LETTERS The inhumanity of racism
Sir: Dhiren Bhagat's piece 'Race to the top' (23 August) is a travesty of the truth from the title on. I write as an ex-employee of the Institute of Race Relations, now a member of its governing council (and as such one of Sivanandan's bosses): and as a white colleague with 17 years' experience of the place and the man.
The image of Sivanandan as a violent white-hater is just laughable. Anti- democratic? There was no democracy at the IRR until the staff takeover in 1972. And it was a staff takeover, not a Sivanan- dan takeover. As for the cigar-puffing fat cat on the cover — as a barrister I feel qualified to tell you that's downright libel. As director and after 32 years' service Sivanandan earns the princely sum of £7,250 per annum. He — and the other staff — refuse to take a decent salary. The funds the IRR receives go to enrich the work, not the workers.
As for the work, the supreme irony of your piece lies in the fact that the Institute has been one of the foremost and most consistent critics of the race relations 'in- dustry'. Its many scathing attacks on the proliferation of race relations expertise culminated in a critique of racism aware- ness training (`RAT and the degradation of black struggle', Race & Class vol. xxvi no. 4 1985) — as Mr Bhagat knows well, having drawn on it himself. He chooses not to disclose this: it gets in the way of his story.
The truth about the IRR is too simple for your sophisticated journalist to grasp. It fights the injustice and inhumanity of racism. It will continue to do so for as long as is necessary and will not be deflected by fake sensationalism or gutter journalism. France Webber
2 Garden Court, Middle Temple, London EC4
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