Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-17-Speech-4-148"
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"en.20000217.7.4-148"2
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"Mr President, last week, in the Andalusian town of El Ejido, we saw scenes which were inappropriate to the European Union in the year 2000. This was acknowledged by the Commission President, Romano Prodi, on 9 February when he confirmed that what had occurred in El Ejido went against the very principles of the European Union. These events have caused us great pain and shame and have awoken our fears given the extreme racism, xenophobia and intolerance demonstrated. It is incomprehensible that ways of coexisting and ensuring mutual respect cannot be found between two communities which are mutually beneficial. The only way to prevent these events happening again, in a place where there are large communities of immigrant workers, is through social integration. This requires a firm economic, political and social commitment from the competent authorities.
We are all immigrants. For generations human beings have not always remained within the borders of one nation state but have constantly migrated. Geographical mobility is not an invention of the twentieth century and neither are its economic and work-related causes. We are all immigrants, if not ourselves personally, then through one of our relations or ancestors. However, instead of producing these events which we are condemning, migration must generate social, cultural and economic enrichment.
What happened in El Ejido is unfortunately not exclusive to this one town of the European Union. We must therefore firstly condemn clearly and emphatically the brutal racist and xenophobic outbursts of certain inhabitants of El Ejido against immigrant workers in the area. A whole community should not have been held responsible, criminalised and attacked for one regrettable but isolated incident.
Secondly, all the authorities must act immediately. Coordination between them is the key to combating this type of xenophobia and racism. In particular, local authorities and mayors have a direct responsibility to prevent any demonstration of racism or xenophobia, especially when this involves violent and aggressive acts against people and their property. These authorities must also help to achieve difficult agreements between the parties involved and must not hinder these, as has happened with the mayor in question.
Thirdly, the political parties must assume direct responsibility for the political actions of their public officials. They must prevent any individual action or declaration which is contrary to the principles and values of coexistence and tolerance expressed by the European Union.
Finally, the European Union must be responsible for monitoring the application of its principles. It must prevent any racist or xenophobic demonstrations in its territory and support and collaborate with national, regional and local authorities and non-governmental organisations and associations in the application of these principles. This must occur within a framework of constant action to combat racism and xenophobia and to encourage the integration of all immigrants resident in the EU."@en1
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