Anti racist Network

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Wednesday November 19, 2003 11:47 by Davy Carlin - W/Belfast SWP carlindavid at hotmail dot com

Elections

The ARN has released a press statement asking five initial questions from the poltical parties.

The ARN has released a press statement asking five initial questions from the poltical parties. Only recently established our actions have received wide media coverage and support not only here but Internationally, The ARN and its activists are now the point of first contact for the media and others looking for interviews in relation to anti racism, {with all the main papers contacting us in the last few days} Our recent drawing up and the wide endorsement of our statement indirectly lead the Secretary of state for N.Ireland to raise the issues of racism and racial attacks in N.Ireland in the house of commons. Our call was also followed by the trade union movement, political parties, churches, the combined community sector and student bodies amongst others, with the then censure of that Ulster Unionist member. We have now drawn up a long term strategy to build on that work which includes Anti Racist gigs and rallies etc agreed.



Here is the statement to be circulated to the press and political parties. I am aware that there are five or six political organisations in the ARN {as per above e mail list}who are standing in the elections and they should take the opportunity to draw up a response




ANTI RACIST NETWORK


The Anti Racist Network which comprises of various political organisations, all the major minority ethnic support groups, Trades unionist and Trades union councils, law firms and asylum practitioners, and student groups amongst others have drawn up a list of questions which we seek to have answered by the various political parties
and their candidates standing in the forthcoming elections. We feel such 'real' issues are vitally important and call on the political parties to address these questions both as a party and through their candidates in the course of the debates and discussions during the elections..

1} What is your party policy on racism, asylum, Travellers, migrant workers?

2} If elected what will you and your party do to actively seek to combat the rise in racism and racist attacks.

3} Will you and your party work to end the detention of asylum seekers held in prisons which in effect is criminalizing persons whose 'crime' is to seek asylum.

4} Will you and your party ensure that language will not be used that will cause offence or can be used by others to attempt to increase racial tensions.

5} Will your party actively support events that promote good race relations and seek to forward the race equality agenda. Davy Carlin