It was the first black mayor elected in france, at the head of the small town in brittany, Saint-Coulitz in the Finistère. He was also the first African naturalized French to participate in government, as secretary of State for social Affairs and Integration, under François Mitterrand. After a career as deputy and general counsel, this close to Richard Ferrand – the current president of the national Assembly was his co – worker, septuagenarian, a two-time father and four-time grand-father, lives a quiet retirement at his home in Britain. While controversy about the police violence target of racism of the French, who, born in Bassar, Togo, has been naturalized French at the age of 32 years rejects the idea, advocated a French Republic " inclusive ", and strongly condemns the positions taken by personalities such as the actor Omar Sy, or the writer Virginie Despentes. "Now, we need to talk ", said Kofi Yamgnane, sorry of the confusion of the debate, in responding to the solicitation.
The Point : The France of 2020 is it a racist country ?
Kofi Yamgnane : no, no, No ! Not more by 2020 than ever before. We have no institution, no organization, no law which advocates racial segregation. Intrinsically, the French Republic is a Republic inclusive. But have the French nationality, that is deserved. It should be more white than white. Do you have anything to apologize for. Know the French literature. This is not given to be French.
Is this a good or a bad thing ?
A good thing ! A country is sovereign. It is he who establishes its laws, which offers a contract to the one who wants to be a part of this community. If you want to become a citizen, to vote, you must comply with what you suggested your country. He must show himself worthy to have the nationality. I arrived in France in 1964, coming from Togo to 18 years to study at the School of mines of Paris, and I got the nationality in 1977. This identity card, it was given to me so incredible. After approaches that have lasted for a year, I received in my mailbox a brown envelope where it was simply written : "from now On, you are French. "When I became secretary of State for the Integration, I have instituted a ceremony at the time of the attribution of nationality. For me, it was important that this time is solennisé.
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What do you think of these movements "racialisme " and" indigiénisme " that manifest themselves noisily in the French society ?
All this has no meaning. I want to believe that the home of the skilled workers in France is not good. No Mali, no Togo, no Chad comes to invade France. They follow all of the individual projects. But, when they arrive, the Republic puts them in the departments, the areas where they congregate. All of this has no meaning. We do not act well with them. It is necessary to let the people settle where they want and, above all, to ensure that they will mix. Having studied engineering, I be married to a Breton, be baptized and have spent my childhood in the countryside have facilitated my integration. I don't understand that foreign nationals are able to decide to combine them by excluding the indigenous. The Guts, the Indigenous of the Republic, all these movements, I do not understand them. The fight against racism has become a legitimation of communitarianism. However, the Republic does not recognize the dogma, but the individuals. Racism is an ideology, a stance that goes against the principles of the Republic. All the French who are worthy of the Republic must fight this. You can't fight racism by fighting particularistic. We can't live together in the renunciation of social diversity and racial. Otherwise, we look at dogs of earthenware, as is currently the case. It is necessary that foreigners who come to France come to walk-in the French society, that they accept the laws, I say especially to my fellow muslims : the law of the Republic is superior to that of Allah !
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Have you read the forum of Omar Sy in The Obs denouncing the police violence in France, linked to racism ?
Yes, I read it and I found it to be very exaggerated. It is a pity that Omar Sy will be allowed to go to such a controversy. It doesn't get any better than Eric Zemmour : he blows on the embers, and lit a fire. If we continue thus, we will never be able to live together. Of course there are racists in France, but, as in Togo or Algeria... And racist, to be found in all trades. In the name of what the corporation of police would it to such a deviation ? The police and the gendarmes are not aliens. We find among them a racist, as elsewhere. As they are the armed of the State, they must in their training to receive a course of conduct to be pushed in, they must be persons of elite. Now, how can one say that the French police is racist ? It is necessary to underline the gravity of this accusation.
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" In France, we are not racist, but I do not remember ever having seen a black man minister. Yet I am 50 years old, I've seen governments. "Have you read also the open letter of the writer Virginie Despentes broadcast on France Inter, which started with these words ?
(laughter). Yes, I read it also. It is amazing that Virginie Despentes has written that, because it is not the first coming. She should know that before the independence of their respective countries, cote d'ivoire's Félix Houphouët-Boigny and the Senegalese Léopold Sédar Senghor were French ministers. It should be remembered that there was, after that, the government, in particular, of men like Roger Bambuck, and then me who had just come from Africa, and more recently Laura Flessel or Sibeth Ndiaye. It should be remembered that the current government spokesperson is born in Senegal ?
Are there in France the problem is "Black" ?
One problem, I don't think. Even if one encounters without doubt more difficult to find work, a home in the same conditions as our white colleagues. I myself suffered when I was looking for an accommodation in Châteaulin [including Kofi Yamgnane was later the adviser, departmental,ED.], in Britain, in 1973. My wife, a Breton pure sugar, or rather pure butter, made a first visit. And then she came back with me, and then we were told : "Sorry, but since you are gone, the apartment is rented. "How many times have I heard this phrase !
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do you Consider the integration more or less difficult today than in your era ?
More difficult, I think. I recently got a young Métis brestois, a guy solid 20 years of age, very muscular. He explains to me that he lives near Paris, in Ivry-sur-Seine. I tell him then that he must enjoy outings in the capital. And he explains to me that after work he goes directly to his home. I am surprised. I replied that as soon as it comes out, it is control. It falls on a first brigade, must get out his papers, and then he travels 500 meters, and a second brigade asks him again to his papers. And so on. Then, he tells me : "I'm afraid to long for me to get excited, of raising the cop asked me for my papers, to smash him in the head on a sidewalk. His colleague, then, I will pull over. And it will be dead for nothing. "
