Ireland Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

December 10th 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) This event was marked across the globe last Wednesday. The anniversary was also marked by numerous events around Ireland.

The Irish government marked the anniversary in its own way. During the week leading up to 10th December, numerous raids took place around the country. Up to 40 men and women were taken into custody. The women were taken to Mountjoy Women's Prison, the men to Clover Hill. The children of detained parents were put into the care of the social services.
What crime had these people committed ? None.
Were they charged with any crime ? No.
Were they remanded in custody by a District Court judge ? No.
Why then, you may ask, were they put into prison ?
The answer is simple but frightening. What all these people have in common is that they are Nigerian.

These people can to Ireland for various reasons but ultimately to provide a better life for themselves and their children.

How were they treated when they arrived here? They were denied the right to work and the right to education. They were housed in accommodation centres, which are prison like centres, located around the country. Here their movements and their right to have visitors are restricted. They have little choice over the food they are given. The state provides them with €19.10 per week to live on.

If they come from Nigeria, the majority can expect to be deported after a number of years.

The latest mass deportation took place on Thursday last, the day after International Human Rights Day. On 10pm that evening 56 men, women and children were put on a specially chartered plane and flown to Lagos. These people had been taken, by members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau, from various accommodation centres over the previous week.. Meanwhile in the High Court, applications for judicial reviews were being rejected by judges who support the government's deportation policy.

Here are some relevant articles from the UDHR
Article 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 13.1 Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
Article 14.1 Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
Article 26. Everyone has the right to education.

None of the above are given to asylum seekers by the Irish state.

For Nigerians in Ireland at Christmas time 2008, there is no room at the inn.

The Cork Anti Racism Network is in the process of launching a civil rights charter for asylum seekers.
The four demands are,
The Right to Work.
The Right to Education.
The closure of all Direct Provision centres.
No deportations.

We encourage all those who oppose state racism to get involved in the campaign.

We can be contacted at 087-2994796 or at 55 North Main St. Cork.