From top: A still from mobile phone footage obtained by The Times of a Syrian man carrying his son, who was shot in both legs, by Turkish border police; Bono with Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu
You may recall reports in The Times yesterday detailing how eight Syrians were shot at the Syrian-Turkey border by Turkish border police, as they attempted to reach Turkey on Sunday.
The newspaper reported:
Abdmunem Kashkash, a lawyer from Aleppo who was with the group but managed to cross into Turkey unharmed, said that they had been waiting in the border area for several days while trying to cross and had come under fire from the Turks every day.
“They are killing unarmed people,” Mr Kashkash said. “There was one little girl who was shot and we could not do more for her for four hours, until nightfall. An old man and woman are missing — they have probably been killed too.”
The wounded have been taken to a hospital in Azaz, a rebel-held Syrian town next to the Turkish border that is sheltering 100,000 displaced people who have fled the regime and Isis advances since February. Isis is closing in on the town from the east, but despite calls from aid agencies the Turkish government is refusing to open the border gate.
Readers may also recall how earlier this month – before the deportations from Greece to Turkey began on April 4 – Bono and a delegation of US senators and congressmen visited a Syrian refugee camp in Gaziantep province, in southeast Turkey.
After the visit, Bono paid to tribute to Turkey for hosting 2.7million Syrian refugees, telling Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu:
“I am very humbled by the generosity of the Turkish people. It is extraordinary. It is a lesson in grace.”
Bono’s comments came just a week after Amnesty International reported that, hours after the EU-Turkey deal on Friday, March 18, Turkey forcibly returned around 30 Afghan asylum seekers to Afghanistan – without giving them the opportunity to seek asylum.
Further to this…
Harry Browne writes:
Bono’s concern for the plight of refugees, while undoubtedly genuine, would be more credible if he weren’t simultaneously offering cover to European leaders who deny asylum-seekers their basic legal rights.
Recently Turkey was rightly criticized for taking payments to accept refugees who should have been in the hands of the EU asylum system.
The same week, Bono was photographed with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and called the Turkish role “a lesson in grace,” even while Amnesty International was accusing Turkey of forcing other refugees back into Syria.
It’s getting to be a habit with Bono, who warmly embraced George W. Bush and Tony Blair while they waged an illegal, immoral war on Iraq.
Bono has quite a voice: what a shame he so often uses it to sing the praises of powerful, disingenuous leaders.
Harry Browne is a lecturer at the School of Media, Dublin Institute of Technology and is the author of The Frontman: Bono (In the Name of Power)
Syrian children shot dead by Turkish border guards (The Times, April 20, 2016)
Related: Bono: Time to Think Bigger About the Refugee Crisis (New York Times)
Previously: Return To Sender
Miserable part of the world……
OMG, Bono is a tool!!
THIS IS BRAND NEW INFORMATION
Harry Browne has ‘history’ with Bono, though, doesn’t he?
No; Harry Browne’s book on Bono is excellent. He just lays out fact after fact.
Inaccurate tax accusations in 3….2….1….
As long as nobody says anything about his extra marital affairs #injunction
I think you should say more about this
The world and his wife knows about them at this point
I don’t!!
Of Corrs they won’t.
Nice
Don’t Rush to any assumptions here. Either way he’ll Cruz through this.
Don’t be so Sarkozy
Wait…… president or wife??
This just got interesting!
Wife and lovechild
I feel very naive. I thought Bono was a saint!
how is all this common knowledge? I’m a big fan of Ali myself
Only he thinks he’s a saint.
tell more please
So Bono’s marriage is anyone’s business (but his and Ali’s) now?
No wonder The Scum sells so well.
Erdogan is Turkey’s Hitler. The Turkish army are massacring Kurdish civilians who are Turkish citizens. Erdogan called off the ceasefire with the Kurds by provoking them back into the war which leads to suicide bombings which can be used as an excuse to bomb civilian targets.
And Turkey wants to join the EU? Go and shite.
Are we under some illusion that Bono is in any way educated on anything to do with immigrants or refugees, or indeed anything to do with conflict areas?
No, he is not. No even remotely.
bono = pox
This is what happens when you start to believe your own hype…..
Or he could just sit on his swiss and do nothing to bring the plight of refugees to our attention. And while we’re breaking injunctions, three words, Chris de Burgh. Just sayin’g is all…
yes because without bono we wouldn’t have noticed…
Harry Browne needs to move on with his life.
Also, for a lecturer in media, he seems (wilfully or otherwise) oblivious to politicking and nuance.
Are there any despots left who have not availed of their photo op?
F%&K Bono, he is nothing but an elitist tool who has no real comprehension of world affairs or of the crimes of the political leaders he spends time with. Essentially Bono is a pox.
Never forget..
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/death-of-driver-in-bono-crash-claim-370474.html
He also alleged, in his claim that has been listed for hearing on January 25, that after “the third collision” he had got out of his car and approached Bono’s 2004 Maserati asking “What are you doing?” Bono had said: “Hello.”
it’s more fun if you read the “Hello” in that creepy smirky slow ‘Bono’ voice
“Bono has quite a voice”
I beg to differ, Harry. Neither sonorous nor interesting.