Probe urged into racist abuse accusations

ALLEGATIONS that members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) subjected asylum seekers to racist abuse and illegally refused to accept their claim for asylum at Dublin Airport must be investigated immediately, human rights groups demanded.

The allegations are made in a statement in today's Irish Examiner by a man who arrived in Ireland in December, 2001, to claim asylum with his wife. Both have subsequently been granted refugee status and are living happily here. However, according to the statement, the couple were subjected to a torrent of racial abuse by GNIB officers when they presented themselves at passport control.

According to the statement, an immigration official said: "God, more jungle bunnies," when the couple arrived, and replied "Don't give me that crap," when they asked for asylum.

The couple said a tirade of abuse ensued during which the couple were repeatedly cursed at in racist terms, locked in a van and driven to a plane where they were told they were going to be deported. They said an official told them the sun was shining and that it was a good day to go back to the jungle and die.

After seven hours, a change of shift and a delay in finding their bags gave the couple time to plead their case to a sympathetic official, who accepted their claim.

An official complaint on the matter lodged by the IRC with the human rights section of the Department of Foreign Affairs was passed onto the Department of Justice last year.

However, according to IRC chief executive Peter O'Mahony, and no action was taken. Mr O'Mahony, who is acquainted with the couple involved, vouched for the authenticity of the statement saying it reflected increasing concerns that asylum seekers were being illegally turned back from Ireland.

"We have no doubt that within the increasing number of people who have been turned away there were some who were trying to make an asylum claim," he said, pointing to one recent case highlighted by the IRC involving a couple with a young baby being detained in Mountjoy Prison overnight before being deported.

Amnesty International said the statement raised serious concerns about how the immigration control system is working at Dublin Airport. "The allegations of racist ill-treatment are so serious that they merit a full and immediate investigation, the results of which should be made public," said Amnesty's Jim Loughran.

A spokeswoman for Justice Minister Michael McDowell would not comment on the allegations, saying they were a matter for the gardaí.

However, GNIB head detective chief superintendent Martin Donnellan said he had not had time to read the allegations and would comment this morning.