Irish union branch Opposes Tactics Of Deportation Cops
ireland / britain |
migration / racism |
news report
Tuesday August 09, 2005 22:41 by Gregor Kerr - WSM
INTO
The Dublin City North Branch of the INTO has passed a motion endorsing the call by outgoing union president, Austin Corcoran, that all schools become safe places for all children -to be given the status of embassies. It is hoped that more branches within the union will take up this issue and that by next year's annual congress a campaign will be launched in the union to make this a reality
INTO Branch Opposes Tactics Of Deportation Cops
People throughout the country were shocked at the inhumanity of
Michael McDowell's deportation policy when before Easter this year a
plane-load of Nigerians were ripped from the communities in which
they had been living for the last number of years and thrown out of
the country. In particular the case of Leaving Cert. student, Kunle
Elukanlo, struck a chord with large sections of the public.
Kunle's fellow-students were not content to simply allow this to
happen to their classmate and friend. By organising themselves and by
taking their protests to the streets they forced the Minister for
Justice into an about-turn and Kunle had to be returned to Ireland.
Equally shocking for many people were the stories -from Athlone,
Monaghan and Kerry -of immigration cops entering schools in an
aggressive manner looking for children who they wished to deport. It
shocked teachers and parents alike to think that this could happen.
All parents like to think that their children are safe when they
send them to school, and that they are going to return home safely.
Imagine the horror for young children seeing their classmates being
wrenched from among them. Imagine the horror for those children who
are removed from their school in this manner.
At the annual congress of the Irish National Teachers Organisation
(INTO),these actions by the gardai were roundly condemned by the
outgoing president, Austin Corcoran, who called for schools to become
safe places for all children -to be given the status of embassies.
This would mean that cops would not be entitled to come in to schools
looking for people they want to deport.
Now the Dublin City North Branch of the INTO has passed a motion
endorsing this call and it is hoped that more branches within the
union will take up this issue and that by next year's annual congress
a campaign will be launched in the union to make this a reality.
The full text of the motion passed is: Dublin City North INTO
1.Condemns the actions of immigration authorities who
earlier this year entered schools seeking children for deportation.
2.Endorses the statement by outgoing INTO president Austin
Corcoran at Congress 2005 that "Parents should have an assurance that
when their children are sent to school they will not be abducted from
their place of learning by the state."
3.Further endorses the call of Austin Corcoran for schools to be
given the status of embassies and calls on the CEC and all sections
of the INTO to campaign to make this a reality.
4.Agrees to circulate this motion to all branches of the INTO
seeking their support on this issue.
Similar motions being passed by parents' organisations and
committees would help strengthen the call so if you a parents'
association, you know someone who is, maybe you too could take on
this issue.
Gregor Kerr - Member Dublin City North INTO (personal capacity)
From Workers Solidarity 87 - July 2005
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