Ethnic groups reluctant to report attacks, says council

THE Chinese and other immigrant communities are increasingly reluctant to report attacks because of a lack of confidence in the gardaí, according to the Irish Refugee Council.

Relations were badly hit by the rounding-up of illegal immigrants under Operation Hyphen and immigrants now have little faith in successful prosecution of their attackers.

“The record of pursuit in assault cases is disappointing,” said Refugee Council chief executive Peter O’Mahony.

He added that the Garda’s Racial and Intercultural office had done fine work but was severely under-resourced.

The gardaí defended their record of investigating assaults on immigrants. “We investigate every complaint, regardless of who makes it to us,” said spokesman Damian Hogan. He also said Operation Hyphen was a necessary operation carried out in a professional manner.

The Chinese community is now increasingly uncomfortable following a series of racial attacks. Last January, Chinese student Zhao Liu Tao was killed in Dublin after being repeatedly beaten with an iron bar.

Another young Chinese student told the teenage magazine Face Up he no longer wanted to stay in Ireland. Chen Ping, 19, has been the victim of a mugging and racial abuse.

“I can’t relax here the same as I can in China,” he said. “Most Irish people are friendly, and there are racists in China too.

“But in Ireland, because of my own experiences and those of some of my friends, I have made up my mind I will pursue my studies in the future in another country.”

The Dean of Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin said the attacks on immigrants were a worrying development.

“If one of them is attacked, it’s the same as an attack on all of us. We’re an international society now and we have to be careful not to think of anyone as somebody else,” said Revered John Patterson.

He feared the situation may worsen in the months ahead. “If there are continued job losses, more people will develop the attitude immigrants are taking our jobs.

“They’ve a right to be here and they’re our neighbours. It’s up to us to get to know them and look after them,” he said.