Pictures from Anti Racism Demonstration

by Enron Accounting Sun Mar 26, 2006 09:17

40 or 50? 400 or 500 surely..

by Fidgeting midget Mon Mar 27, 2006 00:13

Have RAR ever thought about asking why so few people turn up routinely to their demos? How does one measure the effectiveness of their campaigns? Is it only about token appearances or changing minds?

Genuine questions.

by Emma-RAR per cap Mon Mar 27, 2006 19:31

"Have RAR ever thought about asking why so few people turn up routinely to their demos? How does one measure the effectiveness of their campaigns? Is it only about token appearances or changing minds?"

Usually when we call a demonstration outside the GNIB it is when there is a possible deportation and nobody ever knows for sure until that morning that there is a deportation and the indication usually is people ringing to tell that they have been picked up not even a solicitor will know until that day. As for other demonstrations alot of the time we are asked by asylum seekers to organise a demonstration on their behalf so it can raise awareness of their case and get some publicity which does work.

The national protest against racism was planned in advance and we leaflet other actions and demos and advertised on indymedia and other internet websites and lists and bookshops etc. Last weeks alot more people turned out for the anti war protest which is good but there is such a lack of interest in anti racism/deportations campigns and issues among the left weither it be swp/sp left or the libertarian left and for anti racism activists it is frustrating and it can be demoralising and realisticly there is so few anti racism activists and honestly there is probably only about 5 people doing the bulk of the work and we cannot do everything, personally I think it is like a second job at times.

So much of RAR's work is concentrated among deportations because that is the calls we get is people facing deportation and other general information like solicitors, accompanying people to the gnib because sometimes if we dont go with people they wont turn up because they are petrified of going in on their own and the immigration cops can be such bastards if they dont turn up a warrant is sent out for their arrest.

I dont know if I have answered your question but I ask all the time why people dont turn out and why there is such a lack of interest among the left in anti racism issues. Alot of the time a campaign will be stopping one person from being deported and what maybe we have failed to do is state that most of the cases have been sucsessful I think at the same time we are having an effect because alot more people know who RAR are and what we do.

In my opinion it is not about token apperances the only way you can change peoples minds is by letting them know what is going on and what is happening to people.

Anti racism is such a difficult and broad issue but a question I would like to ask why is there such a lack of interest among the left and is it that people just want to be involved in the abstract?

by 1 of 1 Mon Mar 27, 2006 19:55

Because the people voted for this, thats why. Clearly, if there is a majority in support, then it makes sense to retain the stance on immigration. I myself was at the Irish ferries protest when Siptu called a national day of protest and I was speechless at the amount of people who turned out for it on that day. The link between the immigration policy and racism, if it did exist, would be very questionable.

by blaise Mon Mar 27, 2006 20:07

Sure - the ones who are not for this could be considered - dare I say it - racists - but hardly - since nobody seems to clearly identify what it is - you are talking about. Please define exactly what you mean by racism. There are people of all colours and religions who don't particularly care for each other but that certainly wouldn't make them racists. Normal tribal biases aside, let's have a clear definition of this term 'racist' for I feel it is well abused and one must clearly delineate and enunciate what is meant by the term in order that we may understand what an 'anti-racist' or an 'anti-racist' demonstation is.

Do you mean racism in terms of being denied the basic rights of other citizens because of your race, creed, colour? That would qualify as racism. Do you mean you wish rights to wear a head piece or a sheath and dagger into school where within our culture when it is forbidden under general law. That would not mean those against you would be guilty of racism but merely upholding the law of the land.

Sure - go on- stamp out racism - but tell us what it is - before you wish us to stamp it out. I'm all for cultural exchange and the beauty of the human mosaic but I am not for immigrants defiling and rendering invisible the nation who is welcoming and benefitting them. Let's clear up the cultural lines before we proceed with this agenda.

by 6-One Mon Mar 27, 2006 20:42

First an observation. Flynn on FM104 on Saturday claimed a turnout ot 250 people. The pictures here suggest a fraction of that. The pictures don't lie.

Second, what part of anti-racism is served by opposing deportations?

Even the Irish Refugee Council accepts that deportations are neccessary.

If you continue, as you do, to virtually exclusively oppose African deportations, then it might appear that there is racism, but this is clearly not the case.

This also begs the question as to why RAR believe that the removal of an African to his/her home country to be amongst his/her own people, is "racism" in the first place.

In my opinion, it portrays Africans as lesser human beings in their own Countries and as such is as racist an assumption as any I have heard.

You appear to also make the assumption that Africans are scrupulously honest and entirely believable based on what they tell you, regardless of the time and money spent investigating claims.

Why?

by anon Mon Mar 27, 2006 20:50

Five minutes ago I read in the Irish TImes how the chair of the Irish Refugee Council is quoted as saying the biggest difficulty for deportation is being Nigerian, as far more people other countries are given leave to remain such as Denmark... its funny how you can interpret the guy infering the complete opposite

by 6-One Mon Mar 27, 2006 21:09

Denmark does not have half of all the Nigerian asylum applications in Europe with a success rate of 1 in 200. You would want your brain removed not to recognise a well orchestrated and sustained rate of targetted human trafficking by criminals.

It is this fact that makes the case for generousity unfeasible.

I take it you are aware of the onerous responsibilities that the Danes also require of immigrants, legal or otherwise?

You are also aware that Denmark was a coloniser I take it?

I infer nothing from the Irish Refugee Council that is not freely available on their website.

by JIm Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:32

The turnout wasn't very large but you can be sure it was lot more than what you can see in the pictures. Becasue of the rain it was very difficult to get decent pictures so these pictures are taken from the front of the crowd looking at the speakers. If I had taken the pictures from the back of the crowd all you would have seen is a whole load of backs and umbrellas - not exactly a great shot!

There was great media coverage on the day as well - it was all over the radio and TV3 covered it. Photos don't lie - but nor do they get the whole picture - its not smart to assume that the entire turnnout at a demo is visible in a single set of photos.

by Jim Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:36

This is just a small section of the crowd who were there on Saturday and shows that you shouldn't assume that you could see everyone at the protest in the photos that I put up originally.

by Michael Gallagher - RAR Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:01 libertypix at yahoo dot co dot uk 086 4048249

Number one, just to repeat Mick O'Reilly's remark in relation to the turnout on lasts year's anti-war anniversary demo. The important thing is that people turn out, they are the ones who take the lead. On the first demonstration in Ireland against the war in Vietnam, there were only something like 16 on that demo. Look at the opposition and how it grew over the following years. It played a major and very important role in the worldwide opposition to that war.

Secondly, the most important aspect of RAR's work other than highlighting deportations and other related issues with the state, is the fact that we will take the lead when -not if- a person is attacked or killed in this country as a result of racism. The fact that the BNP have their evil eye on Ireland and are waiting in the wings to exploit the dissolusionment and anger that will occur when the American multi-nationals etc, start to pull out of Ireland for greener pastures, is probably our most important role, to be ready for them. The BNP's percentage of the vote in Britain is growing daily.
There is more than one Aine Ni Chonaill in this country.

RAR's role in educating 'ignorant' people on the streets of Dublin at their stall on Saturdays outside the Bank of Ireland is second to none, hardly a Saturday missed in the last five years at the bank. Also at our annual 'Rock Against Racism' gig, we are always pleased to see new young people being politicised and made aware of who the real enemy is in this country.

There as always will be a flurry of 'activists' turning up more and more to our meetings etc over the next period leading up to the general election....I don't need to spell out what I mean here.
How many of the 'armchair' or 'pc chair' anti-racists have actually bothered to turn up at a protest or rally? Less talk and more action is always welcome and we are always eager to take in new people to help out.

Next meeting, Friday 29 April, 7pm in the Teachers Club, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

by Josephine Fri Apr 28, 2006 18:40

Michael,
I have to tell you, and not just for myself but equally for many others with whom I discussed this issue that it is extremely difficult to comprehend the intentions or the activities of RAR.

While most normal individuals in this country abhor any forms of racism, your own RAR organisation appears to specialise, in obstructing deportations of any failed Nigerian asylum seekers.
Only quite recently does RAR appear to have involved itself in the obstruction of the deportation of some Somalians

If indeed manifestations of racism abound, why is it that RAR’s definition appears so narrow and so singularly interested in obstructing deportations of failed African asylum seekers alone, and more particularly when they hapen to be of Nigerian origin.

Yet by all accounts only a very tiny minority (approx 2%) of failed African asylum seekers have factually ever been deported back to their home countries, although constituting the largest single ethnic group of asylum seekers here.
Yet on the other hand around 4,000 people have already been deported to Eastern Europe, but there seemed no objections whatever from RAR to such actions.

It certainly seems that RAR's perception of racism is indeed exceptionally narrow and favours specific ethnic groups and at times of threatened deportation only.

Furthermore, where asylum abuse appears to be the rule rather than the exception, (At least 80% of applicants are subsequently found to have no basis), surely in any lawful society it is essential that such high level of abuse of the Geneva Convention should never be supported or encouraged.

by phm Fri Apr 28, 2006 21:50

1. This line of discussion started with someone called 'Emma' calling immigration-officers "bastards". These officers and civil-servants(Most of whom are trade-union members) are carrying out the will of the Irish people expressed in laws duly enacted into law by our democratically-elected legislators. Moreover, the manner in which they carry out their duties is subject to public scrutiny and supervision by the Courts of law. This group-slur on a whole class of individuals is beneath contempt.

2. Deporting illegal-immigrants and asylum-cheats according and subject to the rules of international-law and the laws of Ireland is not racist. The inference deliberately drawn by the self styled RAR is both a lie and an insult to Irish people, their elected representatives, and their public-servants.

3. In fact (and which the RAR well knows), there is proportionately a far greater chance of deportation if you are a (white) european failed asylum-seeker, than if you are a (black) Nigerian, or other African failed asylum-seeker. If there is racism, it would seem to be directed against white people rather than the people the RAR most publicly and frequently supports in its attempts to frustrate the operation of the laws of Ireland and the work of the public-servants employed to enforce them on our behalf.

4. The peculiarly large proportion of Africans choosing Ireland as the place to make their asylum-applications bears elegant and empirical testimony that Africans do not perceive Ireland as having an anti-African or black asylum and immigration-policy. The figures back up their perception. The chances of African asylum-seekers getting refugee-status in Ireland bears favourable comparison with other EU countries. However, the real significant statistic relates to deportations. The chances of failed African asylum-seekers being actually deported from Ireland is very significantly lower than from other EU countries. (Denmark, for example, runs bi-weekly 'con-air' type deportation-flights to African destinations)

5. The excuse that RAR needs to exist because of the possibility of some sort of BNP party gaining popularity hereis risable. RAR/SWP and the equally excerable Immigration Reform Platform are all held in complete contempt by the Irish people. Election after election bears testimony that all hese tiny unrepresentative groups together attract no more than a few percentage-points of the electorate. They all usually lose their deposits.

The RAR needs to get honest with itself.

by Emma-RAR Sat Apr 29, 2006 21:14

Josephine

Residents Against Racism was set up a few years ago to fight against state racism and all other manifestations of racism. Our intentions are quite clear and obvious in opposing state racism we are going to protest against mass deportations to unsafe and war torn countries.

Our immigration system is unfair, biased and corrupt. Over 95% of asylum applications are turned down when first appllied. People are not giving a fair hearing and are treated like crap during interviews, these guys are paid thousands each year and most solicitors know that an asylum application has been turned down just by looking at the signature at the bottom from those who work for the tribunals board.

Why do you say failed asylum seeker?. How is it justice to send people back to countries where they face persecution and personally I think any anti racism activist should go out of their way to stop this and the Somalian asylum seekers were not facing deportation in the sense that a deportation was not put out against them but their claims have been taking too long and they being left in limbo waiting for the decision. So what are you talking about how can you obsrtuct something that hasn't happened?.

We are against all deportations and we have opposed deportations to Eastern European countries but most deportations are to Nigeria since March 05- April 06 there has been seven mass deportations five to Nigeria one to China and one to Romania and Moldova but if we dont get calls from people how are we suppose to know what is happening.

I would say Ireland is does not adhere to the geneva convention asylum seekers are treated with contempt by the Irish state it is in their interest to whip up racism, how can people be treated fairly when racism is ingrained in all government systems.

phm

I do not recall on this thread calling immigration officers bastards although grant it I would not disagree. So what if they are trade union members what has that got to do with anything. These officers are not carrying out the will of the Irish people I am Irish and they are not doing it on my behalf, where is it expressed in law and who says that the law is right when the law is in the interests of the elite. I have nothing but contempt for people who carry out or help to carry out deportations, when people are being beaten and treated like crap by these parasites you should feel more than contempt.

Nobody is illegal a person cannot be illegal that term does not even make sense and your phrasing of words cleraly shows you are racist. The government does not speak on behalf of me or anyone else, but then again from your previous posts you would like to see us living in a dictatorship.

Your third comment is so ridiculous I wont even comment although it soundslike something off the stormfront pages.

Asylum seekers don't choose what countries they are fleeing from most dont even know where they are going to.

We have never said we need to exist because of a BNP style group again we were set up to oppose state racism but I am sure if a BNP type group were to form you would be one of their first recruits if not already.