As the World Cup gets underway in Qatar today the controversy surrounding human rights issues continues to spark debate.
The treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community were among the issues highlighted by human rights groups in the run up to the tournament.
Donegal musician Tommy Bonner was among those to take a stand when he released a protest song back in October.
The song ‘To Hell or Qatar’ was written from a human rights perspective and aims to highlight the abuse of migrant workers involved in the preparations.
The Ballybofey singer told the Donegal News that the treatment of workers involved in the building of the stadiums for the tournament is something he feels passionate about.
“There is a point where enough is enough. How you can sit there and watch a football match knowing that literally hundreds of workers died in the building of the stadium that you are watching it in not that long ago,” said Tommy.
“As a football fan myself I remember the glory of world cups in the past, how much you looked forward to them every four summers. Now its been changed to the winter because it is too hot in Qatar in the summer. All of these things are being made to accommodate this sham of a world cup.
“This song is primarily from a human tragedy perspective of how this has been allowed to happen.
“These migrant workers were invited with promises of lucrative contracts and all they did was go there in the hope of supporting their families and send money home.”
Working with his bandmates Kevin Halpin and Adrian Harkin the song was developed. It was recorded and produced in Valley Music Studio, run by Tommy’s longtime colleague and friend Terry McGinty while the video for the track by Michael Gillespie.
“It is a message that is very important. It is something that I feel very strongly about. It is questioning the apathy in the world to it,” added Tommy.
You can watch the video for ‘To Hell or Qatar’ on Tommy Bonner’s ‘StrawMan’ Facebook page.
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