MLA condemns BNP's bid to recruit members in Northern Ireland

The British National Party is planning a recruitment drive in Northern Ireland during this year's July 12 celebrations, the Assembly heard today.

MLA Danny Kennedy (UUP, Newry Armagh) said Northern Ireland did not need the BNP`s `hate-mongering` brand of right-wing racism after decades of locally-grown conflict. He was speaking during a debate on racial equality at Stormont.

"I have said to them that this isn`t the kind of imported hate-mongering that we want or need in Northern Ireland," he said.

There have been a string of attacks on racial minorities and the Assembly heard that incidents were on the increase as migrants flood in from eastern and southern Europe. Today`s motion was tabled by the Alliance Party and Mr Kennedy said he backed efforts to tackle the blight.

"I believe that there are indication that the BNP, members of the British Nationalist Party are going to try and actively recruit in Northern Ireland over this year`s July 12th celebrations," he said. "I very much condemn these efforts, I welcome the indications from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland which resolutely condemn and oppose this move."

Police recorded 936 racial incidents last year - more than double the total of two years previously.

There have been attacks on migrants` housing in Belfast, Craigavon, Dungannon and other parts of the north. Large numbers have been targeted after arriving to work in local hospitals, the catering and agricultural industries and food processing factories.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down) said there needed to be zero-tolerance of xenophobia.

"I think that there`s a very clear signal which should be sent out by this Assembly - that the type of hatred that is promulgated by the BNP has no place in our society," he said. "I trust and hope that whenever the BNP do their recruiting exercise they fall on stony ground because I think the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland are hostile to that sort of behaviour, but we have got to realise that there`s endemic levels of racism within our society and this is demonstrated at a very practical level by the high numbers of racial incidents that take place."

The Alliance Party is calling for the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister to ensure that the second implementation action plan of the Racial Equality Strategy is effective. A Sinn Fein amendment to the motion calling for detailed official plans for 2008-2011 for achieving equality was passed unanimously.

That marginalisationwas highlighted in 2005 when a Ukrainian migrant worker had both legs amputated after suffering frostbite in Northern Ireland. Oksana Sukhanova, 27, suffered horrific injuries while sleeping rough in County Antrim during the freezing temperatures over the New Year period.

Martina Anderson (Sinn Fein, Foyle) said the Police Service of Northern Ireland needed to do more to tackle the issue.

"We know that there`s much evidence to suggest that some loyalists are behind a significant proportion of racist incidents and there`s been a failure in unionist parties to address this," she added. "This state, which is now branded as the racist capital of Europe, has its own autonomous racist logic which we now have the chance, the obligation, to address through the Good Friday Agreement and the Assembly with the work we are doing with the Bill of Rights and move forward towards a society which respects all traditions."

The police have taken a number of measures including publishing welcome packs for migrants, and Tom Elliott (UUP, Fermanagh, South Tyrone) said unionists had been at the forefront of tackling the problem. He said his party had been engaging with the police for years in local scrutiny bodies to clamp down on racism.

Anna Lo (Alliance Party, South Belfast) said there were problems with the Racial Equality Strategy.

"The delay in publishing the strategy, given the dramatic increase in inward migration in Northern Ireland over the last few years, has caused concerns that the strategy is already out of date. There was disappointment too that the Strategy only commits Government departments and not all statutory bodies and the wider community, including the business sector, to maximise the effect of the strategy in promoting racial equality."

The first joint reception held by First Minister Ian Paisley (DUP, North Antrim) and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein, Mid-Ulster) was for minorities and Mr McGuinness said they were committed to legislating on the matter.

He has ordered a review of five key policy objectives and sent his junior minister to the Racial Equality Forum of civic representatives to gather information. He also allowed additional time before publishing the racial equality action plan to consult.

"We are convinced that those discussions will lead to a more strategic, focused and long-term action plan for racial equality across all departments," he said.

Dolores Kelly (SDLP, Upper Bann) said she was horrified at reports of swastikas in Belfast in 2007.

"There is a very clear need for all the limbs of government to work properly together for this to work," she said. "The Housing Executive, our Social Services and our Equality Commission must all be at the top of their games. There is, on a number of levels, a great chance for us to learn about co-operation here and the success that it can bring."

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