Anti Racist Network

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Friday October 17, 2003 18:13 by Davy Carlin - W/Belfast SWP carlindavid at hotmail dot com

Statement

Anti Racist Network Statement

The Anti Racist Network has drawn up a statement for endorsement, as printed below.

Background - The ARN has held two meetings to date with its formal launch to be held in a few weeks. Those two meetings have seen representatives from the Alliance Party, Sinn Fein, Socialist Workers Party and the Women's coalition in attendance, Organisations such as the N.Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, the Chinese Welfare Association, the Belfast Islamic Centre, the Multi Cultural Resource Centre, the Belfast Traveller Support Group and the Black youth Network have also attended. They have been joined by trade unionists and representatives from the trades Union Councils. Also human rights organisations, law firms, Asylum practitioners, student groups, NGO’s, and young anti globalisation activists amongst others have attended the first two meetings. A decision then was taken at the second meeting to draw up this statement before the Ulster Unionist conference. Although this gave us only twenty four hours or so we never the less thought it important to do and collectively have produced an impressive list..

The Statement -

Ulster Unionist Party should expel Fred Crowe for racist remarks



We the undersigned wish to register our horror at the recent comments of Craigavon Councillor Fred Crowe, which we believe to be deeply racist and provocative in nature.

In an area where eight families have been forced to move after suffering racist attacks, Mr Crowe’s remarks are a disgrace. They will only serve to increase the suffering of the minority ethnic population in Craigavon and across the whole of Northern Ireland. His comments are not just an insult to the minority ethnic population but also an insult to the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland who find racism abhorrent.

To be clearly seen on Monday evening’s BBC report trying to convince young people that they should view Muslims as people who bomb the USA and kill their daughters for marrying Christians is a clear and chilling attempt to stoke up racial tension.

We call on the leaders of all the main churches and political parties to immediately issue statements condemning Mr Crowe’s remarks.

We also call on the Ulster Unionist Party to use their party conference this weekend to completely distance themselves from Mr Crowe’s remarks and to expel him from the party. This would send a clear and positive message out to everyone in Northern Ireland that racism will not be tolerated.

Jeremy Hardy - Comedian

Patrick Yu - N.Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities

Chinese Welfare Association

The Belfast Islamic Centre

The Belfast Indian Community Centre

Paul Noonan Director, Belfast Travellers Education and Development Group

Belfast Travellers Support Group

Chinese Community Association, Craigavon

Mel Corry, Craigavon Trades Union Council

The One World Centre

Marian Farrell - The Welcome Committee Derry

All the staff of P Drinan Solicitor

The Pat Finucane Centre

Brenda Torley - Co-ordinator - The Centre for the Promotion of Civil, Political and Human Rights

Ronan Lavery Barrister at Law {PC}

Finbar Lavery Barrister at law{PC}

David O Sullivan Barrister at Law {PC}

Mark Mc Avoy Barrister at law {PC}

West Belfast Economic Forum

Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Democratic Dialogue

Stephen Alexander – Alliance Party

John Barry, Green Party

Daithi McKay – Sinn Fein

Barbara Muldoon, Socialist Workers Party

Belfast Trades Union Council

Damien Wall- Chair Derry Trades Union Council

E McCann Vice Chair Derry Trades Union Council and Journalist

Strabane Trades Union Council

Jim Quinn - FBU Chairperson NI Region

Jim Barbour - FBU Executive

Brian Campfield - President Belfast Trades Union Council

John McCloskey - Nipsa Section Secretary

Peter McGarrigle - Secretary Nipsa Branch 8

Ryan McKinney - Chairperson Nipsa Branch 8 & Belfast Trades Union Council

Louise McMillen - Nipsa union rep

Brian Stewart - Nipsa union rep

Maria Morgan Nipsa Officer

Pat Torley - TGWU Union Rep

Brian Crawford – Secretary Nipsa Branch 6

Valery Guiney – Multi-Cultural Resource Centre (PC)

Dr Dara O’Hagan MLA

Sean McAughey – Volunteer Co-Ordinator Mornington Community Project

Breandan MacCionnaith – Chairperson Drumcree Community Trust

Paddy Murray -Chair Rathenraw Community Association

Shane O Curry - School of Law Magee

Tools for solidarity

Michael Goodman – Lower Ormeau Residents Action Group

Councillor John O’Dowd

Councillor Maurice Magill

Councillor Brian McKeown

Councillor Francie Murray

Falls Women’s Centre

Emily Kawano

Sara Boyce

And hundreds of other individuals.

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From Davy Carlin - Anti Racist Network