Madam, - Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has somewhat inelegantly highlighted the difference between illegal Irish immigrants in the US and the Afghan asylum-seekers in Ireland (The Irish Times, 25 May 2006).
Mr Ahern is correct - there are no parallels. The illegal Irish in the US voluntarily left Ireland and have voluntarily overstayed their entry visas. They are not escaping persecution in a country wrought by war, persecution and terrorism. No Irish man, woman or child would face state-sanctioned death or persecution on their return to Ireland. One cannot compare economic migration with political asylum.
As a foreigner living in Ireland for five years, I have navigated the laborious work permit system five times. I do not support aliens (as we foreigners are labelled) who seek to jump the queue. Nevertheless, I am not qualified to judge the actions of the Afghan asylum-seekers according to my own ethical and moral standards when I do not know their stories and when my life is not in danger if I were to return to the country of my birth.
For years I have listened to the debate about foreigners who come here, who give birth here, who receive entitlements to the perceived exclusion or prejudice of the native-born Irish and I have watched referendums changing your Constitution to restrict perceived loopholes.
Regardless of one's views on the actions of the Afghan hunger-strikers, they have brought to the forefront of public debate a fundamental socio-economic question: is Ireland capable of dealing equitably and compassionately with migrants and asylum seekers? - Yours, etc,
SHAMPA LAHIRI, Bellevue Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.