A-Infos (en) Resist Racist Deportations

[News from Workers Solidarity Movement <wsm_news@geocities.com>]

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     A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
           http://www.ainfos.ca/
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John O'Donoghue is already on record as saying that 
up to 90% of current applications for asylum are 
likely to be refused. It is imperative that all 
anti-racists immediately organise to campaign 
against these threatened deportations. 

      Resist Racist Deportations

In December Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, 
announced a "fast-track" procedure for dealing with 
the backlog in applications for asylum in Ireland. 
This announcement came hot on the heels of a Supreme 
Court judgement which ruled that a Russian woman, 
Olga Anisimova, should be deported to Britain, 
because she had passed through that country on her 
way here.

This judgement has the effect of extending the 
effects of the 'Dublin Convention' to all asylum 
seekers. This EU convention states that applications 
for asylum must be made in the first EU country in 
which an asylum seeker arrives. Given that 
practically no-one can come to Ireland without 
passing through another European country, the 
'Dublin Convention' gives the Irish authorities a 
practical 'carte blanche' for refusing access to the 
state.

John O'Donoghue is already on record as saying that 
up to 90% of current applications for asylum are 
likely to be refused. As a direct result of the 
ruling in the Anisimova case, there are already up 
to 60 people facing the threat of deportation. It is 
imperative that all anti-racists immediately 
organise to campaign against these threatened 
deportations. Such a campaign has much to learn from 
anti-racism campaigns throughout Europe such as the 
'Sans Papiers' movement in France.

Links must be built with workers in the airports and 
the ferryports to try to ensure their refusal to co-
operate with deportations. We must also look to 
building strong links with groups of asylum seekers 
such as the Association of Refugees and Asylum 
Seekers in Ireland, and be prepared to take direct 
action protest activities to prevent people being 
thrown out of the country.

A strong publicity campaign is needed to win the 
hearts and minds of Irish workers away from the 
racist arguments being put forward by politicians 
and sections of the media. Contact the Anti-Racism 
Campaign, get involved and help prevent the racist 
pro-deportation policies of the government.

>From Workers Solidarity No 53
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           Workers Solidarity Movement

http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/wsm.html
EMAIL: wsm_ireland@geocities.com

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