French unrest falls to 'normal' levels after 3 weeks

PARIS - Urban violence in France fell to normal levels after three weeks of rioting in run-down suburbs, allowing the government to begin mapping out plans to tackle the problems that sparked the unrest.

Ninety-eight vehicles were set ablaze during the night, a sharp drop from the peak of the violence when 1,400 vehicles were torched in one night on November 6 by youths who say they are excluded from mainstream French society.

"The situation has returned to normal because about 100 vehicles are set on fire each night in France," a police spokesman said.

France's worst civil unrest in almost 40 years has receded since the government adopted emergency measures last week, although few areas have used the special powers, which include house-to-house searches and curfews.

Parliament extended the measures for another three months yesterday as a precaution in case violence surges again.

About 9,000 vehicles have been set on fire and 3,000 people detained during the unrest, which has mainly involved youngsters of Arab and African origin, but also some white youths, torching cars and setting fire to buildings such as schools and churches.

"It was necessary to make a gesture to everyone and show we are committed to restoring order. I think the message has been clearly heard by everyone," government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope said.

President Jacques Chirac has been criticised for saying little during the crisis, which began on October 27 after the accidental deaths of two youths who were electrocuted as they hid in a power substation while apparently fleeing police.

But he raised his profile by addressing the "poison" of discrimination in a nationwide television address and announcing plans to create a voluntary task force to train youngsters and break down their sense of exclusion.

Chirac began acting on his proposal by summoning key members of the centre-right government, including the interior and defence ministers, to discuss how to implement the plan. Details of the discussions were not immediately available.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has also announced he will restore 100 million euros ($170.92 million) in axed credits to local associations, outlined new plans to create jobs and said he will lower to 14 the age for apprenticeships.

Many disillusioned youngsters doubt the government will make good on its promises, but ministers say they are determined to deal with long-running problems such as poor housing, crime and unemployment.

Tourism Minister Leon Bertrand, one of only three non-whites in the government, called in Liberation newspaper for a "political response that goes beyond the ordinary rules of governance by opening ... a national debate on the changes in our society to rekindle social dialogue."

"You can see we have to face the future, and the future is a lot more jobs, a lot more prevention (of problems) and an education system that is better adapted to a group of our citizens who today feel lost," Cope said.

Some centre-right ministers have angered anti-racist groups by saying polygamy may be one of the causes behind the unrest because children from large polygamous families have problems integrating into society.

But Cope sought to play down the controversy, saying it was not easy to draw a direct link, although the problems of polygamy, which is illegal in France, and of large families living in crowded apartments must be tackled.

- REUTERS