A campaign group set up to oppose the housing of more than 200 asylum seekers at a Welsh hotel has apologised to Dafydd Iwan after his cult song Yma o Hyd was sung at a protest. Carmarthenshire-born Mr Iwan said it had been brought to his attention that his song had been sung by protestors on Friday evening outside Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, which is set to become a home to 207 asylum seekers from early next month as part of plans confirmed by the Home Office. You can read the latest on the ongoing situation here.
He tweeted that “this must stop” and told WalesOnline on Monday: “I just want to make it clear that I do not support the right-wing attitude and racism against asylum seekers. The message behind the song is that we have to fight for our identity but that does not mean that we close our doors to everyone else.” You can keep up to date with the latest Carmarthenshire news by signing up to the local newsletter here.
However the group leading local opposition to the plans to house asylum seekers in the Llanelli hotel have responded and clarified that they did not mean any offence by singing Yma o Hyd and that it was not done so in any way as to portray a general anti-asylum seeker message. A large part of the concern over the plans in Llanelli is based on the wellbeing of those asylum seekers, which the group – and Carmarthenshire Council – believe would be better served being homed throughout a wider community rather than in one central location in one localised area.
