Celtic League Cornwall/Kernow - Rascist attacks on community centre condemned

This just in from the Celtic League:

KERNOW - RACIST ATTACKS ON COMMUNITY CENTRE CONDEMNED

The General Secretary (GS) has written to Cornwall Council Leader
David Whalley in an attempt to urge the Council to do more to promote
relations between ethnic groups in Cornwall. The call comes shortly
after a spate of racist graffiti attacks against a former Methodist
chapel near Truro that is currently being converted into an Asian
community centre.

The full text of the GS letter, which has been copied to the Muslim
Council of Britain and Chief Constable Stephen Otter (who is also
the spokesperson for the Association of Chief Police Officers on Race
and Diversity), can be found below:


"Dear Councillor David Whalley

Racist attacks on Methodist Chapel, Quenchwell

I am writing to you following repeated graffiti attacks on the old
Methodist chapel at Quenchwell, near Carnon Down in recent weeks.

The Celtic League outrightly condemns any racist attack against members
of other ethnic communities in Cornwall and elsewhere, even if they
are only, for the moment, in the form of graffiti. Even though it
was probably only a small number of people who were responsible for
dubbing the graffiti and that the vast majority of people in Cornwall
would equally condemn the attacks, it may nevertheless be prudent
for Cornwall Council, along with members of the Devon and Cornwall
Police Constabulary and other public bodies, to begin a campaign or
series of events to encourage members of Cornwall's public to engage
in intercultural dialogue.

As you may be aware, 2008 is the European Year for Intercultural Dialogue
and is also an area that the European Union has been promoting for
many years within Europe and beyond. The aim of the project is to
forge and develop good relations between members of different cultural
groups. (More information, including some ideas, can be found at the
link below). Relating to the Year for Intercultural Dialogue events
could be organised between members of different ethnic groups throughout
Cornwall, in an attempt to promote cultural dialogue and understanding.
In the other Celtic countries, where such programmes have been implemented,
the results have been very encouraging.

We are aware of some small scale programmes in Cornwall that aim to
promote intercultural understanding e.g. Redruth Polish Society, but
the Celtic League believes that a Cornwall wide approach is needed
to overcome the bigotry and prejudice among some people that has manifested
itself in the graffiti at Quenchwell.

We look forward to hear your views on this matter.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary"


The Celtic League is committed to combating racism and in 2001 at
its AGM in Cymru endorsed the aims and objectives of the (United Nations)
'World Conference Against Racism'.

See links at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/475
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/478


J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

22/06/08


The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works
to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a
broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights
human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on
socio-economic issues.

TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609

Internet site at:

http://celticleague.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/