The letter below was sent by anarchists in Zambia to the Irish Foreign Office
Date: Sat, 04 Apr 1998 00:19:12 -0800 (PST) From: ChoongoDear Sir,
We have been disgusted by your government's treatment of political exiles. Your country has been posing, especially in this part of the world, as a champion of liberty, justice and fair play and human rights as the basis of aid grants and assistance.
It so saddens us to hear that you very government is guilty of the very sins it preaches against. May justice prevail in your own country as you demand of other country. And could you be guided by the same standards you exact from third world countries like ours.
On behalf of the Workers Solidarity Federation of South Africa I would like to convey our organisation's anger at the attempts of Irish government to scapegoat harrass and deport asylum seekers.
I would further like to express our organisation's solidarity with the day of action called for the 25 April in opposition to these government policies.
Asylum seekers are fleeing economic social and political oppression. To visit further persecution upon them is unjust. To deport them back to the horrors from which they are seeking to escape is unjustifiable. That almost all deportees are drawn from working and poor social groups further underlines the bias in such actions.
All people should have equal rights - of free movement of access to social and economic goods of employment - and not simply the wealthy or the middle and upper classes.
Discrminatory asylum policies are not only wrong but they are against the interests of all working and poor people.
Dear Minister
The Central Organisation Of Sweden's Workers, SAC, protests against the treatment and recent deportation of refugees from Ireland. We have been informed of the recent examples of the inhumane treatment of distraught and potentially suicidal refugees who were forcibly expelled.
Refugees eventually return home when the conflicts and reasons for flight are resolved. Those few who do stay assimilate in time and enrich society. The time spent in exile is often the basis for continued cultural contact and economic exchange in the future. These are parts of real efforts to forge bonds internationally that inevitably lead to stable and prosperous societies and to an increase in mutual understanding. This is what is so much needed in the world today. We have seen enough of heartrending pictures of police forcibly deporting refugees to an unknown and often dangerous future.
As an Irish citizen who has lived half of my life outside Ireland in various European countries I personally feel especially angry and disgusted. I myself have never been treated badly or even insulted because for being foreign, quite the contrary I have been met with helpfulness and respect. Ireland would do better and learn from the experiences of other countries and regard these unfortunate refugees as a resource and benefit to the country both in the short and long term while still not forgetting its humanitarian, ethical and moral obligations.
The recent events are especially revolting when we see that Ireland has courted the international cultural elite with generous tax exemptions and facilitated Irish citizenship for the wealthy. It is notable that the poorer and wretched are afforded different treatment. This policy is an exercise in fostering a xenophobic and racist attitude which the country can ill afford, not least when we see efforts to end the sectarianism in other parts of the country.
According to reports there are only about 5000 asylum seekers in Ireland. We should be asking the question why there are so few refugees when we are aware of the many conflicts and wars around us. Is it too much to expect that Ireland could have a radically different policy when we are known as an exporter of people, a fact that is a tragedy in itself. Because of our own history we should be more sensitive and aware of the problems and strive to reach solutions with a fresh and different approach.
The SAC joins in the chorus of protests against the treatment of refugees that is called for the 25th. April and calls for an end of this inhuman and shameful policy.
Yours sincerely
Kieran Casey
International Secretary of SAC
the IS of the FAU has received your appeal for solidarity with the asylum seeking refugees in Ireland a few days ago. I put it immediately in the FAU email newsgroups so everybody inside the FAU should be able to get the information and to prepare some support activities. Furthermore I have put it in some anarchist email boards as well as in others which are focused on refugee politics and antirascism, maybe even some other groups will react, too.
The FAU local group in Bonn will hold our weekly meeting tonight and we will discuss there what we locally can do about it. I fear it doesn't make a lot of sense to stand around in front of the embassy on a Saturday, since they don't work on Saturdays and it's located in a part of Bonn, where almost nobody would at least notice our presence there. (It's in the so-called "Government quarter").
But instead, we will hand over a letter of protest on Friday afternoon. We will inform the press about the day of action and our visit of the embassy on Friday. Of course, we will send a letter to O'Donoghue and I hope the other FAU groups will do so as well. We will also have a booktable on Saturday in the center of Bonn where we will distribute flyers concerning the refugees in Ireland.
There are no Irish publications here as far as we know, but I will try to find out. Nevertheless there are some Irish pubs in Bonn and quite a lot of Irish people living here and so I think we can distribute some leaflets concerning the matter on Friday and Saturday night in the pubs. (And other FAU groups could do the same in their towns.)
......
I hope the appeal will be hailed internationally, greetings in solidarity,
Mona Grosche, IS
Mr. O'Donoghue;
AntiFascistisk Aktion - Stockholm has taken notice of the many negative reports on the Internet and in the daily press regarding the Republic of Irelands handling of asylum-seekers in its care and jurisdiction. AntiFascistsik Aktion - Stockholm has judged many of these reports, especially in regards to acts of deportation, as inhumane and often with seemingly racist motives.
AntiFascistsik Aktion - Stockholm has also noticed the plea from our comrades in The Association of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, The Anti-Racist Campaign, Immigrant Solidarity and Anti-Fascist Action in Ireland to bring attention to these disgraceful actions of the Republic of Ireland during an international day of protest April 25th, 1998.
AntiFascistisk Aktion - Stockholm wants to, and will, make it perfectly clear to the Irish Republic that we do not accept such acts of inhumane behaviour and hold any and all persons in places of power within the Republic of Ireland as responsible for their governments repugnant actions. Further breaches of human rights in the name of the Dublin Convention will not be tolerated.
Dear Minister O'Donoghue,
I am writing to protest the racist deportation of immigrants seeking political asylum in the Republic of Eire. The Irish Government has been deporting asylum-seekers from Ireland since the beginning of March 1998. To date, twelve people have been forcibly removed from the jurisdiction of the Republic with no regard for plight or circumstance.
In one case, an asylum-seeker was so distressed by his situation that he attempted sucide. However, this desperate action did not sway the Irish Immigration officials - the apprehended asylum-seeker was given medical attention at a Dublin hospital and immediately afterwards placed on a plane out of Ireland!
As representatives of a country of emigrants, this is truly surprising and shameful behavior on the part of Irish authorities. As a descendant of Irish immigrants to the United States who is currently living in Italy, I myself am dismayed and outraged. I have never had problems being proud of my Irish heritage -- until now.I implore you to take all necessary steps to welcome political refugees as well as immigrants fleeing economic crisis to your country, and above all to ensure the recognition of their human rights.
Sir;
It has recently been brought to my attention "The Irish Government has been deporting asylum-seekers from Ireland since the beginning of March 1998. To date, twelve people have been forcibly removed from the jurisdiction of the Republic with no regard for plight or circumstance.
In one case, an asylum-seeker was so distressed by his situation that he attempted sucide. However, this desperate action did not sway the Irish Immigration officials - the apprehended asylum-seeker was given medical attention at a Dublin hospital and immediately afterwards placed on a plane out of Ireland!"
In the strongest of terms I wish to personally convey my deepest opposition to this barbaric policy. As an organization, we join with the many voices that condemn your Governments actions as being a violation of basic human rights. We have every intention of bringing this situation to the international forum of discussion and active opposition.
It is our sincere hope that you will personally review the current situation and correct it immeadiatly.
Thank you very much for your time and in advance for your help.
Raze the Walls! P.O. Box 22774 Seattle, WA 98122-0774 United States of America
I am writing to protest the Irish government's treatment of asylum seekers.
I am extremely distressed to read about the treatment of asylum seekers, including: the lack of due process, the long waiting period for applications to be processed, refugees' inability to work or study until their asylum applications have been adjudicated, the extraordinarily low rate at which refugee status is awarded, the summary deportation of refugees, and the ways this situation is fueling racism.
As an Irish national who lives and works in Berkeley, California, I am deeply upset by the double standard whereby the Irish government advocates for the rights of people like me who are abroad, but does not show similar concern for the rights of refugees who come to Ireland. The situation is giving Ireland, and the Irish abroad, a reputation for unrepentant racism that affects us all and destroys ties with communities we care about in the places where we now live. Needless to say, the situation also gravely affects immigrants and refugees in Ireland, many of whom have already fled war, violence, torture, and repression, only to find the door closed in their faces when they seek asylum in a country that bills itself as the land of a hundred thousand welcomes.
Since I work in and teach about immigrant and refugee issues, I appreciate the complexities of the situation facing the Irish government. Nonetheless, other small countries have responded to refugee influxes in ways that balance economic concerns, humanitarianism, and openness to racial and cultural diversity. I am confident that the Irish government can do the same, and I urge you to please amend the refugee process so that it is just, expeditious, and non-racist.
Sincerely,
Eithne Luibheid Department of Ethnic Studies University of California, Berkeley 506 Barrows Hall Berkeley, CA 94720-2570 USA
My family in the United States consists of Pogues, Kellys, McMurreys, and O'Houlihans. I also sit on the Board of a probono project that represents asylum seekers in the US. Based on my personal experiences, it is unconscionable for a country to deport those who so desperately seek a refuge. I urge you not to deport asylum seekers from Ireland.
Sincerely,
D'Ann Johnsson
Please use your office to stop the deportations of asylum seekers in Ireland. I have worked for years helping refugees and immigrants in the USA obtain their refugee and asylum status here. I have heard hundreds of accounts of rape, torture, murder, and kidnappings in every corner of the world. Men, women and children are killed and jailed for their religious beliefs. Didn't men and women immigrate to Ireland to escape persecution at home? Don't millions of Irish citizens immigrate to other countries throughout the world seeking a better and safer life?
Please stop the deportations!
Respectfully yours,
Linda Kahn