Hami Kurd's Response to 'At a Turning Point?' by Gary Craig 26/8/05 (1/2)

(1/2), (2/2).

This is a Hami Kurd response to the above report by Professor Gary Craig. This was a research report on race relations in Hull. It seems that Gary Craig has sentenced the research to be negative before he even started writing it. Below is what we think of it as a Kurdish community living in this city with normal people of Hull, not behind nice desks and offices. We see and feel whatever a normal English person in this city feels. We have not had the opportunity to read the full document but are basing our comments on the Hull Daily Mail report (25/7/05), our knowledge of previous works with which Gary Craig was involved, and our observations of the research process undertaken by Gary Craig and his team that has resulted in this current document.

We have no faith in this research work and view it as an insult to Hull, its Council, and its people. It is not scientifically rigorous and we believe the problem stems from a basic lack of contact with the situation at ground level and therefore reliance on unreliable contacts who claim to represent ethnic minorities. We cannot comment for other ethnic minority groups but we do know that the Hull-based Kurds Gary Craig 'consulted' for a previous study in Sheffield (a place they are quite unfamiliar with) are not representative of the Kurdish community in Hull, and certainly not of the Kurdish community in Sheffield.

To take their guidance in such a project is not scientific: if there is no evidence of racism it means they and their organizations are redundant and do not warrant the high levels of funding they receive. We find it unsurprising that the organizations for which these Kurds work are praised within the study and held up as examples of good practice whilst others are criticized. We actually predicted Gary Craig's findings when his 'study' was first announced.

We also ask people to look at a research project Young Turks and Kurds for which Gary Craig acted in an advisory role. This project is also deeply flawed and indicates a desire on the part of the researchers to make accusations of racism where the evidence does not justify such a charge, look at the exam results of the students involved and the researchers' verdict in this area. You can read the research itself and our response to this flawed document by logging on to www.hamikurd.com We, Hami Kurd, the only independent Kurdish organization in Hull, were not even consulted by Gary Craig and yet we live within the Kurdish community here.

The 'token' Kurds who hold positions within the system have little contact with their own community and certainly do not represent it, they also benefit directly by a continuing impression that racial tensions run high in Hull.

The organizations for which they work (supported by Hull City Council), or within which they have friends, are praised by Gary Craig whilst Hull City Council, which is in a difficult position from which to defend itself, is criticized. We know of the relationships that exist between individuals and organizations in Hull but, due to the fact that Gary Craig did not consult us, he has blundered into his 'study' unaware of the realities of the situation. This is either arrogant or amateurish.

Continued Next Page (2/2),

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