The old saying that bad news travels fast was certainly true yesterday. The disgraceful racist attacks in south Belfast which forced more than 100 Romanians to flee their homes made headline news around the world.

The thugs who delivered the chilling threats to the families — including many young children, among them a five-day-old baby — dragged the reputation of Northern Ireland into the gutter in the eyes of the world. There was once a time, not so very long ago, when the name Northern Ireland was synonymous with terrorist violence. Now, because of the actions of a tiny minority, it has gained the equally vile reputation as a home to racism.

That, of course, is an unfair reputation. Undeniably, there are racists in this province. Last year the PSNI logged 771 racially-motivated crimes. They ranged from verbal to physical attacks and every one of them was a reprehensible act. Sadly there are people living in Northern Ireland who are intolerant of anyone who is not part of their community. Sectar

ianism is still the most common hate crime, showing that there are people on both sides of this community who cannot tolerate each other, never mind people who come to live here from a foreign land.

However, the overwhelming majority of people here are fair minded and welcoming to people of all nationalities. When they go abroad they expect to be treated with courtesy and civility and they extend the same welcome to people who come here on holiday or to work. They recognise that the migrant workers who have arrived in Northern Ireland in their thousands in recent years are hard-working,

decent people determined only to make a new life for themselves in a country which enjoys a higher standard of life than their homelands. These immigrants add to the culture and the economic life of this province and are an asset.

It is now time for the ordinary, decent people of Northern Ireland to show their appreciation of the migrant communities who have come here. They can do that most immediately by giving police information on the thugs responsible for the shameful attacks on the Romanian families in south Belfast.

They must be isolated and brought to justice.

When convicted they should be given exemplary sentences to show that racism will not be tolerated in this society.

It is also time for responsible political leadership. The politicians of all parties must make it clear that racism will not be allowed to flourish here. They and the various statutory agencies like the Housing Executive and social services, must ensure that the families made homeless are given new accommodation as soon as possible and are encouraged to remain in the province. The PSNI should increase its presence in known racism hot-spots like the Village area of south Belfast to deter the thugs and to reassure ethnic minority groups living there.

Northern Ireland cannot undo the terror foisted on innocent families this week. It cannot take back the bad publicity the province has unwittingly gained. But it can redeem its reputation by ensuring that those responsible for the racist attacks are brought to justice and by clear, unequivocal condemnation of those with hate in their hearts.