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They also attacked their neighbour Adam Ahmed Taha, who lived close by with his five year old daughter, Amira. They had been living there peacefully for almost two years.

The attackers smashed in through the windows in the rear doors of the home in Island Street - a Housing Executive property. They ransacked every room, destroyed furniture, used knives to cut up beds and clothing, stole important legal documents, wrote ‘heiron’ (Sic) on the wall, tore up the Qur’an and finally robbed the property.

Ahmed returned home and caught the men in the act. He called his neighbour Adam and they confronted the men. They were attacked and racist death threats were issued. They caught the men on camera as they fled the property and provided the evidence to the PSNI. The attackers later returned with metal bars in a failed attempt to retrieve the photos.

The three men have been struggling since to be treated as ‘intimidated’ under NIHE policy and rehoused safely and swiftly.

Mr Taha explained;

“We were advised by the police to go the next day to the NIHE and I did with my friends Ahmed and Hussam. We gave all the photos and evidence to them. I explained the danger my daughter and I were in. But no one will listen. They keep telling us we will have to wait until investigations are complete. They told me I would have to move to a hostel which I can’t afford. I work for an agency and earn very little. My friends have been living in hostels found and paid for by charities since the attacks and now my home has been attacked again. My car tyres were slashed last night. I told them this would happen again but they done nothing to make us safe.”

The men were in numerous meetings with NIHE staff since the attacks and went again today to plead with the NIHE to classify them as ‘intimidated’ and rehouse them safely.

PPR's Seán Brady, who has been supporting the men,  says the failure of the NIHE to recognise these attacks as  ‘intimidation’ effectively means they are left with little to no chance of being rehoused in a time frame which would provide the protection and safety they require. He said;

“This is the fifth Sudanese family we have supported in recent months whose houses have been attacked. All of the evidence is there to demonstrate clear cases of intimidation - the nature of the attacks, the singling out of the families, the threats issued, the follow up attacks, the involvement of the PSNI, etc. Yet the NIHE has yet to award ‘intimidation points’ in a single case. The Housing Executive’s system, which is supposed to provide emergency protection and safety to people and families in need, is most certainly falling short - with extremely serious consequences.”

Seán continued:

“There needs to be an urgent reassessment of how the NIHE is both interpreting and implementing their ‘intimidation’ procedures. But an immediate and effective response from the NIHE is required for Hussan, Ahmed, Adam and his five year old daughter Amira. Anything short of this is unacceptable.”

Mr Taha sent a detailed letter with photographic evidence of the attackers to the Minister for Social Development, Mervyn Storey MLA and the new NIHE Chief Executive, Mr Clark Bailie, on the 13th October 2015. The Minister’s secretary responded on the 15th October 2015 saying “the matters you raise are operational matters for the Housing Executive.” A response remained outstanding from the NIHE Chief Executive.

Two days later Mr Taha was targeted at his home In Newcastle Street. His car’s tyres were slashed. The men were then left with no other choice but to raise their plight through the media and call for help from the public.

Mr Taha explained:

‘We have been living here for years working and studying hard after fleeing Sudan. We have been attacked for no reason other than the colour of our skin. And the Housing Executive and the Minister have completely ignored and failed us. We are pleading with the Minister and the Housing Executive to help us.’

Over the last 3 years 1855 families/individuals presented to the NIHE as homeless due to intimidation. Of these:

  • 1222 were accepted as legitimately homeless
  • 814 were awarded ‘intimidation points’ (200 points)
  • 408 were denied ‘intimidation points’ despite their homelessness being recognised by the NIHE as caused by intimidation.

The details of these cases have not been made public, although the NIHE have a duty to monitor both the community background and racial identity of those presenting as being intimidated. 

(note: 05.11.15 - following this story and widespeard media attention the three men were reassessed awarded more points, found safe temporary and Adam and His daughter have been awarded intimidation points. The other four families are waiting the outcome of NIHE 'reassessments')