Just over 12 days ago the Russian tanks rolled across the borders into Ukraine, shattering a peace that Europe had enjoyed since the war in the former Yugoslavia tore that region of our continent apart, more than 20 years ago.
“Living life in peace,” as John Lennon sang, ended on February 24. and since that time 13,000 have been killed, two million made homeless and over 1,700 buildings and properties have been razed to the ground in Ukraine.
Most of the two million who abandoned their homes in the face of the Russian onslaught fled to the borders into neighbouring Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania, with the hope of finding safety for themselves and their loved ones during a time of intense violence and uncertainty.
With my organisation Self Help Africa and as a part of the Irish Emergency Alliance, I flew East from Ireland, and on Saturday last, found myself in the beautifully picturesque Carpathian mountains of Eastern Slovakia, right on that country’s border with Ukraine.
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Ronan Scully on the Slovakian-Ukraine border.
On my first night the temperature plunged to minus 10 degrees, and on every night since the mercury has dropped to at least minus eight.
The village of Vysne Nemeche – with its population of just 250 inhabitants is the main border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine. Just three miles down the road is the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod. The road from Uzhhorod and Vysne Nemeche is clogged – with vans, buses, cars and people, many walking on foot with their families to Slovakia, and the sanctuary of the European Union.
It's been nearly two weeks since the unthinkable and unbearable happened. Over 132,000 refugees have crossed over into Vysne Nemeche – many carrying a change of clothes and some valuables in plastic shopping bags.
Heaven and Hell
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To quote one refugee, Maria, as she came across the border with two of her children and her mother, "being on the Ukraine side of the border is living and waiting in hell and then coming across to the Slovakian side of the border is like arriving in heaven."
I am here on behalf of Self Help Africa, and our partners in the Irish Emergency Alliance, arranging the delivery of medical supplies into Ukraine, incluidng provide food, blankets, and emotional support to people.
As they pass over the border, people are broken hearted. It is mainly women and their children. Some fear that the menfolk of the family, whom they leave behind, will die in the weeks to come as they attempt to resist the massed army of Vladimir Putin as it rolls across their country.
People might be familiar with my work in Africa, and they might be wondering why are we involved in this terrible situation that has emerged in eastern Europe - so I'm happy to explain how this came about. The core of our work has always been in Africa, of course, but down through the years through that work we have developed the skills and the experience to respond to emergency situations elsewhere around the globe.
Suffering
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In Slovakia, Self Help Africa has linked up with Slovak Aid, with whom we have had a fruitful partnership over the past four years in Kenya. Together we are purchasing supplies for onwards distribution to a hospital in a town that has been bombed, in Ukraine.
Self Help Africa is one of the founder members of the Irish Emergency Alliance, a consortium of charities that was formed just two years ago. Our remit is to respond to crisis situations by teaming up and working together to help people around the globe - just like we are doing for the people of Ukraine.
Ukraine is suffering on a scale not imaginable only a short time ago. In response, all people of goodwill must strive and pray for peace and work at creating peace. We must all contact our leaders in power and implore them to strive for peace, and ensure humanitarian aid, charity and assistance for the people of Ukraine as war rages in the Eastern European country.
Evil and inhumane
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The abhorrent and needless killing of so many people in Ukraine must cease now. It is evil. And it is inhumane. War and violence is never the answer. War and violence on this scale can only lead us all towards more death. Let us all call for an end to war and violence especially in trouble spots in our world and especially in Ukraine.
We thought the years 2020 and 2021 were like no other in our lifetime. Well, 2022 has definitely put an end to that. Nearly two years of battling the coronavirus has devastated our economy, our world, divided families and led to tragic loss of life.
But this David versus Goliath war has only made things far worse. Our world at present seems to be becoming so unhinged. Everything feels so sad, uncertain, fearful, unknown, harrowing and disheartening especially here, as I work with Ukrainian refugees as they come across the Slovakia border.
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My heart and soul is broken seeing the women and children cross over the border in droves on the hour every hour here at the border crossing at Vysne Nemeche. As my Nana Scully used to say, "be shocked or astonished by nothing and be ready for anything and everything." It’s a David versus Goliath type of war between Ukraine and Russia. But we are hopeful - remember who won that war? David, who was fighting for his principles. Ukraine too is fighting for those principles.
Self Help Africa, with the Irish Emergency Alliance and volunteers throughout eastern Europe, is working tirelessly to support the thousands of refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Rest and warmth
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We are ensuring that the people who have fled the war can rest in a warm place while awaiting relatives to come pick them up, or to be brought to a reception station that will arrange accommodation for them, somewhere in Europe.
The refugees, mostly Ukrainians, pour through this town. The flow is sometimes hampered by the bureaucracy. But people are being patient. They wait in queues for as long as 12 to 24 hours in some places, and even longer elsewhere. They are a hardy people, and are managing, despite the freezing cold night time conditions.
On the positive side, most of the refugees I have met so far seem to know where they are going. They have friends, family or other acquaintances waiting for them. But of course, this can change as the conflict escalates. If a wave of refugees with no contacts arrives and asks for asylum, the whole situation could become seriously complicated.
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With Self Help Africa, I am here to coordinate the delivery of medical supplies to Victor Francheska Hospital, to enable those in need at the hospital, and its staff, to get much needed medical supplies.
The capacity to help people and children in need especially during war times is a measure of our humanity.
War, hunger and poverty are not abstract; they have a human face. I see this first hand as I watch the countless women and children come across the border. In order to tackle what seems insurmountable, we must encounter the face of those who are refugees, displaced, hungry and poor in the most tangible way.
Peace is a choice
The horrors being visited on Ukraine must be a wake-up call for all of us that peace is something we all need to work so hard for.
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What is happening in Ukraine is truly shocking and devastating, but, sadly, it is not surprising. We, if we are honest, have seen it coming. Ukraine now stands alone, unprotected by the treaties that protect us and allow us to believe that peace is a normal state of affairs. But it isn’t.
Peace is a choice. It is a decision that we need to make each day about the way we live and about our responsibilities to and with our neighbours, be that in our family, in our local community, or between the countries of our world. For there is no better thing that you can do in life than to help, love and care for someone in need, whether that be a family member, neighbour, friend, colleague, or in March, 2022, the people of Ukraine.
We need the policies of peace, the wisdom of peace, the tenacity of peace and the international resolve that will deliver real peace for our world and especially now for the people and children of Ukraine. Previous generations knew this. They knew it, because they had experienced the horrors of war that most of us haven’t.
Diplomatic muscle
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Right now, as well as generous, humanitarian aid and support for refugees, about which I hope many of us will continue to help and support, we must use all our know-how for peace, continue to use our diplomatic muscle and energy where we can for peace. I urge us all in some way to be peacemakers, not simply peace lovers and especially peacemakers for the people of Ukraine. This is an important distinction, because it is a call to action.
First, in support of Ukraine and other troubled lands of our world, and especially support for the many innocent children and families, potential refugees living with this conflict and other conflicts and its consequences, and support for those who are bravely protesting on the streets of many of our cities around the world. But peace, real peace, lasting peace, requires more. It requires a new commitment to law and order, accountability and investment so that we make peace and choose peace, not just hope to keep it. The suffering of the people of Ukraine, the dictatorship ambition of Russia, our own acceptance of immorality that flows through our world has to stop and we have to help it stop now so that real peace can exist and come into our world and our lives.
To make a donation to help the people of Ukraine, go to www.selfhelpafrica.org or see www.irishemergencyalliance.org
