Everything Ulster - Election 2005

LEAFLETS have been distributed to homes in west Belfast warning ethnic minorities not to talk to the police.

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The booklet, circulated by the West Against Racism Network (WARN), is supposedly suported by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and claims:

"The police force in Northern Ireland (PSNI) is seen by most as an extension of the British state and has no support. You should avoid calling them into the area unless it is a necessity, eg, for insurance purposes.

If the PSNI ask questions about your neighbours, you should not answer them.

As you may be aware, most of the residents in West Belfast have no confidence in the PSNI and would only have contact with them as a last resort."

Interesting that they have no problem involving the PSNI when it comes to getting an insurance claim. Presumably for anything else they prefer to get their "community leaders" (read: senior IRA brigadier in the area) to "sort it out".

Belfast Lord Mayor, Tom Ekin said that these warnings (threats?) were 'very concerning' and the booklet 'positively scares off visitors and possible residents'. He also questions if the OFMDFM knew exactly what they were endorsing.

If it really does put minorities off living in West Belfast, it's probably doing them a favour with this sort of mentality so prevalent.

WARN spokesman Flair Campbell tried to defend the booklet, claiming it reflected the views of people in the west Belfast community. He should have said most people, or even some people, in the west Belfast "community".

In recent years the PSNI have made real efforts to gain the confidence of not just nationalists, but ethnic minoirites too, with ethnic minority community liaison officers in every area. The fact that this pack of clowns are allowed to peddle their republican propaganda in an attempt to undermine the PSNI, especially on an "Anti-Racism" ticket, is nothing short of obscene. I really question if there is an overlap between WARN and Sinn Fein, because the only ones who benefit from scaring people away from the police are Sinn Fein/IRA's criminal minions.

These cretons at WARN probably apply for funding based on the premise that they want to tackle racism. Of course come time to spend the funds and they're clearly using it to indoctrinate ethnic minorities, innocent of the bigotry prevelant in some members of their new host communities, into their own mindset of hatred and paranoia. I totally support attempts to stamp out racism, especially since there have been 'incidents' near where I live, of ethnic minority families being burnt out of their houses and it sickens me. That's why I'm so disgusted by republican bigots masquerading as anti-racism groups.

What was the point in all the reforms implemented post GFA if these republican sabbateurs are still determined to undermine law and order at all costs? Why are new recruits spending more time learning Human Rights learning to police? Sinn Fein must be running scared. The percentage of catholic police officers has doubled since the RUC evolved into the PSNI, from 8% to 16%. They still have a long way to go but they're obviously getting there, and the more acceptable they become, the more Sinn Fein are worried that their main platform for MOPE-ing in the last few years will have gone. Who knows, it'll probably impact on their 'fundraising' too!

Source: Belfast Telegraph, 22nd April 2005, Page 3: "Mayor lashes 'shun police' leaflet"