Asylum-seekers living in some parts of inner city Dublin have been advised by gardai not to go out at night for their own safety, according to the Association of Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Ireland (ARASI).
The claim was confirmed last night by gardai in one south inner-city station, who said the advice was given in response to a rise in racist attacks in the area in recent weeks.
ARASI is receiving increasing numbers of reports of race attacks, many of them committed in broad daylight, according to its director, Mr Mohammed Haji. "We lost our freedom in our countries and now we are going to lose it here in Ireland," he said at the launch of the report of the Irish co-ordinating committee of the European Year against Racism last year.
Mr Frank Buckley, of Soccer against Racism, said there was now "massive tension" in many parts of Dublin, which was "spilling out into violence on the streets". Refugees and asylum-seekers were scared to go out and tended to congregate in groups. But this was the beginning of the "ghetto mentality" and it led to groups of asylum-seekers being equated with gangs.
"Something needs to be done, it needs to be done now, and it has to come from the top down" if serious violence is to be averted, he said.
At the launch, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, announced the establishment of new body to advise the Government on matters relating to racism.
Mr O'Donoghue said £20,000 had been allocated to the consultative committee on racism and inter-culturalism this year. The committee, which will include representatives of Government departments, social partners and non-governmental organisations, will be chaired by Dr Anastasia Crickley of NUI Maynooth, who also chaired the co-ordinating committee of the European Year against Racism.
The Minister said the rise in expressions of racism was "a matter of considerable concern and regret to all responsible people". Combating racism was "definitely" on the Government agenda.
Asked about the operation of immigration controls at ports and the Border, Mr O'Donoghue said there was no directive to stop black people only. There had unfortunately been some "incidents", he conceded, but many white people had been stopped also.
Mr Haji blamed the rise in racism on ignorance. "Ignorance of the differences between illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers; ignorance of 4,000 asylum-seekers who are still waiting to have their applications processed. Some have unfortunately been waiting for years.
"We have asylum-seekers who are doctors, engineers, nuclear physicists and computer experts. They are willing to contribute to this society and yet they are being called spongers in the streets."
Mr Philip Watt, co-ordinator of the European Year against Racism, said the year should not be seen as an end in itself but as a springboard for more initiatives to create an anti-racist society.
