French riots a serious lesson for Northern Ireland - Parsley
9.14.40am GMT Tue 8th Nov 2005
North Down Alliance Councillor Ian James Parsley has said that ongoing riots among immigrant communities in France offer a serious reminder of problems closer to home.
The Chairman of the Alliance Party youth wing stated: "We in Northern Ireland must pay immediate attention to the basic reason for these ongoing riots in France - the failure of Government to promote integration among different groups.
"Riots across France are therefore caused by the very same thing that caused them in Belfast in September - the ongoing acceptance of segregation by Government. Social segregation leads to ignorance, fear, hatred, and all too often violence.
"Business leaders in France have started talking about the negative effects on the economy and on schools that these riots have had. Again, this mirrors precisely what happens in Northern Ireland. Just as people come close to sealing big investment, violence based on segregation breaks out. Yet most of our political parties feed off this division, rather than seeking to cure it.
"This is another example of the costs of segregation. We need to act fast: on integrating public services and facilities, on promoting the importance of citizenship in our classrooms, and on taking the issue of good relations seriously."
ENDS
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