UVF's outrageous 'racist quota'

In a week when UVF paramilitaries forced the Chinese community to abandon plans for a community and resource centre in the loyalist Donegall Pass area of South Belfast, it has been disclosed that UVF gangs have also visited estate agents throughout South Belfast, warning them not to move any more Chinese people into the area.

Currently, 14 houses in the area are occupied by members of the Chinese community, while a small number of others are renting homes from private landlords. The local UVF boss has set this figure as the quota for ethnic minority families he says he will 'allow' to live in the area.

Anna Lo of the Chinese Welfare Association said she is aware of the UVF enforced quota.

Sinn Féin's South Belfast Assembly member Alex Maskey said it was an unspoken fact, "accepted by political and civic leaders as well as churchmen that a UVF quota on the number of Chinese people exists.

"It is an absolute disgrace that no one in the Donegall Pass area is prepared to speak out against the racists terrorising the Chinese community."

The Sinn Féin rep also rubbished claims made by DUP Councillor Ruth Patterson that Sandy Row residents are being attacked by nationalist living in the Whitehall Apartments.

Patterson claimed at a meeting of Belfast City Council on Monday night 4 October that people throwing cans from the Whitehall Apartments did not care who they hit "so long as it is a Protestant" and that Sandy Row residents are "living every day with abuse from those flats".

Maskey said Patterson's claims could lead to more sectarian attacks on the Apartments, which were attacked by loyalists in June and July of this year after similar bogus claims.

"Ruth Patterson is supposed to be showing leadership but comments like those have absolutely no basis in fact. All she is doing is inflaming an already volatile situation," he said.

Meanwhile, a group of Polish workers say they are considering leaving Derry after their home at Clonmeen Drive, Strathfoyle, in the loyalist Waterside area was attacked by a number of racist thugs at around 11.45pm on Saturday 9 October.

A window was broken in the house as the youths attempted to kick down a door.

Expressing his anger at the racist attack Derry's Mayor Gearóid Ó hEara said the vast majority of the people of Derry will be appaled at the news that this racist attack has taken place.

"The people who carried this out represent no one and nothing other than their own bigoted worldview, which has nothing to offer Derry except more hate," he said.

Ó hEara assured the Poles that he would offer any support and assistance they need.