A collection of articles from Workers Solidarity about racism against refugees and Asylum seekers in Ireland and the struggle against it
His Master's
Voice
Government scapegoating of immigrants encourages racist thugs
Deported to be
Mutilated?
Make Female Genital Mutilation Grounds for Asylum
The Folly of
Racism
Citizenship Referendum:Politicians played the race card and most
workers were fooled
Vote No: WSM referendum leaflet
If we vote 'Yes' on June 11th, children who were born in Ireland, and have never set foot outside of Ireland, will have no rights as Irish citizens. They will be liable to be kicked out of their own country.
Download and print out the PDF file
Vote NO to Racist
Referendum
The government is trying to create a smokescreen to cover up their
own failures by rushing through a referendum to attack Irish
children's rights.
Deporting our neighbours -
Government plays race card to divide and rule
It suits the Irish elite to scapegoat refugees for all the problems
that their mismanagement of society causes. The ruling class wants to
set Irish workers against immigrant workers so as to prevent the
workers from seeing that their interests are the same regardless of
nationality
Thinking about Anarchism -
Immigration
The flip side to the world of freedom of movement for the wealthy and
their commodities is that there are massive restrictions on the
freedom of movement for those seeking to escape the poverty of the
third world.
The final victory will be the
people's
An interview with Farzad, an Iranian Dissident in Exile in Ireland.
Open Borders: The case against
immigration controls reviewed by Conor McGloughlin
Most mainstream groups eventually come down clearly in favour of
immigration controls and deportations, though arguing for
"generosity." This book takes a position that so far has only won
over a small but growing minority and argues for the immediate ending
of all border controls.
Scapegoats required -
Only Asylum Seekers Need Apply! (March 2002)
In the past few months, there has been an upsurge of attacks on
asylum-seekers and refugees. Politicians worried about their
re-election chances and about losing their place on the Dáil
Éireann Gravy Train have led the attacks, unashamedly
targeting vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees. Physical attacks
including the vicious murder of the Chinese youth Zhao Liu Tao have
resulted.
Jan 2002 Murdered by
Fortress Europe
The discovery of the bodies of 8 asylum seekers in a container in
Wexford in late November shocked everyone. For those concerned with
the plight of asylum seekers the deaths were not only a disaster
waiting to happen but just the latest instalment in an ever grosser
tale of human misery and exploitation
Illegal immigrants defy
Spanish government and win - Thousands of "Sin Papeles" get
papers
A seven-week occupation of 10 Barcelona churches earlier this year
resulted in a victory for illegal immigrants in Spain. The
occupations have spread to and continue in other towns
June 16th 2001 - Stop
Deportations demonstration [with pictures]
The atmosphere on the march was upbeat, but it couldn't disguise the
fact that turnout was low. Maybe everyone's been to busy recently,
with the Nice referendum, anti-bin charges campaign, and Women on
Waves to promote the march.
June 13th 2001 -
Join the Stop
Deportations demonstration
The Workers Solidarity Movement is organising a contingent for
Saturday's demonstration under the slogan 'No Human being Is
Illegal'. Come along and march with the red and black flags.
Sweatshops,
unions and Fortress Europe [2001]
The EU is continuing the exploitation of the people of North Africa
through creating a special trade zone of some of the North African
countries similar to the free trades zones North America has created
in Mexico.
Oppose Deportations
[2001]
If money can travel why can’t people? The
simple answer is that the bosses want to profit from a global
economy. Racism is good for business. It’s vitally important
that we let the Irish Government and the State know that we will not
allow them to get away with the deportation of people.
Fighting racism is not a
crime [2001]
On 28th March 2000 a group of eleven anti-racists occupied the
Taoiseach's constituency office, in protest at proposed draconian
measures against asylum seekers. The government was planning to
introduce prison ships (so-called 'flotels'), forcible fingerprinting
and the introduction of police from abroad to catch people fleeing
injustice in their own countries.
March 30th 2001 -
Pictures of anti-racist picket at Bertie Ahern's constituency
office
Anti-Racism groups held a protest tomorrow at Bertie Ahern's
consituency office, St. Lukes in Drumcondra, to demand the dropping
of charges against activists who were arrested at a protest last
year
Feb 2001 - Nigeria - No
political repression?
The Irish government has started deporting Nigerian asylum seekers.
It claims there is no political oppression in Nigeria. WSM member
Chekov Feeney who recently visted Nigeria reveals the reality.
Refugee Act - denying
rights [2001]
On Monday November 20th the Refugee Act came into force. The main
purpose of the act appears to be to ensure that asylum seekers do not
even temporarily attain the most basic rights of Irish Citizens and
that they be kicked out as soon as possible.
Drowned, suffocated and
beaten to death - 'Fortress Europe' - legalised murder [2000]
These are the victims of 'Fortress Europe' - the human cost of a
policy which places the needs of capital over the rights of people.
In fact over 2063 people have died in and around the European Union
since 1993 as a result of the anti-refugee policies of governments
across Europe.
The housing crisis: Finding
a scapegoat [2000]
The real cause of the housing crisis is neither the tens of thousands
of returning Irish born migrants nor the 15,000 or so asylum seekers.
The reason housing is in short supply and expensive is because of the
hoarding of land and super profits of a handful of speculators
Irish government plans
more discrimination [Spring 2000]
The government's "solution" to the crisis of accommodation for asylum
seekers in Dublin
Racism - a permanent
problem? [Oct. 1999]
Although racism already existed in
Ireland towards Travellers the state's racism towards asylum seekers
in the last couple of years shook us all. Good work is being done in
campaigning against this racism by groups such as the
Anti-Racism Campaign and
Immigrant Solidarity. Yet is it the case
that we are now doomed to a perpetual 'holding the line' to prevent
further rises in racism? Or is there a strategy by which we can
defeat racism in the 'here and now'?
Cead Mile Failte? NOT!
[Autumn 1999]
The friendly Irish welcome has been replaced by the hostile,
suspicious glare of the immigration official. Fortress Europe has
come to Ireland with a vengeance
Ye shall be known by the friends
you keep! [Autumn 1999]
Fianna Fáil in alliance with racists inside and outside of the
European parliament
Gardaí involved in
racist persecution [Summer 1999]
Belmondo Wantete, an electrical engineer from the Congo, has lived in
Ireland with his wife and young children for the last four years, and
is a legal resident. Last year, on May 1st, gardaí raided his
home at 3am. They shouted threats and racist abuse, and pushed a gun
through his letter box.
Tremendous
victory for anti-racism campaigners - Deportations
halted [Spring]
The governments pro-deportation policy has been severely
dented. Members of the Anti-Racism Campaign, in the immediate
pre-Christmas period, halted at least four potential deportations.
Don't let the racists divide
us [Autumn 1998]
Let Asylum-Seekers work. They are
totally reliant on social welfare, and are denied the chance to
contribute, to interact and to put down roots in society
Government plans to turn workers
into spies [Autumn 1998]
Workers in the public sector are being asked to act as spies and
informers in tracking down people without appropriate papers. These
workers should not allow themselves to be used in this way
Unions Against Racism
[Autumn 1998]
Trade Unionists form a very important section of the fighting force -
especially those in the public sector who are in daily contact with
refugees and asylum-seekers
Say NO to racism [Summer
1998]
Saturday April 25th saw over 1,000 people marching through Dublin,
400 in Cork and 150 in Limerick to protest against racism and
deportations. There were also activities in Galway and Roscrea, and
cross-border trains were leafleted in Belfast.
Resist Racist Deportations
[1998]
John O'Donoghue is already on record as saying that up to 90% of
current applications for asylum are likely to be refused. It is
imperative that all anti-racists immediately organise to campaign
against these threatened deportations. Such a campaign has much to
learn from anti-racism campaigns throughout Europe such as the 'Sans
Papiers' movement in France.
Building the anti-racist resistance
The Anti Racism Campaign (ARC) is based on a founding statement which describes it as "an open and democratic alliance of people who came together to combat the anti-refugee and anti-immigrant hysteria initiated and encouraged by politicians and the media".Anti racism campaign on the streets
Over the past few months, members of the Anti-Racism Campaign (ARC) have been involved in a number of public activities aimed at highlighting and promoting the anti-racist messageFree speech and the litter act
The use of the Litter Act to prevent the distribution of anti-racist leaflets is a very serious step. A blanket ban on the distribution of leaflets would have serious consequences for other political, environmental, civil liberties, community or trade union campaigns.
Slam the door on racists
[1997]
An increase in the number of refugees arriving in Ireland has led to
a media fueled upsurge in racism. But the fight back against this
racism has already started
Give the Racists the Boot
[1997]
We look at who benefits from Racism, what racism is and why
anarchists are against any immigration controls.
No room at the refuge
[1995]
An Eastern Health Board report published in December 1994, shows a
huge increase in the number of homeless people put up in Bed and
Breakfast accommodation by the Health Board.
Waiting on the housing list
[1994]
3,500 households are waiting for housing in Dublin. The average wait
for a local authority house in Dublin is now two years and rising.
Anarchist News No 17 - produced for the April 25 1998 Anti-Deportation protests
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