Victims of racist attacks to fly home
More than 100 Romanians who were given temporary accommodation in Northern Ireland after a spate of racist attacks have now chosen to fly back to Romania.
About 115 Romanians fled their homes in south Belfast last week and first took shelter in City Church in University Street – which last night had its windows broken.
The Romanians, including 49 children, were given homelessness accommodation in Housing Executive homes from Wednesday last week after crowds gathered and windows were smashed of homes in the Welsley Avenue and Belgravia Avenue areas between 11 and 14 June.
This morning social development minister Margaret Ritchie said that 25 of the Romanians have flown home over the weekend and about 100 in total will leave Northern Ireland. Only 14 have chosen to remain and the flights would be paid for out of emergency Housing Executive funds.
‘Overall this is a disappointing but unsurprising outcome and there is no doubt that the racist intimidation of these people has been damaging for the image of Northern Ireland,’ Ms Ritchie said.
Earlier Ms Ritchie condemned the vandalism last night against City Church, which many believe was linked to the decision to shelter the Romanians last week.
‘I am saddened but not shocked by this outrageous attack on the church. The action of these mindless thugs greatly contrasts with the outpouring of warmth and generosity demonstrated by the people of Belfast toward the plight of the Romanians,’ she said.
‘This church community was the first to extend the hand of friendship and that makes it doubly disgraceful that it should be attacked.
‘We must always show solidarity with any group who comes under attack in this way.’
Pastor Malcolm Morgan told news sources he was thrilled to have helped the Romanians and would ‘do the same again tomorrow’ despite the attack.
Police have charged a 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy with provocative conduct and intimidation over the attacks, and another youth aged 16 has been charged with provocative conduct.
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Readers' comments (5)
Bill | 23/06/2009 12:05 pm
Does the emergency government fund extend for ALL the 6 million immigrants in UK... I wonder??
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Plain Speak | 23/06/2009 5:46 pm
The start of anarchy/mayhem happens when the "few" go mad and the "many" do nothing to stop it. Society as a whole suffers the consequences with its disentegration into chaos as the victims flee and the perpetrators rejoice in their pyrhhic victory.
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Jim Paton | 24/06/2009 3:00 am
Bill's comment is disgraceful. As there aren't anything like 6 million immigrants in the UK he must mean all non-white people -plus white people from eastern Europe. It is exactly this sort of ignorant attitude which was behind these attacks.
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Reflection | 24/06/2009 11:30 am
What a desperately sad outcome. I can well understand families wanting to protect their children by returning home - but what disruption for these ordinary decent people - presumably leaving jobs and schools and new friends and taking back an awful picture of Ireland with them. The decision was theirs but I wish the authortities and local communities had been more pro-active and vociferous in handling this. The final word seems to be left with the perpetrators whose actions are totally repellent and who bring disgrace on us all
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| 25/06/2009 0:15 am
Quote: "presumably leaving jobs and schools and new friends".
Err...they were Roma Gypsies. Not "Romanians" per se. Don't really think jobs and school were on the agenda somehow. See the comments about their behaviour made by an "ordinary" Romanian citizen who has been living in Belfast for the past 8 years, quoted in my comments at the first version of this story at:
http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/story.aspx?storycode=6505093
You will also see a link (again from the Romanian press) about the same phenomenon happening in Germany. It's just what they do. They fully expect to get sent home from whatever European country they travel to, once the locals get fed up with their behaviour.
So can we please stop all the hand-wringing and self-flagellation on this one?
And before all the lefties start screaming "racist" in some shrill ranting riposte, I'm not racist. In fact I'm married to a Slav from Belgrade. It is the BEHAVIOUR of immigrants on which they are judged by incumbent populations. Not their race.
So when in Rome, does as the Romans. But not as the Roma....!
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