Devolution deal urged to combat race hate threat
Northern Ireland’s political parties were today urged to strike a devolution deal in a bid to halt a developing race hate threat.
As British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern prepare for new talks in Belfast on Thursday, Eastern Europeans have suffered a fresh wave of attacks across the North.
Lithuanians, Latvians and Poles were all targeted in five separate weekend incidents.
And as Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern met at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, ahead of the summit to stress the absolute deadline of November 24 for restoring the power sharing administration, they called on all sides to stand against the racists.
As well as warning of the consequences of not getting a coalition government back into operation by this autumn, Mr Ahern said it was the best way to stop further attacks.
“If we don’t make a fist of this by November 24 the issue of devolution will be off the agenda for some considerable time,” he insisted.
“Also, racism and sectarianism, they are all endemic issues here in Northern Ireland. With due respect to Peter and the (direct rule) British ministers it’s a devolved government can really treat these issues on the ground on a day-to-day basis.
“For those reasons alone…what better reason to have government up by November 24.”
The minister’s call came after two houses in Dunmurry, just outside Belfast where Lithuanians were staying, were attacked last night.
Earlier a Lithuanian man was assaulted in Castledawson, Co Derry, while an oil tanker outside the home of Polish people in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, was set on fire.
On Saturday a Latvian man suffered head and eye injuries after being beaten with baseball bats in Lisburn, Co Antrim. One man has been charged in connection with that attack.
Mr Hain insisted police were doing everything possible to hunt down those responsible, but urged all sections of the community to stand united against the scourge.
“These people have come here to do work to move Northern Ireland forward,” he said.
“Northern Ireland already has a bad reputation for religious sectarianism. We will not tolerate racism.
“I appeal to all local politicians, councillors, MLAs and the community themselves to make sure we work together to stamp out any of these nasty, poisonous racist attacks we have seen in recent days.”
The two men also emphasised how Mr Blair and Mr Ahern will be pressing the political parties at the talks in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, to reach an agreement.
Mr Hain, who has already warned he will stop the wages of Northern Ireland’s 108 Assembly members if they do not succeed, claimed more people now wanted to see devolution work.
In a message to the Reverend Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists, he added: “That will be the question the DUP in particular confront and the whole of unionism confronts.
“Do they want to see their MLAs pack up and go home to another life after midnight on November 24 or do they want them to do their jobs to which they were elected.
Mr Ahern added that from September on he expected the political talks to be conducted in a hothouse atmosphere and stressed that London and Dublin would not be swayed from their deadline.
“We are somewhat under-whelmed by the progress to date at the talks, but the very fact the parties are in talking to the Preparation for Government Committee (at Stormont) is something positive itself.
“It’s incumbent on them to move to a new phase and that’s part of the reason why the prime ministers will come here.
“Both governments are adamant about the November 24 deadline and we expect people to come up to the mark.
“Ultimately it’s a matter for them but November 24 is sacrosanct.”
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