Increase in racial prejudice directly linked to sectarianism

5.20.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Jun 2006

Chairman Cllr Ian James Parsley

The Alliance Party's youth wing has said today's figures from the NI Life and Times Survey indicating an increase in racial prejudice are no surprise given the ongoing failure to link the scourge of racism to the scourge of sectarianism, and tackle both together.

Chairman Cllr Ian James Parsley stated: "The survey methodology is not perfect, but the increase in racial prejudice illustrated ties in with anecdotal evidence that has been well reported.

"In a society as fundamentally sectarian as ours, it is no surprise that racism is such a problem.

"But while people are very good at talking about the problem, few are prepared to take the action required to alleviate it. The fact is that racism and sectarianism and the same side of the same coin, yet we have a political and social system which is sectarian at its very basis.

"How can we tackle sectarianism if our leaders depend upon it for their mandate? And how can we tackle racism if our leaders are unwilling to tackle the sectarianism upon which it is founded?

"The sectarian system has failed the people of Northern Ireland for decades - now it is failing newcomers to our country. There is an alternative. It is time we tried it."

ENDS