DONEGAL musician Tommy Bonner has written a protest song against the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar.
The song ‘To Hell or Qatar’ has been written from a human rights perspective and aims to highlight the abuse of migrant workers involved in the preparations.
Speaking to the Donegal News this week the Ballybofey singer and songwriter said the treatment of workers involved in the building of the stadiums for the tournament is something he feels passionate about.
Last year a report from the Guardian claimed more than 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since it won the right to host the World Cup ten years ago, a figure disputed by the organisers.
“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.”
Tommy said when he carried out some research about the working conditions and how the workers were treated the words started to come together at speed.
Bandmates
Working with his bandmates Kevin Halpin and Adrian Harkin the song was developed and it is now ready for a final mix.
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 will be put together next week 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.
“No country has had the courage to say no we are not participating.”
Earlier this week Paris became the latest French city to announce that it will not be setting up giant screens and fan zones for the World Cup.
It cited human rights and environmental concerns in the host nation.
The single and video for ‘To Hell or Qatar’ was launched on Tommy Bonner’s ‘StrawMan’ Facebook page on Friday.
Tommy said reaching the launch night is a very exciting time for any musician.
“You do the work. You think and hope it’s well done but it’s always nice to see and hear of it resonate with other people,” he said.
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