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Call for the NI Executive to enact a comprehensive Hate Crime Action Plan.

Jump to the response from the Council 5th May 2015  (Below)

Rt Hon Peter Robinson MLA and Martin McGuinness MLA
Northern Ireland Executive
Stormont Castle
Stormont Estate
Belfast BT4 3TT

Dear Ministers,

As members of the Polish community in Northern Ireland we are writing to you to express our deepest concern in relation to the ongoing hate crime incidents and attacks.

We are the largest ethnic minority here. We pay taxes, we work hard, we contribute to the culture of Northern Ireland and we are committed to building a shared and prosperous future for all.

We are grateful for the warm welcome and hospitality of the majority of people in Northern Ireland.

However, we are not prepared to tolerate the ongoing intimidation, discrimination and attacks against members of our and other minority groups in Northern Ireland perpetrated by a small number of individuals.

We wish to acknowledge the support from the majority of the local community and some individual politicians, but we are highly disappointed with the total lack of political leadership and a coordinated response.

Despite the repeated assurances of action, attacks are on the increase, damaging not only the lives of the victims, but also the well-being of the wider community and the reputation of Northern Ireland internationally.

We are calling for the Northern Ireland Executive to immediately enact a comprehensive cross-departmental Hate Crime Action Plan.

We all want to live in a society free from prejudice, bigotry and hatred. A society of inclusion in which diversity is celebrated.

For and on behalf of the Polish community in Northern Ireland

CC:
Minister of Justice David Ford MLA
Dr Malcolm McKibbin, Head of the NI Civil Service
Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Chief Constable George Hamilton, PSNI
Lord Mayor Cllr Arder Carson
Mrs Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive, Belfast City Council
Chief Executives Forum
Northern Ireland Policing Board

This is the text of the motion passed with all party support 5th May 2015 by Belfast City Council.

The motion was proposed by Sinn Féin’s Cllr Mary Ellen Campbell and seconded by the Alliance’s Emmett Brown McDonough. The motion will now be brought to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to progress it.

Councillor Campbell to move:
Anti-Racism Pledge

“This Council:
• in keeping with both the United Nation’s and the Council of Europe’s definition of racism;

• recognising that it can take many different forms, including, but not limited to, xenophobia, anti-migrant racism, anti-Roma racism, Islamaphobia, anti-Traveller racism and anti- Semitism;

• sensitive to the fact that the current economic climate of job losses and cutbacks in essential public services can be exploited by some to encourage anti-migrant sentiment and support protectionist labour market policies; and

• committed to ensuring that Belfast City is a welcoming city, that treats all communities and people equally, that is constantly striving to improve access to our services, that values and celebrates diversity and that ensures that everyone shares in the City’s successes Commits to the following:

• to defend human rights and democratic principles and reject all forms of racist violence, incitement to racial hatred and harassment and any form of unlawful racial discrimination;

• to represent the interests of all constituents, regardless of race, colour, religion, nationality or any other aspect of their identity;

• to refuse to display, publish or to distribute or endorse in any way views or positions which stir-up or invite, or may reasonably be expected to stir-up or invite prejudices, hostility or hatred towards people of different ethnic or national origins, religious beliefs or linguistic communities and to deal resolutely with any racist sentiment and/or behaviour within our party;

• to refrain from any form of political alliance or cooperation at all levels with any political party which incites or attempts to encourages racial, ethnic, religious or linguistic prejudices and hatred;

• to commit to ensuring that as elected representatives we partake in anti-racism training so as to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the issue of racism and how to develop effective responses to it;

• to work actively to prevent both direct and indirect discrimination against, and to promote equality in all areas of economic, social, cultural, linguistic and political life among and between persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities;

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