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Loyalists get funds to oppose the racists
Thursday, 9 April 2009
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Former loyalist paramilitaries have made an unprecedented public pledge to stand against Northern Ireland’s growing racism problem, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
The vow comes after a number of ex-UDA men took part in a groundbreaking anti-racism training programme — backed by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister — which culminated in a visit to Poland.
A number of former UVF members are also due to complete their training within the next few weeks with a visit to the country.
The news comes amid claims that more than 40 foreign nationals have been intimidated out of loyalist parts of Belfast over the past two weeks.
The Polish Association has said that following violent clashes between Northern Ireland and Polish football fans before a World Cup qualifier earlier this month, 46 people fled the Village area of south Belfast and Albertbridge Road area in the east of the city because of physical abuse and attacks on property.
Loyalist paramilitaries have in the past been associated with racist attacks, but their involvement in this City and Guilds accredited programme is being seen as a clear indication they are now dedicated to working against it.
And the Belfast Telegraph has learned that former IRA members from south Armagh, Tyrone, Cavan and Monaghan have contacted course organisers about running similar schemes in their areas.
To date 36 loyalists — many of whom are ex-UDA, UFF and UVF men — have passed level one of the pilot scheme entitled ‘The Thin End of the Wedge’.
The pilot programme is currently mainly focused on working to eradicate racist attacks on Polish people living in loyalist areas of Belfast. However, it is hoped it will be rolled out to include other minority groups living in Northern Ireland.
Members of the Lower Shankill Community Association, who have just returned from Poland where they visited the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Birkenau and Plasnow, said the programme has helped them understand the potential “dangerous outcomes of racism”. The group includes a number of former paramilitary figures.
A spokesman for the group added: “The group agreed that historically, and indeed in certain conditions relating to present society, racism still exists and that at every opportunity this wrong within should be abhorred and every effort made to create a society free from such activity and mindsets.
“It is therefore our intention to spread the learning and findings of this course to our wider communities and in doing so create a tolerance of all races and groups within our society.”
Shankill community worker Frank Higgins — from specialist training company Transition Training — who delivers the course, said he approached loyalist group leaderships to try to encourage participation in the scheme as he was concerned about the growth of racism in the area.
“I explained that this issue is really starting to raise its head — that it is no longer sectarian but there is a much deeper undercurrent. I told them that this is how I think it can be dealt with. This project helps participants look at themselves from the outside in,” he said.
“The course can be modulised for each community depending on the type of racist issues that affect that area,” Mr Higgins added.
One loyalist who has completed the course said: “I think this course can change ideas about their (Polish) culture and would be a good thing for better community relations in Northern Ireland.”
Director of the Polish Association in Belfast, Maciek Bator, said the programme “will help build real relationships between the Polish and loyalist community in Belfast and we fully support its roll out.”
Romuald Lanczkowski, the Deputy Secretary General of the Senate of Poland, said: “By talking together and experiencing each other’s cultures at first hand we can really improve community relations at many, many levels.” OFMDFM has provided funding for the pilot scheme but organisers are hoping for future regional funding from Europe.
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Comments
40 Comments
Robbie - you couldn't make it up - make what up?
That people from loyalist working class areas are trying to improve their knowledge of a thorny subject which in turn will/should make them better citizens. As I said before the vast majority of course attendees are not paramilatries and if they are so what. The vast majority pay taxes, purchase lottery tickets. Should they never benefit from these schemes like others?
Look at our government, a government we want to see succeed. There are no gunmen or people who used to direct terrorism there, sure theres not!
Re Jay's post - I doubt very much if it will be a holiday. Do you know what the details of the trip are? I doubt it very much so why post a stupid statement.
Posted by Stephen | 10.04.09, 10:49 GMT
I think this a positive story. Some of the posts here are of the line 'tolerate me first!' Wise up.
Travel is fatal to bigotry and predjudice. If these people, on both sides of the NI culture clash, are getting involved with this kind of thing, it's got to be good. If the communitees are learning to understand other people and cultures, then their neighbours will follow on shortly afterwards.
Posted by Patrick D | 10.04.09, 08:36 GMT
you couldn't make it up
Posted by robbie | 10.04.09, 01:56 GMT
Some ignorant posts here and I guess that's not surprising as they are based on what is a tabloid story. I am aware of two anti racism courses being run and they are almots at an end. The people doing the 4 month course are in the main employed and the vast majority are most defnitely not members of any paramilitary organisation.
I shall repeat that just in case some of you do not understand. The vast majority of people on two courses that I know of are not members of any paramilitary organisation and are indeed employed paying taxes like everyone else.
For those that are former members or perhaps still are members of a paramilitary organisation agian it is my understanding that they to pay taxes like the rest of us.
To those who attended the course and wanted to improve their knowledge of racism congratulations of passing your exams and empowering yourselves.
Posted by Stephen | 09.04.09, 23:03 GMT
I will try and get on this course as I feel we all need a holiday,thanx
Posted by jay | 09.04.09, 22:34 GMT
For an example of the mass hysteria we learnt about during this course you need just look at the mindless comments on this page. all these comments were incited by people believing an untrue story printed in a reputible newspaper. The Nazis generated the same mass hysteria by their false stories about the Jewish, Romany, handicapped and other minority groups they wanted rid of. Indeed the same tactics used here by some loyalist and republican orators to incite sectarian hatred which became a feeding ground for paramilitarys of all shades. Something none of us want to see happen again.
Posted by G.Mac | 09.04.09, 21:56 GMT
once again, its all about the money.........
Posted by Chloe | 09.04.09, 21:56 GMT
This report is nonsense and the journalist who wrote it should be working for the sunday world not a serious newspaper like the Telegraph. I am one of twelve people in a group which has just completed this course, three of whom are ex paramilitaries. There is no link to us from any present paramilitary group and we have no remit to influence paramilitary groups to stop people attacking imigrants homes. we are a group of people who set out to try and educate ourselves about racism throughout the world in order to have a better understanding of racist attitudes and hopefully make sure our own children understand and are therefore brought up in a more tolerant society. we are now undecided as to continue as this article has branded us in the wrong.
Posted by G.Mac | 09.04.09, 21:44 GMT
Most people you talk to in this country still have at least mild racist views which they think are acceptable. That probably includes most of the people who have commented here.
Coming from and living in a 'Loyalist' area I acknowlegde that racism is still evident in these areas. Therefore I feel any steps towards educating and opening the minds of people can only be welcomed.
Posted by No_to_ignorance | 09.04.09, 20:37 GMT
was this originally to be printed on 1st of april?
YOU'RE HAVING A LAUGH!
Posted by RON | 09.04.09, 20:21 GMT
Perhaps they'd be better sorting out the parasitical gangsterism that plagues working class Protestant areas. For "working against it" read "stopping doing it".
Tom - we are all, Protestants and Catholics, products of waves of immigration/conquest and inter-breeding.
Posted by spud | 09.04.09, 19:41 GMT
Only in NI
Posted by alan | 09.04.09, 19:16 GMT
"Let face some facts here; as far as racism and intimidation of migramt workers living in the north, there is no way that loyalists and republicans can be considered equally guilty. The fact is that racist attacks in nationalist areas are practically non-existent. West Belfast has a growing population of immigrants who are left in peace to live their own lies and make a valuable contribution to this society. Race crime is generally limited to strongly loyalist areas like Sandy Row, Shakill, the Village and East Belfast. No great surprise there really!" TJ
Yeah that's right TJ, republicans are happy to welcome people with different nationalities/cultures as long as they aren't British or Protestant!!
Posted by Roy | 09.04.09, 16:43 GMT
This is beyond belief. Spend the money on more policemen not on paramilitaries!
Posted by Albert | 09.04.09, 16:36 GMT
Give racism and hatred of any kind the red card!
Posted by BT | 09.04.09, 15:59 GMT
Is this being done because Nu-Liebour are planning on filling whats left of our little Island with an unstoppable amount of third world asylum seekers. Look at the mess this marxism has done to England and parts od Scotland. Why is there not a big emphasis on uniting the many devided Irish people. Anyway, Polish are basically the same race as us, there is always something sinister when the buzz word 'racism', is used by this looney mob.
Posted by cathy | 09.04.09, 15:04 GMT
I actually agree with this course, apart from Roy who was on the course everyone else appears to be against it and feels it is a waste of money, but I can see the merit in it.
My personal belief is that racism, bigotry, xenophobia, homophobia and other forms of intolerance are borne out of ignorance. This course sounds like it was designed to help educate people so they can understand the results of racism within society, so if one person started this course as a racist and returned from the trip believing in equality and tolerance then it is money well spent.
I also think there is potential by looking at racism as the focal point, that you can relate the same learning to bigotry, homophobia etc etc. So if this course again helps people to understand the dangers of bigotry, then surely it can only be good for our society.
And, gauging from Tom's post I think this course should potentially be expanded as ignorance/bigotry is obviously still rife.
Just my opinion.
Posted by Steven 73 | 09.04.09, 14:38 GMT
Tony "Will they be opposing racism against Irish people who happen to be Catholics?"
Gosh this is awful if true. Where is this happening Tony and is it a one-way street?
Posted by mickey | 09.04.09, 14:34 GMT
Loyalist paramilitaries were behind much of the racism in their areas This is rewarding criminals
Posted by Tommy Atkins | 09.04.09, 14:32 GMT
neither do sinn fein , yet they seem to get quite a bit of tax payers money....
Posted by bored | 09.04.09, 14:03 GMT
40 Comments