’Did ye hear about . . .?’ Conversations told: Immigrants are not free loaders!

The latest in the series of the Connections Peace Barrier Project’s "Did Ye Hear About?" on Tuesday last at the Gasyard Centre saw host and former Derry Journal editor, Pat McArt joined by Gaelle Gormley of the North West Migrants Forum.

The topic for this latest offering in the ‘myth-busting’ series was the urban myths out there in regard to immigrants.

At the outset, Mrs Gormley said it was important to get it understood that there has been a growing campaign to demonise immigrants as being the fault for the all the ills of society.

She stated that most of what is shared on social media, especially racist videos and posts, were “lies and fake news”, part of a strategy from what she described as “very organised extreme groups to hurt innocent people and make their lives miserable”. 

She explained: “It is a total myth that asylum seekers are treated better than the host community. That is totally wrong.  An asylum seeker gets between £1.20 and £7.02 per day. They are not entitled to more benefits than others.

IN PICTURES: Derry's Gasyard hosts discussion on tackling myths surrounding immigrants

The latest in the series of the Connections Peace Barrier Project’s heard from Gaelle Gormley of the North West Migrants Forum

“As for the myth they are lazy and want to do nothing, while most want to work, they are not allowed to work. Neither are they allowed to access public funds of any kind until a decision on their status is made. So, they are not free-loaders, they are not lazy hanging around wanting to do nothing. It’s because they have no choice. And they are certainly not taking people’s jobs or resources.”

The welfare and integration officer with the NWMF, Mrs Gormley said UK wide studies had also dispelled the myth that immigrants did not contribute positively to society. 

A recent study had found that they contribute £20bn to the economy, while immigrant owned businesses contribute £7.6bn.

As to the situation locally, she pointed out that one of the first prominent immigrants to the North-West was Dr Raphael Armattoe, a  Ghanaian medical doctor, author, poet and politician, who moved to Derry in 1939 where he opened a medical practice. He was later nominated for the Nobel Prize for medical research

And she added: “Black and minority ethnic people are recorded in Britain and Ireland since at least Roman and Viking times.  Records from the 1700s show people working and living in Ireland from different ethnic backgrounds.

Both Mrs Gormley and Anatasia Shevchenko, a volunteer at the Forum, gave personal experiences of being immigrants, the former being French but being married to a Derry man while the latter is from Ukraine. 

Connections Peace Barrier Project’s ‘Did ye hear about?' at Derry's Gasyard

Former Derry Journal editor Pat McArt was joined by Brian Dougherty of the North West Cultural Partnership

‘Did Ye Hear About?’ . . . ‘The Exodus’ with Brian Dougherty at The Gasyard

The Mythbuster Lectures are part of the Connections – A Peace Barrier Project, organised by the Neighbourhood Management Team and funded by the International Fund For Ireland.

The ‘Did Ye Hear About..?’ series is to continue over the coming months with a number of events taking place. See local Press for further details.