Motion no: 24
Conference is concerned at the current crisis whereby over a million citizens of Syria and other Middle Eastern countries are displaced because of the political and humanitarian crisis in these countries. No-one can fail to have been moved by the pictures which have spread around the world of people in desperation fleeing their homes, risking their own lives and that of their families, to seek a better, secure and safe future for them.
Conference notes the growing evidence of heightened racism fed by a concerted campaign of misinformation about the impact resettlement of displaced families will have on local communities and local economies. It is disgraceful that some politicians and community leaders are scaremongering indicating that migrants will take the jobs of local people, scrounge off the social security benefits system and be able to queue jump on the social housing waiting lists. However, it is a well-established fact that migrants make a positive and significant contribution to our economy and society. Conference acknowledges the tangible support given by many community organisations and the trade union movement in welcoming the migrant population and assisting in addressing the many challenges they face integrating into their new lives in Northern Ireland.
Conference therefore calls on the Northern Ireland Committee to ensure that all forms of racism together with the sore of sectarianism is tackled head on and that we engage with all political representatives and community leaders some who are part of the problem so that it is stamped out at grass roots level and that an education programme be developed to ensure that the scourge of racism is not allowed to grow and develop.
Conference also calls on the Northern Ireland Committee to reinforce the anti-racism message of the trade union movement at every available opportunity.
