New move to stamp out racism

A campaign to stamp out racism in Northern Ireland was launched today by Stormont Education Minister Martin McGuinness.

The drive was launched as it was revealed that people in the province were twice as likely to be racist as sectarian.

The minister unveiled a video - ‘‘True Colours’’ - produced by young people for young people through the Children’s Law Centre.

He said racism in any form was totally unacceptable and had no place in society.

Mr McGuinness said he wanted young people to leave school equipped to challenge unacceptable attitudes and to have ‘‘the courage to debunk stereotypes’’.

Speaking at the launch in Belfast, Mr McGuinness said: ‘‘There is a challenge to create a culture of zero tolerance for any manifestation of racism, from any source, within our schools and youth services.

‘‘We, in the education sector, have an active part to play in creating the same culture in the wider community.’’

He said Northern Ireland was all too aware of the problem of sectarianism that had faced the region for so long.

The testimonies contained in the video, together with recent academic research, ‘‘presents us all with the unpalatable truth that we also face a problem of racism within our society’’, he said.

The Good Friday Agreement and recent legislation including the Human Rights Act and Race Relations Order had ‘‘created a duty on public authorities to be proactive in promoting social inclusion’’.

To that end, there would be an examination of the issue of citizenship within the current curriculum review and production of intercultural materials for use at primary and secondary level, he said.

There would also be publication of guidelines to promote positive behaviour and anti-bullying and planned guidance for schools on promoting good race relations.

Punam Tohani, of the Children’s Law Centre, said: ‘‘The facts are frightening. People in Northern Ireland are twice as likely to be racist as sectarian.

‘‘In the Travelling community, children are 10 times more likely to die.

‘‘Three out of every five of us would not want an African Caribbean, Chinese or South Asian person living in our communities.’’