I attended a presentation last night – my Mam had, along with about 12 other people, organised a charity weekend for the Easter in aid of GOAL. They’d raised over €8400; so John O’Shea (head of GOAL) himself came down to give a speech and receive the cheque. So well done to my Mam, and to all others that did so much work…and to Donard in general for pulling together and giving what they could. Here follows a synopsis of John’s speech:
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Thanking everyone for attending, John told the expectant listeners how much he felt the community spirit in our beautiful village when he arrived, and pointed out that communities such as ours should continue to recognise other communities that are not so fortunate. Since the presentation was made in order to help the Tsunami victims (even though the money was actually designated for GOAL in general, to do with what they wished), he pointed out that the world's outpouring of generosity in such a situation was amazing. However, television coverage, the fact that the victims were white and the fact that we ‘know’ Thailand as a holiday destination, meant that this money flowed more freely than to the nations of earth that suffer this level of tragedy on a daily basis. He told us that he didn’t want to undermine the amazing contributions people came forth with for Tsunami victims, but he very rightly stressed that the Third World today is actually worse off than is was when he started with GOAL over 25 years ago, and people need to recognise the ongoing tragedies of the world, as well as focusing on media-worthy events such as the Asian Tsunami. Despite technological advances and medical breakthroughs, people are still starving to death, in a world where there really is more than enough to go around - a point that should be brought home by the bare dent those millions made in the Asian disaster relief efforts.
John continued by telling us about a time, 13 years ago, when he flew in a little plane over India with an Arab man who asked him about himself. John told many stories of his days as a sports journalist – waxing lyrical about footballers and gaelic players – but when he mentioned he was Irish, his companion replied, ‘Ah, the caring nation’. John felt it was significant that he would say something like this, when so many other descriptions of our country could be employed – the drinking nation, the storytelling nation, etc. etc. Some of this feeling must, surely, have arisen from the fact that our small island has sent forth hundreds of missionaries and lay aid workers over the years to far flung destinations where real good was done, and real love given to the poor of the world. John truly feels that the major problem in this world is that governments and those at the ‘top tables’ don’t love the poor anymore.
GOAL has had to pull out of Indonesia in the past few weeks, discontinuing its relief efforts there. The government proved too corrupt in their dealings – asking for ‘backhanders’ for each establishment GOAL attempted to build. John made the decision to go to Sri Lanka where he had made a deal with their government to be allowed to proceed, as he liked, without paying extra to those who already had money, in order to help those that didn’t. Indonesian people, therefore, had aid taken from them by their own governing body – John couldn’t justify handing over cash to them with one hand, as he considered that to be simultaneously taking it from those most in need with the other.
John spoke of the work GOAL has done in India, where he still visits regularly. The gathered group listened as he told us that recently, on a visit, some women in their early 20’s came to him showing off their children…families they would not and could not have had were it not for the care and support provided by him and his organisation. John remembered these women as young girls – 7 or 8 years old – coming to him as prostitutes on the streets of Calcutta. Truely bringing home to all present the magnitude of these situations, at this point in his speech John had to take a moment, overcome by the thoughts of it. Tears in his eyes, he mumbled to himself, ‘I shouldn’t be remembering these things’.
John turned his attention to Darfur, where members of the Janjawiid militia (Janjawiid means ‘man on a horse with a gun’) are sweeping the western Sudan region, swathing a path through the indigenous people with machetes, machine guns, and the age-old terror tools of rape and pillage. Thousands have died, and many more continue to die, while the world sits back in complacency. John told our increasingly shocked audience of an incident proving the uselessness of the UN – where a church packed with up to 600 women being held by the militia was surrounded by UN forces, some with weapons. The militia took the head from each woman’s body while the UN totted up on computers outside the rising number of dead in the conflict. John feels that the UN is a waste of time – a pretend army of justice that has an overwhelming allegiance to the monied of this world. Meeting upon meeting is called by the UN councils in regards to Darfur, but though everyone mentions murder and human rights abuses, nobody mentions genocide – the one word that requires immediate action. Can the lessons of this world be any clearer? We watched thousands fall in the former Yugoslavia, and many more wash down the rivers of Rwanda, yet still we do nothing. The rank and file people of the world want change, but the governments will not allow it – too much thought is given to alliances between countries, and interest in the IMF and the World Bank…money changes hands in the sky, but never reaches the ground where it is needed.
John told us more of the dire situation in Darfur, where he has been in an orphanage these past months, burying tens of children every day – children as young as some of our smaller guests at the meeting. Babies sat on our local spectators laps, listening to John speak, and the pallor on women’s faces spoke volumes of how the needless death of a child continues to be the most damning evidence against any regime. China, with its vested interest in Sudanese oil, voted against UN interference in Darfur at the last summit. All other countries, knowing how sales in the newly capitalist China of televisions, washing powder, clothes, etc. stand higher than any body count can, voted with them. Therefore the aid community – including GOAL – are the only people willing to stay in Darfur, doing what they can for the people. The Janjawiid ride through encampments, leaving a trail of death behind them, but will stop if they see an aid worker – a white person. John showed us all the irony of a 19-year-old Irish nurse providing the ring of steel behind which so many local people can be safe.
He brought us back down to earth – though leaving some of us, myself included, pale faced and feeling strangely detached – by thanking the community, yet again, for their amazing contribution to GOAL. He hoped that people continue to remember how lucky they are in their community, and continue to help others who are not so lucky elsewhere.
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I spoke to John afterwards, and found him a very articulate and interesting man – though with an angry edge no doubt carved from many years watching the wealth of many distributed to so few. His speech brought me to the edge of where I felt safe, and threw me down yet again into the part of myself that recognises the terror and pain in the world, and feels helpless and useless in the face of it. I could see in John’s eyes the same sort of feelings, and after many hours deliberation, decided that I should continue what I am doing at the moment – donations, etc. – and plan to help fully in time with whatever skills I can offer to aid others in less fortune. I signed up on the website for a monthly donation to add to my ongoing donations to Concern and Gorta…and these ‘conscience plasters’ will have to do until I can find some better way of helping.
A great evening with a great speaker, and a great fundraising event that brought one small community together to help the bigger picture – our world outside Ireland. Someday the governments of this world will answer for what they have done, but that day is still very far away – until then, all we can do is continue to push for fairness, peace and love.
Visit http://www.goal.ie/ to make a once off donation, or to set up a monthly/yearly standing order.
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