Irish Republican News · March 10, 2004

ETHNIC CLEANSING

Two thirds of Chinese families have been forced out of a south Belfast neighbourhood where unionist racists have mounted a hate campaign, it has emerged.

It involved the distribution of leaflets urging residents in the predominantly unionist district to resist a so-called ``yellow invasion''.

It is understood that the leaflets - condemned by an ethnic minority support group as ``inflammatory and frightening'' - were delivered to homes in the Donegall Pass area earlier this week.

The leaflets claim unionists in Donegall Pass are under threat from the Chinese community, warning that ``the time has come to fight back''.

The threats follow a number of attacks on Chinese and Indian families in the Donegall Road area in recent months.

The unsigned leaflets claim that Protestants are becoming a `minority' in the area and accuse ethnic families of turning it into `Chinatown'.

Alleging that Protestants are now being forced out of the area, they warn: ``The Chinese only take from our community and provide nothing for it.''

Condemning reports of racist attacks as ``anti-Protestant propaganda'', the leaflets state: ``If a racist is someone who puts their own people, culture and heritage first with a will to preserve their community, then we should be proud to be branded a racist, for this is our duty.

``Rid our community of these Chinese immigrants and clear the way for Protestant families to move in and our young people to remain to contribute in helping to make our community a better place to live.''

Sinn Féin assembly member Alex Maskey described the threats as ``reprehensible''.

``I would call upon local people, community leaders to make their voices heard and speak against those who would incite racial hatred within the areas in which they live,'' he said.

Ms Anna Lo of the Chinese Welfare Association described the pamphlet as a call for ethnic cleansing.

Ms Lo said that at its height the Chinese community numbered around 60 families in Donegall Pass.

``There are only 23 families left because people were intimidated out of the area.''

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