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Belfast immigrants warned: 'Get out by tomorrow – or you die'

By David McKittrick
Saturday, 11 July 2009

Hate-mongers tell ethnic minorities to leave the country

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The message in the letter to immigrant communities in Belfast could not be starker or more brutal. "Get out of our Queen's country before our bonfire night and parade day," it declared.

Emblazoned with a skull, it descended into a mixture of the semi-literate and the directly threatening with the warning: "Other than your building will be blown up."

The leaflet was delivered to centres in Belfast representing the city's Islamic, Indian and Polish communities, in advance of this weekend's high point of the loyalist marching season.

It has clearly generated worries among those communities, since all three of the centres would not comment on the threat.

But Patrick Yu, who heads the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, said the leaflets were designed to threaten and frighten, adding: "It really is more about trying to reignite the issue."

Just last month more than one hundred Romanians were flown out of Northern Ireland following a wave of attacks on their south Belfast homes in an episode which received worldwide publicity.

Although the letter is marked "Combat 18" and bears loyalist slogans, the authorities do not believe that any local or outside organisation is behind this threat or other racist attacks.

The belief is that both the attacks on Romanians and the general pattern of incidents are largely the work of racist individuals, mostly teenagers, in a primitive show of xenophobia and dislike of "outsiders."

But the major complication this weekend is that the annual 12th of July celebrations have been extended with several nights of festivities in prospect before the main Orange Order march takes place on Monday.

In the evenings loyalists gather round bonfires piled high with waste wood, unwanted furniture and old vehicle tyres. While most of these occasions pass off without serious incident, very large amounts of alcohol are consumed by many.

With large numbers of intoxicated teenagers and young men roaming the backstreets, the concern is that some of them might decide to target the homes of migrants for casual violence.

Racist incidents are already running at a rate of almost a thousand a year, mostly taking the form of attacks on migrants and their homes. Many of these live in or close to loyalist areas and are therefore vulnerable.

The police said yesterday: "Hate crimes and racially motivated attacks will not be tolerated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It is important to point out that it is a small group of people who are responsible for these incidents."

"Anyone out there who has information about anyone involved in the production or distribution of material which promotes or incites racism must bring that information forward."

The police and Orange Order this year launched a joint initiative aimed at reducing the consumption of alcohol, using the slogan "Enjoy the day - make sure it's not a blur."

They have urged people "to behave responsibly, to show tolerance, to avoid provocation or an inappropriate response to provocation."

July in Northern Ireland is sometimes described as a mad month when the blood can run high, with Catholic-Protestant tensions often increasing as the marching season reaches its climax.

In a familiar annual pattern, the past few weeks have seen sectarian attacks in and around Belfast and especially in County Antrim with both Protestant and Catholic premises targeted. Orange halls have been damaged in arson attacks while five Antrim Catholic churches were this week attacked with paint bombs.

All but a handful of Catholic families now remain in the village of Ahoghill, which has seen regular outbreaks of sectarian violence.

Antrim Protestant clergyman the Rev Robert Coulter said of those responsible: "These are mindless thugs who, it must be emphasised, are acting alone. This type of sectarian vandalism - be it Protestants attacking Catholic churches, or Catholics attacking Orange halls - will find no support within any community."

Against such a background the risk is that migrant homes may present an easy and tempting target to young drunks. At court proceedings arising from previous July incidents defendants were said to have been "out of their heads" after days and nights of drinking.

The fact that racist attacks now take place at a rate of almost a thousand a year seems to indicate that they have become endemic. Due to the troubles, migration to Northern Ireland was for a long time comparatively rare.

But with the steady reduction of paramilitary violence a stream of immigrants has arrived from Poland, other European countries and further abroad in the last five years.

Almost from the start some of these new arrivals came under attack, producing claims that racism is the new sectarianism.

Official surveys have confirmed a significant level of local opposition to those moving in from abroad.

Asked in a survey if Eastern Europeans were acceptable as residents in their local area, 18 per cent of respondents said no. This figure was even higher for members of the Islamic faith: 31 per cent said these were unacceptable.

_{Source: Independent}

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34 Comments

Oh my word... still cant believe some of these comments. Those making the comments about Poles or foreigners taking our jobs.. Ireland (both north and sth) its greatest export has always been its people. Considering Irelands emmigration has always outstripped its immigration you'd think we would be just a little tolerant of those coming over here!! Can you imagine if the Nth/Sth Irish were chased out from where they had settles. We'd certainly have something to compalin about then!

Posted by John | 13.07.09, 00:20 GMT

UK is playing big role to bring peace in Afganistan and other countries but I think first send troops and bring real peace to the people of Northern Ireland as the people of here still living within the locked gates and different territories can't see anywhere in the world

Posted by Samaritan | 12.07.09, 22:59 GMT

Big john - do you really believe Poles took the British jobs away from you? Poles usually take low-paying jobs which Britons resent. Moreover, we (yes, I am a Pole) compete for jobs with you and most often this competition is far from even from the very beginning. Sometimes because our English isn't fluent enough. Sometimes for yet another reason. But we ork hard, most of the Polish professionals studied very hard for years to compete with you. So did I steal your jour job?

Posted by Jakub | 12.07.09, 22:41 GMT

I'm from Poland. Me and my young family lives here for almost 4 years. We were working hard since our arrival, never claimed any benefits. I don't have any doubts that our presence (hard-working immigrants) here contributes to overall economic condition of NI. But still credit crunch creates ideal climate to revive old resentments, because more people became jobless=frustrated and with no other goals and options turning in to hate fuelled mindless tools. Because that's what they are...

Posted by Polak | 12.07.09, 19:35 GMT

Belfast: 30 years of gangsterism and now we have various people complaining about not receiving special treatment (typical human nature). In England, the English have decided to ignore Poles, Indians, Kosovar Albanians and whomsoever turns up because they (the English) are raking in the best paid jobs of both Islands. It is economic imbalance and btw Belfast doesn't have the room or the jobs for other people in the long run. Besides you want to change Ireland: get local people trained as docs et

Posted by Greg | 12.07.09, 19:04 GMT

UK is not alone in being scared to death of inevitable changes and doing everything to stop them. Open any Polish newspaper to read hysterical articles about thousands of foreigners buying Polish land, houses and apartments which 'locals' can't afford.

The only thing we should be afraid is fear.

Posted by Marta | 12.07.09, 16:57 GMT

I have read this week:
"Belfast - Now The Most Racist City In The World According To Der Spiegel"

Congratulations!!!

Posted by lios | 12.07.09, 16:42 GMT

Illigal imigrants - cant claim benefits. Every benefit form asks for the person`s NI number and if they are subject of Imigration Control. Streched housing because of imigrnats? Most of them rent their accomondation either with thier families or some friends sharing. They are not entitled for social housing - if we start to talk about social housing being streched we have to start to talk about the so called "brew drops " when the person doesnt even live in the allocated HE\Ha house of flat.

Posted by Victoria | 12.07.09, 16:29 GMT

@ Sylvia, "if something isn't done it will get worse" sounds like support for the racist attacks/intimidation detailed in the article.

@Big John, yes it would/does happen in Poland, we didn't travel their en mass but the new member countries in the EU were a goldmine for western companies. As soon as the countries joined our people were in there buying everything up and establishing businesses. Your resentment should be squarely aimed at the UK government, the immigrants are blameless.

Posted by Farrah | 12.07.09, 15:52 GMT

Sylvia I do agree with u TO AN EXTENT about loosing Identity.I am an immigrant, I pay the same tax as u do and do not claim ANY benefits. Think abt this, the people who actually SENT these letters would be them people who DO NOT DO ANY JOB, CLAIM THE TAX PAYERS (thats mine and yours) MONEY and now THEY ARE GOING TO ATTACK ME ! I am an Indian and as one guy said here, The large part of the immegrants from Indian community are under work permit/shortage scheme/highly skilled migrants.

Posted by ROY | 12.07.09, 15:39 GMT

All the immigrants I've ever met, including the flower sellers, had more to contribute to our society than these despicable fascists.

Posted by Farrah | 12.07.09, 15:38 GMT

When were we ever asked if we wanted our country to be changed in this way? The only people who benefit from immigration are big business and immigrants. As for the NHS, we have trained nurses and doctors of our own who cannot find work. NHS workers from abroad do not come here for our benefit; they come here for a better life, and are usually followed by other family members. They also leave their own country without. Extra housing and more traffic, overstretched NHS, and a feeling of loosing our identity. These problems are very real, and if something isn’t done it will get worse.

Posted by Sylvia | 12.07.09, 15:21 GMT

While reading the reports like am thinking about our (NI) community and its attitudional development. from my experience all the migrents from India come down here to serve, help and support the people in Northern Ireland. we are trying to ensure the sustainable development of all the sectors in the community by working sholder to sholder to the people in Northern Ireland. i strongly belive that these Kinds of racist threats will seriously affect us and other migrated health workers.

Posted by Biju Thomas | 12.07.09, 13:09 GMT

Mr Pole you got into our country through the British government telling lies about how many of you would come here. The original number was 13,000, now there must be around a million who have come to work here. Now with many local people out of work in the UK we have the crazy situation of many migrants doing jobs local people could be doing. I ask you a question, would this be allowed to happen in your country?

Posted by Big John | 12.07.09, 12:53 GMT

A people from "The Queen's country" have a very short memory. When Poles devote their lifes over the sky of britain, in the sands of north Africa or in the whole way to berlin, just to save "brave citizens of the Queen's country" thats was OK. But when we want to live over here, we are only a dirty migrants from the far east country with a polar bears on the street. Hopefully its only a minority voice.

Posted by Michael | 12.07.09, 11:22 GMT

I always think when i am working as door-man in belfast that i will face some problems .but i never had thanks I belive that in Northen ireland there's and will always be there racist . I'm not shame to say i am muslem . northen ireland need to suport peoples who been attacked . because thats how you creat a killer and terorist because they will look for revange.

Posted by Mark | 12.07.09, 04:33 GMT

This is a total non story. What a pile of sensationalist drivel. The letter is said to come from some Northern Irish group. It does not say which, but mentions, bonfires, and parades. If 18% find Eastern Europeans unacceptable, does this mean that 82% find them acceptable? You are frightening immigrants, more than any leaflet. You are scare mongering. The people of N.I. are some of the warmest people on this planet. Put the wooden spoon away.

Posted by John Henderson | 12.07.09, 03:26 GMT

If immigrants come to Northern Ireland to add skills to our country they are most welcome, but not if they've come to live off social security. However we should try and be tolerant of them and not offer threats. Unfortunately I'll miss the Twelth demonstration again this year. I used to walk in the parades, but must admit that sometimes I drank too much and the events were only a blur. Nothing wrong with a few drinks, but not too many.

Posted by James | 12.07.09, 02:01 GMT

Have you no vision? Wouldn't a multi-racial and multi cultural Orange Order really shew 'em? Just grand. Brings tears to me eyes.

Posted by Rory | 12.07.09, 01:48 GMT

Victoria, I didn't say that anyone has the right to threaten or harm anyone,
but not all foreigners are productive legal residents, which may cause some
tax-paying natives to resent them. As legal (green card) resident alien in the
U.S. in the early 60s, I was requred to carry my alien card always, even during the 4 years I served in the Marine Corps without the benefit of U.S. citizenship.

Posted by Seán Mac Curtáin | 12.07.09, 00:31 GMT