One year on — Bring back Great’s family

by Joe Moore - Cork Anti Racism Network Tue Aug 05, 2008 22:41 55 North Main Street, Cork 087 2994796

It is hard to believe that one year has passed since the brutal deportation of the Agbonlahor family. Those of us who were at the protest on 14th August 2007 outside the GNIB, will never forget our shock and disgust when the family's solicitor announced that they had been taken into custody to await deportation.
The minister who carried out this act, Brian Lenihan, had previously been Minister for Children. So much for cherishing all the children of the nation equally.
Since then, despite numerous appeals to the minister for justice and the collection of thousands of signatures, this government has refused to do the honourable thing and bring the family back to Ireland.
The Cork Anti Racism Network is supporting next Thursday's protest and is calling on all those who support the Agbonlahor family to make their way to Burgh Quay between 1.00pm and 2.30pm.
For evil to triumph all that is necessary is that good people do nothing.

by JC Skinner Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:27

Great was not, is not and is unlikely ever to be a child of the nation of Ireland. He is a child of another nation, specifically Nigeria.
It is obviously impossible for the Irish state to deport any genuine child of the nation, except in the highly unlikely circumstances that such a child was sought for extradition on serious criminal charges by another state. And in those unlikely circumstances, it is probable such an extradition request would be refused.
The Agbonlahor family were sent back to their homeland of Nigeria because they had broken Irish law. They claimed to be seeking asylum and were found not to be entitled to asylum. Therefore they had no right to stay in Ireland.
There is no humanitarian argument here. The Agbonlahors sought to subvert Ireland's generous asylum system to their own economic benefit. That is not only illegal but immoral, and functions to cheat those in genuine need of asylum in Ireland out of a chance at a new life here.
Did the Agbonlahors deserve a chance in Ireland? No, they were not entitled to one. No more than anyone who is not an EU citizen or a genuine asylum seeker is entitled to one. They sought to subvert our laws and our good nature and were found out. If only more of the asylum cheats were similarly repatriated, we might eventually have a properly functioning system that actually benefited those in need of asylum, rather than bogus Nigerian asylum claimants like the Agbonlahor family.

by Pat - none Wed Aug 06, 2008 14:58 none none

Most of what I wanted to say has already been said in the above post. I fully agree with the above, On another point, if a genuine asylum seeker wanted to escape from the threat of political persecution for whatever reason, surly they would be only to glad to escape to anywhere other than their own country of origin. I don’t want to start a major debate about geography here, but the number of countries on our planet is 195, give or take a few. Given that the Agbonlahor family had a choice of 194 other countries in which to seek asylum they picked Ireland. What is the attraction with Ireland ? Protection against persecution or economic sanctuary ? Look at the atlas, why Ireland. There are so many other countries to chose from. Would it not be more convenient and cheaper to find asylum somewhere closer to home. The Agbonlahor family failed to get political Asylum in Ireland, so maybe they might try somewhere else. They have options, why insist/demand to come back to Ireland ? They had a chance and where turned down because they did not qualify for political asylum. Let them have the manners to step aside for someone else who genuinely might benefit from our asylum laws. We should keep our doors open for genuine political asylum seekers who’s actual lives are under death threat. I think some sections of the Irish people have a problem with understanding the difference between economic sanctuary and political asylum.

by Margaret O'Regan. - SWP. Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:14

I believe that any human being living on the planet has a right to live wherever they choose to live. Money travels around the globe all the time, without restriction. Factories and offices get set up in various countries around the globe every day. Why not people?

The Agbonlahor family were not deported in my name. As an Irish Citizen, I call on the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, to reverse the deportation order, as he has the power to do. This has already been done.

In March 2005, Leaving Certificate student, Kunle Eluhanlo, was deported to Nigeria in his school uniform, but popular pressure made the Government consent to his return to this country, and he has lived here safely since then. If you believe in human rights, and, above all, the rights of children, now is the time to make your voice heard. Be at the protest - bring your placards.

by Sceptic Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:26

"Factories and offices get set up in various countries around the globe every day. Why not people?"

That is a very radical idea. Firstly there are important constraints in doing business in many parts of the world - full factor movement across borders is guaranteed in the EU only. Secondly, no welfare state could take the strain of unlimited immigration nor could the wages of the less skilled be kept to a high legal minimum. It was mass Chinese migration to California in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century that caused the fist real migration restrictions in the US primarily in order to project wages. If there was unlimited Nigerian inflow into Ireland - say at a rate of one million a year for ten years, a conservative estimate - Irish wage levels would gravitate downwards towards Nigerian levels and the social welfare system would become unsustainable. Thirdly it is a fundamental aspect of national sovereignty for a state to have some control over the numbers of foreigners that enter it in order to live. Finally even in a tolerant State unrestricted mass migration would provoke a backlash from the native population which coudl be very ugly.

Overall the suggestion goes well beyond the issue of asylum seekers. Mass migration to the US worked one reason being it was not a welfare state and to some extent still is not. This is not the case in Western Europe especially for a small State. You cannot have both large scale unrestricted unskilled immigration and a welfare State. A choice would have to be made.

by Factor 50 Tue Aug 12, 2008 13:20

" They sought to subvert our laws and our good nature "

Our " good nature " left us with the hard times but who knows they could make a come back.

by Zeinab Oyibo Wed Aug 13, 2008 00:59

I would very much like it if Great could be brought back to Ireland. It seemed a heartless decision on the Dept of Justice to deport he and his family, given the medical condition he has. But there doesn't seem much chance of that happening. We have to ask ourselves why? There seems to be little public support beyone RAR and the left in general for a campaign to bring them back. My own personal guess as to the reasons for this are - public apathy, some racism and also someone mentioned Olukunle. It seemed that this gentleman's case extinguished public sympathy for deportees and asylum seekers by virtue of what was printed about him in the media and his personal circumstances. The lesson to be learnt from it it, to choose battles more carefully. Again, I hope Great and his family are ok and that he is receiving some form of treatment in Nigeria, even if its just the support of a community.

Oyibo