U.N. rights body rebukes France for mistreating Roma
* Independent U.N. racism experts rebuke France
* Body concerned some Roma expelled against their will
* But says issues faced by Roma throughout Europe
(Recasts with quotes from news briefing, French statement)
By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, Aug 27 (Reuters) - A United Nations human rights body rebuked France on Friday for its crackdown on Roma and urged the government to try to integrate members of the EU's biggest ethnic minority as part of a Europe-wide solution.
The 18 independent experts voiced concern that some of the hundreds of Roma flown to Romania in recent weeks under what France calls a voluntary repatriation programme had not been fully informed of their rights or had not freely consented to returning to their homeland.
"We understand that a state has a right and a responsibility to deal with security issues and issues of illegal immigration. But our view is when you are doing so, it should not be on a collective basis, you should not be targeting a group as a whole," said Pierre-Richard Prosper, vice-chairman of the U.N. Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
"There is an appearance of discrimination," Prosper, an American, told a news briefing.
Patrick Thornberry, a British committee member, said: "The problem is a collective approach based on ethnicity."
CERD's conclusions sparked a swift rebuttal by the French foreign ministry which said the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy was "scrupulously respecting" European Union laws and examining cases one by one.
Roma had to respect public order and not be an economic burden on a host country, the ministry said in a statement.
"We accept the criticisms. What we vehemently reject is what seems to be a caricature of France," said Francois Zimeray, a diplomat who represents France on human rights issues.
Campsites have been dismantled and in some cases bulldozed away on orders from Sarkozy, whose tough law-and-order rhetoric helped sweep him to power in 2007.
Opposition parties in France have accused him of targeting the Roma and other immigrants in a crime crackdown with the goal of boosting his record-low popularity ratings before the next election in 2012. Polls have shown that a solid portion of the French population support the crackdown.
"A EUROPEAN SOLUTION"
The U.N.-appointed experts acknowledged that difficulties faced by Roma were an issue throughout Europe and said the problem required a regional solution. More than 10 million Roma live in the European Union, roughly a fifth of them in Romania.
The experts also urged Sarkozy's centre-right government to combat what they called a worrying rise in racist and xenophobic discourse by some politicians.
"Our view is that leaders of any country have a responsibility to guide and lead the country towards mutual understanding, tolerance, inclusion and so forth," Prosper said.
"It's not only a French problem, it's a European problem ... And what we feel is needed is a European solution," he said.
Five other states whose records on racial discrimination were examined during the CERD's four-week session -- Bosnia, Denmark, Estonia, Romania and Slovenia -- also had shortcomings in their treatment of Roma, according to the committee.
It voiced concern about "racist stereotypes and hate speech" against minorities including Roma by certain media, political parties and politicians in Romania.
Ion Diaconu, a committee expert from Romania, said: "We really think that the solution for these Roma questions is firstly total integration as citizens of the states of the European Union ... In other words, integrate them as Europeans.
Under the French clampdown, Roma who agree to leave the country receive 300 euros and an additional 100 euros for each of their children. Some 8,000 have been sent home so far this year, including 300 who departed on Thursday [ID:nLDE67P227]
The experts examined France's adherence to an international treaty banning barriers based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin that violate political, economic or social rights. France has ratified the 1969 pact.
The committee asked France to report back in exactly one year on the progress it has made in upholding the treaty. (For full report, available only in French, go to: here ) (Additional reporting by Bate Felix in Paris) (Editing by Noah Barkin)
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