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Who we are and what we stand for
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The Anti Racism Campaign (ARC) was (it would up April 2002) an open and democratic alliance of people who came together to combat the anti-refugee and anti-immigrant hysteria initiated and encouraged by many politicians and sections of the media. We are non party political. We support equal rights for refugees and immigrants: work, welfare, housing and entry into Ireland. We welcome the advent of greater ethnic diversity as a positive development for Irish society. We also oppose the racist treatment that has been experienced by Travelers (an Irish ethnic minority). We oppose sexism, sectarianism and homophobia.
We are against immigration controls and refuse to separate people into "deserving" (refugees) and "non-deserving" (immigrants). Millions of Irish people have emigrated in search of a better life. 150 years ago there were 8 million people living in Ireland, today the number has only climbed back to 5 million. For the Irish government to deny people entry is particularly hypocritical and discriminatory.
Racism does not offer any solution to poverty here. It is an attempt to hold foreign born people responsible for the government's neglect of working class communities and their underfunding of welfare services. Racism divides ordinary tax paying workers and unemployed people on the grounds of colour, and deflects us into fighting among ourselves. Meanwhile the government gives away our tax money in grants to big business and tax amnesties for the rich.
The main problem we face is not small groups of racist thugs, it is institutional/state racism. While opposing all outbreaks of racial prejudice, we understand that the biggest problem faced by refugees and immigrants (denial of entry, denial of employment rights etc.) are caused by government. In this regard ARC aims to build links with similar groups throughout the EU working against Fortress Europe.
We strive to combat racist myths; and to organise large numbers to oppose racist lies, agitation and legislation. We are NOT a charity but it is the aim of ARC to empower people to help themselves. We ARE a campaign that brings ordinary people together in order to make our actions more effective. We welcome all anti-racists.
In April 2002, the activists involved in the Anti Racism Campaign decided to wind up the campaign, for the time being at least. The activists involved found that - due to other commitments - they did not have sufficient time to devote to the task of building the campaign. All of us who were involved in ARC will continue to oppose racism and to fight against it through the various political and community organisations in which we are involved. We hope to see a similar campaign emerge in the near future with renewed enthusiasm and energy. The need for such a campaign is as great now as it was when ARC was first founded. Indeed given that the levels of deportations of failed asylum seekers have greatly increased over the past two years, it is greater.
Residents Against Racism continue to organise to resist deportations. We encourage people who want to become involved in combatting racism to get involved with Anti Fascist Action or Residents Against Racism, two campaigns which have been consistent in their fight against racism in all its forms.
Residents Against Racism, c/o 10 Upper Camden St.,
Dublin 2;
residents_against_racism@ireland.com; 087-6662060
Anti Fascist Action, PO Box 3355, Dublin 7; afa@ireland.com
Postal mail: ARC
c/o 10 Upper Camden Street,
Dublin 2
Phone: 087-2338143 or 087-6996046
E-Mail: anti_racismcampaign@hotmail.com
Web: http://get.to/arc.dublin
ARC also works with Immigrant Solidarity (Cork) , Anti-Fascist Action and Residents Against Racism
Report on the April 25 (1998) demonstrations against racism and deportations
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Diary
of Racist Attacks in Dublin(maintained by
Residents Against Racism)
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(If you want a link here please link to this page and then email anti_racismcampaign@hotmail.com )
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Ireland is a country which has sent hundreds of thousands of people abroad to seek to better their lives. In the 1980's politicians positively encouraged the young people of Ireland to get out and get jobs somewhere else. Dick Spring hosted a conference in the Department of Foreign Affairs which sought to give students practical advice on how to leave the country. Now, when faced with the prospect of people coming to our country seeking to do the same thing, some Irish people are reacting in racist ways. This is not new in a Country where Travellers have been abused, threatened, exposed to racist policies and attitudes and largely treated as second class citizens since the origins of this state. Refugees face a daily barrage of abuse and some even endure physical attacks in this city. The land of a hundred thousand welcomes has rapidly become the land of a thousands of shouts of abuse at refugees. We must fight this attitude which is growing in our society with some considerable help from the politicians and the media.
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