Sir, - Mary Holland's opinion piece "Diaspora - a new name for an old shame" (October 31st) and your recent "Votes for Emigrants" editorial highlight the fact that Ireland is the only country in Europe which does not allow its emigrants to vote. Non-resident voting is the norm in Europe, the US, Australia and democracies around the world.
The new democracies of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and South Africa were quick to install non-residents' voting mechanisms. Closer to home, emigrants from Northern Ireland can vote in their general elections. Why is Ireland so unique in continuing to deny this fundamental right?
The principle of equal voting rights for all citizens is enshrined in the Irish Constitution and in international agreements ratified by the Oireachtas, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. But with a notable few exceptions, our elected representatives could not care less about the rights of the disenfranchised.
It is no longer acceptable for the Government and other politicians to hold Ireland out as a modern progressive democracy which facilitates overseas voting by citizens of other countries in their elections, and sends delegates to observe the propriety of elections in emerging democracies, only to turn around and strip Irish citizens of voting rights simply because we become resident abroad. It is also no longer acceptable to celebrate the contributions of the Irish abroad in one breath, and then disparage emigrants by refusing to restore their right to vote. Rather than debate the issue rationally, opponents have resorted generally to knee-jerk dismissals which in no way address the issue of principle, which is whether all Irish-born citizens have, as a birthright, an equal right to vote in Irish elections.
It is sadly understandable that politicians fear change; but emigrants deserve the support of their friends and families to change a bad policy and allow us all to play a part in the political process. They are not "those people", as they were recently referred to by an Irish Government Minister visiting the US. They are our people, from our homes and our communities.
The call for the emigrant vote is a reasonable request from those with a genuine commitment to Ireland. But obviously, politicians will act only when forced to do so by the voters or by the courts. Since emigrants have no votes, we depend on families and communities which have been touched by emigration, and on all those who support equal voting rights, to speak and vote on our behalf in the upcoming general election campaign. - Yours, etc.,
Campaign coordinator, The Irish Emigrant Vote Campaign, 150 West 87th Street, 2C New York, NY 10024.