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Lampeduse: NATO Ship ignores starving refugees in echo of Irish famine days
international |
racism & migration related issues |
opinion/analysis
Monday May 09, 2011 23:02 by AC
DOZENS OF African migrants were left to die in the Mediterranean Sea after European and Nato military units apparently ignored their cries for help. Saw this story '63 refugees left to die at sea after Nato aircraft carrier fails to respond' in the Irish Times today and thought of the Heaney poem about the Irish famine. Where is the outcry? Looks like nothing has changed since then in this laissez faire era. See the Irish Times for the full article. |
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4I wouldn't normally be Heaney's greatest fan but when I saw the above article today I couldnt' help thinking of this poem. How little the logic of empire, and the complacency of the masses, changes from age to age.
FOR THE COMMANDER OF "THE ELIZA"
. . . . the others, with emaciated faces and prominent, staring eyeballs, were evidently in an advanced state of starvation. The officer in charge reported the incident to Sir James Dombrain, the Inspector General . . . . . and Sir James "very inconveniently," wrote Routh, "interfered." Cecil Woodham-Smith: The Great Hunger.
Routine patrol off West Mayo; sighting
A rowboat heading unusually far
Beyond the creek, I tacked and hailed the crew
In Gaelic. Their stroke had clearly weakened
As they pulled to, from guilt or bashfulness
I was conjecturing when, O my sweet Christ,
We saw piled in the bottom of their craft
Six grown men with gaping mouths and eyes
Bursting the sockets like spring onions in drills.
Six wrecks of bone and pallid, tautened skin.
"Biadh, biadh, biadh," in whines and snarls their desperation
Rose and fell like a flock of starving gulls.
We'd known about the shortage but on board
They always kept us right with flour and beef
So understand my feelings, and the men's,
Who had no mandate to relieve distress.
There was relief available in Westport
Though these poor brutes would clearly never make it.
I had to refuse food: they cursed and howled
Like dogs that had been kicked hard in the privates.
When they drove at me with their starboard oar
(Risking capsize themselves) I saw they were
Violent and without hope. I hoisted
And cleared off. Less incidents the better.
Next day, like six bad smells, those living skulls
Drifted through the dark of bunk and hatches
And once in port I exorcised my ship
Reporting all to the Inspector General.
Sir James, I understand, urged free relief
For famine victims in the Westport Sector
And earned tart reprimand from good Whitehall.
Let natives prosper by their own exertions;
Who could not swim might go ahead and sink.
"The Coast Guard with their zeal and activity
Are too lavish" were the words, I think.
Seamus Heaney
People should remind themselves this is the same NATO that makes the claim that it is bombing Libya to save civilians lives. If it was really that concerned it would have saved these lives too. Clearly it is not just as clearly they are intervening in Libya not to save lifes but to help the Western powers help themselves to Libyan resources.
The whole episode shows the callousness of the machinery of the state.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24779
also, if you are not on it already
stopnato@yahoogroups.com
.. at it again.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24746
Next up on the circus bill: Buffalo Soldier.