The plight of Hank the dog recently made headlines in newspapers and on social media across the world. A petition to save him attracted tens of thousands of signatures alongside celebrity support. Compare this to a recent week where 170 refugees drowned in the Mediterranean and only a line or two appeared in a few newspapers.
I am deeply concerned that as the world’s media has turned its focus away from the refugee crisis, government red tape, over-zealous use of authority and in some instances, a denial of basic human rights, is being allowed to flourish in many of the camps that have been set up in Greece and France.
Just because we no longer see news coverage of refugees arriving on the shores of western Europe doesn’t mean that the situation has resolved and each has suddenly found a wonderful new life. If anything this man-made 21st century disaster is getting worse and it is showing no sign of abating. It has, however, lost its ‘shock’ factor and we have become immune to the suffering of our fellow human beings.
The sad truth is that we are simply not doing enough and burying our heads in the sand appears to be an acceptable response. It is not and cannot be the answer to this disaster. By idly standing by, either through indifference or ignorance, we are perpetuating the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Millions have been displaced, thousands have been killed and governments, who seem to be more worried about votes than human beings, dismiss the true extent of the disaster.
For the people in refugee camps across Europe, who have journeyed so far for a chance of a life, there is no real security. Many former doctors, dentists, teachers and nurses who provided vital resources within their communities are now being treated abysmally in sites, many of which are run by the police and army.
I have seen first-hand that even though there was much-needed food in the warehouse the army wouldn’t let our volunteer team distribute it to the refugees. As the warehouse had no chiller facilities the food spoiled and had to be dumped. Heartbreaking, wasteful and so unnecessary.
The entire situation is a massive failure on humanity. Volunteers are losing the battle to feed and help the refugees. There is talk of aid money being given by governments and I have been in a lot of camps and I can’t see where this money is benefiting the refugees. I have to ask the question – where is it going?
Our governments and our politicians are not doing enough. I am appealing to politicians and decision-makers to stop pretending this crisis isn’t happening and to do more.
AIDAN CRAWFORD
President, Northern Region
Society of St Vincent de Paul
Sinn Féin at forefront of changing status quo
To sum up Sean O’Fiach’s letter (August 12) he says that the majority of people in Ireland support the reunification of our country.
Everyone knows this, it has been the case from partition and since then that the majority of parties elected in Ireland have supported reunification. It is a bit like telling us that when there is no clouds in the sky, the sky will be blue.
The unfortunate reality is that the British government has ignored this democratic voice since partition despite the concerted efforts of several generations of republicans.
Sean said to bring about a United Ireland you need to mobilise against the status quo rather than supporting it but does not say under what form that mobilisation should take.
The British government gave a commitment in the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) that should a majority in the six counties favour a united Ireland then they would legislate for such a move. Prior to the GFA no British government had ever given such a commitment. Before the signing of the GFA 99 per cent of people in the north might have wanted a united Ireland but the British government were under no obligation to act on such a view.
In my view it was not a case of Sinn Féin accepting a pre-condition but rather accepting reality. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
The status quo here was, in case Sean has forgotten, a six-county sectarian state where one party controlled all and a sizeable section of the community were discriminated against.
We then had decades of war when the might of the British state tried to squash the uprising that stemmed from that status quo.
That status quo is gone. It certainly isn’t utopia nor is it a united Ireland but there is no set agenda on the current situation remaining the way it is.
Sinn Féin in my view is at the forefront of that change and the end product of that continuous change will be the reunification and full independence of our country.
ANNE QUINN
Belfast BT14
Lack of cycle facilities
The Roads Department has just redone the intersection at Belfast’s Millfield junction. There had been minimal cycling facilities now there are fewer. May I suggest those responsible just resign.
There could have been a cycle lane behind the car park, and because it would have involved less hardcore, this could actually have been the cheaper option, but no. Instead, even though there are no shops and hardly any pedestrians they’ve made a pavement some four to five metres wide.
Every roads project should be undertaken with the eventual aim of making Belfast cyclist-friendly and while the new cycle lane in Alfred Street is brilliant, the city will not be safe until the provision is integrated.
It should also be noted that while most environmentalists are concerned about the effects of global warming, Belfast’s DoE seem to act like deniers. Take, for example, Royal Avenue, all redone, with no cycle lanes; as a result, number 12 buses, for example, now go round three sides of a rectangle – Chichester, Victoria and High Streets – so adding to pollution, noise, consumption of precious resources and rising sea levels.
While in Victoria Street itself, there is a two-lane car exit, but again, no cycle lane. Pathetic. Meanwhile, the bus to the City airport actually goes round in circles, widely recognised as a sign of madness. It is all so unnecessary and, if I may say so stupid.
PETER EMERSON
Belfast BT14
Waste of taxpayers’ money
‘A government which robs Peter to pay Paul will always get the support of Paul.’ (George Bernard Shaw)
Considering all the non-stop revamping of Northern Ireland roads aimed at ‘improving road safety’ (you simply can’t accommodate for human failings) one wonders if the real legislators across Ireland and the UK are haulage firms?
The concept of drivers from the north-west heading to Dublin via Belfast underlines the effectiveness of the scotched earth policy operating in both parts of Ireland in order to feed their own egos.
When the London to Leeds M1 was launched in 1959 drivers were promised quick and easy access to those cities. Now traffic congestion in Britain is as severe as ever.
It’s about time we stopped wasting European taxpayers’ money trying to satisfy our egos.
DESMOND DEVLIN
Magherafelt, Co Derry
Entrenched in the past
Brian Feeney (August 17) writes a bitter and aggressive piece about the PSNI and unionist politicians. Jim Gibney writes about the hunger strikes that took place in 1981 – the year I was born.
My family and I recently returned home from living in Australia for seven years and it seems that very little has changed.
I cannot understand why The Irish News gives these dinosaurs a platform every week. Everyone is entitled to express their opinion but wouldn’t it be better to publish the views of a broader cross section of the community instead?
RONAN PARK
Dungannon, Co Tyrone
