22 April 2011

Why no action Mr Cameron?

Posted by Dr Grumble

11 comments:

Anonymouse said...

It is so sad! But those rulers everywhere will fight to the death everywhere, specially now that they see what's happening to Mubarak and his family! Revolutions are a messy business Dr G where everybody is worthless, including those brave doctors who still go help save lives, even those do it out of commitment to medicine but they too don't know what will happen next or if the end is going to be much more sinister than what was there before, or if they can survive the end result themselves.

So, do you really think that writing to the king will make any difference?

22 April 2011 at 12:03
Dr Grumble said...

Yes. Words can save lives and writing letters helps. Evil people rely on the rest of us doing nothing.

22 April 2011 at 12:18
Anonymouse said...

Rest of 'us'?! This is the Middle East Dr G, there is no 'us' there! Only those with 'power', or those with 'nothing'!

Then again, maybe 'we' should still try send that e-mail, but might as well use this 'format' below cos it would be as good as any ...

" Hi,

We, the spoilt people of the west, urge u king/President/Brotherly Leader, etc, of so and so [select then insert name and location to suit] to stop all this ugly business of killing civilians, including docs, and own up to everything past and present cos we think that what you're doin is evil."

Signed

Only, I may need to camouflage my name ... but you need not bother

22 April 2011 at 13:00
Dr Grumble said...

I have written many letters over the years and even had replies. Even despots don't necessarily bin them. I particularly try and write when doctors are involved.

Sometimes the people responsible do get into trouble with the law. For example, General Pinochet to whom I wrote about Sheila Cassidy. I think she was safer as a result of people like me writing.

Dr Cassidy has written: "... torture in Chile was not considered any concern of Britain's. It's a bit like saying you can look over your garden fence and observe your neighbours abusing their child, but it's no concern of yours because the child is not being abused in your garden."

I am not going to stand by and watch my neighbours abusing their child, Anonymouse. Everybody has just a little bit of power. If we all use it together that's a lot of power. Just wringing your hands will do nothing.

22 April 2011 at 17:47
Anonymouse said...

"I am not going to stand by and watch my neighbours abusing their child, Anonymouse. Everybody has just a little bit of power. If we all use it together that's a lot of power. Just wringing your hands will do nothing."

Only your neighbour is no 'pirate', because this is what we're up against here, only pirates are more honourable since they do not hide that they are pirates. Those in power now are no better, they were nobodies who came from nowhere and suddenly found themselves in charge of Aladdin's cave, only exception perhaps was Mubarak who was a professional fighter pilot before he took office. Yet he now stands accused of corruption of magnitude! But, in the absence of a system to control him for years and years, over 30 years! Can anyone blame him 'if' he did do what they say he did?! Would I have behaved better in identical circomstances?

And he was the best of the bunch IMHO, given that even multi- country strong war is not successful in prising that other peasant 'Brother' out of office. It saddens me, but those others holding on to those seats all over the region should never have been there to begin with, but they are and so we now see what we see - and will keep on seeing for the forseeable future because they can't afford to lose.

You know, what worries me at the moment is that rise of rigid religious practice taking over all those vulnerable countries, and that's happening because the west propped up oppressive and theiving regimes for ages, the people had no alternative but to turn to religion to help them accept their dire economic as well as political circomstances. Now that those who manipulated the opportunity are most likely to take over power and stay for only god knows how long, what are the consequences of that on the peoples of these countries and on the whole globe? And, any idea what can we all do about that? Can anything be done to avert this?

Excuse my unfamiliar pessimism Dr G, I hope your good effort will help do something though, if only for the sake of those innocent victims.

22 April 2011 at 19:40
Dr Grumble said...

I agree, Anonymouse. All these things are worrying. I wish I had some answers for you.

22 April 2011 at 20:00
Julie said...

Writing letters does help. There was a priest from our area that was imprisoned by the Chinese for four years. All the parents at the primary school that he taught at in Lanarkshire, wrote letters to the Chinese government asking for him to be freed. The Chinese thought he was really important as there was so many letters and they released him.

It's hard to be an optimist with all the crap that's going on, anonymouse, but we should always do what we can and leave the pessimism to others. All it costs us is half an hour writing a letter. Not writing it can cost someone else their life. Light a candle and hope for your country.

22 April 2011 at 20:45
Anonymouse said...

The Chinese are wise people. But as you both say, let's always hope, then do whatever little we can to help, you never know.

Good luck with that e-mail Dr G and you too julie if you're sending one, I sure hope they will listen.

Thank you

23 April 2011 at 01:02
Dr Grumble said...

Another lost comment:

Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Why no action Mr Cameron?":

Ex-NHS boss told: 'Pay back stolen cash or stay locked up'

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/04/12/ex-nhs-boss-told-pay-back-stolen-cash-or-stay-locked-up-82029-28504799/

modest woman!

We say "if you have to steel, steel a camel", meaning go for something 'big' to make it worth the trouble if one gets caught. Here are but 2 'camels',

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/394168

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/10681/Egypt/Politics-/Escaped-Egyptian-tycoon-attempts-to-smuggle-out-to.aspx

Only these 'opportunities' seem to have all gone, no more 'camels' left in Egypt, such a pity!

25 April 2011 at 06:47
Witch Doctor said...

There are so many sickening things going on in the world. It would be good to think that in the years to come, the Internet might somehow gather enough momentum to be able to play a part in exposing and shaming those "Leaders" who are capable of such atrocities. But in the meantime, why, oh why do our own leaders insist on cuddling and supping with despots. Surely there are limits set on diplomatic behaviour with those responsible for despicable regimes.  

Many groups of people are suffering, but attempting to intervene when a doctor is caught up in atrocities seems a good place to start and hopefully any resulting benefits will roll out to other groups in society.  Doctors world-wide have a bond resulting from their training, experience and ethics and would be a powerful group if they could be mobilised. All the Colleges, GMC, BMA could easily initiate this in the UK and other countries may follow. The Academy of Royal Colleges could even appoint someone whose job was to monitor world events involving the medical profession, build up an expertise of other cultures and co-ordinate the approach of the UK medical profession when inappropriate behaviour towards fellow doctors is identified. Our fees might be better spent on this than being squandered on more trivial activities. Maybe the medical establishments are already co-ordinating something along these lines, but if they are it has passed me by.      

30 September 2011 at 00:13
Dr Grumble said...

The BMA were on the case before the UK press showed much interest:

http://www.bma.org.uk/ethics/human_rights/actiononbahrain.jsp

(I do love my word verification: "antivac" Sounds like a great adjective meaning anti-MMR.)

30 September 2011 at 08:17

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