When David Cameron attacked multiculturalism in Britain earlier this month he triggered a media storm.
Critics from the political Left accused the Prime Minister of “writing propaganda” for far right groups, while those on the Right argued his speech signalled the death knell for multiculturalism.
Nearly two weeks after he spoke at a security conference in Munich on radicalisation and the causes of terrorism, his comments are still rippling through society.
This week, Welsh politicians, faith leaders and racial equality champions entered the debate – each defending the importance of multiculturalism, not just in tackling terrorism but also in enriching lives.
In his speech, Mr Cameron criticised what he called “state multiculturalism”, suggesting the policy had failed to provide a society which immigrants feel they belonged to.
Yet, Betty Campbell, Wales’ first black headteacher and a former councillor of Cardiff’s Butetown area – once known as Tiger Bay – said it was the arrival of immigrant merchant seaman looking for work in the early 1900s which helped define a society where different races, cultures and religions lived together in harmony.
Proof, she said, that multiculturalism has not only succeeded in Wales but has thrived for more than 100 years.
“When my father came over from Jamaica in 1921 looking for work in the coal industry there was already a large community of West Indians, Africans and Arabs,” she said. “Most of these immigrants came as single men and then inter-married with Welsh or English women.
“This is what made the area so special, the fact that we had different nationalities living side by side.
“We did not have any of the fuss that we have now – all the different religions, races and cultures were just accepted.”
The 77-year-old said she did not understand Mr Cameron’s suggestions that multiculturalism had not worked and insisted Butetown should be held up as an example.
Arguably the most contentious statement made by the Prime Minister blamed the idea of multiculturalism as being the cause of divisions in society.
He said: “Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives.
“We’ve failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong. We’ve even tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run completely counter to our values.”
Yet, in response, Mrs Campbell said: “We haven’t got the same diversity as we once had because many people have moved on.
“We used to have a large Spanish community and there were Jewish people and there was quite a number of people from Cape Verde and Sri Lanka; but it’s still like a melting pot.”
Mr Cameron also said there was a “hands-off tolerance” by white people in Britain to views of minority communities which would otherwise be condemned – such as forced marriages.
“Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism,” he said.
The debate has also been fuelled further by other world leaders, or ex-leaders, condemning multiculturalism.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Australia’s former prime minister John Howard and former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar have all in recent months said multicultural policies had not worked.
But, according to Saleem Kidwai, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, this “failure” is one which has not occurred in Wales.
“As far as we are concerned multiculturalism in Wales is alive and kicking,” he said.
“If you ask the majority of the Muslim community they are proud to be British and proud to be Welsh. It’s not an issue of whether it’s a success or a failure, it’s about whether people have made a contribution to society.”
Mr Kidwai rejected the idea put forward by Mr Cameron that many Muslim men find it hard to identify with Britain while he also likened the importance of multiculturalism to a well-stocked garden.
“We cannot deny we have differences but it is the fact that everyone is different which brings a richness into society.
“People’s values are all the same across the world and neither ethnicity nor faith play a part. It’s not about imposing your culture on someone else, it’s about complementing one another; and that’s what makes it beautiful.
“For example, if you have a garden with just one colour flower in it it doesn’t matter how bright it is you will still get bored. A garden full of colour is really beautiful.”
Taha Idris, chief executive of Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council, was another who felt the multicultural landscape in Wales was far brighter than Mr Cameron portrayed. “There are ghettos in places like London and Blackburn but we do not have anything of the sort in Wales because multiculturalism has worked,” he said.
“In terms of what has been tried and what hasn’t, there have been some failures; but on the whole there have been more successes.
“In West Wales, in particular, there’s been a lot of give and take to accept both sides of the fence, but really, in many ways, we haven’t even separated the fence.”
Both Mr Kidwai and Mr Idris were keen on promoting examples of effective multiculturalism. Mr Kidwai pointed to the council’s collaboration with both grass roots organisations and authorities, such as local councils, the police and the Assembly Government – particularly during a police operation before Christmas that led to men being charged in connection with alleged terror offences.
“The way police handled the situation in Cardiff was noticeably different to how they handled it in Stoke,” he said.
“In Cardiff they [the police] were very subdued whereas in Stoke there was a large police presence. This is because we have a very good relationship with the police and we have respect for each other.
“What gives me satisfaction is the way the community supported each other during that time.”
Mr Kidwai also spoke about the enthusiasm among the Muslim community for the forthcoming referendum on March 3.
“Muslims, like other faiths, are taking a civic responsibility to take active part in the political process and this is because of the values which we are sharing.
“In every mosque meeting we are talking about the referendum and there are very few who do not agree with voting yes.
“We have seen, since the Assembly Government has come into existence, we have got a voice in Wales and we have worked closely with them.
“Before that everything was done down in London and, although we were supposedly represented, we were always talking through a third party. Now we are talking direct to the Government and we are getting results.
“We are all working for one aim, to make Wales a more prosperous and thriving country by working together.”
Mr Idris gave the example of a recent BNP campaign which, by reaction, ultimately served to increase cohesion between white and ethnic minority groups in Swansea.
“There was a purchase of a disused church by a Muslim group which prompted the BNP to come down and campaign,” he said.
“They came to try to influence those who weren’t Muslim by handing out leaflets.
“But the white community supported the idea and supported the Muslim community. They agreed with what it was doing, which was trying to bring the church back into the community again.
“That togetherness is a great example of how multiculturalism has worked.”
Helen Mary Jones, the deputy leader of Plaid Cymru and Llanelli AM, also waded into the discussion.
She said: “I wish people like David Cameron would not muddy the waters when clearly work is being done to good effect.
“I thought his comments were unfortunate and unhelpful. I don’t know what he means by state multiculturalism and I don’t recognise the points that he makes.
“I cannot speak about the black and ethnic communities in England but it certainly doesn’t ring true in Wales.”
Ms Jones referred to the increasing demand for Welsh medium education as an example of how people from ethnic minority backgrounds wanted their children to grow up with a Welsh identity.
She also credited Llanelli Multicultural Network (LMCN) for its work in engaging people from all walks of life, such as groups from South Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“We know people from ethnic minority communities can feel a bit isolated but that’s exactly where LMCN comes in. It is reaching out to them and on the whole the response has been very positive.”
David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth, said it was important for the Prime Minister to speak up on sensitive issues which others may be too scared to raise, but added that Wales did not have a particular problem with people from minority communities integrating into society.
“We don’t have a large problem in Wales but there are parts of the UK were you walk down the street and you don’t ever hear English being spoken. These are the places that do not feel British and where there is a problem.”
All the different religions, races and cultures were just accepted
Fifty tongues in Tiger Bay
Immigration has played a vital role in the development of multicultural Wales since the end of the 19th century when the economic expansion and importance of its seaports and coal mines attracted workers from around the world.
One area in particular which benefited from the cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious makeup immigration brought with it is the small community in the south of Cardiff, formerly known as Tiger Bay.
Butetown, as it is now named, is internationally famous for its diverse mix of ethnic groups, including Somali, Bengali, Afro-Caribbean, Jamaican and Yemeni communities, among others. At the height of the coal boom the area boasted more than 50 different languages.
As they settled in the residential area around Cardiff’s docks in the early 1900s, these groups brought with them their cultural traditions and it was these traditions which soon mixed with existing Welsh traditions which made Butetown one of the UK’s first multicultural communities.
Fast-forward more than 100 years and Butetown still has the highest percentage of ethnic minorities in the Welsh capital – partly because it has recently become a haven for refugees from countries blighted by civil war, such as Somalia.
Wales Online
