Hate crimes are directly linked to “damaging language” used by senior politicians, according to a report reviewing the Executive’s 10 year racial equality strategy.
The review, completed months before the wave of racially motivated attacks over the summer, but only published at the start of Christmas week, also notes the opinion that “very few politicians” were involved in implementing the strategy.
Dr Sabir Zazai, who heads the Scottish Refugee Council, said there a “lack of understanding between the established communities in Northern Ireland and the new arriving communities”.
“Once this strategy had been signed off by ministers, there was then no subsequent action or delivery plan and associated budget developed,” Dr Zazai added about the strategy, which covers the years 2015-2025.
One of the key recommendations is for Stormont to develop an action plan with a linked budget.
In a comprehensive response to the report, which was completed in March but published on December 23, the Executive Office said it has noted “the reviewer’s calls to action, with some recommendations having already been or recently implemented”.
“Along with this final report, there will be further engagement and collaboration by TEO with the wider minority ethnic sector to inform any new strategic approach beyond 2025,” the office added.
Dr Zazai noted the lack of a functioning government for five of the years of the strategy has not helped and also raised the cost of living crisis and politicians.
“The cost of living crisis has also aggravated the context for hate crimes, particularly the damaging language of ‘us and them’ pursued by senior politicians that has created divisions and sense of doubt amongst communities,” he wrote.
In its response, the executive pointed to the setting of a cross department working group “to address the need for a strategic longer-term response to the recent escalation in racist hate incidents and crime”.
Dr Zazai separately added: “A number of people pointed out to me that there has been a major challenge with the implementation of the strategy because there have been very few politicians involved, and a perception that it is not a priority for them at this time.”
He praised the “energy and commitment that the civil servants at the Executive Office put into creating an equal society for all is commendable”, adding the strategy “has created a real platform for collaboration by bringing stakeholders from across the sector to work together for equalities”.
The author expressed concern at hearing there is a lack of confidence in reporting hate crimes, though added work is being done in this area.
He was “distressed to hear of one refugee family moving into a home on an estate and having children throwing eggs at their property”.
“The response to their report was that they were only children. Yet there will be parents behind these children, and it must be awful to have to live in such an environment.”