A former anti-apartheid activist and current minister in the South African government said yesterday he was appalled at the "apparent racism, discrimination and xenophobia" which had "taken root in Irish society".
Prof Kader Asmal, who led the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement and is now South Africa's Minister of Education, said his own experience in Ireland was "completely contrary" to that of many refugees and asylum-seekers today.
"As a black person, who was unable to return to my homeland, Ireland was a safe haven and Irish people welcomed me with outstretched arms," he told delegates to the SIPTU biennial conference in NUI Galway.
"Now there is a tendency to demonise those who come to Ireland in search of a better life. This is despite the fact that so many of your ancestors were forced to make this same difficult journey.
"Today, many migrants are exploited and blamed for economic ills that have nothing to do with them. Refugees, displaced persons and asylum-seekers in search of safety are more often than not treated harshly." Prof Asmal said fear lay at the core of "this blight" and SIPTU needed to rally against such abhorrent practices, "not only within society but also within your own ranks and on the shop floor. You need to educate your own members and you need to work with the Irish Government in examining the policy and legislative reforms necessary to address this evil."
The extent of racism and xenophobia had been captured by an Amnesty survey in 2001, he continued, "where it was found that four out of five people from ethnic minorities have been the victim of racism while living in Ireland, and over 80 per cent of people from ethnic minorities felt the Government was not doing enough to confront racism".
Prof Asmal said racism and xenophobia were not confined to one country. "As SIPTU you must therefore fight against racism and xenophobia the world over. You cannot ignore the revival of racism in Europe, nor can you turn a blind eye to the ongoing discrimination against gypsies and the rise of extreme nationalism, which has led to a hatred of foreigners.
Recent EU measures to tighten controls on refugees should be resisted, he added. "The primary motivation behind these oppressive proposals stems from political leaders in Europe, who fear the support being garnered by far-right and anti-immigration parties. These measures, if implemented, will simply serve to fuel xenophobia and racism."
