Let’s show compassion to people who are desperate
They are not engaged in blackmail or bullying, as their critics claim.
When a disagreement comes to this, the time for point-scoring is over. The hunger-strikers have made their brave but terrible decision.
Now the Government must reflect on the morality and consequences of letting them die. Our leaders must show compassion and not try to force them to give in. This would not be negotiation but a face-saving exercise to resolve the Government’s dilemma — it would not resolve the desperate problems of the asylum seekers. It is unfortunate that the relevant minister is on record as having said with regard to other asylum seekers: “I would much prefer to have a system where I could have an interview at the airport, find out the cock-and-bull stories and put them on the next flight, but unfortunately the UN convention requires me to go through due process in respect of all of these claims.”
Michael McDowell is not alone on the Government benches in stonewalling reasonable argument. How they can, on the one hand, beg the US to excuse our own illegal immigrants there and, on the other, institute a process at home that makes it virtually impossible to gain asylum status here beggars belief.
The UN says that 2005 was the bloodiest in Afghanistan since the end of the Taliban in late 2001. At least 1,600 people died in conflict-related violence last year. Violence blamed on Taliban militia and other insurgents put many parts of the country off-limits to aid workers, officials and police. The US lost 91 troops in combat, while 31 aid workers were killed. Many of the estimated 3.5 million Afghans who have returned home from Pakistan and Iran lack shelter, jobs and adequate medical facilities.
The hunger strikers are asking our Government to exercise compassion and let them stay here. Let us hope they exercise that compassion in our name.
Justin Morahan
71 Scholarstown Park
Rathfarnham
Dublin 16
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