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Race attacks: Political instability in Northern Ireland isn't helping

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By Patrick Yu

The people behind these attacks are a very sinister element.

The police are only one player in this issue in terms of how we tackle it.

We have work ongoing with communities in order to tackle this problem. This way is the most effective – prevention is key.

In east Belfast we are working with local community groups to strengthen the relationships on the ground.

We need to let those responsible know they are the minority. By doing so the victim will feel more comfortable when receiving that support.

Another factor to mention is the political instability at the moment. It is not uncommon over the past 10 to 15 years, every time you have political instability, then ethnic minorities are being targeted.

Racism and sectarianism are two sides of the same coin. We cannot tackle racism without tackling sectarianism.

We need politicians to resolve all these difficult issues. It's not about individual party lines or political point-scoring.

They need to work it out for the best interests of all the people in Northern Ireland.

We are so sad to hear of any family thinking of leaving here because of a racist arson attack.

We will be looking to see how much support we can give them.

  • Patrick Yu is the director of the NI Council for Ethnic Minorities

Belfast Telegraph

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