Madam, - As a non-governmental organisation working to combat racism we welcome the cancellation of the potentially divisive march in Athlone this Saturday.
However, we remain concerned about some of the rhetoric used this week, particularly that which, coming from senior public figures, seemed designed to capitalise on the tragic Nally case.
During RTE's Liveline programme on Tuesday, Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins declared that the march would be "a wake-up call to Travellers".
Perhaps with his own electoral agenda in mind, he went on to launch a gratuitous attack on the Equal Status Act, which had nothing to do with the court case in question. He suggested that this Act gave "unparalleled rights" which were being "abused" in some unspecified way - yet what are these rights, excepts the exact same rights granted to all others in this State? Let us make it clear: the Equal Status Act confers no special privileges. It merely ensures that everyone is treated the same - a principle of which Ireland should be proud.
Travellers are entitled to the same treatment under the law as anybody else - equally subject to prosecution and equally entitled to protection. By suggesting that pressure be put on Travellers to "self-regulate", Jim Higgins seems to reinforce the false and dangerous notions that Travellers are a homogenous group and that they are somehow a people apart from the normal regulations.
Does this MEP believe the legal system and the equal status legislation should operate on an opt-in and opt-out, discretionary basis? Certainly he seems to regard the political protocol against playing the "race card" as disposable. - Yours, etc,
ALICE-MARY HIGGINS, Anti-Racism Project, Comhlámh, Camden Street, Dublin 2.