Egalite?

About 60 to 70 percent of all inmates in France's prison system are Muslim, even though Muslims make up only about 12 percent of the country's population. A similar pattern is found in other European countries, where immigrants and children of immigrants - mostly Muslim - make up a disproportionate share of prison populations.

The underlying causes are the same ones that result in the disproportionate representation of black Americans in the U.S. prison system, where blacks who comprise 13 percent of the general population make up 49 percent of all inmates. The high percentage of Muslims in France's prisons, like the percentage of blacks in America's, is a direct result of the failure to fully integrate minorities into the life of society. Largely excluded from the economic and social benefits of full participation, these minorities are caught in a downward spiral of poverty and hopelessness, which often ends in crime and imprisonment.

In France the exclusion from full participation extends to the prison system itself. Prison authorities have allowed only about 100 carefully vetted moderate imams to serve as chaplains in France's 200 prisons, compared with 480 Catholic, 250 Protestant, and 50 Jewish chaplains, even though Muslim inmates vastly outnumber prisoners of all other religions.

French prison officials have also refused requests to provide halal food (compliant with Islamic dietary law) to Muslim inmates. In order to observe the dietary laws of their religion Muslims must forego much of the prison food.

In another example of disparate treatment, Christian inmates are allowed to receive packages from their families at Christmas, but Muslims do not receive the same privilege during the holy days of Ramadan.

This absence of egalite in the treatment of Muslims in France's prisons should come as no surprise. The same prejudices and marginalization that contribute to their ending up in prison in the first place are perpetuated in prison as well. We live on the edge of a great divide between East and West, between Muslim and Christian. It is a divide we have made ourselves, based on our own prejudices. It is little wonder that there is no peace in the world.

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Children of Gaza

Ayman is a soft-spoken 14-year-old who lives in Jabalia City, Gaza. He wants to be an engineer someday so he can help rebuild his country. He works hard in school, but the challenges of growing up as a youngster in Gaza are daunting to say the least. Some 840,000 children live in Gaza's crowded neighborhoods. As the region continues its downward spiral of violence, isolation, and poverty, their future looks more bleak every day.

Ayman's family is poor, just like everyone in Gaza. His parents have sold almost everything they have to support their children. But they struggle on because, as Ayman's father says, "My children are my hope."

As Israel approaches the 60th anniversary of its independence (May 14) there is little to celebrate in this troubled region. The world community has largely ignored the plight of the Palestinians for over half a century. Justice is a rare commodity in the occupied territories, which might explain why peace is such a distant hope.

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