April, 2006

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Official Responses

1 Stop
Asylum applicants queueing outside an advice centre in England. Photograph by David Levene

Incomers and members of minority ethnic groups have not always felt welcome here and report negative attitudes and unequal treatment by official bodies as well as individuals in society. Institutional Racism exists when there is collective failure to deal with people properly. This is similar to Systemic Racism where policies, practices and systems that work against certain groups of people become embedded in organisations. For example, deciding to treat everyone in exactly the same way may result in disadvantaging a group whose needs are not met by this policy. There is increasing awareness of the dangers and policies are being put in place to redress them.

Until very recently we have had a concentration on Community Relations strategies locally that attempted to address the divisions between Protestant and Catholic communities.  The term Good Relations is applied to dealing positively with other forms of difference. The Belfast Agreement of 1998 refers to equality and parity of esteem for people from different social, religious and ethnic backgrounds. This has been given legal backing. Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 obliges public bodies to promote equality of opportunity between different groups of people, including ‘racial groups’. They are also obliged to promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group. Public bodies are obliged to have Equality Schemes and to submit their policies to Equality Impact Assessments that are open to public scrutiny.

Under the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 it was already unlawful for discriminate either directly or indirectly on racial grounds, in terms of employment and training; education; provision of goods and services and the disposal and management of premises and advertisements. The Human Rights Act 1998 gave people rights to protection under the European Convention on Human Rights. A Human Rights Commission and Equality Commission have been set up in Northern Ireland to ensure that existing legislation and practice protect and uphold human rights and equality. They also have an advisory role on these issues.

Following consultation, the UK Government published A Shared Future Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland [pdf] (2005). It carries the aspiration that, through time, we will achieve, ‘ a normal civic society, in which all individuals are considered as equals’…’A society where there is equity, respect for diversity and recognition of our interdependence.’ The first policy objective flowing from this is to ‘eliminate sectarianism, racism and all forms of prejudice and to enable people to live and work without fear or intimidation’. Northern Ireland is recognised as no longer being a bipolar society but one which is enriched by becoming more culturally diverse. It is also recognised however, that racism has emerged as a problem.

In practical terms, an inter-departmental Good Relations Panel was set up to shape policies and institutions. It includes faith representatives. The Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) has a policy role and is responsible for challenging, undertaking research and monitoring progress. The new 2007 ministerial pledge of office includes the words ‘and will promote a shared future’.

The existing Community Relations Council has an enhanced role in good relations work, independent of Government and representative of civic society. Community Relations Officers (CROs) in district councils fund local good relations activities. Government has also recognised that churches and other faith-based organisations have a role to play in developing good relations at a local level.

In July 2005, to complement A Shared Future, the government also published: A Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland 2005-2010 [pdf]

It has 6 shared aims – shared that is with minority ethnic representatives

  • Equal protection and redress against racism and racist crime
  • Equality of service provision for minority ethnic people in accessing public services
  • To increase the sense of participation and belonging of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in public, political, economic, social and cultural life.
  • To promote dialogue and mutual understanding between people of different faiths and cultural backgrounds
  • To build capacity within minority ethnic communities

Priority areas for practical action include training and employment, housing and accommodation, health, education, the criminal justice system, and the particular areas of concern around immigration, asylum and the exploitation of migrant workers.

Under this strategy, The Racial Equality Unit within OFMDFM manages a fund that is targeted at helping minority ethnic groups and other groups in the wider community to work together to foster integration. (See http://www.pfgni.gov.uk/) As well as the Racial Equality Unit, Government has set up a Racial Equality Forum to help draw up an action plan, to implement the strategy, and to monitor and review progress.

OFMDFM is now developing proposals for a Programme of Cohesion, Sharing and Integration for a ’shared and better future’ that they hope will refresh and adapt both the Racial Equality and Shared Future strategies for the new political dispensation. They see the proposals as being at the heart of the Programme for Government, which is committed to a cross cutting theme of ‘a shared and better future for all’ in programmes across government (www.pfgbudgetni.gov.uk). It is intended that the programme will build on some of the excellentwork undertaken, particularly by district councils and community organisations, to address the challenges faced by local communities.
 
The Journey Towards Healing [pdf] booklet and training course on trauma for pastoral carers in faith-based organisations has been developed under the auspices of the Victims Unit OFMDFM and includes a recognition of trauma experienced through racism.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has appointed Minority Liaison Officers in each area to respond to the increase in racial incidents and have published Hate Crime, Racial Incidents: Protecting your Rights [pdf]

Useful documents:

Web sites:

Publications

EMBRACE seeks to provide information through its Newsletter, annual Information Update and other materials. Hard copies of EMBRACE publications can be obtained from our office, and electronic versions can be selected from the list below:

Building a Welcoming Community, Newsletter
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Embracing Diversity, Information Update Booklet
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Information Sheets

‘who’s who? who’s here? leaflet [pdf] December 2009
‘who’s who? who’s here?’ leaflet [pdf] December 2007
‘crossing the border’ leaflet [pdf] February 2009
 

Resource sheets for worship, discussion or group activities

People on the Move [pdf] November 2008
An Advent resource with discussion questions, for young people

When did we see you a stranger? November 2008
Two Advent resources, each consisting of a play and questions/activities.
1.  papa panov [pdf]
2.  the prayer [pdf]

‘once we were strangers’, CD Rom

CD Embrace_image_and_titleCD_for web_.jpgEMBRACE has produced a collection of first-hand accounts of the life experiences of immigrants and refugees here. The personal stories are accompanied by 7 Bible studies and other resource material. The study themes include, for example, Recognising Jesus in the Stranger and A Refugee’s story: The Flight to Egypt. To obtain a copy of the CD, or to find out more about this resource please contact the EMBRACE office by email or phone. The materials on the CD can be used for group study, to inspire sermons, addresses and for prayer.

Inter-cultural Insights, Christian Reflections on Racism, Hospitality and Identity from the Island of Ireland 
Produced by the All-Ireland Churches’ Consultative Meeting on Racism/Irish Inter-Church Meeting, this booklet provides 16 short reflections which offer fresh insight into scripture and highlight personal experiences of racism, perspectives on the challenge of identity and difference, and the need to provide hospitality and to ‘welcome the stranger’. Free copies of this resource can be obtained from the EMBRACE office or downloaded in pdf format here InterCultural Insights

Resource Library

The Embrace Resource Library is housed in our office and can be borrowed from by all Embrace members at no cost. It includes journals, reports, books and videos relating to the areas of interest of EMBRACE.
The following are a selection of materials now available from the resource library:

No longer Strangers: Cultural Integration in Church and Society in Ireland
Edited by Bernard Treacy OP with Alan Martin and Tony Walsh.
The contributors to No Longer Strangers examine questions concerning the experience of migration, what it means for the migrants, what it means for host communities, and what it can mean for a deeper mutual understanding within the human family.
Publisher: Dominican Publications 2006
ISBN: 1-905604-05-X

Local People Global Faiths
This book provides an introduction to the origins, beliefs, customs, worship and festivals of the Sikh, Jewish and Hindu faiths, on a local as well as global scale. Written by Stranmillis College lecturers James Nelson and Norman Richardson, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum and with contributions from members of our local faith communities, it is the first of its nature to be designed and written from a specifically local context. Created especially for Key Stage 3 RE students, relevant classroom activities are also included throughout, enabling students to explore and identify with what they have learnt.
Paperback 64 pages (June 30, 2005)
Publisher: Colourpoint Books
ISBN: 1904242324

A Place of Refuge – a positive approach to asylum seekers and refugees in the UK
This carefully researched report examines the claims made against refugees – that they are lazy, uneducated or involved in criminal activity – and uses statistical evidence to show that these claims are largely unfounded. It explains the legal and factual basis of the asylum system and highlights the positive contribution that refugees make to the UK. The book includes practical suggestions for action at a local and national level along with useful contacts and resources.
Paperback 80 pages (April 4, 2005)
Publisher: Church House Publishing
ISBN: 071514071X

Afraid to Leave, Afraid to Stay
This resource toolkit consists of a dual language booklet and an online toolkit. The booklet contains stories from refugees alongside stories from the life of Jesus. The English text appears below the same stories in the asylum seeker’s own language. It is available in Somali, Farsi, Turkish, and Albanian, and comes with a user guide so that it can be used as an informal counselling tool. In the online toolkit there are fact sheets on the languages used and the countries where they are spoken. There’s information on asylum seekers, the process of seeking asylum, and lots of ideas for getting involved in local asylum communities.
Booklet
Publisher: Lifewords

Entertaining Angels
Based on the theme of hospitality, Geoffrey Duncan’s new book, Entertaining Angels is a wonderful anthology of prayer, poems, stories and anecdotes. Much of the material relates directly to asylum seekers and refugees.
Paperback 304 pages (July 31, 2005)
Publisher: Canterbury Press
ISBN: 1853116424

Advocacy

EMBRACE seeks to stand alongside minority ethnic people, immigrants and those seeking asylum in matters of human rights; this may involve anti-racism training and taking part in events which raise awareness of issues relating to the welfare and rights of immigrant people. It may also mean communicating their situation and needs, and highlighting concerns in areas such as housing, education, language support, health and detention to the appropriate decision makers in local and national government. 

About

EMBRACE is a group of Christians working together to promote a positive response to people seeking asylum, refugees, migrant workers and minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland.

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