APPENDIX 13
Memorandum submitted by Banbridge District
Council
Banbridge District Council welcomes the opportunity
to comment on the issue of Hate Crime in Northern Ireland. While
Council recognises that a greater number of people have been affected
by "The Troubles" over the past 30 years, through injury
and loss of life, it is Council's view that the law should protect
all vulnerable groups within our society.
Council is committed to the principle of equality
and to the recognition of human rights for all its citizens. Our
corporate plan states that Council is:
"committed both in spirit and practice to
the equality agenda; enshrined in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland
Act".
Belfast City Council has adopted Good Relations
as a corporate strategic objective. The existent role of the Community
Relations Function is to:
— increase cross-community contact
and co-operation;
— promote greater mutual understanding;
and
— develop appreciation of different
cultural traditions.
To date, the emphasis of the District Council
Community Relations Programme (DCCRP) has focused on addressing
the divisions between the two main traditions in Northern Ireland.
This has been achieved by developing programmes of activity and
by offering "modest' financial assistance to groups wishing
to undertake Community Relations activity.
However, given the recent equality legislation
(encompassing the Good Relations duty), together with the recent
review of Community Relations Policy in Northern Ireland ("A
Shared Future"—A Consultation paper on Improving Relations
in Northern Ireland January 2003), it is likely that the Community
Relations function will be expanded upon to include ethnic minority
groups, including Irish Travellers. This is something that Council
welcomes, as "a shared vision of society" needs to accommodate
the needs of all its citizens.
The Council's Community Relations section delivers
the "Good Relations" function both internally, by providing
training in Equality and Good Relations for members and staff
and externally by active representation in an advisory capacity
on many local Community Networks/Forums, including recent representation
on the Black and Minority Ethnic Children and Young People's Working
Group.
Given our existing links within the voluntary
and community sector, Council is aware that the (current) largest
ethnic grouping in the Banbridge district is that of the Chinese
community (approximately a dozen families). Council recognises
the skills and expertise that such communities have brought to
the area and to the significant contribution that they make to
the local economy. Keen to establish a more accurate mapping of
ethnic minorities, Council has recently commissioned consultants
to map the existence of individuals/communities within the council
area, including recent new comers to the district. It is anticipated
that this will assist Council in the delivery of the Good Relations
function, by consultation with representatives from the ethnic
minority sector on improving service delivery.
In a recent district-wide audit on Community
Safety, carried out on behalf of the Community Safety Partnership,
Council incorporated questions on Good Relations issues. The results
of the audit concluded that 92% of respondents believe that relationships
are either good or very good in relation to religious/political
background. A similar number, 90%, are of the opinion that relationships
were either good or very good between persons of differing racial
background.
However, Council is extremely concerned to note
the recent increases in racially motivated incidents in Northern
Ireland and of the increase in community polarisation—(Source—"A
Shared Future" January 2003).
Local statistics, sourced from PSNI records,
state that from April 2002-March 2003 there were no recorded incidents
of either a racial or homophobic nature in the Banbridge District.
From April 2003-March 2004 there were two recordings of racial
incidents and one homophobic incident and from March 2004 to present
there have been no recorded incidents.
We are advised by the PSNI that at present they
do not provide statistics on recorded sectarian incidents and
at present they do not collect statistics on crime against disabled
persons. However (we would assume, in line with recommendations
in the Fifth Special Report of Session 2003—04 on "Hate
Crime"), we are led to believe that a directive to do so
will commence in September/October of this year.
It will be the role of the Community Safety
Partnership to monitor such activity across the district council
area and to advise relevant agencies accordingly, as well as devising
projects and programmes aimed at addressing such behaviour.
Council recognises that racist behaviour is
present throughout society and abhors all acts of racism including
insulting remarks, threats and physical violence against members
of our community. We acknowiedge that attitudes and behaviour
in our society need to change significantly and through its work
in the area of "Good Relations", the Council will actively
seek to address prejudice in all its forms and to enhance awareness
and appreciation of cultural diversity.
I think it should be noted that Council, as
you know, has absolutely no powers to act against such crime—this
lies with the PSNI and within NIHE legislation when committed
on their property. The Good Relations function does not cover
homophobia or disabled persons—this sits within equality
legislation—we can only hope, that through very modest programme
that we begin to alter attitudes and raise awareness and appreciation
of cultural diversity, but takes time.
12 August 2004
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