Sir, - Seamus Heaney, in his moving article marking the current UN conference on racism ("Actions speak louder than words", The Irish Times, August 27th), correctly says that the fight against racism must be waged at government level through both education and legislation.
He did not mention the incredible irony of John O'Donoghue's trip to the conference and how, on his way to South Africa, he would stop off to sign a readmission agreement with the Nigerian government facilitating the repatriation of failed asylum seekers from that country.
Such readmission agreements go completely against the principles of international refugee law. Every human being has the legal right to claim asylum and to have his or her case consideredindividually.
So far, the Irish Government has failed to implement its proposed anti-racism programme announced early last year. Therefore, the only "educational" message being delivered by Mr O'Donoghue's present actions is "We don't want Nigerian people here and we want to send them back en masse as soon as possible". How Mr O'Donoghue will explain this situation to the conference is anyone's guess.
When is the Government going to stop reacting in an irrational way to the arrival of people seeking asylum in this country? It is the Government's responsibility to take the lead in laying the foundations for a positively multicultural and non-racist Ireland.
Unfortunately, this visit to Nigeria does not bode well for the Government's intentions in this regard.- Yours, etc.,
Mary Mangan, Kirwan Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7.