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SUICIDE

More suicides at France Telecom

A 30-year-old pregnant woman, and a 54-year-old man, both employees of France Télécom, have killed themselves in the past two weeks.

Published: 15 June 2012 12:58 CEST
More suicides at France Telecom
France Télécom Paris headquarters

Between 2008 and 2009, 35 France Télécom employees killed themselves, and the latest suicides bring the total this year up to four.

The man, who worked at the Noisy site, west of Paris, was apparently going through a divorce. The woman worked in Arcueil, south of Paris. Neither left a suicide note.

Unions have called for a thorough investigation into the two deaths.

Patrick Ackermann, of the SUD union, told daily paper Le Parisien: “Two suicides in two weeks is worrying. We haven’t had such tragic news in a long time.

“But at the moment we don’t have enough perspective to make a judgement (on why the suicides came about).”

Previous suicides have been linked by other France Télécom employees to the lack of job security within the company.

In 2008, 22,000 job cuts were planned until new CEO Stéphane Richard was appointed and the plan was suspended. But a survey of employees in 2010 showed that 25% still felt stressed by their situation.

An investigation into a suicide in September 2011 found that “organisational changes had not been sufficiently considered” by management.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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