Letters to the Editor: Sudan is latest chapter in sorry saga of human rights abuse

Smoke is seen rising from a neighborhood in Khartoum, Sudan. While most western citizens have been successfully evacuated from Sudan, far too little consideration is being given to the trauma being suffered by the citizens of Sudan, writes one correspondent.

The conflict in Sudan again demonstrates the abject failure of the UN and the international community to prevent or stop conflicts in Africa that have amounted to genocide and widespread human rights abuses. In 1994, the international community stood idly by as up to quarter of a million Rwandan people were slaughtered. This conflict then spilled over into the Democratic Republic of Congo igniting a conflict that is still ongoing causing several more million deaths. European and western lives are given priority over the lives of the rest of humanity. The US and NATO intervened eventually to stop the conflict in Bosnia in 1995 although their attempts to impose democracy there have arguably failed.

Little has been learned from the 20-year US-led unjustified war of vengeance waged against the Afghan people. In the resulting 2021 evacuation chaos dogs were given priority over Afghans who worked with western forces and whose lives were in danger. No accountability has been achieved for the ongoing trauma that the Afghan people are still going through. While most western citizens have been successfully evacuated from Sudan, far too little consideration is being given to the trauma being suffered by the citizens of Sudan. How many Sudanese refugees will be allowed into Fortress Europe? Many of these conflicts in Africa and the Middle East have roots in European colonial abuses.

There is now a serious risk of the present Sudan conflict deteriorating into crimes against humanity. When a popular uprising overthrew the autocratic government of Omar al-Bashir, their efforts to establish democracy were thwarted by the two main perpetrators of this present conflict, General al-Burhan and RST leader General Dagalo / Hemedti both of whose forces were implicated in the Darfur genocide.

The UN is once again being prevented from doing its primary task of maintaining international peace by several of its most powerful states who are pursuing their national interests at the expense of the most vulnerable members of humanity.

Edward Horgan

Castletroy

Limerick

Corporal punishment was brutal practice

I was reading recently regarding a new documentary film by filmmaker Sinead O’Shea, entitled Pray for Our Sinners, which brought back a vivid brutal memory from my Blackrock College schooldays in the 1960s.

I well remember tears flowing down my face and very nearly passing out in the loo from the dreadful excruciating pain after receiving six lashes of the ‘biffo’ (leather strap) as they called it on the hands from one priest. It was brutality at its worst.

The documentary tells the story of two Navan GPs, Mary and Patrick Randles, who in the 1970s rescued women from mother and baby homes and exposed the horror of corporal punishment in Irish schools which helped eventually outlaw legally the brutal practice in this country in 1982.

Mary Randles says that, when you’ve been treated very badly, a terrible aspect of it is that you doubt yourself, because you’ve been treated so badly.

You ask yourself, ‘Did I deserve it?’ That’s one of the cruelties of abuse — not only are you abused but that you have to justify it to yourself afterwards. She also says (speaking publicly) was maybe part of the process. Definitely, Mary.

Brian McDevitt

Glenties

Co Donegal

Beekeepers to meet the public in Cork

Co Cork Beekeepers Association will be out meeting the public on World Bee Day, May 20, at Tramore Valley Park in conjunction with the Kinship Project and Cork City Council from 2pm to 5pm.

May 20 has been designated as World Bee Day and, to mark it, Cork City Council will have a horticulturist available to talk to the public about planting for pollinators.

Beekeepers who keep bees at Tramore Valley Park in conjunction with the Kinship Project will have an observation hive on display to interact with the public.

Eleanor Attridge

Chairperson,

Co Cork Beekeepers Association

Greed cashes in as ordinary people pay

Regarding ‘ We want to pay our way: O’Donovan’s Hotel and their battle with Everyday Finance’ (April 16).

How shocking is this story? There is no compassion, no consideration, and no sentimental values when it comes to pure greed. We live in a world of greedy humans.

 Dena and Tom O'Donovan at O'Donovan's hotel in Clonakilty. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Gone are the days when there were good down to earth dealings and relationships with banks etc.

Just because they decided to buy ‘discounted bad loans’, they will do whatever it takes to make a profit. Nothing else matters.

All this mess in the world wasn’t or isn’t the fault of ordinary people. But ordinary people are paying the price.

Its a very sad world we live in right now.

CM Cox

Kildare

Cúpla focail nua for King’s coronation

There has been a general welcome for the inclusion of some Irish in the coronation service for King Charles due to take place today in Westminster Abbey.

According to a spokesperson from Lambeth Palace, the hymn, ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’ has been used in coronation ceremonies since the 14th century. In Saturday’s ceremony verses from the hymn will be sung in English, Welsh, Scots-Gaelic and Irish.

It is of course good to see this attempt at inclusiveness and recognition of the various native languages which exist in the UK.

Unfortunately however the proposed text in Irish, in my view, will fail to do justice to either the hymn or the language.

According to the official liturgy for the ceremony, the following are the lines to be sung in Irish:

Go dtí dhíot gurb aithnid dúinn

An tAthair Mhac, a Spioraid, a rún,

Tú leo an Triúr i néinphearsa

Creidimis ionaibh tré bhiotha na mbeatha.

With obsolete elements of phraseology and spelling, this verse will sound very odd to modern speakers of Irish. It would be a pity to spoil the well-intentioned gesture with the use of such a text.

Perhaps the liturgical authorities can give the issue further consideration before deciding on the final version. The following is my own attempt at modernising the text:

Mar gheall ortsa gurb aithnid dúinn

An tAthair-Mhac, a Spioraid, a rún,

Tú leo an Triúr in aonphearsa

Creidimis ionaibh trí shaol na saol.

John Glennon

Hollywood

Co Wicklow

Royals don’t know how other half lives

The wealth of the royal family (aka The Firm) in the UK is worth £23bn (€26.4bn) according to Forbes.

The cost to host Queen Elizabeth’s birthday and funeral came to a staggering £38m — £30m for the birthday celebrations followed by £8m for her funeral. Now they are talking about Charles’ coronation costing up to £100m.

This monarchial family who own 21m acres of land, foreshore, numerous castles and lodges, including some of the most expensive shopping streets in London, haven’t the foggiest how the other half lives.

Those who come out to support this elitist group of pompous land grabbers are living in cloud cuckoo land hoping to genuflect in front of a monarch for an award for services given. Some of those have been rather spurious to say the least.

While an average 8,500 children die of starvation, globally, each and everyday, Britain has seen increasing rates of poverty amongst the poorer sections of society. Yet we have an increasing divide between those who have and those who have not.

RTÉ’s coverage, which will fill four hours of programming, could be better used for more important subject matter and not waste it watching two people crown themselves in glory.

Christy Galligan

Letterkenny

Co Donegal