Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland


The Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland is an independent Irish advocacy group for those seeking asylum in the Republic of Ireland, with the goal of ending Direct Provision and deportation.

History

MASI was founded in 2014 after the protests in Direct Provision Centres to give a voice and advocate for those living in Direct Provision and seeking asylum in Ireland. One of the founding members of MASI was Lucky Khambule. They argue that the privatised nature of Direct Provision Centres in Ireland result in chronic issues regarding health, hygiene, and civil and human rights of those housed there. They held their first conference in Liberty Hall, Dublin in October 2019, with a keynote from MASI spokesperson Bulelani Mfaco. Alongside Irish Refugee Council and Nasc, MASI is one of the groups represented on the independent advisory group reviewing Direct Provision due to finish its report in late 2020.

Core activities

MASI have a set of core goals:
In 2020, MASI have highlighted the systemic issues around the management and containment of COVID-19 in Direct Provision centres across Ireland, due to problems regarding the inability for people to self-isolate, over-crowding, and lack of facilities for families and children. Some of these centres have been individually identified as having on-going issues, including in Cahersiveen, Miltown Malbay, and Portarlington. MASI alongside Nasc, the Sanctuary Runners, Doras, Irish Refugee Council, and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, called for all vulnerable and at-risk migrants be removed from Direct Provision centres.
MASI, with Black Pride Ireland and Migrants and Ethnic-minorities for Reproductive Justice, have been involved in organising Black Lives Matter protests and demonstrations in response to the killing of George Floyd in Ireland in June 2020. This has come under criticism by the minister for health and the head of the National Public Health Emergency Team as contravening the COVID-19 restrictions on movement and mass gatherings.