(Dublin West): There have been extremely positive developments in relationships between people in Ireland and members of racial minorities. I do not believe a big majority are racist as is sometimes carelessly claimed. All over the country there are people of different racial origins, whether they be Irish born, Irish citizens born elsewhere, workers or students here for a period, who are going about their daily lives in harmony with their neighbours, workmates, fellow students and Irish people generally. Communities in many parts are extending a hand of friendship and solidarity to people seeking asylum in Ireland. Rathdrum, County Wicklow, and Cong, County Mayo, were recently featured on RTE News in that regard, and many other areas are doing similarly good work.
It is with great regret and concern then that we see an entirely different attitude by some others in society. Members of racial minorities have been subjected to disgraceful attacks, verbal and physical, on the streets of Dublin on occasions. Recently a young African man was assaulted and in another incident an African run shop was attacked. It is unfortunate that members of racial minorities have often had to report verbal abuse, being jostled or even being spat upon. It is a small minority which is responsible for this manifestation of hatred, but it is a minority which should not be shown any tolerance. Anything which encourages the appalling mentality which leads to violent treatment of fellow human beings because their colour or culture is different should be rigidly opposed. The recent ignorant and bigoted outburst of a number of politicians is a case in point. Disgusting remarks branding asylum seekers as freeloaders and hoodlums encourage the warped mentality which results in racial attacks. The disgraceful casual mention of asylum seekers in the same breath as rapists and criminals, as unfortunately a Minister did on national radio on Tuesday morning, also can reaffirm those responsible for such attacks. Bigoted and opportunist statements in the mouths of politicians with the squalid aim of pandering to a retrograde minority in society can be readily translated into bottles and sticks in the hands of thugs inflicting violence on members of racial minority groups. Politicians who castigate an entire community, which does not have elected members to directly represent it, should be subjected to the strongest censure and to legislation prohibiting incitement to hatred.
The activities of land speculators, profiteers in housing and rack renting landlords who are responsible for a housing crisis must share responsibility as some people, under pressure by virtue of poverty and the lack of accommodation for themselves, mistakenly blame other poor people of different origins for their plight. The Government must carry its responsibility for failing to tackle this properly.
Sections of the media must share responsibility also as they have run scaremongering headlines and articles about asylum seekers and racial minorities, and have written articles which are a tissue of lies in many cases – for instance, recently a national newspaper claimed falsely that there was a Nigerian protection racket in a part of Dublin.
The Garda must be obliged to take seriously any attack, verbal or physical, reported to it. There have been complaints about slow reaction times in some recent incidents. Community gardaí should be trained specially to deal sensitively with members of racial minorities and should work at the direction of community associations to revolve problems in the areas.
Most especially, action by community associations is a key to harmony between people of different race, colour and culture. The Inner City Organising Network, which brings together community groups in that area of Dublin, is undertaking an important initiative to build harmonious community relationships bringing people together.
Trades unions should also play a key role as they organise hundreds of thousands of workers in every area of society. One way or the other, any manifestation of hatred of people from different national backgrounds because of their colour or culture must be trenchantly dealt with by the public opinion of the vast majority of Irish people, by concrete community based action and by the law.
