Invisible Slaughter

News silence
Yesterday’s worst world news is least reported.

This month, 45,000 people are being killed in the Congo. 5.4 million people have died in a decade. Most of the deaths are caused by disease that followed the collapse of health services because of the continuing conflicts.

This month’s death toll is equivalent to nine-eleven fifteen times over, or 865 times the total killed in Britain’s recent terrorist killings. The equivalent of the total population of Denmark have been wiped out. Most of the victims are women and children.

This is the worst slaughter since the two world wars. But we are scarcely aware that anything is going on. It’s not easy country for reporters. The conflicts are complex and solutions are not easy. It is a far away county of which we know nothing.

But that is no excuse for a news silence as the tragedies continue on a scale that dwarfs all other world disasters. There was widespread upset because an African’s woman’s healthcare in Cardiff was interrupted. A benefactor has paid for her treatment to continue in her country.

We are deluded if we believe that we have a balanced picture of the travails of the world. Our policies are distorted by ignorance. Compassion follows where the television cameras point.

New blasphemy
Sunday’s posting on Shelter on this blog caused a stir. Criticising a charity is the new blasphemy. The well-swallowed myth is that the ‘third sector’ is made up of saintly people whose work is above criticism.

Amazingly the blog led the Wales BBC news website in late afternoon. Of all the 900 items that I have blogged on since April, this would rank as of only average importance. About half a dozen times I have aired similar views on the homelessness myth. It’s news worthiness, I understand, is that the language used was more direct than the soporific verbal banalities that’s expected of MPs. One Welsh MP said the postings was 'spot on' but he would have used different languages.

I turned down invitations to do media interviews yesterday. This is a blog item. It can only be understood by reading the blog, not by reading the headline summary of the liveliest comments.  Yesterday that subject was not my agenda. The Severn Barrage was and I happily did an interview about that. Global warming dominated the day in Strasbourg. A remarkable proof of the Governments' full-blooded commitment to urgent action was provided by the Foreign Office.

The BBC publicity increase the number of hits on this blog by about 350 over the Monday average. Can there be that many people in the homelessness industry? I had one, very reasonable, e-mail from someone in Shelter Cymru but not a single comment on the blog.

Later this month the Public Administration Committee will report on the third sector. That will be the time to discuss Charity Empire building in detail.

NEWS FLASH:Due to increasing staff salaries of more than £1million a year, increasing competition to win Government contracts and the worsening economic climate, Shelter UK has been forced to make changes which will mean up to five people from 827 employees being made redundant                     

Stick power
Walking has not been straightforward for me since I was child. Sideways forward and some times backwards forward. It’s all thanks to my lifelong faithful companion arthritis.  When I was first elected to the Commons, I abandoned the demon drink. Unkind people might have decided my uncertain gait was alcohol induced. Bumping into furniture and ricocheting from wall to wall needed an explanation.

The title I used for my autobiography was ‘Baglu ‘Mlaen” – Staggering forward. In the last couple of months, things have been more difficult and I used some sticks in hospital. On Monday in Strasbourg, I improved my walking speed fourfold by using a crutch. It’s a French one that I have now nationalised and brought it home with me.

Using a crutch has a remarkable effect. Everyone becomes much nicer. Taxi drivers get out of their seats and help with cases. Boarding the TGV in Strasbourg today, the throng parted to let me through and a young woman carried my case on to the train. Dogs tend to snarl as they see you an alien tin man.

The drawback is that an extra hand and skill is needed to operate the stick. I have had a few unsteady moments. The choice is between staggering uncertainly or manipulating the stick and coping with the interminable questions of why I am using it. ‘Out to get the disabled sympathy vote?’ was one suggestion from a cynical colleague this morning.

I’ll hang on to the crutch and use it mainly among consenting adults in private.

Comments

[Hen Ferchetan]

While Praguetory lacks the simple skills of intelligent debate, he is right about one thing. hain is guilty.

Yes we have "innocent until proven guilty", and thank god for that, but there is no defence to the law Hain has breached. The law is clear, if you stand for an internal election and receive donations, you have to register them within 30 days. If you don't you commit a criminal offence.

As far as investigating the offence goes, that's it. The penlaty will be minimal to non-existant since it's a technical crime that requires no mens rea. But the simple fact remains that Hain is guilty of a criminal offence.

[Tony]

I'm confused - yes , Peter Hain had broken the law but I still thought you were innocent until proved guilty - or is the Home Secretary getting rid of that stumbing block as well ? I think she would do well to ensure the laws we have now are enforced - never mind coming up more wizard wheezes..

[Tony]

I'm confused - yes , Peter Hain had broken the law but I still thought you were innocent until proved guilty - or is the Home Secretary getting rid of that stumbing block as well ? I think she would do well to ensure the laws we have now are enforced - never mind coming up more wizard wheezes..

[paulflynn]

Again you are jumping the gun. He has been reported to the police. We have a sentimental tradition in this country that the trial should come before the verdict. The view of the tabloid media is that all politicians are innocent until they are proved to be Labour.

Try not to get too triumphant. Peter Mandelson once resigned. The subsequent investigation found he had no connection with the alleged scandal. That was another vindictive witch hunt where the media demanded a scalp before an investigation.

[Praguetory]

'Peter Hain is a decent, able politician of integrity who declared legal donations late'

No. He failed to declare 17 separate donations totalling in excess of £100k. More or less 6 months later this omission was uncovered by the media. Mr Hain then took about 6 weeks to prepare a full list. Amongst the unrecorded donations were several senior Labour advisors, a South African nationalist, a former Tory donor, many Hain-endorsed companies linked and a slush fund poorly dressed up as a think tank. Nothing new emerged today. He should have gone earlier when the writing was on the wall. Apologists such as yourself did not help him or your government - you have merely dragged things out.

[paulflynn]

Is that your idea of an intelligent comment, Praguetory?

The cabinet has lost the lone voice that won justice for 140,000 cheated pensioners and the strong voice for clean renewable energy especially tidal power.

Peter Hain is a decent, able politician of integrity who declared legal donations late. David Cameron accepted illegal donations. Lib-dems accepted money that was probably stolen by a man who is now in Prison. Plaid Cymru used taxpayers money to fund an election. When are they being probed? British politics is not corrupt or sleaze-ridden and these vindicative nasty witch-hunts drag down the reputation of what is among the lease corrupt in the world..

[Praguetory]

Off topic - Hain is gone. haha.