Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I convey the sympathy of the Socialist Party and the Anti-Austerity Alliance to all those affected by the sickening violence that struck Paris on Friday night. With over 120 dead and dozens injured, this is a huge calamity for the ordinary people of France. The barbarity as described by eyewitnesses says it all. People were forced to play dead in absolute terror as they watched those with whom they had danced or dined minutes before being gunned down, callously assassinated, young people without a care in the world, after a long week and in the prime of their lives. The attackers struck in the most multicultural parts of Paris, the most working class districts. Nothing whatsoever can justify these mindless attacks, nor those that took place in Beirut on Thursday, in Ankara in October, in Tunisia or similar ones taking place in Kobani, Palestine and other areas. Similar terror is the daily or weekly nightmare in whole regions where imperial and other forces have become involved.

The outcome of the attack in Paris will be utterly backward and reactionary and the first victims of the backlash will be Muslims. Already in France they are paying and elsewhere in Europe, even in Ireland, and all around the world will pay a high price in a renewed wave of Islamophobia which was already prevalent but which will now be stoked up by groups on the far right and racists. Muslims do not support ISIS, IS, ISIL or whichever term we want to use. For example, last year in my area, Blanchardstown, a protest took place on behalf of a group of Muslims against ISIS. Muslims are generally the victims of ISIS. An organisation such as it will never have mass support, which is why it resorts to these acts. The highest numbers of victims of terror around the globe are Muslims. It is really important that we get this message across. Of the top ten countries for terrorist activity, eight are are so-called Muslim states. It is obvious that refugees are becoming another scapegoat for this attack. Ironically, they are mainly fleeing ISIS.

The second result will be the imposition of repressive laws. There is already a state of emergency in France which bans meetings and public gatherings. Following the atrocity perpetrated against the workers in Charlie Hebdo, there were gatherings of different sections of the French people. We will not be able to see such gatherings of solidarity because of the state of emergency. Unfortunately, these laws will be used against democratic movements in the future. That has also happened in Ireland where anti-terrorism legislation is used against democratic parties and movements. The European Union and the French Government’s response to the atrocity has predictably been airstrikes for propaganda value because they can have no other real military effect, but they are not a solution. There will, undoubtedly, be more innocent victims as a result of these airstrikes.

The Taoiseach called for respect and tolerance, but the State should stop giving succour and comfort to violent dictators and those involved in wars. For example, it would be good to hear a condemnation of the Turkish leader, Erdogan, who maintains a reign of terror against the Kurdish people, many of whom are forced to flee and seek refuge in other countries. He has also given aid to ISIS because it suits his own ends against the Kurdish people. The Taoiseach visited Saudi Arabia last year and, amazingly, our flag flew at half-mast there when a Saudi Arabian representative died. The Taoiseach should also condemn those who maintain a reign of terror against people in these countries.

The Global Terrorism Index reports 32,658 died as a result of terrorism last year, an increase of 18,000 on the figure for the previous year. These deaths are taking place because of the increased involvement of imperial powers in these regions.

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