I read a piece in Asian Voice at the weekend. It was sharing page 2 with Keith Vaz.
What is a life worth?
Readers will remember that in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Mumbai, our Kapil Dudakia in ‘Kapil’s Khichadi’ had discussed how our MPs had voted on the Mumbai EDM. Below is a comparison between EDM37 (Mumbai) and EDM585 (Gaza). It does make for some interesting reading
and the little box they have shows exactly that…
The piece itself asks why so few MPs found the time to sign the EDM on Mumbai but did the one on Gaza.
The reasons why could be anything, from simply the Israel/Palestine issue being fashionable, or the ‘Israel lobby’ doing it’s thing to Mumbai being attacked by individual. A group consisting of, basically, criminals, not as in the case with Gaza, a nation state demolishing anothers territory.
The piece continues…
Interestingly the so called self proclaimed champion of the victims of war, George Galloway of ‘RESPECT’ Party failed to sign up to the Mumbai EDM. Even more interestingly he found the time to rush and sign the Gaza EDM. For a party called ‘RESPECT’ it certainly does appear to show any support or respect for the victims of Mumbai. Maybe this says a lot about Mr Galloway, his politics and his perception of right and wrong! So what does all this prove?
It proves nothing. If the wording of the EDMs had been printed would’ve shown…
TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MUMBAI (No. 2)
03.12.2008Vara, Shailesh
That this House unreservedly condemns the terrorist outrage in Mumbai; offers its sympathies and condolences to the victims and families of victims of the attacks; and expresses its support and solidarity for the government and people of India.
A good, worthy EDM. But it’s also the second on the Mumbai attacks.
The first is EDM 36
TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MUMBAI
03.12.2008Gardiner, Barry
That this House expresses its outrage and disgust at the terrorist attacks on Mumbai; is appalled and deeply saddened by the suffering of so many victims and their families; sends its wholehearted solidarity to the people of Mumbai and India; notes with pride the support and succour provided by the Indian community in the UK; and urges the world’s greatest democracy to continue to stand as a beacon of peace and tolerance in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.
(That in my mind is an even better EDM, but then, that’s just me.)
Now, for the Asian Voice piece to carry, the EDM on Gaza would have similar wording. Wouldn’t it?
DEC GAZA CRISIS APPEAL
26.01.2009Burden, Richard
That this House is astonished by the refusal of the BBC and Sky to broadcast the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza Crisis Appeal; considers that the explanations given for this decision by BBC spokespersons are both unconvincing and incoherent; and draws attention to the fact that people wishing to obtain information about the Gaza appeal can contact the DEC by visiting www.dec.org.uk.
EDM 36 and 37 are condemning the attacks on Mumbai and EDM 585 is astonished at the refusal of the BBC to broadcast the DEC appeal. The EDMs are completely unrelated.
Maybe if the Mumbai EDMs had been about an appeal to help the victims that had been refused airtime or EDM 585, the ‘Gaza’ EDM, had been condemning Israel, or the Palestinians for that matter, then yes this piece would have some merit.
It doesn’t excuse or explain why so few MPs signed the Mumbai EDMs, but to compare it to EDM 585 like that smacks of jealousy at best, and at worst trying to imply racism of some kind.
