Africa, where a typical family unit often includes distant cousins, uncles and aunts.

Just like Mexico! I read an article that alluded to the 20 aunts and uncles, of this lady, that were present at a Mexican festival in Georgia.

"They also argue that the same rules are not applied to French citizens."

WHY SHOULD IT? It's THEIR COUNTRY!

The US already does the DNA test for some countries and family immigrant categories, I am not sure of all the details. It's because of all the frauds who pay an immigrant in the US claiming to be their relative.

As for the definition of family, among the Hmong tribespeople from Laos, they only have 8 last names, basically their last name denotes which tribe they belong to. So of course they think they are a close relative with anyone with the same last name! This means if you bring over one member of the tribe, they want you to bring over the entire 10,000 members in the tribe!