"We Cannot Let this Government Destroy our Reputation for Humanity"

national | rights, freedoms and repression | feature Tuesday June 08, 2004 22:03 by Students for a No Vote sudevelopment at ucd dot ie

Student Campaign to Defeat McDowell's Racist Referendum Launched

Students from Colleges across Ireland have formed an alliance in opposition to the proposals in this week’s referendum on citizenship. Students’ Unions in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (DLIADT) have all passed motions calling for a “No” vote in Friday’s poll. They have now joined forces with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the representative body of over 250,000 students in Ireland, in calling for the referendum to be defeated.

Paul Dillon, President of UCD Students’ Union, says that UCDSU took a decision to oppose the referendum “because students have always been to the forefront of human rights issues.”

“This is clearly an issue of human rights – we are shifting the roots of this country from inclusiveness to elitist bloodline citizenship in a way that demonises those of different ethnic origins.”

“This referendum is not about closing a ‘loophole,’” believes Dillon. “It is a fundamental shift in how we define citizenship. It means that children born to EU and non-EU students and workers, who add so much to our economy and culture, will not be citizens, whereas descendants of Irish people living outside Ireland, with no other connections with the country, will have citizenship rights.”

Dermot Looney, an activist in the UCD Anti-Deportation Campaign, says that “refugees, asylum-seekers and others from abroad are not responsible for the state of the country’s public services – this government are.”

“This is a cynical ploy on behalf of the PD/FF government to take away from their failure to properly fund public services such as health and education,” concluded Looney. “The government has employed racist sentiment against one of the most vulnerable sections in our society - pregnant asylum seekers, many of whom are fleeing poverty and violence that we can barely imagine. We cannot let this government destroy our reputation for humanity.”

Related Offsite Links
Campaign Against the Racist Referendum Website
Irish Council for Civil Liberties Referendum Materials
Why The Irish Refugee Council says Vote No
Irish Centre for Human Rights Analysis of Referendum Proposal

Full Article as originally Submitted

Students from colleges across Ireland have formed an alliance in opposition to the proposals in this week’s referendum on citizenship. Students’ Unions in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (DLIADT) have all passed motions calling for a “No” vote in Friday’s poll. They have now joined forces with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the representative body of over 250,000 students in Ireland, in calling for the referendum to be defeated.

PRESS RELEASE

Students for a No Vote Launch Campaign

Students from colleges across Ireland have formed an alliance in opposition to the proposals in this week’s referendum on citizenship. Students’ Unions in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (DLIADT) have all passed motions calling for a “No” vote in Friday’s poll. They have now joined forces with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the representative body of over 250,000 students in Ireland, in calling for the referendum to be defeated.

The Students for a No Vote group has been actively campaigning within and outside college campuses for students and the general public to defeat the government’s proposals. In UCD, over 250 posters were put up around the campuses and exam halls stating “No to racism – No to the referendum,” while thousands of leaflets were distributed around the college. DLIADT Students’ Union ran a poster and leaflet campaign during a major Art Exhibition, targeting amongst others the Government Chief Whip, Mary Hanafin.

Students have also taken an active role in the umbrella “Campaign Against the Racist Referendum” group, to which a number of Students’ Unions and USI are affiliated.

Paul Dillon, President of UCD Students’ Union, says that UCDSU took a decision to oppose the referendum “because students have always been to the forefront of human rights issues.”

“This is clearly an issue of human rights – we are shifting the roots of this country from inclusiveness to elitist bloodline citizenship in a way that demonises those of different ethnic origins.”

“This referendum is not about closing a ‘loophole,’” believes Dillon. “It is a fundamental shift in how we define citizenship. It means that children born to EU and non-EU students and workers, who add so much to our economy and culture, will not be citizens, whereas descendants of Irish people living outside Ireland, with no other connections with the country, will have citizenship rights.”

Dermot Looney, an activist in the UCD Anti-Deportation Campaign, says that “refugees, asylum-seekers and others from abroad are not responsible for the state of the country’s public services – this government are.”

“This is a cynical ploy on behalf of the PD/FF government to take away from their failure to properly fund public services such as health and education,” concluded Looney. “The government has employed racist sentiment against one of the most vulnerable sections in our society - pregnant asylum seekers, many of whom are fleeing poverty and violence that we can barely imagine. We cannot let this government destroy our reputation for humanity.”

Students for a No Vote will continue to campaign across colleges during the week and has called on all students in Ireland to vote “no” on Friday.

ENDS

For more information contact…
- Paul Dillon, President, UCD Students’ Union, on 01-7163110 or 087-6859446, or at supresident@ucd.ie
- Oisín O’Donovan, President, DLIADT Students’ Union, on 01-2144646 or at president@dlsu.ie