National Women’s Council deputy chairperson calls on government to tackle racism after spate of viol

Published: Thursday, November 24, 2011

IRELAND BLACK LEADERS CONDEMN WEAK GOVERNMENT ON RACISM...
Press Conference will be held at Buswells Hotel at 12pm Friday 25 November 2011 Thursday 24, November - Ireland's Black leaders will hold a Press Conference in the Buswells Hotel at 12pm Friday 25 November 2011 to call on the Government to speak out to end racism in Ireland. Immigrants in Ireland are under siege. There is a widespread regime of verbal, physical and psychological attacks on immigrants and Black Africans in particular.

In Cork last September, a Black woman on her way to pick her children from school was attacked and beaten to a pulp. A Black Taxi driver, an Irish citizen of Nigerian origin died from his injuries on Wednesday 23 November after been attacked on Monday morning. We allege that this is racial murder.

Such incidents of racial violence - including the gang raping of a 16-year-old black girl in Athlone on 15 November and a black security guard from Dundalk left for dead in Coolock after been smashed over the head with bricks in September - provides evidence of the growing boldness bigots will use to act out racial prejudice.

Immigrant leaders and representatives from various organisations met in Dublin and discussed the state of siege that has been felt by immigrants, non-native Irish and black Irish folk as a result of unprecedented levels of racist attitudes, attacks and a lack of leadership by the government and the institutions of the state.
It is in this context that we demand the Irish government live up to its responsibility to protect all residents in the Republic of Ireland and to strong measures to end racism. Growing racism will further damage this economy and this country's reputation. We call on multinationals, Intel, HP, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, IBM and indeed Irish businesses to challenge the Coalition Government to protect their migrant employees and guarantee their safety.

We use this opportunity to call upon our new President Michael D. Higgins to provide the moral leadership to end increasing virulent racism in this society. We appeal to Irish community leaders, sporting and religious organisations to engage seriously to defeat this blight which should have no place in our beautiful country Ireland.

Press Conference will be held at Buswells Hotel at 12pm Friday 25 November 2011

For further information contact Salome Mbugua, Tel: 0874150906 or Clement Esebamen, Tel: 0879553131.